Who knew payscale practices were still stuck in the stone age?

Depending on your gender the results of a study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology in October, recently gaining online popularity, say yes – or no.

The theory behind the study is that society holds very different body standards for men versus women. Research indicates that the consequences of defying these social norms may not be linear. After examining the relationship between weight, income and the degree to which the relationship varies by gender, the findings support the hypothesis that the closer women are to media defined versions of attractiveness, the more value the person will find in the labor market. In simpler terms, if you’re a woman, the thinner you are the more money you make. {Morning Quickie} Even more depressing, as women celebrated as attractive by the media have become thinner, so have perceptions of average and overweight.

Numerous tests have been done and theories discussed throughout the years regarding this very topic. Stigmas, stereotypes and prejudice can all play a role in the bias against physical appearances. For example, a woman considered “very thin” (25 lbs. less than the group norm) makes an average of $22,000 more per year than her average size counterparts. Could it be that thinner women are actually just better at the job? Maybe at an individual level in some cases, but considering the size of the study it seems unlikely that every average to overweight woman was that much worse at her job than her thinner counterpart. The results were drawn from two separate studies in the US and Germany, and each study tracked more than 10,000 participants.

At an average or higher than average weight? Value yourself highly, even if others don't. Once in a while, that works out really well.

The same study indicates the opposite holds true for men. “Men earn more as they pack on the pounds – all the way to the point where they become obese, when the pay trend reverses”. In fact, very thin men can earn an average of $17,000 less than their bulkier counterparts. {Wall Street Journal}

There are reasons for hiring someone on the thinner side, but there are a very small number of jobs where weight has a direct influence on a person’s ability to do the job. Even in our thin-obsessed society it is shocking to see such a difference in pay scale for something most people don’t have control over. If a man is naturally very thin, he shouldn’t have to spend hours in the gym bulking up to earn money for a job well done (unless that job is something like body building, of course). If a woman is naturally not very thin, she shouldn’t have to starve herself or put her health in danger for pay equal to thinner counterparts.

Unfortunately, since weight/body type doesn’t qualify as a protected class under US employment law (like gender or race), when it comes to hiring or pay there’s not much someone who finds themselves discriminated against in this way can do to – forgive the pun, balance the scales. While it may be small consolation, the one person who can be convinced to ignore stereotypes is in the mirror. In at least one case, valuing yourself highly can make some difference in how others value your work as well.

Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Foursquare Oh My!

Our technology-infused culture has become over-saturated and overwhelming, don’t you think? It’s not easy sifting through the messages, texts, check ins, emails and tweets that bombard us every minute of every day.

A panel of in-the-know celebrities and industry insiders gathered at the Hearst Art & Culture Hub for Social Media Week in New York City yesterday to discuss the techniques to utilizing today’s social technology in the most productive and beneficial ways possible.

The panel was moderated by Laura Brown, Hearst’s Features/Special Projects Director, who explores the role and growing popularity of social styling and social media in today’s digital world. The panel consisted of celebrity Denise Richards, Popeater.com Entertainment Columnist and Blogger Rob Shuter, indie fashion blogger BryanBoy, Lancome CEO Kerry Diamond and Leandra Medine of Man Repeller.

Almost as soon as it began, the discussion turned to the social media queen herself, Kim Kardashian. Celebrities like Kardashian use social media tools to connect with the public, gain exposure and drive their personal business initiatives. When launching her new fragrance Kardashian used her twitter followers as a focus group when she posted the pictures of two possible bottle choices, asking her thousands of followers, “What do you think?”  Whether or not the one voted best is the one chosen, twitter was a crucial tool for Kardashian in maximizing her influence and allowing her to hear what her fans want first-hand.

Denise Richards noted that it’s important to “have a goal and stay true to yourself” when connecting. Although she maintains everything she types is legitimate and sincere, misleading tweets seeming more contrived than genuine are streaming from the twitter feeds of many celebrities. We recently covered the topic of endorsement deals and contracts regularly stipulating stars to use social networking sites for brand and product-related advertisement. Kim Kardashian denies ever being compensated, but how likely is it that her deal for Reebok Easy Tone sneakers had nothing to do with her tweeting pics of her wearing the shoes at the gym saying “I love my Reebok Easy Tones” and including a link to buy them?

You may not know this, but the FCC does require tweets that are being monetarily compensated to include “AD” at the end of the message to clarify intent, as to not mislead the public. We rarely see this appearing on celeb messages even though law requires it.

Independent fashion blogger BryanBoy had a more grassroots approach to broaden exposure and engage an audience. He says that being himself, documenting his day-to-day life and sharing his love for fashion and style is what first made him famous. However sharing his personal dreams and encouraging others to do the same is what has skyrocketed him into the limelight. So much so that Marc Jacobs designed a handbag after him in his 2008/2009 Fall Collection. His success-achieving advice is to put  forth your true self and it will attract desired results. A big topic of the day was the emergence and acceptance of original bloggers like BryanBoy and Tavi, who are essentially “playing fashion editor” through social sites, offering styling tips, fashion advice and even trend forecasting. Social media sites have served as an unmatched platform for amateurs to build a trusted brand for themselves in the industry.

In essence many of the panel members shared personal experiences that hit on many of the same points. Lancome CEO Kerry Diamond shared her work with Pee-Wee Herman and his new “comeback.” What we already know and love about Pee-Wee is his unpredictability and crazy energy right? They launched a Twitter campaign in New York where the 80’s star would hop around popular locales in Manhattan and tweet his whereabouts to fans on twitter, encouraging all to come see him. It was a hit. People showed up all over the city to see Pee-Wee, even the New York Times stopped by to see what it was all about. Introducing Pee-Wee to Twitter was a cautious, well-orchestrated event that engaged his fans and made his return fun and spontaneous. Knowing Pee-Wee Herman as a brand and using the internet to broadcast is what made the launch so successful.

Whether it be from a business or personal perspective, a strong content strategy or product development strategy are key building a real-time measurement of branding success through social media. Joining such networks requires transparency, accessibility, and a strong self-identity.

Rockie Nolan of the Wanderlusters in a bright yellow blazer and floral print dress

This past year muted colors, slim and simple silhouettes and transitional pieces were the norm, a reflection of the depressed economy and unwillingness of consumers to shop.

It seems there is a light at the end of this monochromatic tunnel and we are pleased to say it involves a lot of color.

The vibrancy of the clothes we are seeing now “exert a strong emotional pull. “They represent the mind-set of the consumer,” said Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist at Golden Gate University in San Francisco. “They express a budding feeling thatâ€s more optimistic and refreshed.” {NY Times}

We are so excited about the resurrection of bright colors and prints this season. You can always count on certain designers – Roberto Cavalli, Betsey Johnson, any number of London designers, for a bit of pop. But this spring it seems everyone got in on the more colorful action.

Beth Buccini of New York boutique Kirna Zabete attributes a 12% uptick in sales to the availability of exciting prints and more vibrant colors. It’s refreshing to see fashion come back to life for the retailer as well as the consumer and we think everyone’s having fun doing it.

Take a look at some of the personal style bloggers showcasing brights and prints for spring.