Role Model

As someone who's interested in popular culture and fashion, it's always interesting for me to examine how my interest and positions on these topics are related to self-image, identity, and more generally how we see ourselves in relation to these things.

A lot of what we see in popular culture is not reflective of what real life is like and what we experience in our own lives. In a sense, the reason why we idolize celebrities, fashion models, musicians and the like is because they are idealized, produced visions of perfection. An entire team of professionals works endlessly to perfect and maintain these images because the image is a commodity. It sells. We love escapism, idealism, romanticizing and fantasizing. I suppose if the media just showed us pictures of average looking people we would have nothing to aspire to. Or at least no real reason to buy into their load of bullshit.

There are those who argue that the only people who oppose the proliferation of the 'skinny model' body type as being most desirable, fashionable, and popular are people who are overweight and unhappy with themselves. From personal experience I know this isn't the case, as even my most thin and fit friends feel the influence of images of uber-thin models. I also think its a really silly argument to say that only one type of body is acceptable or desirable and everyone else is just jealous. Humans are natural beings who differ immensely in our shapes, sizes, colors, etc. Popular culture often neglects the diversity of humanity in favor of one often unattainable idealized image, and all of a sudden we're all just jealous and fat? I don't think so.

Recently more than ever, though, we have begun to see the inclusion of a broader spectrum of female body types in popular culture and fashion. Plus sized models (usually ranging from size 8-12) are receiving more work and more attention than ever as average American women (size 14) have become increasingly displeased with the unrealistic representations of female beauty in fashion discourse. The bottom line is that the the aim of fashion imagery is to create a brand image that appeals to customers and ultimately sell products. If you create a brand image that is realistic which customers can relate to, instead of one which alienates them, then that generally seems like a better business strategy to me. Call me crazy.

It's really hard to figure out where you fit in when you find yourself in a situation where your not seeing people that look like you being represented in the media. We could talk endlessly about this topic in regards to minorities as well. You literally feel invisible and unimportant. No one cares about addressing your existence. Like I said though, there is some interesting stuff happening that makes me feel so much better about this issue.

I've recently become more familiar with the work of plus size model Crystal Renn, who is absolutely beautiful in my opinion. Her book 'Hungry' details the ups and downs in her modeling career. She struggled to maintain an unhealthily low weight in order to get more work and please those in the industry helping to launch her career. After a few health scares Crystal realized that being healthy having a positive body image was more important and more beautiful than pleasing others and the unrealistic ideals of the industry. She is more popular and beautiful than ever. Below are some pictures of Crystal which clearly demonstrate her struggle and the ultimate success she has had since embracing herself for who she is.

Crystal Renn: Plus Size vs. Regular Size - Which one seems regular to you?

'Hungry' By Crystal Renn.

Here's a great photo shoot by Terry Richardson, a renowned fashion photographer for V Magazine. It features Crystal Renn and Jacquelyn Jablonski side-by-side in identical outfits and poses, the difference being that Crystal is a plus size model. I don't think anyone is looking at Crystal's pictures and thinking she looks like a heifer. The pictures are just as interesting, fashionable, and beautiful.

V Magazine also recently featured a spread photographed by Solve Sundsbo featuring a few different models, my favorite being Candice Huffine, pictured below. The photographer told the magazine, "I loved the opportunity to show that you can be beautiful and sexy outside the narrow interpretations that normally define us."

Va-va-va-voom! Candice Huffine.


Proof that plus size can be photogenic and fashionable!

There are a few other websites that I really like that relate to this topic and I'd just like to provide them for those who are interested. About-face.org is a really great site which compiles all kinds of advertisements and other media images and examines their harmful impact on the self-esteem and body image of women and girls. Visit their Gallery of Offenders and Gallery of Winners to see the contrast between negative and positive images geared toward women. Our Bodies, Ourselves is a practical cultural institution, being one of the first publications about womens health related issues, including body image, body dysmorphia, sexuality and more. The Media Awareness Network also addresses issues related to our current culture of thinness and the self-destruction that it can lead to.

Food for thought (pun intended!): How do these images affect you? Do images in fashion and popular discourse affect the way you see yourself in the mirror? What do you think about the pictures of the models in this post? Would you like to see more images like this in fashion discourse? If your not 'model thin' do you feel excluded from fashion or popular discourse because of your body? I'm so interested to know the reactions of other girls! In order to get commentary and feedback, I first need to get more readers! So my next task is to figure out how to get more attention and traffic to this page! More posts about that coming soon!