Monday, October 19, 2009
Marie Claire Adds Plus Size Writer To Fashion Roster - Big Girl in ...
The fashion world is not ready for Ashley Falcon. In the new Marie Claire column "Big Girl in a Skinny World," Falcon doles out fashion advice for those of us who are far beyond sample sizes.
Making her debut with a full-length picture looking all kinds of fierce, Falcon's column immediately earned points with me for daring to call out designers for equating larger sizes to shapeless, non flattering cuts and for embracing "ass-hugging" as necessary quality for the perfect jeans.
As much as I love, love, love Falcon's column (I'm already rethinking my stance on my now-canceled subscription) there were a couple of lines in the article that immediately jumped out at me.
Now, maybe I'm a little too accustomed to the fashion blogs I read which cater to a variety of sizes without apology (Clutch, The Fashion Bomb, Fatshionista/LJ holla!) But I couldn't decide if Falcon was keeping it real about her experiences or starting to pander a bit to a smaller audience who expects a more self-depreciating big girl:
Of course, it surprised no one that I decided to pursue a career as a fashion stylist-though at 5'2" and 220 pounds, I'd need an elaborate pulley system and a can of Crisco to shimmy into the clothes I dress models in.
Big girls love accessories-they always fit, no size tags required.
Let's face it, it's a maddening task for girls even half my size, but I go through at least a few pairs of jeans every year, routinely wearing holes in the area where my thighs rub together.
Again, I'm not sure where to fall on these. After all, that last bit about wearing holes in jeans is something that happens to me as well, all the time. And the jeans she recommends are cute. But some of the big girl platitudes don't jive with my experiences . For one, accessories don't always fit which is why I have to trek to Torrid for bangles, and live in slouch styles since most other boots never make it up my calves. Purses too - large arms means I always need to check the strap. In addition, glamming up a basic outfit with luxury accessories is a bit beyond my reach - but I'll chalk that up to the priorities of the fashionable. It's clear that Falcon has made piece with her body (after all, she dresses beautifully) but her column seems more practical than celebratory when it comes to the transformative power of fashion.
But that's a minor quibble - I'm excited to see a size eighteen woman like myself seen as an expert on fashion and selecting clothes and outfits that would actually work for women my size. I'm excited that she's bringing more than size diversity to the fashion glossies.
And most of all, I'm excited to see next month's recommendations on cocktail chic.
(Image Credit: Marie Claire)Big Girl In A Skinny World [Marie Claire]
Official Site [Clutch Magazine]
Official Site [The Fashion Bomb]
Official Site [Fatshionista]
Live Journal Community [Fatshionista]
Send an email to Latoya, the author of this post, at latoya@racialicious.com.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Is plus size the new normal ?
Is this change in view to body shape simply transitioning fashion or is there a real change in the zeitgeist?
Now if the garments are supposed to give a woman an idea of how she will look in clothes, then for the majority a skinny model will not give an accurate picture. At the end of the day , the goal of the fashion houses is to shift product and people will not purchase if they're not sold to.
All creatures have a hard-wired instinctive decision making process that allows us to judge, assess accordingly to situations within seconds . It's a survival tactic. Humans are the only species that will judge, assess and respond inappropriately. We talk ourselves out of and into decisions regularly.
What doe this have to do fashion you ask? When designers send ultra-skinny models down the runway or use these models in ad campaigns , catalogs, fashion shoots, they give a very loud message. designers understand that despite the fact these women don’t represent the average woman, most likely a large percentage of their customer base, they'll always be in a position to sell to you.. I have often seen girls displaying such body inappropriate fashion that it embarrasses my own womanhood. Of course some of this boils down to poor taste, lack of style, misperception even, but not entirely.
lingerie and fashion in general is witnessing a move towards mainstream as views change. Have you ever watched the male species shop ? He will walk into a clothing store, scan the store in no more than 30 seconds usually , and decide whether he has any intention to buy there.
If a man has made up his mind that he wants to purchase from this store, he'll most likely do whatever it takes to purchaseoff the rack, most times avoiding the hassle of trying the clothes on. Most men have their own notion of what suits them before they've entered the store and are merely buying clothes out of necessity.
Women will try it on, um-and uh , question her boyfriend if her rear looks big, her girlfriends if she looks hot, store assistants what they think and so-on. Now sure this isn't always the scenario. Some women are very decisive about lingerie styles they like and don't ask anyone else for an opinion. But the point is that men are precise when it comes to how they dress and women are a emotional creatures and emotion based about their how they look. Women rely on our clothes and make-up and lingerie to make us feel a certain way.
We look to the experts to inform us what it is we should be feeling. When these 'style makers' bombard us with images of rake-thin , size zero models ; we get confused signals about how we need to look that leave us confused without us even noticing.
