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!
i’m usually really pro diversity in sizes but i just don’t think this weight quite looks right on her.
1st and 5th photos look great but the rest her upper body looks like it’s carrying just a bit too much. But who am i to say whether she’s healthy? she has gorgeous skin hair and eyes.
I think she is too heavy and can’t possibly be eating in a healthy way. I find her “bones protruding” comment to be obnoxious. Heavy people tend to act like there arw two extremes; their “normal” weight or emaciation. “sorry if i don’t have bones sticking out and i actuallu eat!” it’s ridiculous. She is clearly eating more than her fair share (which harms the planet btw) and results in her being unhealthy.
I agree.. not a good shape.
Harms the planet…….are you really that retarded? :/
I think she and everybody else on here who judges her is retarded.
I think she does look normal. Besides, she’s really not heavy. She just looks that way because we are all used to seeing toothpicks in clothing. Tara Lynn is a US Size 12, which could not be more normal. Besides, according to the CDC, someone who is obese and who exercises has a lower mortality probability than someone who is thin who is sedentary. So you can’t tell someone’s health based on their weight. It their lifestyle.
I don’t like the negative things people are saying. This girl is still healthy, and that’s all that matters!!
are you blind? shes waaay too heavy! the legs, the arms, the belly! everywhere is just oo much FAT. please consider that they photoshopped her nicely, all cellulite is gone, all contures are smooth. theres no way shes at a healthy weight. sorry people if i insult you, but this is def. a big girl
what an idiot. go puke
Screw you critics. Harms the planet??? Screw the planet! Tara Lynn is beautiful.
Eh, they didn’t do the best job at photoshopping in the bathingsuit picture. You can still see cellulite where the water reflects off her skin, not saying its a bad or good thing. Just surprised is all that they are showing it. Buuut at least she’s a real plus size model, not a size 8 and put into that category. Thank god.
She’s pretty in the face, not a figure I admire but she looks good for her size. She carries herself well and that’s always attractive regardless of size
No… that’s the water reflection. You said it yourself. Why would cellulite reflect back through water????
one thing I don’t like about plus size models is how they claim to be “the size of the average women” and so many people love them campaigning for “real bodies” on the runway, yet I rarely see a 5ft 11 plus size women.
Most women who are size 12+ are usually no taller than 5ft 6….at least in my world!
I agree ruby. I’ve often said before that plus-sized models are about as attainable as skinny models. I find very few plus-sized women who happen to be super tall, super proportioned, and carry their weight in a nice, fit sort of way rather than a saggy and lumpy kind of way.
She may be a size 14 or whatever, but she doesn’t look like most size 14′s I know either.
I have to respectfully disagree with you. Most women I know who are in the plus size range are AT LEAST 5’6″. Maybe it’s regional. I live in Oklahoma and most women I know overall are 5’5″+.
As far at Tara-Lynn — I think she looks great. She looks healthier than some of the other plus-sized models I’ve seen on this site, in my opinion. And she has such a beautiful face.
Acordint to her agency in UK (12+model mangement), Tara-Lynn is 5’9, They have also set her height in centimeters: 176 cm, so it would be more accurately 5’9.29
The plus-size models that I know (most of them thanks to skinnyvscuvy.com) are tall, around 5’9 and over.
As a 6 ” gal myself, I can tell you why – because if I were plus size I would look like a blonde Khloe Kardashian. I would get called ‘tranny’ and ‘sasquatch’ and ‘huge b!tch’ and all kinds of horrible things. It is bad enough being tall and sticking out like a sore thumb when you’re normal/thin, let alone if you were big. WORST. NIGHTMARE!
AAAAGREEEEED im 6 feet as well..Being tall is enough. If I was HUGE i don’t know what i would do.
Hurray! Let’s start a 6 footer club!
I agree ruby. The truth is that none of the women on the catwalk represent the average because we are all so different in height, weight, shape, and etc.
I also dislike her comment that she was supposed to have these bones protuding from her body. Yeah because if you’re not plus size then your bones stick out. Kmt.
Beautiful Face, beautiful girl!!Love it!!
she has beautiful skin, beautiful hair and beautiful cheekbones but i do not like her body that much. she would look better if she slimmed down because her body looks soft and squishy lol if she was slim she would be a goddess
some women get too skinny and have a ‘hard’ and ‘angular’ look
some women are fat but they don’t have the squishy grabbable fat look , they look too thick and chunky
I’d rather be thick than squishy!!!! Ugh!
She’s sooo beautiful! But it looks like they photoshopped her face on to her body.. Her head is looking too small to her body.. just looks weird.
i know right!!!! lol it looks like they put a runway models face on some plus sized girls body,, weird,,
gawwww i love her face,, the body,, no comment,,
She is STUNNING and looks beautiful at that size. If I were a 16, my face would look terrible.
Why can’t there be a middle? Is it either unhealthily skinny or a size 16? I liked the models in the 90′s .. They looked amazing
Agreed… But i think there should be all sizes. Then everyone has something they can relate to when they wanna buy clothes.
btw, is she a US16? As in a US20?
*As in a UK20
Sorry,…
I would say she’s a US16 – UK18 or 20. I’m a 14 and she looks a bit bigger than me. But sizing is hard. As for the UK size equivalent I have always found that to be very flexible. I can fit UK size 14 skirts and size 16 pants and that should make me a 10-12 US – but generally I’m a 14 for pants in US stores!
erica, I am exactly in your situation ! Us pants don’t do me any good, I am european and big hipped. anyway, let’s go on and celebrate our beautiful bodies !
Hey girls! I’m the same size as you and I have to tell you: Torrid is the BEST. they’re a tad bit expensive ($30-$60) but they’re are SO worth the splurge. I bought two pairs almost a year ago, and still love them. They even have skinny jeans that are so comfy. Hope I helped out(:
Actually I think they photoshopped her to look bigger, I’ve seen candids of her and she’s quite small, always stunning and to me beautiful at any size!
He face is absolutely stunning….in the face. She’s too big to be healthy. What’s wrong with a size 8 or 10? Isn’t that manageable for people?
