It seems the biggest thing these days is to be big. All the fashion mags are saying that curvy is delicious, there are a hundred shows devoted to making 'bigger' women look good on T.V., and curvy celebs are getting noticed. (Let's be honest here, CURVY is just a nicer word for chubby....).
Every women's magazine these days seems to devote at least one article to loving your body, eating disorders, improving self-confidence, or some other body issue - telling women that big is beautiful. Then, just as you're feeling all warm and fuzzy, you turn the page to be confronted with a ten page fashion layout featuring size 0 women in clothes a woman with even an ounce of fat would look hideous in. Is it just me, or is this all a bit hypocritical?
Now, to be fair, most fashion labels only offer sample clothing in size 0s so that the magazines are forced to hire models who fit in these clothes (as just photographing clothes on hangers might not have the same effect...). But let's be realistic... fashion magazines are, essentially, one big advertisement for fashion labels, cosmetics, and perfumes. If the magazines refused to photograph uber skinny models and didn't print ads featuring toothpick women, the labels would, in turn, be forced to meet magazines demands as they do make up a huge chunk of their advertising and sales. Of course, more than one magazine would have to commit to this viewpoint for it to work, but really, is it so difficult to take a stand and make an attempt to feature women from a size 0 to a size 20? If these magazines are attempting to reach an audience of women of all sizes, shouldn't we see our body types featured in them (and not just on the 'beautiful at any size' featurettes!)?
The women's magazine industry has preached total body acceptance long enough. It's time for them to practice what they preach!
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