Pink Rock Candy – Top fashion trends, news and shopping of 2010

Curves Cause More Controversy

Chelsea Rae Simmons | Fashion, Magazines, News, Think About It | Friday, 01 January 2010

Pink Rock Candy, V magazine The Size Issue, Curves Ahead

In fashion, there will always be a newer, hotter trend, designer, or style icon, but it’s the controversies that really get people buzzing. First it was all about the lack of diversity in the fashion industry, but it seems plus size is the new black for 2010.

The lines are drawn, skinny vs. curvy, but I’m not sure which side to take. V Magazine is playing the part of Vogue Italia with their Size Issue which hits newsstands January 14th, 2010. The images from the Terry Richardson shot “One Size Fits All” photoshoot pits Jacquelyn Jablonski against Crystal Renn in a zero vs. not zero, no-holds-barred, pose-off designer duds, in an attempt to prove designer clothes will look good on anyone— who can afford them, that is.

Now, they’ve just released a second photoshoot entitled “Curves Ahead,” and it wasn’t the pictures many of the models wearing next to nothing and looking fierce as all hell that piqued my interest. It was the comments I read on OhNoTheyDidn’t, the first of which was “gross” followed by a “mte” (my thoughts exactly), that made made me stop and think.

Since when was it not okay to have a full figure and be proud to show it off? Isn’t confidence supposed to be sexy?

To be honest, I know what designers mean when they say clothes hang better on tiny, tall girls, but I also realize it’s unhealthy and sometimes down-right impossible for most girls to be a double-zero. I’m not saying I’m about to buy my official team curvy girl “Booty is Beauty” t-shirt because, let’s face it, I’m not really all that curvy, but I do think women can be beautiful no matter their jean size.

The most disheartening comment was written by someone who claimed to also be plus size, “as a plus sized person…this array makes me want to go puke up my coffee and crisps.” A comment that led some to express shock, while the commentor went on to say, “yes well i have lots of hate for my own body. seeing it in picture form only makes me feel worse…i’m munching on new years candies and silently berating myself while enjoying and loathing every bite!”

It scares me that western culture’s ideal of beauty has become so skewed women not only loathe their own curves, but other’s because of what it represents to them. Part of me feels as if V Magazine is only giving this size debate lip service to cash in on a new trendy controversy, but another part of me hopes this makes some small impact not only on the fashion industry but on all of western society.

confessions of a marc addict.

i honestly think i could write an actual book about this subject...it just has so many facets, so many ideas and points of views to consider. i don't think there will ever come a time when EVERYONE thinks one single human in the world is perfect. take somebody like abbey lee...we think she is gorgeous, right? so thin...so pretty...such a successful model, blah blah. well i asked some guy friends about her (and other models) and they all think she is ugly. everyone has a different idea of beauty. people tend to follow what karl, anna and other fashion elite decide to do. so when models with bones sticking through their skin walk down the chanel runway, and pose in the vogue editorials...millions of people are GOING to follow suit, because they respect the opinion of fashion elite SO much.

here's something else to consider...i'm five feet tall. sure, people are pushing the envelope with "plus-size" models, but what about short models? other than tyra banks, nobody is even touching on that subject. and i think the girl who won that antm cycle was actually 5'7" and that's still a lot taller than me! what i'm saying is, there will always be body types that are left out. and you can't categorize every human being into "curvy, thin, petite, pear" etc, etc. sure, i just bought some size 0 jeans...but i couldn't even zip up a size 7 dress the other day, because i have a wide ribcage. so what stereotype am i with a range like that?!

lois55

I've always been a fan of fuller-figured models. There's a great site with many images of Crystal and other plus-size models here:

http://www.judgmentofparis.com/

They're all gorgeous.

The site's forum also has thought-provoking discussions about body image and the media.

Janine

Oh, and the girl on the right looks great! She looks fit and fab. I think it's BMI/body fat percentage and not dress size that we should use to measure average and healthy by.

I wanted to mention that what is unappealing about the girl in the black bra is the obvious extra weight she carries around her arms and midsection. Not everyone can have a 6-pack, but studies do show that access belly fat is linked to heart disease, so no one can argue that "curvy" is healthy in this case.