She’s very pretty and i think it’s a good marketing move to show what the clothes would look like on their customers. given that a 14 is average size or whatever.
ya, its interesting to see how it would look on bigger girls, i thought that would never happen! like i thought i would never see that in stores,,
and she has one of the most beautiful faces ever, im glad i know who she is now lolz
I really don’t think that if I wrote down what the average woman looks like in my town they’d come out to looking like her, size-wise. I think she’s a little bigger than the average woman.
Yeah I disagree that there is an actual average. I live in such a culturally diverse town (asians, native americans, caucasians, spanairds, african americans, somaons, etc….Like where I currently live, the school system alone has 70+ different languages spoken) that there is no average size. I see 00′s to 22+ daily and often.
She is definitely bigger than average. I only know like 2 people her size. I’m quite big compared to most people i know (especially cos I’m 6′), and I’m smaller than Tara Lynn. If i had to guess i’d say average would be 4-8 (US sizes) where I live
In my case as well because I live in Manhattan but in Plattsburgh, NY the majority of women are way bigger than her. When I was a kid we would periodically make day trips to Plattsburgh from Canada. The size difference was shocking. But that was a long time ago.
Yeah i have heard that people in big cities are thinner on average, than people in the country. Though u can hardly call my city big, but it is the second biggest in Denmark. But the average person in DK isn’t overweight, as i heard it is in UK for example. So i guess geography plays a part
I am 5’7″ size 16… everywhere I go to buy clothes they seem to always be out of my size… plenty of 12′s or 18s or 20s never can seem to find any 14s or 16s… ?? what does that tell me? either they make way too many of the other sizes, or there are a lot of girls my size….
I agree that she has a nice face, but I don’t like the body as much. Two years ago I was probably the same size as this model and I pretty much hated myself… At 5ft 7 I lost 40 pounds and now I am somewhere between 8 – 10 and feel so much better in every way
As Ida said – I would love to see some models in the “middle” size…
I wish that people would just focus on HEALTH versus what size everyone is, whether their healthy weight is a 14 or a 4!
The minute anyone says anything about health, they are immediately attacked by the NFAA supporters saying how people can be healthy at any size. It’s a lose-lose proposition.
(p.s. I’m a different Jane — just to make it clear that you’re not talking to yourself
)
What is NFAA?
Either way, people can be healthy at any size. That isn’t an opinion. That’s fact.
Only doctors can speak knowledgeably about health. Here we only see pictures of people that we like or not according to our own tastes.
To talk about someone’s health you’d need medical tests, not just a couple of photos.
The problem is, many doctors are very weight-biased. I’ve heard of people being told how unhealthy they are and need to lose weight by doctors even though their check ups say they are perfectly fine. I read a blog once by a medical student who said he was told that if an overweight person tells you how much they work out, they are lying. It’s ridiculous.
I am 5/5″, 167. I dont feel I look “huge”. Told I’m “big boned” (which FYI does NOT sound like a good thing). However, according to weight charts, I should be 125. I would look like a crack head if I went to 125. I’m just not built that way. But the doctor’s charts say I should weigh that little. Don’t get it!
I just want to start off by saying I love Tara Lynn the most out of all plus-sized models. She has such a beautiful face, that I totally don’t care what her body looks like.
But in her quote she sounds a little defensive. Bones protruding? I think people often exaggerate about the pressure to be thin, especially in regards to how thin they are being pressured to be. I find very few men and women who find bone protrusion attractive. And while there is pressure to be thin, it’s more of a size 4 kind of thinness, not a size 00.
By acting like we are all pressured to be size 00, and using that hyperbole, we only perpetuate the belief in younger girls that there really is pressure to be that size, when there isn’t. We are creating the pressure through our own exaggerations.
I don’t know how her frame looks at a size 4, maybe her bones would be protruding because she is a tall girl, but obviously there are sizes in-between size 4 and a size 14. Her bones may not be protruding now, but she is carrying too much weight for her frame…the opposite problem. Like I said, I don’t care, because I love her face, but I’m sure others do care, and I think overall she would be more attractive if she slimmed down a bit. Perhaps, in a certain way, her weight is holding her back.
Yeah, I feel like she’s saying, there’s plus size, and bony. That’s not fair. I doubt the other kids in her high school had bones protruding.
Her face is wonderful and I find her body attractive at its current size since she is so nicely proportioned. However, the bone protrusion comment is mildly annoying. I get what she’s saying about pressure to fit in. I don’t know, bone protrusion never crossed my mind as a teen. Also, what does bone protrusion even mean? I mean a lot of people have some visible bones or does she mean protruding to the extent it could take your eye out?
maybe she was only speaking of herself…some people have bones protruding at certain weights, while others do not. I know if I get TOO thin my ribs stick out and i find it gross. But there are thinner girls than me who don’t have the same bone structure. I don’t think many people find really protruding bones attractive! and when you see that in yourself you think..eek!
Oh Katy, I think so too. That’s why I said maybe at a size 4 she would have bones portruding. But like I said, there is still a lot of sizes in between a size 4 and 14. Usually when someone speaks in extremes, they tend to be defensive, whether skinny or large. “Well at least I’m not a fat.” “Well at least I don’t have bones protruding.” Both statements actively avoid addressing the existence of a middle-ground, because if they do address it, they have to explain why they are not in that middle ground.
Maybe this is a California thing, but I was an 8-10 at 5’6″ throughout middle school and was referred to as “the fat girl. Then highschool happened and everyone else got hips and boobs and I miraculously wasn’t fat anymore, except in my own mind. Childhood teasing never totally fades. I’d tend to believe Miss Lynn.
I think here in SoCal it’s looked at as bad if you’re heavy. I have a friend who is 5’7 and went from a healthy size 6 to a size 2 and is now a skeletal 100 pounds. She looks way too thin for her height. I’m only 5’2 and a size 4. When I was a size 8 about 3 years ago I didn’t look that bad just bigger in my butt and thighs but not obese, people would call me fat and bubble butt. Even at a size 4 people say I’m average now and not even close to being skinny. It’s just hard in CA because everyone is expected to be super thin if they are short or tall.
I actually disagree with a portion of your comment:
“But in her quote she sounds a little defensive. Bones protruding? I think people often exaggerate about the pressure to be thin, especially in regards to how thin they are being pressured to be. I find very few men and women who find bone protrusion attractive. And while there is pressure to be thin, it’s more of a size 4 kind of thinness, not a size 00.”
