Thursday, September 21, 2006

On Skinny Models

On Skinny Models and the Broohaha over BMIs

I've always had what I consider a weight problem. I don't know what my body fat percentage is. Do you? Well, all I know is that I get told I "need to eat a cheeseburger every now and again," a lot. I weigh 112 pounds, and, other than during pregnancy, this is the heaviest I've ever been. I don't suppose "heaviest" is really a good choice of wording, is it? But the truth is, overweight people complain about finding clothes that fit. At 98 pounds, which I weighed most of my life, you can't find clothes that fit. Nothing hangs right (most everything hangs OFF actually. At 98 pounds, I can't even find a bra that fits, let alone shirts. If I was girlier, I'd go spend 100 damn dollars on a water bra or silicone inserts. Actually, I have done both in the past. In the past few years, it's been easier to find pants that are small enough, shirts that fit a little better, but now that models HAVE to be a certain size? Yeah, we'll see.

My point is this: If I were beautiful and tall and, you know, model material, I probably wouldn't be allowed to model, because I'm too skinny. Do I think this thing with regulating models' weight is a good thing? Absolutely. The reality is that very few people fit the skin-n-bones template that the fashion industry glamorizes. Most women can't possibly wear the styles they put out there. I think they'll find that they'll sell more stuff if they make it in realistic sizes and styles. But you know what? They need to make some shit for scrawny asses with no boobs too, ok?

We aren't all anorexic or bolemic or half-starved. I love me some damn Pringles and Ding Dongs, and my cholesterol level is probably through the friggin' roof because there's nothing better than a big ole rare slab o' meat. And I'll be damned, if I'm going to go through the trouble and expense of cooking, no way in Hell I'm puking it back up voluntarily!

Some of us are just built like that people, and it ain't always a good thing. I'm going to the attic to dig out those gunny sack outfits I used to have to wear. They say everything comes back, right?

:|

3 comments:

  1. *sigh* people are probably not going to like us very much after this post. I know exactly where you're coming from. I always get the "where the hell does all the food you eat go?" from people. Granted, now that I've hit my age *cough* 37 in December *cough* I have to be a little more conscious of what I eat, but I'm still in the same size I was in high school. Not to mention that I'm so freaking short, I can't find clothes that are the right length...so I resort to going into the kids department. That's fine and good, but I have SOME curves (some that I don't want! LOL) so they don't always work either. Sheesh. And the SHORT length in jeans aren't so short. Unless we want to spend an arm and a leg and I don't really feel much like doing that either. Ugh. I may have to resort to making my clothes again! Yeah, right...another pipe dream....

    Anyway, just wanted to tell ya, I'm right there with ya, babe!

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  2. Oh! One more thing....oreo's are MY poison.

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  3. I feel for you too, E. I may work of the opposite end of the spectrum, but I certainly understand the inability to find anything that fits.

    I think we all, in some way or another, have trouble finding clothes that fit our particular body style. Whether we're thin or heavy or somewhere in the middle, we all have features that just don't conform to the designer's template.

    Me? Well, now that I'm slim enough to fit into regular sizes, I still have an extremely broad back and no boobs. I have to buy the larger size to accommodate my width, but then the front is baggy, loose and ugly. And what's up with all those shirts that don't cover your belly. Believe me! You do NOT want to see my stomach. Ever seen one of those shows where people have gastric bypass and then their skin just hangs on them? Yeah, not pretty.

    Heh, listen to me rant!

    One idea for you- isn't the boyish look still in? You could shop the boy's department for things like button-down shirts and they would probably fit your slender frame like all those models with their million dollar wardrobes.

    Me, I just resort to having no fashion sense. :)

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