I'm not saying we should start expecting the fashion industry to use fat models. That would serve to every one's detriment. I'm just proposing that a size 12 or 14 girl can be just as beautiful, sexy and desirable as what we're told a size 0 girl is. Imagine how perception might shift if women got used to walking into boutiques where images of the garments were presented on healthy looking, plus-size models. Imagine if you went corsets shopping with or for your man and walked in to a shop that used pictures of the beautiful Crystal Renan or Kim Kardashian wearing gorgeous . These women aren't fat . They're normal , proportionate women. Picture if that's what you were used to seeing when you went into that shop . Picture if across the road there was another apparel store selling similar items but displayed on size 0 models. In which store would you feel more likely to succumb to those negative voices in your head that make you feel judged? Which store would you feel more comfortable going to? In which store would you feel like a more proud, beautiful, empowered woman?
Top 5 tips for Men buying plus size lingerie
Category: General Tags: plus size lingerie corsets bridal corsets plus size corsets | Posted by Javier66 2 days agoThe top 5 tips to buying plus size corsets and plus size lingerie
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Thursday, October 15, 2009
Study: Even Plus-Size Models Lower Self-Esteem
According to a new study, overweight women feel worse about themselves after looking at photos of models, whether those models are skinny or not. Underweight women, however, show an increase in self-esteem. So what's going on here?
David DiSalvo of True/Slant offers this explanation:
Presumably this is because underweight women compare themselves equally to thin models and favorably to overweight models, but overweight women compare themselves unfavorably to thin models and find their similarity to overweight models depressing.
But this sounds a little simplistic to me. Must it be that "overweight" woman look at plus size models and think, "Gross! I look like that? How depressing!" Or might it be that, as Kate wrote,
[P]lus models are still models. They're still tall, well-proportioned, clear-skinned, shiny-haired, able-bodied and usually white, on top of only being "fat" relative to size 0s. The standard is basically the same as it always was, just notched up to a somewhat more common range of dress sizes - which is to say, the standard is still impossible for most of us to meet.
When the whole beauty-industrial complex is basically designed to exscript them, and the few models who are supposed to represent them just look like that complex's ideal "notched up" a little bit, it's no surprise that plus-size women might feel just as bad looking at Crystal Renn as they do at Kate Moss. This isn't to say that including more models like Renn and Lizzi Miller on magazine pages isn't a good thing — it is. But it doesn't magically make these magazines friendly to all shapes and sizes, or make fat women forget that lots of other cultural forces are still conspiring to devalue them.
The study's finding about underweight women is interesting too. The idea that underweight women actually feel better after looking at models contradicts an earlier study that showed all women felt worse about themselves after viewing skinny ladies in ads. It's a little hard for me to believe that underweight women compare themselves "equally" to models any more than overweight women do — like Kate said, they're still models. They're still closer to the beauty ideal than most women, regardless of weight, and they still get help from the powerful forces of hair, makeup, and airbrushing. It would be interesting to learn what percentage of the underweight women in the study were eating-disordered, and how that affected their response to the images. I'd also like to know what was going on in the underweight subjects' minds during the study — whether they actually thought, "yes! This model looks just like me," or whether they got a more modest boost from seeing a woman of similar size presented as an ideal, even if that woman was different in other ways. Perhaps this boost is easier to get if you are of privileged (ie. thin) size — although the study did find that overweight and underweight women had similar self-esteem at the outset of the experiment.
Ever since http://jezebel.com/tag/lizziemiller/" title="Click here to read more posts tagged #lizziemiller">Lizzie Miller was in Glamour, the inclusion of plus size models has been trumpeted as a way to make magazines more friendly to all women. But it's clear that this might not be enough. Internalized fat prejudice goes deep, and just showing women a few bigger models isn't going to erase it. The fact is, images whose purpose is to sell women shit — whether those images look more or less like them — are probably never going to be on the forefront of social change. Including plus-size women in ads and fashion spreads is an important step not just for social good, but for aesthetic value — magazines would be more interesting if they contained a greater diversity of models. But they wouldn't magically make overweight women feel perfect about themselves, or erase all the other influences making them feel bad.
Women's Self-esteem Affected By Magazines [UPI.com]
Warning: If You're Overweight, Don't Read Women's Magazines [True/Slant]Earlier: Memo To Women's Magazine Editors: White Women Hate Themselves After Reading Your Magazines
Send an email to Anna North, the author of this post, at annanorth@jezebel.com.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The bigger beauty: One model's journey from size zero to plus-sized
Discovered aged 14 by a model scout in her hometown of Mississippi, Crystal Renn thought she was living the dream. When her obsession to conform to the stick-thin model world nearly cost her life, she jumped to the other side of the fence. Today, she’s one of the most successful plus-sized models with bookings with the likes of Dolce and Gabbana and Jean-Paul Gaulthier. Renn tells Metro about her dreams, her love of martial arts and how she’s just not going to let herself go hungry anymore…
Q: When did it click to you that actually, you didn’t want to be hungry anymore?