I’m what would be considered “thin” I suppose (5’4, 117 pounds) and never in my life have I felt so much pressure to be thinner!
When I was younger I never felt I looked bad, or out of place, but now (I’m 27) I don’t see anyone who looks like myself on television, magazines, internet, etc. and really want to be thinner. I’m a size 2-4, which before I would think is great, but seeing all these really, really thin ideals of beauty absolutely makes me want to be a size 0.
Carly, I understand, but, and I’m going to try to word this the best way I can….
My concern is how much of that “pressure” is actually warranted. How much of it is caused by Hollywood using slim actresses and high fashion?
From my experience, high fashion holds very little relevance to most people. Even the few girls who were into fashion and knew some models tend to dismiss the model’s thinness as not something that is desirable but something that is the way it is. “They are thin because they are models.” They differentiated themselves from the models which distanced themselves from the pressure to be a size 00. It was only the girls who already had a desire/obsession with thinness that felt the pressure to be as thin as models…but then, is it high fashion that is pressuring them, or are they seeking out high fashion because it appeals to them because they already admire the thin aesthetic?
I think actresses and singers definitely do have an influence, especially here where I live (LA). However, the average actress and singer, like I said before, is a size 4. Yes there are a few that are a thinner than that, like let’s say Nicole Richie during her thin phase, but honestly, can you say that she was seen as “attractive” during that time? Because I vividly remember everyone ranting about how she was NOT attractive as a result of her thinness.
My belief is that people talk about the pressure to be thin. Yes it does exist. But in talking about it, they tend to exaggerate to prove their point and emphasize how horrible the pressure is, so they often make claims about how thin they were being forced to be. Pretty soon, that exaggeration becomes reality. I think the desire to be a size 0 is more in people’s heads than it is founded in reality, and I think it’s largely to do with the fact that we ourselves keep perpetuating the size 0 mantra.
Sorry for the long response, but I couldn’t express these thoughts in a more concise way.
I think you’re absolutely right. The “pressure” I feel comes mostly from within myself (not a single person has ever told me I was overweight, needed to loose weight, etc.).
I find it strange that now the only people I considered “skinny” are very, very thin – essentially far underweight. I don’t know where it came from, and to be honest, I’m probably taking the easy way out and blaming it on the media.
I totally agree, Casey and for the first time ever, I have nothing to add- you totally summed up my thoughts.
i agree with everything you said. people make it seem there is so much pressure into being too thin when it’s not like that. yes it is pressure being skinny but not to the point of having your bones showing. and to be honest, there’s more pressure to have big fake boobs and other fake body parts because it’s glamorize too much. i hardly know any woman wanting to be a size 0 or a size 00.
Theoretically you are perfectly right. Your arguments are very well structured and logical. And in my sanity i know that.
BUT, i have my insanities. Just some posts ago with Megan Fox in short jeans, her legs were called chubby. I am skinny (101 lbs at 5’4″) and i wear size 24 jeans, xs or xxs in clothes, eu 34 or 32 when i can find it. My thighs however are not skinny. Never were and never will be. I have ribs sticking out pretty badly, hipbones and spine sticking out, yet if i would post a picture of my thighs on this site people would probably call me chubby; or not even that thin; or “healthy”. I know i have a mild form of some disorder, i went down to 97 lbs at one point, than forced myself to be healthier and got up to 104 or something and it was absolutely terrible feeling. Now i want to be 95 lbs, maybe my thighs will finally not be fat anymore. No matter who says what, i see them as fat. In my rare moments of sanity i can see they are not, but my mind and everything i see praised tell me otherwise…
(and this comment is way too personal and i appologize if i sound attention seeking or whatever; i am a grown woman, trust me, it is not about attention…)
Cristina, thank you for sharing your personal views on your body. I know some people on here hate it when people talk about themselves, but, this is a discussion thread, and often times the best discussions involve talking about ourselves. I feel it takes a lot of effort to avoid mentioning oneself and therefore the comments that are too aloof are disingenuous.
That being said, I’m sorry that you feel that way about your thighs. Obviously I’ve never seen you, but I am around your size and height, and I’ve seen Megan Fox’s thighs, and they are far from “chubby.”
I guess, since you offered your personal views, can I ask you something? My question is, had you not read that comment on the Megan Fox thread that her thighs were chubby, and other comments like that, would you still think your thighs were chubby?
Because that’s kind of what I was referring to. I think we, as a people, create our own unnecessary pressures to be thinner than we need to by exaggerations of either the pressure to be thin, or exaggerations of people’s bodies. I know everyone has their own opinion, but honestly, no opinion validates MF having thick thighs. She doesn’t, at all. (shrug)
Um … who said Megan Fox’s legs were chubby? I’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who thought any part of her was remotely fat.
Bad body image is truly terrible, and I really hope you come to not only accept, but be confident in your body as it is. Everyone has so-called “flaws,” but in reality, you’ll find that you’ve magnified them in your own eyes. I understand that it can be really hard to get past that, but try to tell yourself positive stuff about your body, even if you feel like it sounds superficial or doesn’t really work. It’s not your body that’s a problem, you just have to see it in a new light – which, I know, is easier said than done.
Such a pretty girl!
its interesting how much difference angles and clothes (and maybe photoshop too..) can make, it some pics she barely looks plus size (esp the one with navy blazer and denim shorts!), and in others she looks rather large!
I agree with you. And I also noticed that on myself. It already happened that some friend told me “woahh you have slimmed down” whereas I hadn’t loose a single lbs or even gained a little bit. It was due to my choice of outfit
I hope I don’t get flack for saying this, because I mean it in a god way- her face is stunning!
She looks a lot slimmer in the shot with the denim shorts and shoulder bag and blazer.
Beautiful face!! It’s amazing, which isn’t always the case with plus sized models. Like Casey wrote: I’m almost not looking at her body because her face is so gorgeous I’m in awe.
She is definitely overweight, and would look better imo if she lost weight – but then again, so would i
it can be really tough for some people, including myself, and it’s also a personal choice, whether u wanna live a strict life with no cheating, and workout every single day or be less strict.
