Something revolutionary happened on Monday. Starting at the beginning of next year, the popular German magazine Brigitte will no longer hire models to pose for their magazine. The magazine announced today that they will now feature “real” women in their magazine in an attempt to combat what they perceive as the unhealthy effects of ultra-thin models on women’s body image.
Andreas Lebert said the move is a response to readers increasingly saying that they are tired of seeing “protruding bones” from models who weigh far less than the average woman.
Brigitte plans to pay the women they will now feature in their magazine the same as they would professional models.
I think this could potentially be a very positive change for readers of this German magazine. Imagine a world in which every magazine on the stands featured “every day” women rather than models. That would completely change our world.
And U.S. magazines might also be showing a similar trend towards a preference for non-stick-thin models. Readers of the U.S magazine Glamour had an extremely positive response to a small photo of “plus size” model Lizzi Miller in this year’s September Issue. The nude photo of Lizzi elicited many positive responses from readers:
“Thank you for showing a picture of a BEAUTIFUL woman who has a stomach and thighs that look like mine! I have NEVER seen that in a magazine before.”
“Get this hot momma off of page 194 and put her on the cover!”
I too had a similar reaction when I saw the picture of Lizzi Miller. I thought “Hey! That’s what my body looks like! I can’t believe this is in a magazine!” Although I believe the magazine industry still has leaps and bounds to make in terms of actually representing all types of women within the pages of their publications, it does give me a glimmer of hope to know that many women really DO have positive responses to seeing a model in a magazine who is larger than the average-sized model.
After all, why is it, as Lizzi states, that in the world of fashion “any size over 6 is considered plus size?” Does that seem crazy to anyone else?
The reality is, most women, at least in the U.S. look more like Lizzi Miller than they do Jessica Simpson (who is the celebrity featured on the cover of Glamour’s September issue). So why not feature more women in magazines who look more like the average woman? Some women are very thin naturally and some women aren’t. So, if they want us to wear the clothes that are featured in fashion magazines, is it really so crazy to think that all types of women should be modeling the clothes that we are supposed to wear?
It’s encouraging to think that perhaps there is a trend towards something new in the world of magazines. I guess only time will tell.
lizzi miller looks like a thin woman to me. not skinny, but thin. yes, she’s a size 12, but she’s also probably 5’10 or more. that’s a regular size for a tall woman, if you ask me. i’m 5’6 and a size 8. lizzi miller looks like a taller me (body-wise, that is.) i bet if you met her in person at a party, you wouldn’t consider her pluz-size.
it’s great that magazines are moving forward, but it’s still sad that it’s such a big to-do that they allowed a normal, slim woman into a photo shoot.
strange world, no
wow! that is the best fashion news ever!
Great post, Tiffabee–I agree that it’s amazing how a size six is HUGE. ENORMOUS. Therefore I’m cynical that this effort will amount to much. Brigitte could end up reaping all the PR benefits of being seen as “progressive” and showing “real” women, while still only choosing from a limited range of (relatively thin and homogenous) body types. But still, tentative kudos to them.
What we also need is for hollywood and reality TV to start featuring many different body types of women–and NOT in shows where the theme is physical self-esteem or anything having to do with looks at all.
Christina
yeah …
long live real women
Finally – great post. I wish that Australia would follow…..
I am SOoooo happy this long awaited turnaround is now taking place.
Women (for last two decades) have lived with the mindset that thin is beautiful; as we are constantly confronted with thin celebrities and mega-thin models whom we then try to emulate. A near impossible task for most women and one that strips away the right to be who we are – God created individuals.
The endless round of promotions, “Fat loss for idiots” Lose two inches in 7-days” Diet pills, lotions and potions, ” The Maple syrup diet” – come on! had we lost our minds in the process of trying to look trim?
Don’t get me wrong, I am a keen advocate for looking after oneself through regular excercise, eating sensibly and taking pride in appearance; all works, towards a sense of well being and wellness promoting longevity and stability.
It is time that we recognise that we are real, not clones, and we are identifiable by the uniqueness and the character that we bring to each new season of fashion.
Thanks for post! I’m like…
Dove commercials in the UK have used ‘real wome’ for a few years. It comes across as a little gimmicky because they make such a big deal about it. Only when it is NOT news that a magazine employs real women to model their clothes will the world have taken proper steps towards eradicating the dangers of stick-thin (role) models.
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There is a fine balance to it. Long-term, if “real” women became a popular standard for modeling in magazine, it might be compel the new normal women to take a few compromises with their all-natural real women physique. This could start a new competition among the new standard of models that might lead us right back to the problems or similar problems we face with unnatural good looks we see with professional models today — only, on our everyday woman. Does that make sense?
I appreciate this and would expect that Indian magazine also starts hiring average woman rather than size zero models
That woman in Glamour was hardly a “plus size.” Yes, she had a little poochy stomach, and it was refreshing–but she is not the average everyday woman either.
LOVE it, LOVE it, LOVE it. Did I mentioned that I LOVE this?? 😉
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It’s difficult to imagine my daughters growing up in a world where they aren’t constantly comparing themselves to the impossible, airbrushed images plastered everywhere in media.
I can only imagine that the backlash of such a thing would be higher self-esteem and lower eating disorder rates. BRING IT ON! I know I felt a lot better about myself when I saw the Girl on Page 194! 😀
No, it’s not crazy. By my calculations, the average size is 12. I’m a size 16 and have never been, nor will ever be a size 6.
Real women on the cover? The Germans are brilliant!
