This is what is wrong..

[KristinCB]

in society today regards to weight and size



This is considered plus size.. um. ok.

[carrie1977]

Nice...what is she...like a size 4 tops?

[KateD]

Plus size? She doesn't even look healthy!

[Kjersti]

How insane!

[newfiemountiewife]

There's no hope for the rest of us then.

[emmasmommy]

disgusting. seriously.

[MandaT]

WOW!

I'd hate to see how I rate! :/

[Jengerbread88]

She's probably a size 6. Sample size is a size 0-2.

There has been a flow of designers using "plus models" that are a size 4-6. One designer went "WILD" and used two Size 10 models, but they were dressed VERY unflatteringly, unfortunately, since his knitwear is made for smaller sizes.

[adrianka]

I think every era has its "beauty ideal" which is totally unrealistic and weird if you look at it objectively. Right now one is supposed to be beyond skinny. Whatever. The point is to know that normal women look normal and don't let oneself feel down by comparison to out-of-this-world ideas about beauty (which most people even don't really considered beautiful, they're just led into believing it).

I was myself skinny not that long ago. It wasn't my choice, for some reason I couldn't put on weight and kept fighting hard to get some for years. I couldn't be happier when I finally managed. For comparison, I was size 32/34 (US 2/4) then and now I'm wearing approximately size 38 (US 8). There ist about 18 kg (the converter says it's 40 pounds) between me 4 years ago and me now, but it's great.

I wasn't feeling well when I was skinny and I do now. I didn't receive compliments on how good I looked then (just the opposite, and it didn't make me feel too happy), but I do receive them now. Every now and then I get comments on my belly or whatever is round, but pfft - I think those people can go somewhere. :-)

Anyway, whoever wants us to believe that lady is size plus must be blind or foolish. Or both. ;-)

[Jenn Barrette]

That is pathetic. The average size American woman is size 14, many stores stop at size 14.

[MamaBee]

sickening!

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by Jenn Barrette

That is pathetic. The average size American woman is size 14, many stores stop at size 14.

Now that's annoying. But I can assure you that when I was wearing sizes 2 to 4, I had trouble to find my size in stores.

I still have trouble to find my shoe size in stores, as what I wear is supposed to be children's size. And thank you very much, I don't want to wear children's shoes! Shoe shopping drives me mad, it does. I'm sure it's the same way for women with feet that are considered too large by the shoe industry!

[mummytothree]

insane!!!

[MommaTrish]

Until this bout of sickness I've been going through I was always a 6 and never considered myself plus size, I always got comments I needed to put on weight. Now that I've very unwillingly lost 15 pounds and wear a 0 I feel like I look disgusting. I mean I just LOOK unhealthy. I have no idea why anyone would even want to be this small.

[BrattyMeg]

That's Crystal Renn..she used to be anorexic/bulimic....She has lost a bit of weight lately I think she was a "plus size" 10-12 at one point. I know she was really angry a couple months back when a magazine thinned up her picture

anyways I agree..when people strive to be this unrealistic weight it's just so unhealthy. I've had my share of eating issues in the past and the torture it is on your body is just so mind boggling.

[Keely~B]

She's certainly not overweight but she doesn't look unhealthy either. I think women are judged harshly no matter what. In my opinion if you were born with a uterus you're a "real" woman, whether you're a 2 or 20. My bff and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum and neither one of us has an easy time shopping. One thing we've both noticed is that while most people would never consider commenting on a large woman's physique or eating habits to their face that doesn't seem to hold true on the other end.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by Keely~B

She's certainly not overweight but she doesn't look unhealthy either. I think women are judged harshly no matter what. In my opinion if you were born with a uterus you're a "real" woman, whether you're a 2 or 20. My bff and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum and neither one of us has an easy time shopping. One thing we've both noticed is that while most people would never consider commenting on a large woman's physique or eating habits to their face that doesn't seem to hold true on the other end.

