Skinny Models Are a Turn-Off to Consumers
Research from the University of Queensland shows that ads featuring average-sized models are every bit as effective at selling as those with thin models.
Also "women who saw the size 14 models felt significantly better about their own bodies in comparison to those who saw the thinner models."
The lead researcher Phillippa Diedrichs created a series of mock advertisements for a range of beauty, clothing and accessory products where more than 300 men and women, aged 18-25, viewed the advertisements which featured either size 8-10 or 14 female models.
"Both men and women rated the advertisements featuring the average-size models as equally effective as the advertisements featuring the thinner models. [...] Also, women who saw the size 14 models felt significantly better about their own bodies in comparison to those who saw the thinner models."
Some believe that the research may be indicative of changing attitudes:
"A lot of women are more self-assured, more confident, not accepting the fantasy any more" says the Butterfly Foundation's Julie Thomson. "They've also got things happening in their lives that make them realise the whole fashion model, celebrity thing is not as important as the (media) keeps telling them." (from Brisbane Times)
One Dress, Seven Ways - Fashion Shoot for Country Road. The same dress modelled by 7 different women,
More like this in Body Image and Media Watch · Dec 1, 2008
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You know, I never really understood why the plus size catalogs use 105 pound stick thin and very gaunt women as the models for clothing that is being bought by 200-450+ pound women.
Seriously, a Kate Moss wanna be in a mumu??? Wtf?
ReplyThat 7 ways picture is genius!
Because I want that red dress now. I'm convinced it would look totally hot on me
If I saw it in just one model with a totally different body type (say, super skinny), I wouldn't have thought so.
ReplyWhat I wish advertisers would do is just use REAL-sized people in their ads...short and skinny, tall and plump, whatever. I'm sick of seeing clothes being modeled by tall, stick-figuresque women that give me no idea how an item will look on a petite, muscular woman such as myself.
ReplyI agree Spectra....what we see in pictures is flagrantly unrealistic.
ReplyThe average model is 9% taller than the average woman and 16% thinner than what she should be to be medically healthy. Mannequins in shop windows if scaled up to be real live women would have less than 14% body fat which would meet the first criteria for anorexia nervosa.
I agree...People come in all shapes and sizes and so should models.
ReplyI DO love curves on a woman so this is good to hear! I've helped female clients lose fat before, but at a certain point some of them stopped. When I asked them why they said they did not want to be any skinnier.
I couldn't be more proud!
-Sahil M
ReplyFlawlessFitnessBook.com
Perhaps I should point out that Australian dress sizes are larger than those in the US. So the "size 14" referred to is an American size 10.
Replysize 8-10 doesn't really qualify as skinny here in the US...if anything, that would be "average size" while a size 14 is a plus size. is an Australian 8-10 the equivalent of a US 4-5?
ReplyEven a size 4-5 US isn't really considered "skinny" anymore. You almost have to be a US size 0-2 to be legitimately "skinny" nowadays. Which is really dumb, because very few people are that size naturally.
Replyagreed. vanity sizing in the US has run amok. but that's for another day on another thread, haha.
ReplyI was thinking the same thing. No size 8 woman could ever get work as a model in the US. Size 6 is really pushing it, and would probably only be acceptable in a woman who's over 6 feet tall.
ReplyUnfortunately, I think the changing attitude that the research proposes is more related to our changing waistlines.
A fact of human nature is that we like people who are similar to us. And, since about 70% of our population is overweight, being overweight is more common than being at an ideal weight or even below weight.
We'll see if the size of our models increases. The marketers will keep trying to figure out how to sell more, so if using larger models sells more that's what we'll see.
In the end the fashion companies only care about the bottom line.
ReplyI was under the impression that using tall, skinny models was because their bodies don't interfere with the "hang" of the clothes. They literally are walking clothes hangers. While I agree everyone comes in different shapes and sizes, of course, how can ALL body types be covered? So they go with the most non-descript, which is thin and somewhat shapeless. I mean, reverse the entire thing...how does watching a particularly heavy woman help a petite woman pictures herself in the same outfit? The picture with this blog is a great idea...many models for the same outfit. I love it! But what's the likelihood of fashion marketers regularly paying all those salaries for modeling one outfit?
ReplyI have heard that the skinner models, allow for tighter clothes, they are basically walking mannekins. I do not know of any man, who finds the skinny models attractive.
ReplyI agree that the seven ways dress picture is absolutely wonderful because you are able to see that good clothes highlights the beauty of so many different kinds of bodies. Thanks.
Replyjh
bodaweightlossblog
I believe that the media’s flesh-is-evil fad, that purports to get universal adoption of bony little females as the only acceptable body type, is misguided and evil, coming as it does from the distorted profit motives of the clothing industry, the dieting industry which includes diet drinks and diet pills and dieting specialists, the exercise equipment industry, and the sellers of books or videos about any or all of the above.
ReplyWhenever I see someone of my size on TV, smart, beautiful & talented I DO feel better about myself.
Kind of like Leighton Meester, she's not the very thinnest girl on Gossip Girl, but she is still HOT!
And Drew Berrymore, those girls are healthy & strong looking, like me.
Challange those two to run a race with Giselle Bundchen & Elle MacPherson & I know hands down who'll win!
ReplyThe way clothing is shown is magazines is about the garment, not the person wearing it. It makes sense to hire very thin women that nearly disappear behind an outfit to prevent any distraction from the garment. That is the case in all haute couture, however, I think it makes sense to use a woman that is a bit more representative of the "average" when trying to sell clothing to that audience.
ReplyNow this research is useless.Why?Well any sensible person will use skinny women in ads for men not for women.Women are just going to feel bad,every one knows that.They should use Handsome men with abs to attract women.
ReplyWell then why do they still have the waifs everywhere?!
ReplyWHY WHY WHY?!!!!!!!!!!!!