Monday, November 28, 2011

The modelling game

I've been known to question the description of models who at the very most would be size 12, as being "plus-size". Someone said to me the other day that I was being very "picky".

It's not that.  It's just that being a plus sizer, I don't think it fair that someone who is a size 12 or 14 (with a beautiful figure to go with it) is seen and described as being "plus-size".   I don't think it's fair that I should therefore be "seen" to be excessively plus-size based on a comparison between that size 12 model and me.  I'm not talking about youth or  looks, or lithe, svelte figures, I'm talking sizes here.

I've questioned clothing suppliers who also make/design/sell plus size clothing yet persistently model those garments on at the very most a size 16 girl.   Of course the size 16 and 18 and 20 girls want to see how they would look in garments provided by these suppliers, and they should.  But let's look at the whole picture.  If you supply garments from size 14 to size 24 for example, then surely on your website as well as your catalogues you would show models wearing your garments in the
whole size range.   

Yes?    But in the main you don't.   

One supplier here in Australia who has always included a range of model sizes is Sybill's of Queensland.  They used to be Carousel, and their garments are fantastic.   Then there is Big Time Clothing who also use models who equate with the clothing they sell.  Big in Black as well - and keep tuned to BIB because I understand they'll be updating their website within the next couple of weeks.

But let me get back to plus-size models, or as I prefer to call them, curvaceous models.   Two American girls that I believe represent the young curvaceous size model are Ashley Graham and Marquita Pring.

See if you don't agree - these women are beautiful in their own right.  Plus size?  Yes.   And they're proud of their figures and their ability to shine in the spotlight to highlight plus size clothing.

We should see more models of this calibre and size.



3 comments:

  1. this post just suddenly appeared for me. My account often doesn't update very well and I don't see all the new posts for a while.

    Anyway, yes, these models are beautiful, but are they really what you are talking about for plus size? These women are still not the norm.

    I get annoyed with this thing that we have to BE a certain way. For instance, I don't consider it comfortable or healthy to wear a push up bra. Why can young women get away with no bra, but older women cannot? What is truly intrinsically wrong with swinging free? (Hope I'm not too graphic here.) Our standards for what is attractive are off kilter, IMHO.

    We seem to be slaves to certain standards of beauty. WHY? It seems to me that the most uncomfortable a man will be is to wear a suit and tie. A woman, to be "sexy" has to cinch in her waist and push up her breasts and wear high heels. This isn't good for health, well being, or comfort. It is unnatural, a falsification of what we are.

    Mostly fashion blogs bore me. You hit on some interesting things though. I'm an old rebel, not beautiful, not even trying to fit in the fashion industries definition of beautiful, or society's either. I wear dresses to church, with sports shoes because that is how I'm comfortable. I very often don't wear a bra at all. When I do, it's one of those stretchy things that doesn't push me into something I'm not.

    Okay, I will stop my rant before it turns into a real rant. LOL thanks for posting some interesting things on this topic. I may not always agree, but this one sparked some thoughts.

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  2. That's the purpose really of my blogs. To get some input and debate about things that matter to all of us. And acceptance, as to who and what we are, is as important, if not more, IMHO, than what we look like, and into what ideal mould we fit. I always smile at your comments, but by the same token, you make me think about things more seriously too. Thanks ever so,

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  3. Thank you! I appreciate your taking the time to post and to respond. It's very kind.

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