Stereotipical Beauty

Personally, I find that the subject of under-weight models is over discussed. We've all read articles, seen TV shows and heard firsthand about unhealthy models and are getting tired of it. However, if this is something of which everyone is conscious, why is still an ongoing issue? If people like Crystal Renn and Portia de Rossi are publishing their heart-breaking stories for the world to read, why aren't people doing more to prevent it from occurring?

                                                              

Oftentimes, teenagers are blinded by their idealistic views of modeling since it is glamorized by today's media and are easily swayed into the industry. This is not to imply that teenage girls are idiotic or uneducated; mostly, they are simply optimistic thinkers. When young models are scouted, they are usually asked to lose about five to ten pounds in order to appeal to designers and photographers. Models will sometimes stop eating for several days in order for the few extra pounds to disappear before a specific runway show or photo shoot. They have also been known to become obsessed with their weight and the way their bodies appear, pushing them towards anorexia and bulimia. If young girls who aren't models feel social pressure to be skinny, I can't begin to image the kind of pressure that a model would feel; having to keep their agency happy as well as impressing clients and making clothes look good.

To be blunt, I find that designs can usually be more appreciated when they are being modeled on slimmer figures simply because that is what they are designed for. Although I do not agree with models forcing themselves to throw up, not eating and living an overall unhealthy lifestyle in order to stay on top in this gruelling industry, I believe that models can be slim without destroying their bodies and that's what agencies should be looking for: healthy and happy people who enjoy their jobs.

We tend to see healthier people in the plus-size modeling indusrtry. Crystal Renn was a pioneer in the plus size model movement. After struggling with anorexia as a teen model, Crystal decided to stop starving herself. Ironically, this is when her career took off; as she started to redefine society’s idea of beauty. She produces beautiful images that display her curvaceous body and I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. Since plus size models embody a more accurate representation of North America’s population, why aren’t collections being designed to look good on their body types?

If young girls are struggling to survive their modeling careers why aren't we seeing more of a shift in the industry? I believe clothes should be created to flatter the everyday women, not to put pressure on people that don't fit into the stereotype of what we image beauty to be.