Real Women vs. Models: Who do you want to see in a magazine?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nicki Laycoax on October 14, 2009 at 7:37am

Exactly...

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Troy Julian on November 10, 2009 at 1:40pm

There is a place for both! models are "real women" and "real women " of all sizes can be models.

Real is the word I think is most important.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Melinda Cooper on October 14, 2009 at 7:05pm

That is a good point Nikki. I am excited for real women in Glamour just because it's a large magazine and I want to see what I would actually look like in their clothes and not just what I do look like in their fat girl articles! I do agree with Nikki though that they should be an emphasis on healthier people but at the same time I think they should realize that not everyone is healthy and that's okay too.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jennifer Anderson-Henry on November 6, 2009 at 3:14pm

Exactly what I was thinking, Melinda. Not only is not everyone healthy, MOST Americans aren't healthy. I just read earlier today, probably in Prevention magazine, that 80% of Americans don't do any strength-training. Ever. I'm sure we can all post about the lack of exercise and crappy eating choices ad nauseum; the point is that "healthy" (especially in Indiana, I might add) isn't even CLOSE to being the norm. So the question remains: do we want to see a "real woman" or a model? And is it our responsibility to promote what the majority deems right/beautiful/good or to reflect reality?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by matthew w. wilson on November 6, 2009 at 4:22pm

you are on it!

fight the power!

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by David L Lawrence on November 11, 2009 at 6:22am

I'm curious, why would anyone want to see the before in print?

image used with permission - MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/grisellemakeupartist
retouch ©2009 David L. Lawrence MM URL: http://www.modelmayhem.com/PixelPurfect


David

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Allison K. Lewis on November 24, 2009 at 7:34am

Healthy, agreed. And, no, sadly, all women aren't real. Many are plastic surgery modified to be something other than who they were born to be. I'm not against plastic surgery, make-up, fashion ... I am alarmed though, at the number of people (not just women---body image issues in men are on the rise, too) whose self-worth is defined by something external, not internal.

Images contribute, but I want to believe our internal power should be greater than that. Our self worth requires ownership over our feelings and impacts the relationship we have with our body and ourselves. Think about how many times a day you hear "He makes me happy. She doesn't make me happy. You made me angry." No one *makes* you anything! Dr. Becky Bailey has written about this in child development but we adults have as much to learn.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Michelle Collins on November 6, 2009 at 10:15am

I don't think it will catch on.... but I applaud their efforts. At least the world is talking about it now, (more) than before the article. However, Twiggy was beautiful. Some of the photos I have seen in the past many years just look like drones and I am not talking about the edgy facial expressions either. The sad thing here is that we always go to extremes when trying to set standards. So, what about the people in the middle? That aren't under/over weight? I am not too thin nor full figured. Manikins need to reflect what they are mimicking and store buyers need to be re-educated on who they are buying for. What's wrong with taking the 5'4" & 95# (spoken & unspoken) guidelines out of it all. After all aren't we ALL beautiful in the eyes of the beholder?

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ray Hoskins on October 14, 2009 at 6:56pm

I strongly applaud this kind of change for at least two reasons. First, I think we do incredible damage to women and men by promoting such a narrow range of criteria for attractiveness. I saw the effects in a 11 year old girl this weekend when I was doing respite for a foster family. Second, I, and most men, really like women with more curves better than the ones who are being promoted.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by matthew w. wilson on November 6, 2009 at 11:08am

Models

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Joe Salee on November 7, 2009 at 9:38pm

I think that either a "real woman" or a model would be a lot better at modeling a strapless dress and stiletto heels than I would be.

daVinci, Michelangelo, and the other great artists of their times had the answer to this question figured out long ago. They didn't put to canvas the beauty of what we would refer to today as "models." Beauty is much more than a figure.

▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Mike Magan on November 9, 2009 at 7:56pm

there was a slimfast add that used "unconventional" body shapes and I thought the women were beutiful and the message from a diet comapny of health rather than barbie-like dimensions was brilliant, I thought.

▶ Reply to This

• First
• Previous
• Next
• Last