I hope no one’s gonna use the health argument to tear her down, as it often happens with the plus size posts. It’s her life, and i highly doubt anyone on this website really cares about her health that much…
i kinda see where you’re coming from with the two extremes arguments of strict exercise and diet vs less strict because the modelling world presents two extremes of skinny mini or plus size. Personally I’m fed up with both and would like to models somewhere in the middle that are neither plus size or skinny just healthy. That to me would be considered “normal” and an example of a lifestyle worth striving for.
You said it well, StrawberryFields! She looks lovely and for those of us who are in her size range it’s good to see clothes on a big, curvy body. That doesn’t mean that this is her optimum size and I agree she would look great if she slimmed down – but that’s up to her!
I like seeing plus sized models of different shapes and sizes – Tara Lynn is at the upper end I guess, and Crystal Renn is way down the bottom! We don’t get many 8-12 size models in the middle – it would be nice to see them too.
Her face is GORGEOUS, one of the prettiest I’ve ever seen. What a shame her body is so fat and unattractive. If she lost weight, she’d be a top model. Her face is so sensual, at a lower weight she’d be perfect for Victoria’s Secret amongst other beauties like Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel
i know! if she was thin, she could of knocked basically all of those models out,, but i guess her career is doing good, and shes 27!!!! she looks 20!
Anne,even if she s not working Haute Couture,she might be earning more than some of those models.
oh i dont mean just cuz shes not in high fashion shes nothing, i mean if she was in vicky’s secret, (obviously one of the most popular jobs) she could of easily been one of the most beautiful ones
her body is NOT ‘fat and unattractive’…
Darla- I’ve only recently started reading your comments on here but this is the second time I’ve seen you make a rude, ignorant comment about bigger women. Your last comment (can’t remember the post) said something along the lines of “No one wants to see that” in reference to a bigger woman’s body and now you have described Tara-Lynn’s body as ‘fat and unattractive’. While I can understand that this may not be your ideal body type (it’s not mine either), I think the way you state your opinion is rather discourteous and unnecessary. Not everyone wants to be ‘slim’ and not every model with a gorgeous face should be exclusive to Victoria’s secret so no- Tara’s body type is not ‘a shame.’
I think she has a stunning face but I would never think that she represents the ”average woman” If I were to see her in real life I would think she was very overweight, & that is just my opinion. I don’t believe she looks healthy at all.
ummm it’s pretty normal for a womans bones to protrude if it’s their body type….i for example at even my heaviest….around 130…always had really protruding collar bones…and there are girls i know of an average weight who have razor sharp hipbones…..i don’t think bones all all you can go off…
i agree with casey about the whole pressure to be more around a size four than a double zero.,..
i dislike taras body and would really like to know what someone like her eats on a day to day basis because frankly i can’t imagine this much extra weight being a result of healthy eating patterns and regular exercise
She has a gorgeous face but she is obese.
she’s very pretty. she’d be close to perfect if she lost some pounds in my opinion.
H + M do a plus size clothing range she is modeling the plus size clothes I assume, I don’t think they used her to model the “straight size” clothes.
Some of what she is wearing is really not flattering (the black satin-y looking vest top with high-rise matching underwear? What? Why? It’s an ugly ensemble no matter who they would have wearing it IMO. Also the black skin-tight strapless top, what were they thinking? Not a flattering garment for anyone insecure about their upper arms or belly as it draws too much attention to those areas. In some of the outfits she looks great – I just don’t get why they put her in some things so unflattering to her. Like everyone said her face is beautiful she looks like an angel.
They used her for the BIB-line, Big Is Beautiful. It’s like 42-52 EU in sizing.
STUNNING FACE!!!!! GORGEOUS!!!!!
She should lose some inches around her waist purely due to health reasons… carrying weight around the waist isnt very good for the heart. But she looks lovely!!!!!!!!!!1
Ugly. Ew.
Grow up!
While I disagree that Tara Lynn is ugly (her face is gorgeous), I think its unfair for you to tell The Truth to grow up. Why should she grow up, because she voiced her opinion? I personally think Tara’s body is ewww because she’s obese. Do I need to grow up as well?
Yes. Grown-ups, well mature people, are considerate and articulate when expressing their opinions and do not resort to childish put-downs. There are so many other, more respectful ways to point out that you don’t find someone attractive. There is absolutely no need to demean someone, especially someone who doesn’t deserve it at all.
You’re getting me wrong. If The truth had said ‘I don’t find her attractive, she’s too fat for my taste’ then I would have respected the opinion. To say ‘Ugly. Ew’ sounds like something a cruel child would say – that’s why I said grow up. I have no problem with people having different opinions – if someone wrote ‘Ugly. Ew.’ in a post with a thin woman I would have issue with that as well. It’s the wording, not the opinion I have a problem with.
Exactly, Erica. It’s not the voicing of the opinion that’s childish, it’s the cruel and unnecessary jibes.
Not that I would ever bust out a line like ‘the Truth’ did, but c’mon guys, who is she/he really offending? Do you honestly think this Tara girl is reading this site, and these comments? Let her piss in the wind, no one is getting hurt.
Well Megs, whether Tara reads this site or not is irrelevant. What matters is that plenty of women have bodies similar to Tara’s and no one likes to be ‘ugly’ and ‘ew’ – so it can hurt. It’s certainly not the worst I’ve read though, just a bit juvenile.
her face is just PERFECT. who cares about her body when her face looks like that
I just showed her to my boyfriend and he said: ‘huum, I don’t like her face…’ Just to illustrate how sujective beauty is, I really like her face, I think it’s stunning. I do think she could lose a little weight, but I wouldn’t touch her face.
she looks gorgeous though, she looks like she takes care of herself (well ok probably with the hair & make-up and stylist here
) unlike alot of people who are a size 16.
I think she’s gorgeous in every single way. The only one I don’t like is the picture with the tube top, it looks very blah and common to me.
