Curves Ahead

Because models over a size 2 always generate a lot of discussion. We're shameless that way.

V Magazine's issue celebrating "women of all sizes" offers us another editorial to argue about discuss.

“CURVES AHEAD” by V MAGAZINE
What’s the skinny on today’s models? Big is bigger than ever, and these bombshells of plus-size are proving that there’s plenty of room in the fashion world for women who look like…women
Photographs by Sølve Sundsbø
Styling by Nicola Formichetti
Models: Candice Huffine, Marquita Pring, Michelle Olson, Tara Lynn, Kasia P

V63 will hit newsstands on January 14, 2010.

After shooting for V, Sundsbø later said: “I loved the opportunity to show that you can be beautiful and sexy outside the narrow interpretations that normally define us.”









Just as the last time we featured something like this, we're going to mostly keep our mouths shut and let you do all the talking. It's clearly an emotional land mine for a lot of women and as gay men, we can say we sympathize or understand but ultimately, we don't.

But can we just say one thing? As gay men? Okay, we really hope this isn't offensive, but isn't it kind of annoying that all too often during the rare instances when plus-sized models (Plus-sized when referred to models is not the same thing as when it refers to clothing. Confusing, we know.) are featured, the very first thing most photographers do is have them pose shirtless or with a belly shirt on? And if that's not the case, then they put them in the tightest, least flattering clothes they can find. Why? We get it. They're not size 0. So why not put them in the correct size or in clothes that flatter them? It's what a photographer and stylist would do with any other model, so why do the bigger models get the tighter, more revealing clothes? You never see plus-sized models in these editorials wearing something classic and tailored or flowing and goddess-y. No, they always look like they're heading out to the road house on a Saturday night, where ladies drinks are half off. In fact, the more we think about it, we can't ever remember seeing a "plus-sized" editorial (and it's not like there have been so many that we have trouble recalling) where we liked the clothes. It's always super-tight, super-short, super-revealing. We get it. "Big is Beautiful." They want to promote the idea that bigger women are sexy. Well you know what? Bigger women are fabulous too. Can't we have a "Big is Fabulous" spread some time soon that doesn't roll around in the old tropes that fat women are sexually ravenous and a little sloppy to boot?

And that's us "mostly keeping our mouths shut."


[Photos: vmagazine.com]


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