Friday, April 29, 2011

Curvy Can

Let's Shop Together!

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MAC Shop Together is here! Why are we so excited? Now you can instant message with up to 4 friends on maccosmetics.com while you see what
they're seeing & browse what they're browsing. Recommend products to
each other while building a list of fave products that you & all your
friends love. Genius, right? Ready? Set? Shop 'Til Your Mouse Drops!

Bon Voyage! Chic Luggage To Tote All Year

By Becky Bratu

The baggage carousel at the airport is already an endless stream of identical snoozy black trolleys and duffel bags, so why not pack up your favorite pieces in stand-out bags that complement your equally bad-ass style? Whether you're a on a red-eye flight to your next business meeting, jetting off to Europe with your besties, or just hitting a sandy beach for the weekend, check out this guide to luggage, weekenders, and accessories cases you'll (really!) love.

Above, from left: Jessica Simpson Upright Suitcase, $159.99, available at Macy's; Topshop Leopard Trolley, $160, available at Topshop.

Above, from left: Samsonite Sahora Brights Hardside, $219.99, available at Macy's; Mulberry Medium Trolley, $950, available at Ssense.

Above, from left: Nicole Miller Suitcase, $89.99, available at Macy's; Globe Trotter Royal & Navy Trolley Case, $1,222.67, available at Globe Trotter.

Above, from left: Diane Von Furstenberg New Hearts - 28" Expandable Rolling Suitcase, $150, available at Zappos; Double Dutch Hardside Upright, $139.99, available at Macy's.

Everywhere » Shopping And Sales » Shopping Roundups » Bon Voyage! Chic Luggage To Tote All Year

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Ridiculous Study Claims Plus Size Models Equal Obese Society

A new study from The London School of Economics and Political Science claims that plus-size models will increase obesity in the United States and Europe. Authors, Dr. Davide Dagone and Dr. Laura Savorelli, write that, “Given that people are on average overweight, we conclude (that using larger models) may foster the obesity epidemic.”
In a weird way, I understand where their logic came from. Yes, Obesity is a problem in the U.S. and if plus-size becomes the normal standard of beauty, anything over becomes more “ok” or attractive to society and people are less likely to try and control their weight. The study says things like, “Health is on average reduced since people depart even further from their healthy weight.” There are so many more things to take into consideration though. For one thing, they make the assumption that plus-size models are overweight and that’s not always the case. They also make the assumption that thin models help people control their weight by providing incentive, but don’t note that they may also lead to eating disorders. The founder of Hope.com says, “I would say the skinnier models provide a worse body image and unrealistic standard. Younger girls are especially subjectable to being influenced by underweight models.”
If we’re going to go in their logic direction, it could also be argued that thin models lead to obesity because the models are so far from attainable that society just “gives up” instead of using them as a weight control incentives. Both are extreme and unlikely argument results. Dr. Gregg Jantz, an eating disorder specialist says, “We need a mix of models, none of whom have extreme weights, either thin or fat, but who look great at a “normal” weight.” Sounds about right.
In my opinion, if we don’t at least try and change the standard of beauty, whether normal or plus-size, then the way women view themselves will never change. It leads to a trickle down effect of women being unhappy with themselves, which leads to a lack of life confidence, which can and does hold women back professionally and emotionally. Why would we want to keep doing that?
Either way, any researcher or statistics course taker will tell you that one study does not a fact make.

..and just because I love this picture:

Here's Crystal Renn walking Gaultier in 2005 in full plus-size model glory.

[photo/source: Hollywood Life]

Tagged in: plus size , obesity , eating disorder

The opinions expressed on the BUST blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of BUST Magazine or its staff.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Plus-Size Model Tara-Lynn for H&M

April 27, 2011 in Celebrity Quotes by Versus

Plus-size model treat: Beautiful Tara Lynn, posing here in swimsuits and summer wear for H&M’s BiB collection.

And a little quote from Tara to complete the treat:

“I was a size 14/16 in high school, and it wasn’t the easiest thing. As a 16, I definitely felt like my weight was holding me back. I was supposed to have these bones protruding from my body and clearly that’s not the case, and not the way my body’s meant to be.”

Many, many more on the next page!

Plus Size Model Tara Lynn for H&M | celebrity quotes

Plus size models may not be better role models

Added on 26/04/11
Author: Sarah Warman – Reporter

Plus size models may promote obesity

Dr Davide Dragone and Dr Luca Savorelli, researchers from the University of Bologna, Italy, have come up with a new research stating that larger models will not promote healthy eating habits and escalate the global problem of obesity.

Their research paper is titled 'Thinness and Obesity: A Model of Food Consumption, Health Concerns, and Social Pressure' and was presented at the Royal Economic Society's annual conference in London. It was the first study to argue that using plus size fashion models will change people's perception of ideal weight or spur people to maintain healthy weight.

They wrote in the paper: 'If being overweight is the average condition and the ideal body weight is thin, increasing the ideal body weight may increase welfare by reducing social pressure. By contrast, health is on average reduced, since people depart even further from their healthy weight. Given that in the US and in Europe people are on average overweight, we conclude that these policies, even when are welfare improving, may foster the obesity epidemic.'

Not using skinny models can help young girls with eating disorders but would be unwise if you consider the nation as a whole. Thinner models motivate ordinary women to recognise their own weight problems and lose weight.

This study might conflict with the recent efforts to ban sub size zero models from the ramp. More and more designers are not using skinny models, including Victoria Beckham, after a reported 80% rise in the number of young girls suffering from anorexia admitted to hospital in England in the last ten years.

An agreement between Italy, Spain and Germany and the fashion industry was made in 2006 which made a rule to increase the minimum size for models. Even high-street fashion labels have upped the production of larger sizes.

Dr Dragone and Dr Savorelli beg to differ: 'To promote chubby fashion models when obesity is one of the major problems of industrialised countries seems to be a paradox. Everyone has to trade off in life a number of things like the pleasure of eating and going to the gym or something as a cost. So if you just fix the average healthy weight then maybe you will throw up some incentives to be thin.'

Another recent study published in the Journal of Consumer Research 'Seeing is Eating' might agree with the researchers from Italy as they too claim what we see impacts our diet.

Authors Margaret Campbell and Gina Mohr explain: 'Seeing someone overweight leads to a temporary decrease in a person's own felt commitment to his or her health goal.'

In one of their studies, participants shown images of overweight people ate twice as many cookies than they would normally and didn't worry about their weight goals.

They further added: 'Thinking about personal health goals and reminding oneself of the undesirable effects of eating indulgent food at the time of possible consumption can help people avoid eating too much.'

Dr Dragone and Dr Savorelli, you must have looked at some leading plus size models like Crystal Renn, Kasia Pilewicz and Robyn Lawley before wasting your time on this study. These women are not only plus size women but also extra-ordinary role models, who maintain their health and a flourishing modelling career without promoting unhealthy diets and eating habits.

NARS COSMETICS

http://www.narscosmetics.com/?aff=k365511&link=j26781826k365511

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