As cliché as it sounds, a picture truly is worth 10,000 words. If given time to sit back and analyze a picture, each little detail fully contributes to the theme of the visual. In a human’s everyday life, they judge situations and their surroundings due to visuals around them. The featured picture is taken from the Alice in Wonderland issue of Vogue. However, without understanding the plot of Alice in Wonderland, this photo has a much bigger message portrayed. This high-fashion picture really symbolizes the idea of how modern women don’t fit into the society that they’re compared to. Society wants women to be thin, but still conform to their traditional beliefs of dress code and manners. 

To begin, the mood of this picture is rather mystical and eerie. So many questions seem to be up in the air. Where is this house? Why is the girl so big? Why does she look so disheveled? After spending time looking closer into the backdrop, it appears to be a traditional house located in England. The décor of the house adds to the English vibe through the many portraits of possible ancestors or famous people during the time period. The wallpaper gives the room I quiet, homey feel, however the gold accents around the room represent some sort of wealth. The golden trim really highlights the detail at the top of the wall. The whimsical design traces the room with such a presence. The tea set on the table also adds to the British ambience. The gold tea set also adds to the wealthy aspect of the home. 

The room is surrounded with multiple different shades of blue. Blue is usually known as the color of sorrow. However, it occasionally represents confidence. In this picture, the representation of blue definitely contradicts the idea of confidence. The model has piercing blue eyes that look sad and confused. She has on a beautiful royal blue dress with a matching headpiece, yet it seems to be unraveled and ripped. The blue accents on the wall compliment the theme extremely well, adding to the dreariness of the scene. All of the blue seen in this picture directly correlates with the feeling of the model feeling stuck or “not fitting”.  

The picture is designed to show how the model truly doesn’t fit in this environment. The model in the picture is extremely big compared to the nice house she’s sitting in. her body is longer than the width of the room while she lays down. The size of her body seems to draw up an insecurity for her through her facial expression. For most girls with body issues, it is sometimes a struggle to go places without feeling like they’re “too big” or like they’re body is taking up too much space. In this photo, the model is bigger than everything in the room in a hyperbolic sense. During this time period, women who didn’t fit the natural look of being thin wasn’t seen as beautiful. 

Throughout the English society, it is very important for women to remain proper and put together. However, this photo sort of insinuates that a modern girl doesn’t fit into this idealistic society that was taught upon them. This girl looks as if she hasn’t washed her hair in a couple days. It’s not properly pulled back or maintained like it should be. Her blue dress also fits the mood of the English lifestyle she’s living, yet is extremely revealing. Her shoulders and long legs are visible. The dress seems to be ripped, as if the model didn’t want to conform to what she was taught. She wanted to be strong and show off her modern beauty instead of being held in by the traditional style. She also sports tall, elegant heels that a young girl would not be given to walk around in. Her outfit definitely speaks towards her point that she’s modern and doesn’t fit in. However, her pose also adds to that point. The girl is lying across the room with her legs virtually open. If any body language is un-lady like, it’s that one. Her ratty appearance ultimately creates a sense that she’s trying to escape from the “norm” impressed upon her. 

The message this picture sends has a worldwide meaning to it. This photo is just one way to represent the feelings women have when they feel like they’re trapped. Going back to the main idea of this Alice in Wonderland photoshoot, even Alice’s quote digs deeper into this representation. It’s written “when one wasn’t always growing larger and smaller, and being ordered about by mice and rabbits.” Alice hints at the fluctuation of size and the orders of the women whom impressed such societal obligations. She finishes with, “it’s rather curious, you know, this sort of life!” It sometimes takes women their whole lives to discover who they are and where they fit in, and the model in this picture looks lost. She isn’t sure where she belongs, but she knows she doesn’t fit in. That’s why her life is rather curious…because she has to break away. This picture could seem extremely simple at a glance, however deep down its meaning can benefit and produce confidence in girls; just like the color blue suggests. 
