topic Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies in Fashion

Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

lolakimono — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 21:46:34 GMT

From Health.com-

This might explain why we can't take our eyes off Ashley Graham

Women pay more attention to—and feel better after looking at—models who are average and plus-size compared to models who are thin. That’s the conclusion of a new study from Florida State University researchers, published last week in the journal Communication Monographs.

Women in the study also remembered more details about fashion models who were not super skinny, and they were less likely to compare themselves to women of more realistic proportions.

The study involved 49 college-age women, all of whom considered themselves “average” weight but aspired to be thinner. The women were shown various images of fashion models—taken from the Macy’s and Target websites—who’d been classified by the researchers as either thin, average, or plus-size. (The plus-size models all appeared to be overweight or obese, but none were morbidly obese.)

After the women observed each image, they were asked to categorize the model based on her body type, rate how attractive and pleasant they perceived her, and indicate how much they compared themselves to her. They were also asked about their own levels of body satisfaction, and—as a “distractor question” meant to mask the true intent of the study—whether they planned to buy the clothing depicted in the image. The women were then shown an unrelated short video, and afterward were asked some questions to evaluate their memory about the models.

Their responses revealed very different opinions toward models of different sizes. When thin women were on the screen, the participants made more comparisons to their own bodies, paid less attention, and remembered less about the models. They also reported less body satisfaction, which the researchers say can be bad for mental and physical health.

“We found overwhelmingly that there is a clear psychological advantage of depicting the non-ideal body type in media campaigns,” the authors wrote in their paper. “These findings suggest that incorporating more realistically sized fashion models in the media might have its benefits in terms of improved health outcomes,” they add, including less dejection and more body satisfaction for a female audience.

The study’s sample size was small and only included college-age women who wanted to lose weight, and the authors say their findings should be replicated with people of different genders, ages, ethnicities, and body images. But lead researcher Russell Clayton, PhD, director of the Cognition and Emotion Lab at FSU, tells Health that the findings “tell an interesting story about the current trend of depicting plus-size models in media campaigns.”

Clayton also says the study results can be eye-opening for women who do want to be thinner, in terms of how viewing images of realistic versus “ideal” body types might affect their self-confidence and personal body satisfaction. (That’s especially important in a world where media is inundated with unrealistic body goals—which, by the way, are often altered or strategically photographed.) The bottom line? Pay attention to how images of other women truly make you feel, not just whether they match your idea of the perfect figure.

When viewing average and plus-size women, on the other hand, the participants paid better attention, remembered more, made fewer self-comparisons, and reported higher body satisfaction—despite the fact that they all admitted they wanted to be thinner.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

IMW — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:06:11 GMT

One would think higher body satisfaction=greater fashion expenditures. It seems most mass media, QVC

included, disagree.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

ALRATIBA — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:15:49 GMT

Perhaps that's true, but vendors who are always pointing figure flaws that need to be camouflaged or covered don't do women any favors. We don't all have "something something that needs to be covered"!

It's annoying and all the vendors do it. What is most annoying is when the male vendors do it!

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

Katcat1 — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:16:20 GMT

She is a lovely model. It is ridiculous that you are considered a plus size if you are a 12. You should feel good about yourself no matter what size you are. One thing that I don't agree with are women that are a 24-26 and they are taking about their curves. I don't think so. When you are a 24 or 26 it is not curves but rolls so face up to it.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

Snicks1 — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:33:32 GMT

And what was your reaction to the article, lola? Just curious.
My opinion is that personally, it doesn't matter to me what size a model is, if the clothing fits properly, that is what I am looking for, the sizing info and if it fits correctly.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

Hippiified — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 22:53:53 GMT

@lolakimono Great article. Yes, we relate to regular women who look like us. We all need to love our bodies as they are in the present, and we need more average sized and plus sized models who show us how garments can look on us.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

SXMGirl — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:01:55 GMT

I think it is interesting that all of the shopping channels carry to size 3X but I do not believe that I have ever seen a model that size. I would think that they would sell even more clothes if they had models of a variety of sizes. The Q is getting better, but I find that most of the models are still an XXS or XS.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

ECBG — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 01:29:13 GMT

Having taught nutrition, when I see someone other than the traditional model, I also envision health issues waiting to happen. As a society, do we need to enforce any size a person is will be acceptable?

There is obvious evidence with numbers to back it up that there

"is a high level of health associated with the preferred height/weight ratio".

It's all well and fine to say "I accept myself". Heart disease, or diabetes most offen is the reality.

