Fashion magazines are my anti-drug. I get a high from page after glossy page of fabulous clothing, designer accessories, and exquisite advertising. For me, they are a source of inspiration and motivation not only for my wardrobe’s sake but for my career and my daily life. I subscribe to four, Hearst Tower is the background on my MacBook and every time I think that one day I will sit in that building and write for Harpers Bazaar or Marie Claire, I get chill bumps because I can think of nothing I want more in life than to produce beautiful art. Never have I looked at a cover and said, “Oh gosh, I wish I could be as perfect as Anne Hathaway!” because I know for a fact, that she probably wishes she had Mandy Moore’s hair or SJP’s body.

However, the writers at Jezebel.com do not share my same enthusiasm or lighthearted regard for celebrity covershots. In fact, in a recent article “The Redbook You Should Have Seen on Newsstands,” the writer expresses her utter disdain for the dramatic results of a photoshopped picture of Faith Hill calling the pre-airbrushed Faith “wrinkly and grossly overweight.” It also suggests that we should stop buying women’s magazines altogether (no, No, NOO!) But as I look at the two pictures, I can hardly tell the difference, and either way, I think Faith Hill looks lovely.

It seems to me that everyone is always looking for somewhere to put the blame for their self image issues, or eating disorders. A lot of the time, the liability falls on celebrities. People we don’t know, who are imperfect just like all of the other humans. The ones with flaws, and cellulite, and believe it or not-bad hair days every once in a while! Who cares if their pictures are airbrushed? If my face was going to be seen around the world, I would want it to be touched up a bit too. There was never once a claim made that they are perfect or that everyone should look just like them, so why is anyone measuring their self worth with a magazine cover? Appreciate the brilliant articles, laugh at the advice columns, or if nothing else, just look at the pictures and appreciate it as art instead of a manual for life.

Really the bottom line is, Faith Hill is in her forties, and airbrushed or not, wrinkly or not (I’m not even going to touch the grossly overweight comment), she looks stinkin amazing. Beauty is in individualism, so never compare yourself to someone else, celebrity or otherwise. Everyone has flaws, so embrace them and stop beating yourself up over them. Find what makes you feel gorgeous and then, by all means, BE GORGEOUS!

If you want to check out the before and after cover shots for yourself, visit www.jezebel.com