Glamour is stepping up its efforts to push the boundaries of accepted beauty norms with a photo shoot for its November issue featuring all plus-sized models - in the buff. In the article accompanying the photograph (and yes, all the models actually ate the catered food at the shoot!), Glamour writer Genevieve Field discusses the fashion industry's obsession with weight, explaining that any model over a UK size 8 is often considered plus-size because she's too big for the designer samples that typically run from a size 4-6.
Field also talks about the stigma associated with high-end designers producing garments over size 12, giving kudos to Michael by Michael Kors, Baby Phat and Isaac Mizrahi for Liz Clairborne - all brands that embrace size 14 and above.
As Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive writes on her blog, the staff is completely behind the push for a "body image revolution," which will include a commitment "to featuring a greater range of body types in our pages," she writes, "including in fashion and beauty stories (traditionally the toughest areas for even the top 'plus-size' models to crack)." It seems even the stunning Scarlett Johansson, who appears on Glamour's November cover, has been slightly upstaged by the bevy of beauties wearing even less than the actress/singer. And that takes a lot!
Glamour's readers were torn between this new agenda to see more women like themselves in magazines versus the more idealized skinny versions. Where do you stand?
Weigh in, no pun intended, with a comment below.
shopping spree
Comments:
Add your comment
Monday 05 October
Written by Daisy Klock
Finally fashion people or the ones defend feminine fashion are coming to terms to make women beautiful for their health looks and not their sizes.
Since teens to early 30s I was size 12, but with age, hormonies changes I went up almost size 18.
Now at 45 I am between 16 going to 14.
The weight issue is only important when it comes to health. I also agree we look better slimmer in some fashionable clothes.
But I notice that my face and boobs look really nice now at 45, and when I drop few pounds I get this tired looks.
I supose with age we should accept our body will be bigger and different from 20s.
Good job to make us women feel confortable inside our own skins!
REPLY
Monday 19 October
Written by Diane
It's the same for me. I'm 16 trying to get as far as 14 (I don't think I'll ever see a 12 again) and I'm 46. I'm struggling to lose those last 7 lbs, but, when I see my size 10 47 year old sister I'm not sure if I want to lose too much as she looks great from a distance, but, close up looks much older, we need that extra bit of fat in our faces to stop looking drawn and haggard.
Tuesday 06 October
Written by Sandi
Huzzah, Glamour magazine! It's about time that a major magazine focused on the fact that not everyone in this world is a size 4 or 6 and that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.
I wouldn't consider any of these women eally "plus-sized." To me, they are average in size, but fashion being what fashion is, this is their determination of plus size. Whatever. Nice to see something other than a gaunt sickly looking anorexic.
REPLY
Tuesday 06 October
Written by liz
Yee ha at last normal women....they look gorgeous ...so healthy and the way women should be...far better than the anorexic models you see on the cat walk and magazines...no wonder so many young girls have weight issues and problems it's because of the pressure they are put under ie ...tv.. mags..etc ....(plus men dont like skinny women).
REPLY
Wednesday 07 October
Written by denise rolph
lovely to see "normal sized women". my daughter and some friends have done a calendar shoot recently (called calendar girls) in aid of a very good cause - sending a friend and her children to eurodisney, the lady in question suffering cancer for the second time. the calendar will be on sale at the Body Shop end October and all the "models" are normal ladies who are consultants for Body Shop but want to help their manager who is suffering from cancer.
REPLY
Thursday 08 October
Written by Ian
I dont know if men are allowed to comment here, but here goes.
Glamour is finally doing a shoot that could go in a mans magazine,these usually feature real women and a lady of size 4 or 6 would be relegated to a specialist section. Dont be fooled ladies, designers like skinny girls because they are easier to fit clothes to.To a designer, curves are too much of a challenge
REPLY
Friday 09 October
Written by Peter
As a seasoned observer of the female form I think these ladies look absolutely gorgeous. It seems to me that the fashion industry has forgotten that a large number of men do not find skinny little twigs attractive. If women strive to be so thin in order to be attractive to men they may be doing themselves a great disservice.
