Arranged Delirium

“The Triumph of the Size 12s” was an interesting article. Crystal Renn is average sized, and it is a bit confusing when the media terms average as plus sized. It would be nice to see more average sized women in magazines, and many magazines have already begun to do so. However, it would also be nice to see petite models on the runway. It comes back to the reason why six-foot super thin women are the successful working models. Designers make one line. Each article of clothing is made and usually is made in a way that fits a size 2-4 body type. Also, seeing extremely tall women wearing 5 inch heels, makes them seem inhuman, and all the same. It is all because they are selling the clothes, not the model. To have average sized in a show with the super thin would somewhat alter the flow of the show. Models are human clothing hangers, and it is less costly and easier to fit a body with no curves, long legs, and very small breasts. If society feels it is in the best interest of future generations that they are exposed to more full figured or petite women and/or men, then there are two things to be considered. 1. How many teens actually watch fashion shows by designers? Answer: very little. Teens see more of what is broadcasted on MTV and on shows that are displayed constantly and widely like America’s Next Top Model, or images in tabloids. 2. How will you change the stigma of what designers and agencies prefer? Answer: Change before the next generation is old enough to know that at one time the “perfect” women were a size 2. There is more to changing the way society thinks, than simply putting more average looking women on magazine covers and in fashion shows. I am extremely happy that someone like Crystal Renn can be successful doing what she loves without starving herself to alter her image. However, I feel it will take more than introducing a few models here and there to mainstream media for society to feel it is extremely normal to see a size 12+ model strut on the runway in 5 inch heels. I hope that it happens, but happening soon seems unlikely.

The article “The Triumph of the Size 12s” was inspiring and eye-opening. I feel today’s society is somewhat lop-sided on the way it views “normal” body images. We see thin and underweight as beautiful and healthy, while anything above a size 4 is considered overweight and ugly. We have become so accustomed to this thin ideal that we lose sight of what normal is. In the article, Cindi Leive, the editor of Glamour, said, “There were many readers who said they didn’t know what a quote-unquote normal body looked like anymore.” Has is really come to this? After looking through the comments posted by other readers of the article, I realized I was not the only one feeling as though these images effect our society is a negative manner. Each day, women and men are subjected to these images that create false expectations of each other. I believe that models of all sizes will help bring society back to a place where we are not so caught up in striving to constantly improve our appearances, but rather we can focus on improving ourselves on the inside. Crystal Renn can be seen as a role-model for this movement. She has been on both sides of the battle as a “normal” model and as a plus-size model, but now she is ready to put up a fight for her career and women everywhere. Size 0 to size 100, every woman is beautiful.

Regarding this article, I have to say that I agree a lot with Alura. I think it is great that magazines and runaways are taking into an account people that are not size 0 as models.
As an example, I enjoy a lot the real beauty campaign hold by Dove, where women with different shapes and colors serve as models.
However, I still wonder how real the girls are. I mean I know they are not the regular models that we see everyday, but they are not necessarily the average people either. In other words, they maybe more fat, but they still follow certain kind of patterns.
I believe, as Plato said, that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and it goes beyond the physical part, but sometimes I wonder if I would buy something advertise by what I consider a non beautiful person, physically speaking…

I honestly am so sick of hearing about this issue.  I feel like this argument has been going on forever, and yet still nothing is being done.  When I look at clothes, I don’t buy them because of the model, I buy them because of the style.  The world is a diverse group of colors and sizes, therefore, I do believe that models should reflect that because we are the consumers and out of plain equality.  Most people would agree that runway and high fashion models are creepy and unattractive anyway.  I think that fashion gurus pick the models they do because they don’t represent any specific woman.  Those women aren’t real.  Therefore they’re not being prejudice toward any group.  I think that Crystal Renn got a lucky break and I hope that it leads to more people, like herself, becoming more successful in this industry because of the positive response from consumers.

I’m going to have to say I agree with Mike on this one! Runway designers don’t pick girls they want you to look at. During a runway show you have a limited amount of time to view there piece. They want you to be focusing all your attention on the line that they have created as opposed to girls. I do not agree with the idea of girl’s size 4-6 being considered overweight though.  I feel like the world is broken down into multiple size categories now, small/underweight models, athletic girls, plus size, and obese. I like the idea of being a more womanly shape rather than being skinny. I’m glad that finally America is starting to embrace the curve!

I can’t believe that some so-called “plus size” models are actually forced to wear padding or photoshopped to appear bigger!  Why can’t the fashion industry allow people to be who they are?  If someone is thin, why must they always have to appear thinner? And if someone is slightly larger, why make them look bigger than they are to begin with?  If you want a larger model, there are plenty of women who really are plus sized that are very attractive. Hire one of them.  But calling someone plus sized who is a size 12 is ridiculous.  That is average. 

That is the problem with today’s society.  We are way too influenced by everything the media tells us, and we actually believe most of it.  False information can be staring you in the face, but if it is printed in a magazine, or on a computer screen, there are people who think because it got published, it must be true.  The media needs to be held responsible for what it puts out, and there needs to be some control over the internet.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting that we do away with the right to free speech and press, but when false information is published, someone should be held accountable.  And don’t even get me started on the tabloids…they should not be allowed to get away with making false accusations of celebrity scandals that can damage people’s careers, or exploiting famous people’s deaths.  I mean, how much money was made off of Michael Jackson dying? And there is no reason that we need to see every starlet without her makeup on or her flabby thighs when photographed at the beach, or her bad hair day, or Kevin Federline’s weight gain, or those pictures of celebrity children that go for millions.  These people have a right to some privacy, and not only that, but I’m beginning to feel like the fact that society is so obsessed with this information is becoming a huge problem—it’s out of control.

I personally think runway and fashion models are beautiful, that’s what their job is, to be beautiful. Some people say they are too skinny, which some are i’ll agree, but most of them in my opinion are stunning. You can’t fault them for looking like that because so many people in America are on diets now trying to look like them or be as skinny as they would like to be. Some people say society shouldn’t function on this principle, but it does. And the fact that I always see a commercial for Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem almost every day further supports the idea of being skinny. So if people want the obsession with being skinny and beautiful to stop, so many areas of America have to change: the fashion world, advertising, and even television shows such as the Biggest Loser.