So true! During my skinny times I kept hearing "But you'so so horribly thin" / "You look horrible" / "Are you anorectic?" kind of comments. Since I was desperately trying to put on weight this really didn't help me. But nobody tells anyone that they are too fat, that's supposed to be impolite. Anyway, you can never satisfy anybody, I have a colleague who, at my most skinny times, commented that if she had a belly like me she wouldn't wear tight dresses (even at size 2 I still had boobs and belly). But that one's definitely a psycho.

[scrap2day]

Originally Posted by Keely~B

She's certainly not overweight but she doesn't look unhealthy either. I think women are judged harshly no matter what. In my opinion if you were born with a uterus you're a "real" woman, whether you're a 2 or 20. My bff and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum and neither one of us has an easy time shopping. One thing we've both noticed is that while most people would never consider commenting on a large woman's physique or eating habits to their face that doesn't seem to hold true on the other end.

Wow. You are lucky if you and your friend have not witnessed comments to a large woman. I do agree, though, that people also make comments to skinny women. How much nicer the world would be if people would use their words to build people up instead of knocking them down.

On a side note: I used to work at a college where they taught fashion design. It was kind of sad when most students struggled to get a job and if they were lucky they became a "buyer" for a major department store. I'm guessing this wasn't their dream when they first enrolled with a major of fashion design.

When I talked to one student who was really struggling to find employment I gave her suggestions to design for the overlooked groups (i.e. the plus size, limited mobility, preemie babies, etc.) she said she really didn't know how to do that because the degree revolved around being taught to design for the runway. All I could think was what a disservice colleges and universities were doing to fashion design students. We will really continue to have a problem if the students are never taught how to design anything besides a size 0 or 2.

[Jengerbread88]

Originally Posted by scrap2day

On a side note: I used to work at a college where they taught fashion design. It was kind of sad when most students struggled to get a job and if they were lucky they became a "buyer" for a major department store. I'm guessing this wasn't their dream when they first enrolled with a major of fashion design.

Lol, perhaps they should be a Fashion Marketing major. We're always targeted with designelated positions, when most of us want to be buyers or merchandisers...

[heathergw]

[joelsgirl]

Maurice's uses plus size models. We should all shop there.

Look how sad that girl looks. I totally don't want to wear clothes that make me feel sad. Where are the smiley faced models?

[Keely~B]

You are lucky if you and your friend have not witnessed comments to a large woman.

It was an honest observation in our every day experience, it wasn't meant to imply that she has it easier. I was trying to make the point (not very well) that we're both judged all the time and we are pretty opposite physically. We worked together for years, in conversation people would try to avoid any description or implication of her as being heavy or overweight. On the other hand, time and time again people would feel free to say that I needed to eat more, or that men like meat and curves, straight out "you're too skinny". No one ever said to her "you're too fat". That doesn't take anything away from the fact that she felt like she had eyes on her if she ate a piece of candy, that she doesn't feel comfortable going to a water park, that she hears snickers or gets dirty looks from kids. We both felt like people kept tabs of how much or when, or what we ate and a lot of people are making assumptions that one of us of us is a pig and the other is anorexic. We just became more aware of each other's positions under those circumstances. KWIM?

How much nicer the world would be if people would use their words to build people up instead of knocking them down.

I agree. I think people are hard on women period, expectations are too high all around, no matter how you're built.

The shopping/manufacturing thing is frustrating. My bff is on the tall side and heavy. I'm not tiny despite the free flowing commentary, average height, heavy hips and thighs, soft spots, post child-bearing fried egg boobs and all. I've just never weighed a lot, I'm small boned, that's it. If we go shopping together the offerings are limited for both of us as adult women past our 20's and not ready for old and frumpy. The sizes for both of us are very limited if at all available, often the fabrics are gross, cuts are unflattering or not age appropriate, expensive. It bites. Sizes aren't even true or equal anymore so the numbers thing is a joke in ready to wear. Neither one of us is being well represented and both of us are being told that we're inadequate by someone, be it manufacturers/buyers or people in real life.