Anyone else thinks she looks like a plus size version of Miranda Kerr? Its in the face!
that’s true! they do look a lot alike
Wow! You’re so right… just goes to show how different each girl’s career would be…
umm ya right, not really, miranda kerr wishes she could look like HER instead,,
beautiful girl, and i love the clothes she wears
So pretty. She seem like a real plus-size model, and presentative of the majority of population (of whichever country/city) or not, she does make a great model imo. It’s nice to see women you can relate to, but also, if skinny models look damn gorgeous half the time, it’s only fair to see bigger models that do too
Did you hear about the lastest study on plus-size models?
Is a study by Dr. Davide Dragone and Dr. Luca Savorelli, University of Bologna, and suggests that using plus-size models on catwalks and advertisements COULD MAKE WOMEN FAT. The paper is called “Thinness and Obesity: A Model of Food Consumption, Health Concerns, and Social Pressure.”
A quote:
“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.”
Skinny or plus-size models don’t change my weight, but I guess that for some people is not that way.
And more important, what make boys and men anorexic or overweight? Because there also boys and men with weight issues and they don’t see so many male models that influence them.
i do think the media industry has an enourmous power over society. I think the skinny models are set as a beauty standard and people wanna live up to that and be as skinny as them.
I don’t think obese model will be seen as a beauty standard any time soon, so i don’t think people will aspire to be that. Like skinny people wouldn’t try to gain weight seeing them. But maybe it will have an affect anyways: maybe obese people will think it’s okay to be obese, because these models “tell” them that.
But mostly i think it can have a somewhat positive impact. Most obese women feel horrible with themselves (from what i’ve heard), and there’s definitely nothing wrong with them feeling good about themselves for once
And from what I’ve heard from some, is that they usually eat cos they feel terrible about themselves. Like if they hear they are fat, it won’t stop them from eating, they’l l simply eat more.
So maybe feeling better about themselves, will actually make them take care of their bodies more?
I bet for an obese woman it doesn’t help to look at Miranda Kerr – she is so far away from what’s attainable, that there’s no point at all. Whereas maybe looking at Tara Lynn could be inspirational for some: if they see someone look good at a higher weight, they’ll want to to. Maybe workout more e.g.
Anyways, I’m just guessing… I’m not obese myself, but as beautiful as i find Miranda Kerr, for example, it’s not attainable for me, my build is larger, so i can kinda relate to what i just wrote. But my guess is: we shouldn’t fear the plus sized models. I don’t think they are gonna increase a fat epidemic
Good comment StrawberryFields. While I am not obese, I am overweight and it doesn’t help me at all to see only very slim models. I don’t see them as something I have to emulate (or can ever emulate), but it is nice to see bigger women being shown as beautiful as well and not just fat and therefore ugly. No one wants to feel that they are ugly – and if we had no plus sized models I think a significant amount of women would feel they had no beauties out there to relate to. As you said, I can admire slim, fine-boned women like Miranda Kerr or Keira Knightely , but their bodies are completely different from mine no matter what my weight. When I see Tara Lynn or the smaller but still ‘big’ Christina Hendricks being made to look beautiful and being seen as sexy, it doesn’t make me think ‘okay, I’m not going to lose weight, in fact I might put more on!’. It makes me think that it’s not always ugly to be big and you can still look and feel beautiful – and be sexy!
As far as I can tell, plus sized models are really only used to sell plus sized clothes. They are not used in Sports Illustrated or mainstream advertising etc, because they are not really considered beautiful and sexy compared to slim models. Straight sized models are used in everything from high fashion runway, to swimsuit calenders to low-end catalogues – they are everywhere and are the ‘ideal’. I don’t think that’s going to change any time soon, and maybe it shouldn’t. I don’t think I’d like to see models like Tara everywhere being touted as an ideal – because it’s just as unattainable and potentially unhealthy as very thin models. To me there should be all shapes and sizes represented in mainstream fashion – but that’s in an ideal world.
I think it’s silly to suggest that using plus sized models is going to make the obesity problem worse – very few people actually prefer overweight people to slim ones (me included) and I don’t think that is ever going to change! Has having very thin models increased the incidence of ED’s? In the high fashion and entertainment industries I think yes, in the every day, normal world of schools, offices and stay-at-home-mums I’m not so sure, it’s not as simple as that!
Obesity is a complicated thing that can’t be traced only to one source – there are many societal, emotional, physical and genetic/medical causes. Trying to point the finger and say overweight models are going to make it okay and maybe desirable to be fat is oversimplifying it – and that’s an understatement!
Do they think that they can shame everyone who is obese into losing weight? Unfortunately being overweight has been seen as the ugliest thing for quite some time in the fashion and entertainment world – it’s only recently that we’ve had plus sized models and celebs who are not portrayed as humorous and/or unattractive. You could just as easily say that the prevalence of thin models and celebs for so long has had an influence on the upsurge in obesity – many people overeat because they feel bad about themselves and it comforts them. But that’s too simple. If we had no plus sized models and kept telling obese people ‘you are ugly and it’s impossible for you to be attractive unless you lose weight’ I really don’t think we’d see a decrease in obesity. As I said, it’s a much more complex problem than that.
correct!
Sometimes I don’t always agree with you Erica, but I have to say your comments are always some of the fairest and most thoughtful on here
And I do agree that neither slim models nor plus size models should be eliminated. And although I see slim models as really beautiful, larger women need to feel good about themselves too! As long as they aren’t ALL plus size models and it isn’t the ideal, I don’t think there’s any pressure to gain unhealthy weight.
Yeah, the study that Pinky mentions assumes that heaping more shame and discrimination on obese people is the way to motivate them to lose weight. Of course, it isn’t and is probably going to perpetuate eating disorders and further obesity. I think the study is operating from a flawed assumption.
Agreed! You can’t shame someone into being healthy because shame isn’t healthy. Honestly I think the fashion industry has very little effect on public health, and the real problem is the food industry marketing unhealthy foods to children who are too young to know better so that by the time they do know better, they’ve already formed bad eating habits that are difficult to break.
I’m glad models like Tara Lynn exist, and not because I think they’re good role models, but because I think they’re good *clothing* models. When I consider buying an article of clothing, I want to know what it will look like on *me.* Granted, my body looks nothing like Tara Lynn’s (I’m 5’0, size 2-4 @ H&M, 0-2 at most other stores). But more women have bodies like Tara’s than like Alessandra’s, and it’s the women with those bodies who are buying most of the clothes.