A: I had an epiphany…I could lose my life for a job. I was booked for a Polaroid shoot on the Monday and that weekend I’d worked out for 16 hours. They cancelled the shoot telling me I still didn’t make the cut and I was like, ‘You don’t get it, I worked out for hours.’ They gave me two options: Carry on and do commercial work, or be my natural size and go into plus-sized modelling where I could do arty shoots and editorials. Choosing the second option meant I could still fulfill my dreams and accomplish all I had worked for, yet not be put away in a box.Q: How hard was it to accept your new curves?
A: I was so sick when I was thin, so negative. I was so excited to get healthy and live my dream that every pound I gained was a discovery, so I embraced the change. I was getting to know myself again and feel good in my body.Q: How does your diet today compare to before you became a plus-size model?
A: I was addicted to Diet Coke; I’d drink up to six cans a day. One day I woke up and decided to stop putting chemicals in my body. I’ll have natural soda once in a while but it’s been three years I’ve had a Diet Coke. Today I make a point of listening to what my body wants. I indulge to my cravings, as I believe that they are signs that your body lacks something. I look at my health and energy levels now, not my weight.Q: Your book, Hungry, talks about how you went from a size-zero model to plus-sized. Do you think you were lucky to come out of it the way you did, more successful — as most people aren’t usually so lucky?
A: I’m incredibly driven and direct with what I want, when you have a dream you need to do everything to get it. I’d been starving myself to achieve my dream and realized I’d lose my life for it. I turned my life around but kept the dream. I have this burning desire in me to accomplish and now I have more confidence and a different mindset. With Hungry I wanted to tell people that life doesn’t need to be extreme — I was at the lowest place with my body and I wanted people to be conscious of that.Q: Do you feel more feminine now that you are curvier than you used to?
A: Absolutely. I feel more beautiful, feminine and at ease, which brings peace into every part of my life. I have the confidence and attitude to wear the clothes I want to wear. When I was a double zero I was too self-conscious. It’s not about the clothes, but what’s going on in your head. You can be the skinniest girl in the world yet not feel good about yourself.Q: Do you ever get a glimpse of your old self and worry about your weight at times?
A: I associate being thin with being unhealthy, so never crave it. I was so detached from my body back then, all I see is a girl who hated her life. Today, I’ve found a healthy medium with food and my mind. Worrying about weight gets in the way about everything, relationships, friends, and your hobbies... Lose the obsession and you will open up your mind and have time for everything else that matters.Q: What does your daily health/fitness and beauty regime usually consist of?
A: When I first switched to plus-sized, I was anti-workout. I’d like to work out more but I find it difficult to find the time. I walk, ride my bike, and do yoga. Before I started modelling I used to compete in martial arts, I was obsessed with the weapons — nun chuckers and all. My job now doesn’t allow it though; hit yourself in the face once is enough to do damage.Q: Do you think the fashion industry has changed at all since the skinny model debate?
A: I think people are more aware of the issues and can’t walk away from them anymore. We are seeing more plus-sized models in fashion magazines and that to me shows there is change. There’s a lot of talk, a lot of controversy, but at least there’s change; just look at the work I’ve been able to do, that would never have been allowed in the past. What we need is change to the point of getting more variety on the runway so that everyday women can feel they are a part of fashion and fit in.Q: In your opinion how does the fashion world's definition of plus-size differ from the real world's?
A: In the modelling industry, it's based on measurements, it’s extremely technical. Plus is a size 8 to 20, yet the average person tends to think plus is a size 18. The healthy attitude would be for the industry to change sample sizes from a size 2 to 4 to being a size 10, it would be a good starting ground.Q: Your guilty pleasure?
A: I’m lactose intolerant, so anything with milk is a guilty pleasure. Days when I’m at home I’ll have a brie panini and a crème brulee, followed with a beer — it’s total heaven. Chocolate is the worst as it makes my skin break out so if I decide to have a ‘day’ I’ll be like, right today is cheese day and take pills so that the side effects aren’t so bad.Q: How would you define beauty, do you think that the modelling industry has a lot to learn on the subject?
A: I think beauty is in variety. Having a wide variety of woman with all kinds of faces, sizes, background- it helps tell a story and that’s beautiful. Beauty comes within, its what you what you project and the message you give out to the world.Q: If there is anything you could say to all the hungry boys and girls out there, what would it be?