And can't we all agree that the mad duck face on a model of any size is unattractive

[igloodwellerz]

I was a size five at one point, and my husband said he didn't want to do too much with me (as far as outside rough and tough stuff) because I looked too "fragile"! This is what the world has come too! Sad.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by scrap2day

When I talked to one student who was really struggling to find employment I gave her suggestions to design for the overlooked groups (i.e. the plus size, limited mobility, preemie babies, etc.) she said she really didn't know how to do that because the degree revolved around being taught to design for the runway. All I could think was what a disservice colleges and universities were doing to fashion design students. We will really continue to have a problem if the students are never taught how to design anything besides a size 0 or 2.

Unbelievable! 0 to 2? No comment.

There are so MANY overlooked groups which might do great for somebody looking for a market. Like - women with slim wait but big boobs. Try to find a bra size 30H (that's the UK size, US would be 30G I think) in Europe - impossible. 30 is judged unexistent (really) and H is to be found for waist 36, not 30. I spent years being frustrated wearing wrong bras out of necessity until I discovered a shop in UK that is targeted towards this market and I say wow! Great products, great customer service. And the person who owns the shop only got the idea incidentally when she was on maternity leave and weaning and it was hopeless for her to get a bra. And there she is, having a successful, thriving business.

Same goes for women with what is judged extremely small feet (who are supposed to be rare but I personally know about 10 of them). Yet if I come to a shop all I hear is "nobody would be interested in such shoes" and at the same time they say "we had some pairs but they were sold immediately". Like, logic. *eyeroll*

And that's just two groups I belong to. There are dozens of them, and someone smart might make business there (like the UK shop I mentioned).

[SweetMelissa]

That's plus size? What? Wow!! I knew that what was considered to be plus size wasn't really plus size but that girl is super skinny. In fact the first thing that came to my mind was that someone needs to give her a chocolate milk shake and a ham burger!

[nonnie]

Originally Posted by Keely~B

She's certainly not overweight but she doesn't look unhealthy either. I think women are judged harshly no matter what. In my opinion if you were born with a uterus you're a "real" woman, whether you're a 2 or 20. My bff and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum and neither one of us has an easy time shopping. One thing we've both noticed is that while most people would never consider commenting on a large woman's physique or eating habits to their face that doesn't seem to hold true on the other end.

ITA!!! I went from an 18 (at my largest) to a 4 and I have to tell you when I was heavy I never heard a comment about my weight - when I lost weight however - you would not believe the comments I get - all the time - from strangers - I will say something like I am kind of cold.... and people have said - you need to go eat a brownie - or give that girl a cupcake. No one besides my mom ever told me to go eat a salad when I was heavy. I hear it all the time - and can be said very mean. I am not too skinny - I am very healthy now. I agree, we are hardest on ourselves and other women! I was shocked at how much aggression there is out there towards skinny women. And yes it is just as hard to find clothes when you are a 2/4 and 14/16 - been both and if I say it is hard to find clothes for a size 4 I get comments like - "you should just be thankful you are a size 4" - and "well cry me a river" - really - why are we like this to each other?

[scrap2day]

Originally Posted by Keely~B

It was an honest observation in our every day experience, it wasn't meant to imply that she has it easier. I was trying to make the point (not very well) that we're both judged all the time and we are pretty opposite physically. We worked together for years, in conversation people would try to avoid any description or implication of her as being heavy or overweight. On the other hand, time and time again people would feel free to say that I needed to eat more, or that men like meat and curves, straight out "you're too skinny". No one ever said to her "you're too fat". That doesn't take anything away from the fact that she felt like she had eyes on her if she ate a piece of candy, that she doesn't feel comfortable going to a water park, that she hears snickers or gets dirty looks from kids. We both felt like people kept tabs of how much or when, or what we ate and a lot of people are making assumptions that one of us of us is a pig and the other is anorexic. We just became more aware of each other's positions under those circumstances. KWIM?

The shopping/manufacturing thing is frustrating. My bff is on the tall side and heavy. I'm not tiny despite the free flowing commentary, average height, heavy hips and thighs, soft spots, post child-bearing fried egg boobs and all. I've just never weighed a lot, I'm small boned, that's it. If we go shopping together the offerings are limited for both of us as adult women past our 20's and not ready for old and frumpy. The sizes for both of us are very limited if at all available, often the fabrics are gross, cuts are unflattering or not age appropriate, expensive. It bites. Sizes aren't even true or equal anymore so the numbers thing is a joke in ready to wear. Neither one of us is being well represented and both of us are being told that we're inadequate by someone, be it manufacturers/buyers or people in real life.