The message when stores started having a "Plus size teen area" is scarey on many fronts.

Don't we need young people to be aware because what they chose will most certainly have a consequence?

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

lolakimono — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:21:30 GMT

@Snicks1 wrote:
And what was your reaction to the article, lola? Just curious.
My opinion is that personally, it doesn't matter to me what size a model is, if the clothing fits properly, that is what I am looking for, the sizing info and if it fits correctly.

@Snicks1

I was looking for the pictures I had seen, but now I can't remember which store I saw them in...

When I see a dress like this, and I can see a bump on the model, I know this will look way worse on me.

When I see an item that has missy and plus sizes, I like to see models of different sizes, like in these Democracy jeans that I bought.

I dislike when an item is plus sized, and they use the missy model product shot.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

alliswell — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:33:49 GMT

@Snicks1 wrote:
And what was your reaction to the article, lola? Just curious.
My opinion is that personally, it doesn't matter to me what size a model is, if the clothing fits properly, that is what I am looking for, the sizing info and if it fits correctly.

ITA

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

GCR18 — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:38:59 GMT

I don't care if a model is plus size or not. I look at how the item wears.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

QueenDanceALot — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 23:52:01 GMT

I think it's kind of disingenuous for the article to refer to, and use, a pic of Ashley Graham.

There is nothing average about her.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

MacDUFF — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 00:01:54 GMT

How many times have we heard women say they'd love to see more plus sized models, not just on the Q? Hundreds of times on this forum alone. I couldn't agree more. I fail to see why a "study" had to be conducted to show there would be a benefit to utilizing plus sized models in marketing! If they conducted a "study" like this on petites, the results would be the same.

Other than an LDO show or on videos, I don't watch Q, but when I did, I looked to the model Jackie (Jacque?) even though she's a size or 2 larger than I (I wear sm or, mostly, med in Q clothes). Jackie has a similar body type to mine, so if an item doesn't look right on her...if it doesn't slim, if it isn't flattering, if it's snug, short, or showing lumps and bumps, etc....I won't consider it.

I think Nordstrom has some gorgeous plus sized models that I see regularly...and who I think in these pics (there are some unflattering pics of these same women) look amazing because they are wearing clothes that I see as flattering to them...

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

blackhole99 — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 00:20:09 GMT

The models certainly are not average, even though they are large women they are proportioned well and have beautiful faces and gorgeous hair,

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

chrystaltree — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 00:28:05 GMT

Translation please...

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

ECBG — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 01:49:06 GMT

@SXMGirl wrote:
I think it is interesting that all of the shopping channels carry to size 3X but I do not believe that I have ever seen a model that size. I would think that they would sell even more clothes if they had models of a variety of sizes. The Q is getting better, but I find that most of the models are still an XXS or XS.

@SXMGirl,Having taught clothing, as well as tailoring, I can tell you that more often than not, as a person's weight goes up, so do their personal fit problems. If you have a plus size model that is an "hour glass", how is her appearance going to help an "apple" shape?

The purpose of a model is to "be a hanger". She really shouldn't have much of a shape so the focus is on the clothes, not the model. In recent years with the problems surrounding eating disorders, it has been harder for the regular consumer to gauge how a garment will fit them. Now our models are more shapely and many more variables have been added when trying to make a decision making the decision more difficult.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

itiswhatitis — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 02:24:31 GMT

@blackhole99 wrote:
The models certainly are not average, even though they are large women they are proportioned well and have beautiful faces and gorgeous hair,

@blackhole99 models look particularly beautiful after all the makeup. Many average looking women can achieve this with the right makeup artist.

Also, let's not forget that photoshop is real.

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

Andreatoo — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 16:05:02 GMT

Well thank you Captain Obvious! LOL I wonder how much money was spent on this study?! Is anyone surprised at the results?

Health issues notwithstanding women come in all shapes and sizes and it would be nice to see them all represented. My gripe with the Q is there's not a hip in the bunch! LOL how about throwing in a model with some curves that's not overweight?!

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

wilma — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 16:28:15 GMT

I think Florida State University researchers need to find something more valuable to research with their time, energy, and grant money. I love fashion and clothes, and I like to see models that are similar to my shape, but did we really need research on this?

Re: Plus-Size Models Not Only Look Good, They Make Women Feel Better About Their Bodies

Andreatoo — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 16:32:45 GMT

@wilma

As a Floridian I'm starting to get mad the more I think about where the money could have gone in public education!