REPLY
Friday 09 October
Written by jean
id just like to comment on the so called sizes 4 to 6 which i dont think really exist as such.im 53 when i was in my teens i was a size 12.a size 12 in those days was measurements 34 bust 24 inch waist 36 hips which were my measurements then,sizes have not remained the same.so probably a 6 these days is really the old size 12.wonder what other people think those who can remember what the old sizes were. jean
REPLY
Friday 09 October
Written by sarah b
i agree that these women could hardly be described as plus sized models but whole hearted congratulations to glamour magazine for shooting this attractive photo, which for the first time in years actually has women with more than an a-sized cupsize. i see so many models that look as if they could do with a burger and chips. maybe that's why they always look as miserable as sin.
REPLY
Sunday 11 October
Written by Ian McFerran
It's about time "normal" women had a shot at this type of work. These ladies are lovely and should be VERY proud of their figures. There's NOTHING wrong with reality. I suspect that the waffer-thin models make a lot of effort to be that thin. These ladies would grace the arm of any "real" man. Bravo ladies. Hold your heads up very high!!!
REPLY
Sunday 11 October
Written by katy
I suspect that those few men who demand their wives are super skinny have issues -either they are trying to compete with other men or maybe they don't like women at all...curves are what make women womenly and not manly!
I would never want to be bony with ribs sticking out.
REPLY
Saturday 31 October
Written by Mandy
I was looking for the photo of the 'oversized women', and then realised I was looking at it. This is ridiculous. To even describe these women as 'oversized is absurd. They look great. This is who I am, this is how my friends look,and women that I see around me everyday. This is the way it should be. It was GREAT to see this photo. To me the size 4/6 look more. like 'girls and not women, and as attractive as it can be, it isn't what I want to see every time I open a fashion magazine. Seriously narrow minded and pretty dull. A move away from this dull stereotype and images of gorgeous, fantastic women with more natural "normal shapes and sizes would be long overdue, and do everyone the world of good.
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by nicola a
i think its about times we stopped focusing all our energy on looking like twigs. women today are told to look like what middle aged men say women should look like. women are now told to slim down untill they resemble teenaged boys, and i for one am glad to see people wanting to see women actually look how they are supost to look like women with the curves god gave them.
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by Paul
Ewwwww BBWs
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by Tony
Karl Lagerfeld is way out of touch, and he looks an idiot in that stupid collar. Most men like women with curves, but the fashion designers don't seem able to deal with them. The world is changing, and the fashion world needs to keep up.
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by rosemary davies
I believe that most of the male fashion gurus are gay, hence they dont want to know what a real woman looks like.Thats why they bombard the cat walks with waif-like half starved boyish looking girls, and produce clothes in ridiculous sizes. Much of the stuff on sale these days are "GUESS MY SIZE" garments,cut poorly and shabbily and over priced.If half a dozen real women with real figures dominated the fashion world, the daft trends would end and good gear would be back on sale.
Monday 12 October
Written by Linda
These women are beautiful they might have more generous dress sizes but they are flawless. I don't know why Karl Lagerfeld thinks that people don't want to see 'bigger' women. A woman like that in a well cut glamourous frock would reduce most red blood males to a quivering wreck.
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by vicki wise
I would love to write how amazing it is to see 'Plus size' women on the front cover BUT I consider 'Plus size' to be larger than these women are !! As a size 12, I struggle with pressure from not only media but constant self-doubt about my own weight. Caused by insecurity of in my life. Eating disorders are rife within this sector and until the fashion world listens to articulate comments such as these above, nothing will ever change !! A size 14, 16 or 18 is not 'Plus' sized. I have spent too much mental energy worrying my partner does not find me as attractive as a thinner woman, its about time I celebrated and believe when he says he loves my curves !! Lets hope someone else listens and takes a stand !!
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by Nicola Biswas
Should I say, this person doesn't want to see curvy women on the catwalk, we are all entitled to our own opinions, although I do not agree with Karl Lagerfield, he is just one out of a billion people, with a different view and idea. Afterall he isn't God.....
REPLY
Monday 12 October
Written by robertnorton1969
Now THEY are real women...not the stick thin creatures they put on the catwalk! I would be an avid follower of fashion if all models were plus size!!!
REPLY