I hope my comments didn't sound harsh. I didn't mean them that way.

And I have to agree with the difficulty with finding clothes. Some of the cuts are totally not age appropriate. (Although I'm pretty modest so I'm not too thrilled with some of the cuts/styles for little girls either). And some of the fabric patterns they use. I don't think they would look good on anyone!

[lovely1m]

That is just sad.

I, too, know how hard it is to find fitting clothes. Pants are the worst for me! I am tall with a very true hourglass figure (huge hips, tiny waist), by the time I find a pair of pants to fit over my hips, its sticking out 4 inches from my waist, so I get my mom to sew darts in them. lol

[jessica31876]

I think the reasson that they call that plus size is that most designers make their clothes for women sized 0-2. If the norm for fashion designers is a 0 or 2 then a woman who is a 8, 10 or 12 they would really be plus sized in comparison to a 0. We all know that a 0 or 2 is not really the norm for most women. I look at them and can see beauty in most of them but Im sure that every woman in one of those magazines has something they do not like about their own bodies/looks. What everyone really needs to do is just embrace their own beauty/talents and not compare theirs to someone elses because then you forget about your own positive traits when you thnk the things you feel that you are lacking.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by nonnie

ITA!!! I went from an 18 (at my largest) to a 4 and I have to tell you when I was heavy I never heard a comment about my weight - when I lost weight however - you would not believe the comments I get - all the time - from strangers - I will say something like I am kind of cold.... and people have said - you need to go eat a brownie - or give that girl a cupcake. No one besides my mom ever told me to go eat a salad when I was heavy. I hear it all the time - and can be said very mean. I am not too skinny - I am very healthy now. I agree, we are hardest on ourselves and other women! I was shocked at how much aggression there is out there towards skinny women. And yes it is just as hard to find clothes when you are a 2/4 and 14/16 - been both and if I say it is hard to find clothes for a size 4 I get comments like - "you should just be thankful you are a size 4" - and "well cry me a river" - really - why are we like this to each other?

Been there. And it was exactly the same comments. It's so true that it's WE that are the harshest on ourselves and other women. And yes, there's aggression towards skinny women. Can't get it why, either. Maybe most women are so traumatised by having the skinny ideal pressed on them that they get aggressive when thee see such person in real. Part envy, part frustration. Why, even one of my best friends was mean to me that way, I even thought she hated me. Some time after we talked about it and yep, it was her frustration and envy. It was, as it were, a very twisted compliment on her part. We've both "grown" since then and I would have forgotten about it except we are discussing this here.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by mamaof2

That's plus size? What? Wow!! I knew that what was considered to be plus size wasn't really plus size but that girl is super skinny. In fact the first thing that came to my mind was that someone needs to give her a chocolate milk shake and a ham burger!

I actually think she doesn't look unhealthy, it's just she isn't a plus size. No way.

[jaylensmom]

I believe that a plus size model is around a size 10 no larger than a 12...I'm not sure how that counts as plus size...

[HeatherKS]

*sigh*

[Emmy]

I just want to comment - when I was working in the apparel industry the standard "fit size" that we developed garments to was a size small or an 8. We called an XS 2/4, S 6/8, M 10/12 and L 14. I really don't think it's typical for designers (except runway designers - and trust me they aren't the ones designing your clothes lol) to develop garments on a 0 or a 2.

I think in runway or print, a plus size model is usually around a size 12 because typically in runway/print the model would be a 2.

[Scrapper007]

I'm 5'7, 138 lbs., size 8. I guess I'm obese.

[ariesfl326]

Ha...I'm plus sized and she's like the size of my one thigh!!! LOL And by the way that outfit is awful!

[Joana1n]

Have y'all seen this video? VERY telling.