OK no more novels!

Chelsea Rae

I never truly thought of it in those terms. I mean, I knew that in underdeveloped countries and in the past having more body fat was synonymous with being wealthy because it meant you were able to afford food that others, the poor people, could not. I didn't realize that in today's society being skinny was linked to being wealthy because healthier foods cost more. I don't buy the groceries, so my frame of reference is slightly skewed.

Also, never having struggled with my weight (knock on wood) I see and hear women who do and I feel empathetic to their struggles not because I've gone through it myself, but because I feel bad that they are struggling with themselves and not just food. I've been at a point when I've had low self-esteem and didn't like how I looked, and I was miserable. I feel like learning to love myself, no matter the flaw, has been so integral to the person I've become, and I'm saddened when people... women... don't feel beautiful in their own skin.

My mom is a doctorally prepared nurse practitioner (I'm proud of her success, can you tell?), so I realize the health repercussions of being overweight, but the naïve optimist in me wishes everyone could just love who they are and what they looked like. Of course, there will always be room for improvement, but I wish there was some middle ground where people can say, "yes, I need to lose weight and will try to reach a healthy weight, but no matter how many pounds I gain or lose, I'm still me and I've accomplished X, Y, and Z in my life and no one or weight can change that."

I do agree, though, that advertisers cash in on the skinny lifestyle, making it as luxurious as a Chanel handbag, because financially it's much easier to eat fatty, unhealthy foods. I'm pretty sure a cheeseburger at McDonalds cost least than a bushel of carrots. That's what's really sad.

Janine

In my opinion, heavier women represent unhealthiness, and the worst in ourselves. Back when food was scarce, full-figured women represented wealth. Now that fast food is abundant and it's the healthy food that is expensive and *willpower* that seems to be the most scarce, being thin is a badge that you are strong-willed and possibly well off. I personally fluctuate in weight, and it is very true that when I look "curvy" (like above), it is because I am not working out regularly or eating properly. When it comes to visual images (advertising,, etc.), brands work to sell a LIFESTYLE, and the thin lifestyle of workouts, dating and parties is more glamorous & desirable than a lifestyle of overeating..

I believe the average size in the U.S. is a 12, and I will never accept that as healthy. As someone who can easily go from a size 3 to a size 9 in a year's time, I know firsthand that maintaining a healthy weight takes work. We are inspired by images that remind us of what/who we want to be, and thin represents not just sexiness, but self-respect and hard work. In a time and a country where anyone can afford to be fat, keeping a healthy weight is admirable.

Also: Even at a size 2, I will still be curvy. Curvy is NOT a synonym for fat! Even thin (not emaciated) women can have hips and boobs.

Autumn

"In my opinion, heavier women represent unhealthiness, and the worst in ourselves."

You're entitled to your opinion, but it's this sort of thing that leads to a fat-shaming society. As Kate Harding of Shapely Prose (http://kateharding.net/) often states, fat does not always equal unhealthy. Believe it or not, some people just ARE naturally bigger than others. Even with a proper diet and exercise, some people will never be what you believe is acceptable. And that's okay, because if they tried to be, they'd only be hurting themselves.

Also, I VEHEMENTLY disagree with the statement that thin represents self-respect. If a woman really has self-respect, she'll love her body for what it is and not torture it with useless fad-diets and insane eating habits.

I can't explain why, but your comment seems like it was made by a person full of self-hatred, and for that, I am truly sorry. Honestly, as long as a person eats properly (not over-indulging OR starving oneself) and exercises regularly, it doesn't matter what her or his weight is. If a doctor (one who knows her stuff and does NOT just dismiss every problem as being attributed to weight without any tests) can confirm that you (general "you") are healthy--adequate blood pressure, blood sugar, etc.--then there's nothing wrong with being a size 12 or a size 24.

Autumn

Wow, I'd never thought about the "cashing in on controversy" idea. It certainly merits consideration.

I'm so, so tired of women being berated and judged for their body type, no matter what it is. The human body is a beautiful thing; can't we just celebrate it?

Also, very glad you made this post. It's great to see those who are into size acceptance in the fashion world.