Christina Hendricks for GQ UK

Christina, get the axe.

So, like most of the internet, you've seen this:

We wanted to hold off on the opinionating until we got a chance to see some of the pictures inside. You will be happy to know that we will now opinionate.

GQ UK September 2010 Issue
Editorial: Christina Hendricks Drives Mad Men Wild!
Photographer: Miles Aldridge
Stylist: Elizabeth Stewart

First, some soundbites from the interview to set the tone:

What's more unpleasant on set - being in incredibly tight clothing or smoking fake herbal cigarettes?
I adore the incredibly tight clothing! My own wardobe's changed - I've streamlined a little bit and definitely learnt from Joan's sleekiness and tailoring. As for the herbal cigarettes, for the most part I don't smoke as much as the guys do. I'm usually just strutting around a bit more so I don't actually have to be inhaling it. I'm lucky because I do have scenes where the cigarettes work beautifully to punctuate certain things I'm saying.

How much did Helen Gurley Brown's 1962 book Sex And The Single Girl influence you in creating Joan?
Gosh, it was very much about being aware of oneself. Each move being very controlled and manipulative, but not in a negative way. The book was about presenting oneself and how to do it. Joan is not trying to follow that book note for note but it gives a flavour of who she is. I think she's very much about appearance, control and handling the situation.

Now, the pics:





Now the opinionating: She needs to fire her publicist. Or her agent. She just needs to fire SOMEONE. She's an Emmy-nominated actress now. Enough with the body-based editorials. Look, we celebrate her curves too. We think it's wonderful that she seems to singlehandedly be changing the way we look at women and what's considered sexy. That's all great. But how many times in the last 2 years has she been photographed in her underwear? Let's move away from the "curvy gals can be sexy!" message and toward the "I'm a kickass actress and everbody wants me because I'm so accomplished and did I mention kickass?" message.

Look, even as a couple of gays we can admit that her body is a delicious strawberry fudge douple scoop sundae and she sure as hell doesn't need to cover it up, but she's thisclose to tipping over from "actress" to "pinup girl" and while that must be a heady choice when the industry has made you feel less than desirable for as long as you've been toiling away in it, she's in danger of becoming a sideshow act. "Christina Hendricks and her Two Constant Co-Stars!"

Besides, we get annoyed when unimaginative stylists decide that photographing a buxom gal who isn't a sample size means showing as much skin as possible and when you DO cover it, it should be in lace or it should be skintight with lots of flesh threatening to bust out at any moment. It's such a tired way of looking at the so-called larger woman.

We get it, though. This is GQ, not a woman's fashion magazine. Of course they're going to go the pinup route. Only, she looks terrible here. That wig is unflattering in the extreme and her makeup is downright scary in some shots.

Wouldn't it be great to see an editorial where the focus isn't on her breasts and hips? She's got amazing peaches and cream coloring and a beautiful, arresting face, not to mention that tiny little waist of hers. Why not an editorial where she's wearing actual clothes? That fit her? Yes, Christina Hendricks is sex on a curvy stick. Absolutely. Can we say something else about her now?

Fire someone, Christina.

[Image Credit: thefashionspot]

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