Dove Campaign for Real Beauty

[Ebony]

Originally Posted by nonnie

ITA!!! I went from an 18 (at my largest) to a 4 and I have to tell you when I was heavy I never heard a comment about my weight - when I lost weight however - you would not believe the comments I get - all the time - from strangers - I will say something like I am kind of cold.... and people have said - you need to go eat a brownie - or give that girl a cupcake. No one besides my mom ever told me to go eat a salad when I was heavy. I hear it all the time - and can be said very mean. I am not too skinny - I am very healthy now. I agree, we are hardest on ourselves and other women! I was shocked at how much aggression there is out there towards skinny women. And yes it is just as hard to find clothes when you are a 2/4 and 14/16 - been both and if I say it is hard to find clothes for a size 4 I get comments like - "you should just be thankful you are a size 4" - and "well cry me a river" - really - why are we like this to each other?

This morning I was in the new clothes shop in town.. the only clothes shop in this town.. it sells surfbrands like Roxy and Billabong. Anyway, the lady in the store is an AU 12-14 and I'm a 10-12... yet when a sz 20 chick walked in and I came out to get an opinion from the saleslady the sz 20 woman, who I have never talked to in my life, proceeded to say negatively that I was a skinny bitch. And the saleslady quietly agreed.

Why can't we all get along? No matter the size of us? And why is it ok to put down those smaller than us, but if I was to call her a fat bitch, I'd be frowned upon? It all has to stop.

Oh and that pic is not plus size imo. She's smaller than me and I would never call myself plus size. But I think she looks relatively healthy. So yay for a wider representation on the cat walk.

[adrianka]

Originally Posted by Ebony

This morning I was in the new clothes shop in town.. the only clothes shop in this town.. it sells surfbrands like Roxy and Billabong. Anyway, the lady in the store is an AU 12-14 and I'm a 10-12... yet when a sz 20 chick walked in and I came out to get an opinion from the saleslady the sz 20 woman, who I have never talked to in my life, proceeded to say negatively that I was a skinny bitch. And the saleslady quietly agreed.

Why can't we all get along? No matter the size of us? And why is it ok to put down those smaller than us, but if I was to call her a fat bitch, I'd be frowned upon? It all has to stop.

Exactly. It's not OK to call someone a fat bitch, but it's equally not OK to call someone a skinny bitch. It's nobody's fault if they're built small and not everybody who's slim is skinny, or suffers from an eating disorder! It's awful what comments slim women get from people, all those "you should go and eat a hamburger" comments are simply nasty. Why? Everybody has their issues, so why not live and let live.

[scrap2day]

Originally Posted by Ebony

This morning I was in the new clothes shop in town.. the only clothes shop in this town.. it sells surfbrands like Roxy and Billabong. Anyway, the lady in the store is an AU 12-14 and I'm a 10-12... yet when a sz 20 chick walked in and I came out to get an opinion from the saleslady the sz 20 woman, who I have never talked to in my life, proceeded to say negatively that I was a skinny bitch. And the saleslady quietly agreed.

Why can't we all get along? No matter the size of us? And why is it ok to put down those smaller than us, but if I was to call her a fat bitch, I'd be frowned upon? It all has to stop.

Oh and that pic is not plus size imo. She's smaller than me and I would never call myself plus size. But I think she looks relatively healthy. So yay for a wider representation on the cat walk.

I'm so sorry that happened to you Ebs. That's just awful.

[Buggie185]

I think it is a huge responsibility to raise girls into womanhood these days! There are so many messages telling girls what being a woman is.

[ScrapShabby]

Oh man...... I hate to think what I must be then! LOL

[Gemma]

Originally Posted by Ebony

This morning I was in the new clothes shop in town.. the only clothes shop in this town.. it sells surfbrands like Roxy and Billabong. Anyway, the lady in the store is an AU 12-14 and I'm a 10-12... yet when a sz 20 chick walked in and I came out to get an opinion from the saleslady the sz 20 woman, who I have never talked to in my life, proceeded to say negatively that I was a skinny bitch. And the saleslady quietly agreed.

Omgosh, what a cow!! How dare she!!!

I'm fat and I know it, but I would never make a remark like that to anyone who was slim, or fat for that matter!!