I heard about that study as well.
In some ways I can see the logic behind it. The media is a big influence on people and if skinny models can supposedly encourage eating disorders and a desire to be thinner then it would seem logical that having plus size models will have the opposite effect. In some ways I have seen evidence that plus size models and BBW fan sites and hysteria have had a direct impact on bigger women to be happy with their size and to be bigger but I don’t think that it will cause an epidemic anytime soon just as I don’t think that thin models are the sole reason for the skinny craze we have today. The truth is that there has NEVER been a time when women could feel comfortable in their own bodies because there has always been a craze. People seem to think that women of the 50s were all natural happy UK size 10-12 hourglasses but that is far from it. A lot of women had to use corsets and waist cinching underwear to achieve the desired look.
The real issue is not skinny or plus sized women but how we as a society take in what the media throws at us. For instance the NHS has been encouraging cancer check ups for women for years but it is only when women like Kylie Minogue and Jafe Goody get hit that we heed their warnings. We need to see the entertainment industry and media for what it is and look to proper facts when it comes to our health and bodies.
I love how put together she looks with the blazer. The right outfit really does do wonders. Huge diff between the blazer and the cardi.
Yeah, the blazer’s structure gives her body a cleaner line, while the cardigan rests on the roundness of her shoulders. Both are interesting looks.
I think she’s beautiful but let’s face it, she’s just obese. how’s that promoting a healthy lifestyle can anyone tell me?
anyways, i’m actually glad that they didn’t photoshop out the cellulite on the first pic, (or at least not all of it) cause that just makes me laugh when they show this big girls without it it’s such a lie
It doesn’t so much make me laugh when they show perfectly shaped and smooth, but very big legs, as much as it makes me worry for real plus sized girls whose self esteem can STILL be hindered by this model even though she’s not super skinny! I think the object of using models like this is to make larger and middle sized women feel better about themselves, and when they see someone who is a size 16 but looks perfect, they’ll wonder why it doesn’t work that way for them. You pointed out something really interesting though. Thanks for the observation
She is not supposed to promote a healthy lifestyle, but to sell a range of plus sized clothing. U must admit she’s quite perfect for that. Health is kinda irrelevant. Relevant for her, but not for H&M and us. I’m not saying it’s right. Simply irrelevant.
she has a beautiful face, and yes, she is overweight, but lets face it. the majority of the US is overweight and only a very small percentage of women actually look like runway models. so i think its good that more and more plus sized models are getting exposure. however, she does come across ignorant with her obvious dislike for thin people with her comment about protruding bones. the world isnt just black and white, thin and fat. all types of beauty should be embraced, though i tend to prefer thin, as does society.
An incredibly beautiful girl. Her facial symmetry and features makes her gorgeous.
cue 30+ ppl complaining about wanting normal sized girls
She looks gorgeous.
But I think it’s a shame her skin is so photoshoped, I wish we could see some texture. I’m sure her body is lovely without airbrushing.
Picture 6 – WOW! She looks amazing!
Wow just wow… If I were overweight I would probably kill myself after reading these rude comments on Tara-Lynn’s body…
don’t worry ! I’m sligthly overweight (even a little bit more thanTara Lynn) and I’m not going to kill myself after reading these comments !
I find her really gorgeous, with such a beautiful and peaceful face. She is not that big, it’s her middle section which is quite thick, especially with respect to her thighs which are thin
Where are the normal sized models? Every model is either a size 6 or a size 14…what happened to 8 or 12?
Ehhh not feeling it. I almost can’t even say that she’s pretty, I’d need to know what she’d look like a few sizes smaller. I know I’ll get flack for this, but it’s just how I feel.
Her face is pretty (with that weight).However, if she lost weight, her face would definitely change (even if it’s just a little). Her face might not look as cute if she lost the weight because the structure changes a little. We don’t know. However, judging from those photos (and with that weight), her face is cute.
They clearly photo-shopped and/or airbrushed those photos, but whatever.
She’d look older. Most teenage girls have soft features, and once they hit their mid twenties they lose a lot of that facial softness. Tara’s managed to keep that softness because of her weight. So she’d look less “cute” in the sense that she wouldn’t look as young, but I doubt she’d look any less pretty.
There is no way someone can be a UK size 20 and be “healthy”. Yes, people come in a vast array of sizes and shapes but she is very overweight and the body is not designed to cope with that. Her joints would be under alot of extra strain and the amount of abdominal fat she is carrying is a cardiac nightmare.
I think it’s ridiculous that the media promotes the extreme rail thin look in high fashion models, but honestly this is just as bad.
Yes she is facially gorgeous and carries her weight well, but there is no way this size can be called healthy.
I’m pretty sure there are some people who are a size 20 and healthy – just as there are some 00′s and less that are healthy. It’s really hard to generalise about health and weight. It also depends what you mean by healthy. A person who has a strong family history of diabetes, heart disease, stroke or certain cancers is at a higher risk for those diseases all their life no matter what their weight and fitness. People can seem very fit and healthy and then suddenly drop dead of a heart attack at 25. People can look obese, smoke and drink (like Winston Churchill) and live a full life until they are 90. There really is no way you can say any one size is unequivocally unhealthy or healthy. It’s too complex an issue.
And I don’t think Tara’s abdominal fat is a ‘cardiac nightmare’ – you’d have to know her blood pressure, triglyceride’s and cholesterol stats to tell that – and not all fat people have problems with those things (as I can attest!) Her risk may be elevated – but so is Gwenyth Paltrow’s risk of osteoporosis, but I wouldn’t call her unhealthy. Not saying it’s the same thing, being obese is not good, just that at Tara’s weight I really don’t think we can tell if she is healthy or not. If she was heavier (she’s not morbidly obese) and didn’t carry that weight so comfortably, then maybe you could say she looks unhealthy. Just my opinion though.
“There is no way someone can be a UK size 20 and be healthy” – this is just wrong. It can happen and it does. Weight and health are correlated but they aren’t prescriptive.
Of course you can be somewhat smaller or larger than average and still be perfectly healthy…variation is natural. A size 20 is an extreme, a result of our modern lifestyle. It is not how a body is designed to function.