A: Be an individual. There are a lot of people trying to make it, but the ones who succeed are the ones who are individuals. Make your attributes work in your favour, and don’t let a job change who you are.
I know Crystal is all over the media at the moment, but it is a story worth repeating.
E
The skinny on fashion expectations
University Chronicle > Opinions
The skinny on fashion expectations
By Kyra Loch
Columnist
Published: Monday, October 12, 2009
Updated: Monday, October 12, 2009
University Chronicle
Kyra Loch
There has always been controversy over the looks of fashion models in the pages of magazines and on the runways.
Ever since the 1960s, with the discovery of the model Twiggy, thin has always been best, and the models keep getting thinner.
The fashion industry has been under scrutiny for a long time on the use of unhealthy looking models. One of the reasons this has always been an issue relates to one’s own body image.
Girls and boys see the ads and photos in magazines and believe that is how they are supposed to look.
In the past month, we have had a step forward and step backward in regards to magazines portraying a healthy body image.
The November issue of Glamour magazine contains the “Beautiful Bodies” spread; a pictorial that contains seven plus-size models in the nude.
Each model is interviewed and tells her story about experiences in the modeling industry. The majority of them reveal they used to have bad dieting habits to be able to model at the industry’s “normal” standards, and they realized how harmful and damaging it was to their bodies.
They are proud and confident to go back to a healthy weight, and still able to look and feel beautiful.
The magazine has received a large amount of positive feedback on their pictures from their readers.
Glamour has also released a statement saying they are committed to showing a wide range of body types and racial diversity in upcoming issues.
It is great to see such a well-known and popular magazine stepping up and finally giving readers what they have been asking for: models and women who look more like them.
Glamour has made a great decision and I hope they stick with their commitment.
This past week, an ad for Ralph Lauren’s new fall collection became very controversial.
The ad features a model so heavily airbrushed, her head is larger then her pelvis.
Ralph Lauren has issued a statement saying they are taking responsibility for the problem, and taking precautions so that it will not happen again.
The Lauren ad is so gross and alien-looking it is hard to believe that any girl would strive to look like that.
The need to airbrush an already horribly skinny girl to almost nothing is uncalled for. This does not make the clothing or the brand look any better.
It is also interesting that Lauren decided not to withdraw or apologize for the image.
The unfortunate aspect about this ad is girls will see this and believe they need to look this way.
Because she is a model representing a major fashion label, and will be seen in many large fashion magazines, this will somehow give her credibility and validation that this is how women should look.
We are making so much progress with healthy portrayals of models. Glamour is great for featuring averaged sized women in their pages, along with stories on the struggles of trying to maintain an unhealthy and unrealistic weight.
I hope more leaders in the fashion industry take a lead from Glamour and learn from the mistakes of Ralph Lauren in regards to what people want to see in magazines and what will benefit everyone in the process of loving one’s body.
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Let's home that this is more than just "fashion" but rather a shift in the zeitgeist. It's fantastic to see "healthy" bodies in fashion.
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Sunday, October 11, 2009
Glamour's risky gamble on full-sized female models
See all stories on this topic
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Magazine hopes plus-sizes a model for success
See all stories on this topic
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Photos: Sexy Plus-Size Model Beats Anorexia; 507-carat Diamond!
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| National Ledger |
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Thursday, October 1, 2009
Glamour Delivers More Plus-Size Nude Models
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| New York Magazine |
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Plus size corsets misconception
There’s a great misconception out there that corsets are not for the fuller figure. Well, it couldn’t be further from the truth. Those beautiful fuller figures look amazing in a sexy plus size corset. A corset can really show of those curves, lift the bust and give you an amazing shape and silhouette.
Studies show that men are attracted to women with a hip to waist ratio of around 0.7. It’s basically the ration of the waist circumference measured against the circumference of hips. What does this mean? Picture Marilyn Monroe or Sophia Loren, both curvy women and not slight by today’s standards, but they have that hourglass hip to waist ratio that triggers attraction in men.
Curvy hips are considered an indicator of fertility and a small waist is an indicator of health and fitness. Combine the two and you have that attraction trigger the men can’t resist.
A plus size corset is the perfect garment to highlight this ratio. A well fitted plus size corset reduces the waist and increases the hip to waist ratio. The fuller figure is tailor made to make the most of this ratio and a plus size corset or two is a must have for every woman’s wardrobe.
A plus size corset not only enhances the hip to waist ratio, but gives a beautiful silhouette, helps straighten a woman’s posture and adds an elegant and sophisticated element to any outfit.
It’s for the same reasons that we’re seeing resurgence in plus size bridal corsets today as brides and we’re seeing designers paying attention to the role of the corset in wedding gown design.