Courtesy of Glamour.com
Magazine fashion spreads, television commercials and magazine covers are embracing plus size women with open arms. Although some people feel that the publications overseas are more accepting of plus size women, magazines in the States such as Glamour & Marie Claire are coming around. Between the exposure that we’re suddenly receiving and the ongoing support over the years from Daily Venus Diva.com, one would think that we would be satisfied, but with change comes criticism and with criticism comes more change, so here is my one and only critique.
Is it me or are many of the fashion spreads featuring plus size women showing their bare body parts? From the Glamour Magazine photo with Lizzie Miller to the most recent photo of Ashley Graham in O Magazine, there appears to be an obsession with nude plus size women which in my opinion is somewhat of a contradiction. On one hand, people aren’t ready to embrace plus size women/models and on the other, all they want to do is show plus size models in the nude. Is a plus model fully clothed not good enough? I’m all for artistic creativity but some of these spreads go a bit far, especially the photo of Crystal Renn baring her unshaved pubic area. That photo alone deserves its own article.
I am thankful that so many media outlets have opened up their minds and are welcoming diversity by featuring women in varying sizes but unfortunately we are still underrepresentated. The lack of Plus Size women/models featured in magazines are one of the many reasons for two things, 1) Blogs and websites go crazy when we see a plus size fashion spread and 2) Those same spreads will be scrutinized and criticized for any and everything.
If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine but according to the dollars spent, the plus size market is a viable market but can we continue to bare all and be taken seriously by the fashion industry? If the message is one of empowerment, I get it……be proud of your body regardless of your size but can we see plus size women in clothing now.
Editor-In-Chief, Stephanie Penn-Danforth -- Daily Venus Diva.
Hi Venus Diva – Thought this might be of interest to some of your readers in the UK. Congrats on a great blog. Do your thing lady! Z : )
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=394296675979&oid=23530960769
Hi there! Great article.
We just published an exclusive interview we shared with Lizzie Mille at http://www.plussizemodelsunite.com. We would love for you to tell us what you think!
Thank you!
Elizabeth
You’ve definitely raised some good questions.
I think part of the whole nude spread comes across as “Look, fat women are sexy naked too!” I think it is important to see plus size women in tasteful spreads like these because it gives young girls and women a wider range of body type exposure than what they are used to.
I think the movement will have come full circle of success when women of all sizes can appear in any fashion magazine and no one makes a big deal about how thin or thick they are. I don’t think we’ll see it in our lifetime though.
@Moe you bring up a good point.
if the woman pictured is plus sized then some one needs to change the sizing .
THIS is plus sized? I think not. She is maybe a tall 14? That isn’t plus sized, that is AVERAGE SIZE for women in America!!!! Wake up people, get your heads out of your asses and look at the women around you. If they are any larger on average than this woman is, I will gladly eat my words.
Way to go with this article! I am SO glad that I am not the only one who is tired of the naked Plus Model trend! I am not a fan of naked models period, but this naked Plus Model trend is especially annoying because it’s happening so often! It’s like these mags are saying “There’s absolutely NO way someone with THIS body type could actually sell clothes! We might as well show them in the buff as often as possible, and they’ll just be so happy that we chose to feature them at all that they won’t have sense enough to know we’re mocking them..”
nudity in the fashion industry: 1) on one hand i totally dislike that supermodels ‘must’ pose nude or practically nude to have a thriving career; i think people who prefer being clothed should have that right. 2) saying that: i think there is a place for nudity in the industry and i think it’s great that more shapes and sizes are being represented.
Women are wanting to see people in the media that they can relate to. I don’t know why it is so hard for the media to understand! I love that Glamour and the other magazines are jumping on board. Growing up and not being able to relate to any models or actors on television, it was extremely hard for me. The media had its definition of beauty and I did not fit in the mold. I started this blog Plus-Size Models Unite, with my very dear friend. It is an open forum for women of every size, shape, and age to help inspire one another and to promote self love and health. As a mother, I would love for my daughter to grow up and see diversity as beautiful. It does come from home, but the media, like it or not, plays a huge role in children’s lives as well. The women we have on our blog are inspirational role models. The feeling I got when I first saw Emme in a magazine years ago or when I saw Lizzie in Glamour was unforgettable. A breath of fresh air. As a plus size model now, I want to make a difference, I want to promote health and self love. I would love women to ask themselves, what do I love about myself today? Great article, thank you. xx
I have been trying to keep my finger on the plus with the battle for plus size or any size really that can be attainable for our younger generation to relate to. I also have two daughters and I agree with you totally. Models are role models and their size is so unreallisic compared to the average size of a women. I personally don’t think modes today do a thing for our self image, self esteem or this shallow opinion of what woman are what ever happened to personality, values, achievments, etc. We are a lot more than a shape or a size and really should not be exploited in the media, fashion or TV as we are now. Even our current affair show are tending to do stories about silly stories just to show pictures that give them ratings or to please our male veiwers. I just get tired of the antics used.
A confident and beautiful plus size woman glows, she can be seen for all of her beauty and her worth from afar saying this there is no need to put her on the stage, naked for everyone to see and feel like ‘Oh yeah she does look good naked’.
I say this from the bottom of my heart, there are gifts and treasures that we should only share with a companion. Showing all of ourselves leaves nothing for the imagination.
As a curvy woman and model I like to always keep them thinking and I would NEVER pose nude. I have had offers and the money was grand but no way, no how.
That part of my body belongs to my darling husband who has made me his perfect Goddess!!
I enjoy plus size models modeling, outfits, designs that grab my attention and my wallet and make me rush out to buy it.
Seeing a plus size model naked doesn’t do that for me.