If she maintains her size, it’s likely her life span will be directly affected. Im not trying to offend anyone, different circumstances lead to people being over/under weight. Io just think it’s irresponsible of the media to continue to promote unsustainable and unhealthy sizes.
Your comment is based on a lot of common misconceptions about health and weight. But most importantly, presenting images isn’t promoting them necessarily. Fat people exist. They wear clothes. And there should be models that represent that and give larger people options for looking good.
She’s fat. Period. But at least she is a real plus size model, and that’s what they hired her for, right? She has a really pretty face, and that’s the reason why she can model even thought she’s seriously overweight. But if she’s happy with herself, then everything is allright.
I think she’s beautiful in her way. Her face is pretty but I couldn’t imagine her being skinny. That’s why everyone is different, we’d be bored to death if we all looked the same.
No, my comment is based on medical fact and REALITY. Yes, fat people exist and obviously they wear clothes. Companies publishing photos of models that are over/under weight ARE promoting unhealthy lifestyles, the more the public are exposed to these images the more they become normalises
Hey Erin!
Do you think models who smoke cigarettes, snort cocaine, take heroin (or have), pop pills, have trouble going to the toilet, have diabetes, poor circulation, migraines or scars should be completely banned from modeling because they’re perpetuating ‘unhealthy lifestyles’? Because… guess what!? There’d be nobody left to model. No single person is 110% healthy, and even the ones that could maybe fit into that marker… they’ve all done something that harmed their body or do something on a daily basis.
We’re all human and it’s disgusting that you should think that weight a person’s weight defines their lifestyle. You do know that some people have thyroid conditions, or for whatever reason, just cannot commit to losing weight or gaining it… right? Think before you speak/type. Really now. You’re using ‘health’ as a pitiful excuse here.
*normalized.
If you need to tell yourself that she is healthy then you can do that. However, speaking from a point of knowledge rather than blind emotion, (both my parents are doctors, one a bariatric surgeon), obesity and health cannot coexist.
End rant
I feel like a lot of you are picking on her because she “looks big”. Cameras add weight. Look up Victoria’s Secret model candids. They all look tremendously skinny!
As a size 14, I am HONORED to have Tara-Lynn. Yes, I exercise, yes, I eat right. I’m just not meant to look like Candice Swanepoel. I think it’s awful that some people criticize her because she’s comfortable with her size….it takes a lot of guts to work for H and M with bigger than a size 2.
On top of this, plus size models are generally normal sized and are positioned to look larger because the industry hates them.
Let’s be happy here for someone who is proud of herself and who is beautiful! We’re all beautiful at any size….and unless an MD appears on here and can judge her without tests, don’t. Lots of people have diseases that cause them to gain weight. It isn’t their fault. Don’t make fun and criticize when you don’t know half the truth.
If only more plus-size people would wear cute, feminine clothes.
I mean, skinny, fit women also look awfully in 80′s jeans, with running shoes and an extremely tight T-shirt. Agh.
Has it ever occurred to you that “cute feminine clothes” aren’t as readily available in larger sizes? Companies seem to believe that every plus size woman wants to wear hideous, shapeless clothes with out of date prints. It can be difficult to find larger clothes that are fashionable and affordable.
[...] 3, 2011 in Beauty & Body Image, Celebrity Quotes, Hot Models by VersusPlus-size models Tara Lynn, Candice Huffine and Robyn Lawley (all size 12 to 16 US) unite on the cover of Vogue Italia to show [...]
Who are you people to tell this beautiful woman that she needs to lose weight, or that you think she would look better in a certain way?!?! She says that she feels good about herself and that is the message we should be looking for. Maybe she has big bones and they sick out when SHE slims down, it may not have been a comment meant to be about all women. Those of you who have come onto this site and have written negative things, just imagine it was you and people were judging you. Looking at every body part and expressing their dissaproval of you. Even if the thing they disagreed with is the feature you love the most.
The only person you should be worried about is yourself, and i am sure whichever part of this woman you decided you didnt like is actually the thing you dont like about yourself. Think about what you say before you say it next time because, would you like those things said to you?
simple answer…
no.
It wouldnt matter what they look like, a lot of people only put people down cos they have no self confidence, wether they be a size 6 or 16! thats just the way people are, we ve all done it al some point but shes confident and that shows most of all
This girl is beautiful despite what people are saying. The fact that they go to a regular model’s picture and say “she is anorexic and too skinny” (they are too skinny because our society is telling everyone they are too fat!!!) and then go to a plus size model’s picture and say “she’s too fat, she’s obviously unhealthy” is RIDICULOUS. When will you people ever be satisfied or happy? And that is the problem with body image today…NOTHING IS GOOD ENOUGH. All I have to say is that all the people who are being negative towards these women and their body types, better look like a Victoria’s Secret model!!!
I hope these Internet comments are still around when we crumble like Rome. Then future historians from another civilization can fully appreciate the paradoxical irony of a bunch of women and angry sex deprived men, arguing over whether or not a woman is aesthetically valued through their filthy, consumeristically misguided and self-entitled USA goggles, that have been splashed with the juice of tobacco executives, and unobtainable pride and beauty. Please take this seriously when I tell you to all jump quickly in front of a moving subway train before you spend anymore time than I have on this horrid website.-
[...] Plus-Size Model Tara-Lynn for H&M | Celebrity Quotes | Skinny VS Curvy [...]
I don’t particularly like or dislike her looks, but those swimsuits are adorable.
Well I think shes gorgeous not everyone is meant to be small and i admire plus size models because they feel comfortable in their own body that way God made them. All the skinny people that have a problem with us plus sized people get a grip and go eat something!! Do not talk bad about plus size people because more than likely they cant help the way they look it would be different if she was like 400 pounds with fat rolls hanging down to her knees but she looks good and clean and very pretty I’m plus size and proud of it i don’t want to be a size 0 that is what i think looks disgusting!!
[...] posted here: Plus-Size Model Tara-Lynn for H&M | Celebrity Quotes | Skinny VS Curvy Share [...]
all of you who are critisizing Tara are clearly jealous. the woman has great hair, face, legs, skin and everything in between. not everyone is meant to be skinny even if they eat healthy aNd personally i know of a lot of people who fall under this category. Tara is simply gorgeous!!!
