I am not the prettiest person in the world by far but for some reason, something inside has always drawn me to modeling. I’ve always been intrigued by it ever since I was a child, the new styles, the beautiful girls, the photoshoots. It always came down to one big issue: I was too big to be a model.
No matter how many people told me I was pretty enough to model, I could never get into the industry because I was simply “too big”.
Plus size modeling has only been around in magazines and whatnot since the 1950s. This style of modeling was made so that bigger girls like me could get into the industry and show that they were just as beautiful as any other model.
As I have matured, I came to realize the several problems that occur when looking into the modeling industry. When we think of models, we picture girls like we see in the Victoria's Secret fashion show, in all these magazines but these looks are simply not attainable by many girls and male models face these same problems as well.
With a little research from some modeling companies websites, I found that in order to be a model, they look for you to be from 5.9’ to 6ft tall with an average 34 bust 24 waists 34 hip sizing. Because of this, many of those who either want to be models, are models or look up to models as role models often get dysmorphia.
Eating disorders are so overly common in today's society without even thinking about the modeling agencies that are putting unrealistic views into the generations of today. Always trying to look like that one person on the cover or a magazine can often lead to a person's body dysmorphia where they believe they can not eat or anything along those lines because, in order to be beautiful, they should look a certain way when in reality each person is beautiful on their own.
Another problem I see arising from the modeling industry which is where my mind has always wandered, plus size modeling. Plus size modeling was made so that the beauty of everyone could shine if so chosen with disregard to size. I believe the concept of plus-sized models is wonderful but unfortunately, if you look closely, even plus size modeling is janky.
Plus size modeling can start as low of a size as 6. If you see a normal person in your day to day life that is a size 6, they are usually considered skinny. A very common plus size model will be about size 8 to 12. The crazy thing is this averages out to be a 38 bust, 30.5 waists and 40 hips as a size 10. In 2011, a study done by modelingwise.com stated that the average women were a size 14! A size 14 when a normal plus-sized model is supposed to be an 8-12. What does that make the average woman?
My favorite example of a beautiful, iconic women into this is Demi Lovato. This star reels in at a size 8; 34-25-36. But guess what, everyone sees her as gorgeous. Recently Demi has been lurking in the fashion industry with her new line of workout clothes with the company Fabletics. She would technically be considered a plus-size model in the industry for simply being the size of a normal woman but because many people look up to her without looking at her size, we realize that size doesn't matter at all.
An article written by Renee Jacques talked to some plus sized models about their experiences and the claims were phenomenal; stating things like “I want to strive to endorse a positive body image and act as a role model to young women who previously thought ‘thin’ was the only way to get a foot over the fashion threshold.” (Saffi Karina).
“The true meaning of FASHION in all likelihood it encompasses and revels in Change, in decadence, in obscurity versus ordinary, in risk-taking. While fashion beckons followers and innovation create fashion, it’s those who deviate from accepted norms who create so much of our fashion from the get-go.” (Velvet d’Amour).
These are just a couple of the many women in the agencies who have valid opinions about the term “plus-sized”.
In the fashion world, many models have decided to turn to plus-sized modeling. Many were kicked out of their agency for a change in their body and were told they weren’t good enough anymore. This fact alone makes me sick to my stomach. I understand the standards modeling has set up but what should be looked into is the health of these girls making the cut. Eating disorders and body dysmorphia caused by the man who is telling other girls they are not beautiful enough to do what they love. In some cases, models who are small enough to be in the non plus size modeling will choose to leave that side and go into plus size modeling simply because they want to be able to treat their bodies correctly.
All women tall and short, big and small, regular AND plus sized are all beautiful and special human beings and we as a society need to get into our heads that people should not be suffering because we expect them to look a specific way. The plus size industry has just as beautiful of girls as the non-plus size industry and respect and love should be given all around. All hail the human body in all shapes and forms.