Segue into another subject: a local newspaper is having a “cute kid” contest. They’re featuring pictures of kids and you can vote and leave a comment. I said several times that “this kid looks like they work for Disney.”
I think it’s fantastic they want to hire more average bodied women for their magazine. But is refusing to hire professional models who are thin really the answer, or is it just reversing the idea of what it means to be beautiful and worthy of modeling? Ok so I’m a thin model, and I apply for a job from this employer…and I’m turned down because I’m thin? Why can’t they hire both? Why can’t they feature women fat, skinny, and in between? And I really wish the terms “real women” should be banned from vocabulary all together.
Ever since that one photo of a “real” woman in a magazine generated such positive feedback, I really feel we’re on the cusp of an exciting new trend. I like the direction this is heading. Screw all the pundits and talking heads and media sources who tell us over and over how everything “should” be.
Thats fantastic. I hope they show more women who look like real women.
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Yay!!! I really hope this turns things around in science too. Maybe this means I will actually look at magazines now.
This is great. It just made me think of something else…
I have been reading Japanese magazines (like Mina or Nonno) for years, and it’s very interesting to note that they have been featuring “real women” in their magazines for a long time. Every issue they take snapshots of “reader models” (as they call them). The girls are all shapes of tall, short, slim, chubby…none of them perfect, yet they look super cute in their own unique ways.
Since their bodies are much more like mine than say, Heidi Klum, I learn much more about fashion & style from them than reading North American magazines.
Seventeen is a good magazine since they’ve tried to feature real girls. However, none of the other magazines (aiming for an older age group) is doing it. It’s awesome to see things finally changing. : )
Hi Guys!
I’m so glad that this post has generated such a great discussion! I just wanted to address Ashley’s comment because I think she makes a great point that should be addressed.
I don’t think that Brigitte is refusing to hire models because they are thin per say. I think they are refusing to hire models because they are models, and they are looking to start a new trend towards hiring everyday women rather than professionals. I would hope that this trend would mean hiring all types of women and not just “non-thin” women.
But the truth is; the average woman, at least in the U.S., is not a size 4. So I would think it would make more sense to hire more women to model clothes that the majority of women in this country would be wearing rather than hiring women who the majority of us can’t even relate to. Does that mean thin women should be excluded from the fashion industry? Absolutely not! (I myself am thin so I really wouldn’t like that:-).
And I think by putting “real” women in magazines and resisting the urge to airbrush, photoshop and re-touch, we really have a shot at living in a world where we don’t feel like we are less than a woman every time we turn a page in a magazine.
The bottom line is: in a perfect world all women should be represented on the runway and in magazines. We come in all shapes, sizes and shades so why not start showing that?
Tiffabee
Having worked in the entertainment industry I can tell you it’s no fun to be told you are talented but told you are just too big…at a size 8.
Having left that industry and becoming healthier in mind and spirit, my confidence has blossomed. When I saw that Glamour article I was so pumped! It was like no big deal for her to be in that shot, showing her business. Love it! And I’m so happy that more publications will take that route. Baby steps…..
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I seriously LOVE this idea! Man, I wish more magazines would do this! Maybe I should submit pictures of myself to get into the mag…hmmm…wouldnt’ that be fun?!
I like this post and this blog, but I hate the phrase “real women.” Models are real women, too. Skinny women are real women, too. Women who stick their fingers down their throat are real women, too. It’s a meaningless phrase.
Agreed Wildflower. That’s why I put the word “real” in quotes because I don’t necessarily agree with it’s use here. I think what they are trying to get it as more along with lines of women who do not model professionally, i.e. women who have other jobs besides modeling.
Tiffabee
I definitely agree with some of the above posts that Lizzi Miller is not even close to being “average.” First, she is absolutely stunning and, second, like the above post mentioned, she’s probably quite tall (at least she towered over Matt Lauer of The Today Show). My friend is about 5 ’10 and a size 12 and I would consider her pretty close to being perfect. ANYWAY…I guess it’s a step in the right direction? I think there is really just too much emphasis on weight – whether it’s being skinny or not being skinny. If we didn’t think about it so much, it wouldn’t be an issue.
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I’m pretty sure that designers use super skinny models because its much easier to get the clothes to fit- when they’re doing shoots and shows its much easier to use women that have a regular size and a “stick” shape!! I think the problem is that we then view these women as role models!- being a clothes horse for some up his own art designer is actually particularly dull and its a very insular world with quite personal views about beauty that are there to inspire the creativity of the designer. These strange views have unfortunately seeped into the mainstream psyche in a similar way to the painter and his model (who was probably a prostitute).
If we just saw these images for what they were and could take our own value and self esteem from things outside of contrived visual representations then I feel like fashion could function in a much more fulfilling way- to inspire us to dress creatively and enjoy doing it, rather than making constant comparisons that leave us dissatisfied.
So nice!
Hi, I love your blog! Excuse for my bad english, I’m interested in this topic, and all that concerning the image of women in media. It’s sad that real women aren’t represented in public images.
ohhhh….I like this…..
I love this! Did you see that Glamour magazine is doing something similar. Love your stuff.
Marie Claire has a new column this month called Big Girl in a Skinny World. I read it and thought she could take some notes from the ladies at Manolo for the Big Girl. That being said it was kind of nice to have a voice in a magazine echo my frustrations with main-stream fashion.
Good news – thanks for sharing it!
i absolutely loved Lizzie Miller’s pictures in that magazine. they inspire me to look like a real woman.
i ignore the plus size label, it’s ridiculous. she’s just a beautiful woman, with a beautiful body 🙂
I like this post and this blog…