Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Sites | Writers | Advertise | My Orble | Login

Fat is the new thin?

April 14th 2008 01:29
The illusion of retouched beauty


cameron diaz retouched
Exhibit A from telegraph.co.uk shows Cameron Diaz altered with bulk



Further proof that the media has the ability to pollute even the most pure of ideas, the Telegraph.co.uk is reporting that fashion magazines are now photoshopping under nourished models to look healthier on their covers.

Designed as a response to the controversy surrounding the negative body image supported by the industry, publications are now going to extremes by removing protruding hip bones, adding a few pounds here and there and doctoring faces to look fuller

Recently I did a post on the size 16 Miss Surrey UK winner Chloe Marshall, I had a positive response to rewarding an “average” shaped women instead of the stereotypical waif. This latest trend however is just as ridiculous as the support of the heroin chic look of the 90’s.

digitally retouched model
Beauty the photoshop way



From the telegraph.co.uk
Belinda Coleman of the retouching agency Shoemakers Elves says "It is now deemed just as negative to be too thin as too fat. Every­one is scared of being highlighted as the magazine or label that promotes very thin girls, so they are being a lot more careful about the images they present."

Defending the action, Nicky Eaton head of press & PR for Conde Nast (GQ, Vogie, Glamour) said "There have been cases where models are booked way ahead of a shoot and then they turn up two months later looking less healthy and perhaps a bit underweight. We wouldn't be happy showing them that way, so it is then that we would need that person to look a little bit fuller."

The old cliché goes that “the camera adds 5 pounds” so I’m wondering how much weight these girls must lose between being hired and turning up in the studio for the shoot. Or, with what kind of frequency does this turn of events occur, considering that for years the standard was very much the other way.

Susan Ringwood the chief of the eating disorders charity beat sums up my opinion quite well "Altering models' bodies to appear fuller-figured proves that the industry acknowledges there is a serious issue with projecting images of very thin models, but [it is] missing the point," she said. "They should be using naturally healthy models in the first instance, instead of having to make them look that way."

Where will this all lead is anyone’s guess. The aim should be to achieve a balance between anorexic and obese, after all promoting eating disorders in either direction is a detrimental practice. One thing that is certain the “middle ground” is never easy for an industry notorious for over reacting to criticism.


fat and thin model
Going to extremes
94
Vote
Add To: del.icio.us Digg Furl Spurl.net StumbleUpon Yahoo


   
Subscribe to this blog 


Just this blog This blog and DailyOrble (recommended)

   

   

   




Comments
7 Comments. [ Add A Comment ]

Comment by Louie

April 14th 2008 02:06
maybe healthy could be the new cool!!!!

Comment by Tyronne

April 14th 2008 02:17
Let's hope so Louie, that would be an interesting turn of events...at the moment it seems they would rather stick to their ways and just use a band aid instead.

Comment by James Rickard

April 14th 2008 02:26
Maybe this is the start of moving away from a dangerous trend!

Comment by Morgan Bell

April 14th 2008 03:57
i dont think they look fatter, theyve just smoothed over the sinew and bone that comes with being that thin to make them look unrealistically perfect

Comment by The wonderful Peter Yang

April 14th 2008 04:42
I always think healthy looking girls are the hottest.



Cheers



Comment by RubySoho

April 14th 2008 09:12
I think fashion designers are a bigger problem than the magazines. They complain the loudest when told they have to use models that have a certain body fat percentage, because they don't want the model's body to interfere with their clothes.

Basically, they realise clothes look better on a hanger, so they want models that resemble hangers.

I think that's why they like really young model's too. No pesky butts and boobs to ruin the cut of their fabric. Oh, it's a whacky world alright.


Comment by Anonymous

May 18th 2008 02:20
LOL, had a chuckle at the second image, which is named "a retouched model". That's no model, that's Australian Nikki webster - the little girl that sung at the Sydney Olympics opening ceremony, and then went on to be a tween pop star. I don't think she has any problems with being skinny any more...

Add A Comment

To create a fully formatted comment please click here.


CLICK HERE TO LOGIN | CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Name or Orble Tag
Home Page (optional)
Comments
Bold Italic Underline Strikethrough Separator Left Center Right Separator Quote Insert Link Insert Email
Notify me of replies
Notify extra people about this comment
Is this a private comment?
List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this comment


One per line max of 30

List the Email Addresses or Orble Tags of the people you would like to be notified about this private comment thread. Only the people in this list will be able to see or reply to your comment.


One per line max of 30

Your Name
(for the email going out to the above list, it can be different to your Orble Tag)
Your Email Address
(optional)
(required for reply notification)
Submit
More Posts
3 Posts
8 Posts
11 Posts
557 Posts dating from March 2006
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
0
Moderated by Orbler
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]