While I do find Tara to be quite beautiful, I am not jealous of her. I would rather have my physique than hers. I eat well and work for my body and take pride in the results.
Up until 5 years ago I was a UK10/12 I’m 5’11. Now I’m a UK18/20 due to medication that I’ve been on. I think Tara is beautiful. I am lucky because of my height, but I do think about a UK14/16 is a nice size, slim but curvy! Its also great coz now I can get more ideas on syles of clothing to wear. (I have no style! lol)
I don’t understand why there are super thin models and plus size models but no “normal” sized models. like sizes 6-10 are healthy I’d say…Maybe playboy and glamour models are that size but why can’t fashion models be that size? People make such an issue about models being too thin and then they try to emphasize plus size once in a while but I don’t think that either healthy.
I think Tara is beautiful….
She is sooo goregous
I take her any day over a stick size 6…
I don’t understand why there are so many negative comments about her body. I think she has a great and very sexy body. She’s definitely much more appealing to the eye than some of the models in the fashion magazines. I’m not overweight, but I’m on the heavy side (size 8-10). I wish I was as confident with my body as Tara.
Reading some of these comments is just sad on sooo many levels.
People that aren’t heavy should be saying anything at all. You dont understand what its like to carry extra weight. Take it frome me, a 16 year old girl, US size 18. Thats big. I know it and I don’t like it. But seeing someone as beautiful as her, that makes me feel better about myself, sure she is smaller than me but she also isnt as skinny as most models. Honestly, there shouldnt be a ‘plus sized model’ category. If anything is should just be model. They are all beautiful in their own way. How would the skinny model feel if we put them in the Rail thin model category(which i just made up).
I think the petty comments about whether she actually looks good makes a lot of you seem a little too arrogant… how about shes actually gorgeous and her weight is simply because she is big boned…. which is true. Cannot deny that statement because look at her… shes stunning and even if she is in fact big boned and has curves shes still better looking then over half of Hollywood. She will never be rail thin but honestly, I would hope that she never wished that. This woman will look younger for longer and have an easier time handling her weight to stay in good condition because she is not worried about being 95 pounds… I am naturally 110 pounds at the height of 5 foot 8. I cannot gain weight and that is not a blessing when you need to eat every hour so you don’t pass out. Am I happy with my size? Yes. I am still too curvy to ever model high fashion for my size grouping but I am happy being the professional photographer I am. I am also not meant to be thin and zero definition. The rest of you need to think about how you criticize and realize even if one or two of you are professionals in my field or model recruiters you simply just have an opinion like the rest of you, less qualified. The criticism may influence young people to make drastic changes to themselves (as I am sure we all know) and the ones who NEED the change may do it improperly and obsess. We dont need that.
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WTH is wrong with some of you ppl….first off the first girl who even mentioned cellulite if you cant tell thats the reflection of the water …you obviously know nothing of photography. further more, no “good” photographer would compromise himself or the model for a bad shot and leaving cellulite in! thats why they even shop all the pics we see now. no model is what they seem.
for any of you wonderful hippy ppl who are insinuating this beautiful girl is unhealthy, my question to you is are you a phd, are you a dietitian? i didnt think so. now ur trying to say bc she weighs more than 125 lbs shes hurting the earth with her “fat ass” clearly i hope to never see you on the road!
models and omg ppl come in every shape & size. some ppl can start skinny and gain weight due to many reasons; health issues, pregnancy, stress…some ppl start off over weight and end up thin. WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE bc she doesnt fit that preconceived notion that she is overweight bc she doesnt look like she just did a line of coke before getting on the runway…bc alot of them do drugs/ diet pills to maintain their excessively underweight appearance…. bc its extremely hard to keep thin while traveling, living, dealing with stress and being human.
imagine this aside frm the images being edited. how skinny do they really have to be.. to still look that skinny in a picture??? yeah um thats unhealthy~~but its all about the almighty dollar….because all of these shallow ppl in our society would rather see some skinny ass in a thong…it keeps promoting to our future generations the disgusting expectation level that they will now put on themselves for the future.
[...] seen plus-size beauty Tara Lynn many times before – in Italian Vogue, in swimsuits for H&M or in shape-wear for [...]
everyone has cellulite even skinny girls! stop complaining about someonelse’s body and be true to yourselves.. are YOU eating healthy? you don’t need to have a bigger figure to be unhealthy, you can look perfectly thin and be extremely unhealthy… nothing personal to any of you…
Let me say that I think you people saying negative things are some of the worst people there are. I’m sorry that this poor girl doesn’t eat a piece of lettuce a say or stick her finger down here throat for your vote. This girl is completely gorgeous & more than that, if she’s modeling…I’m SURE she has the opportunity to slim down if she wants to. But, she CLEARLY loves her body…& the reason you are even looking at her NOW is because SOMEONE ELSE called and AGENT loved her body TOO. The fact is your writing some really assinine and simple remarks. 12 is a completely normal size. what should she be a -0? The nerve of you judgemental & foolish people. imbiciles. I cannot believe the things people say. She’s stunning & she’s making money while you are sitting back examining her Worldwide photo-shoot for cellulite. Clowns.
There is definitely a lot of pressure in the modeling industry to be thin… Crystal Renn has admitted to dealing with it. Models often are expected to have super-thin frames, unless they get into plus-size modeling. And I’m willing to bet in the hierarchy of modeling, the super-thin ones are still considered up top for high-fashion. After all, maybe .05% of tall women are natural size 0s, and the rest really have to suffer and exhibit anorexic tendencies.
She may be plus-sized, but she carries it well. Some people do have issues where they carry more fat. It’s not necessarily unhealthy unless she’s not eating right and not exercising enough – and people of all sizes, frames, and body types can be doing that, even the super-thin or the natural size 6 hourglass bombshells. metabolism and genetics plays a part in the way your body is, from your size to your skin elasticity/apperance to your muscle tone. People of all sizes even have cellulite – I know some women in the 00 category that suffer from it, because lack of movement/lack of exercise and genetics cause it.
you guys have to be blind, this girl is stunning and yes she is plus size but no need to hate. Shes beautiful, the more there is the more to love, not everyone on this planet is suppose to be skinny .
Far king beautiful!