So I was directed to an article today, online and it seriously disgusted and shocked me. It was an eye opener as to what the modelling industry sees as "overweight".

The article went on to say:

-Twenty years ago the average fashion model weighed 8% less than the average woman. Today, she weighs 23% less.

- Ten years ago plus-size models averaged between size 12 and 18. Today the need for size diversity within the plus-size modeling industry continues to be questioned. The majority of plus-size models on agency boards are between a size 6 and 14, while the customers continue to express their dissatisfaction.

- Most runway models meet the Body Mass Index physical criteria for Anorexia.

- 50% of women wear a size 14 or larger, but most standard clothing outlets cater to sizes 14 or smaller.

What really got me though, was the size of plus-sized models. At what freaking point did a size 6 or a size 8 become plus sized?

Now, I don't want to be, nor did I ever want to be a model, but I think this sets a HORRIBLE example for our children. I knew models were a lot smaller than they used to be, but really? A size 8 is plus sized? I just don't think so.

You know, I am going to be honest here. Yes, this is a bad example for children, both little boys and girls. Girls, it is so obvious - but boys too. After all, male eating disorders exist, not to mention the "image" of a woman that they look to.

On the other hand - I think we should admit that obesity is also a horrible example and the rising statistics of childhood obesity is a direct reflection as well.

Models aren't real people. Everybody knows that.

A size 8 is plus sized? Then I can hardly WAIT to be "plus sized"!!!

And I agree - this is not a good example to set for future adults. And neither is obesity. As a society, we simply must find a common ground. But what's common anymore?

The thing is, skinny parents don't always mean skinny kids.....just like overweight parents don't always mean overweight kids.

Obesity is rampant, absolutely, but *I*, as a morbidly obese woman, am extremely careful about how food is approached with my 2 girls. Neither of them is overweight (one's actually very slender), I strive to not make food an issue in my house almost compulsively.

I think unrealistic self images will absolutely do more harm than good. I think there should NEVER be a time when a size 8 or 10, or ever 12 is considered plus size! I believe Marilyn Monroe, iconic sex goddess wore a size 12.

Wow. Size 6 to size 8? I think that probably has crushed a lot of women who had good body images with a slight worry. I know that recently clothing sizes have once again changed. I worked hard to get into 1X's and now I have to browse the 2X's even though my girth hasn't changed

I will post the link for the article (sorry if it gets deleted) here.

The "plus size" model in question is NOT what I would call "plus sized", and it shames me to think that such a beautiful woman would have to go into the "plus size" modelling business!

That's insane about size 8 being plus size! My little sister has a great body - she's 3 inches taller than me, much more well-endowed than me (haha), and probably on the low side of the healthy BMI for her height/body frame (140lbs). But we both have wide frames (strapless dresses look terrible on us!) and she's a 6/8. We were shopping for a prom dress for her two years ago and my mom was giving her SO much s**t for being that size. I was like, um, hello, I don't think she could lose any weight without being sick! She's just a very active person and has had great fitness her whole life. And here's my mom, making HER feel fat simply because of her dress size. I was so incredibly pissed.

She did! She actually fluctuated, like most of us do, between sizes 12-14! Yep! Such a beautiful, curvy woman she was! And back in her time, their magazine covers read "Don't be skinny", and had articles on how to boost your curves. Now EVERY.SINGLE.MAGAZINE starts with 'How to lose 5lbs in a week', or something to that nature. It truly disgusts me to think about it.

The plus size model thing makes me laugh all the time and I used to get so annoyed when I was plus size. Size 12 on a 6' tall woman is a LOT different than size 12 on a woman my height. Now that they're using tall size 8 and 6 women...how are actual plus size women supposed to see how the clothes look?

No, she didn't. Not in today's sizes anyway.

She had 36" hips at one point. That's a size 2/4 in most sizes today. However she never really had a "size" assigned to her. Most of her clothes were custom made and some were even sewn on to her so they were skin tight.

She was 5'5" or around there. Size 4 in a woman of that size looks a lot different than size 4 on a taller woman.

Let's not start about vanity sizing though. Sizes in the 50s were completely different than they are today.

Marilyn Monroe did something I would love to do if I had the means—clothes made for MY UNIQUE CURVES

Thank you, sontaikle. Marilyn Monroe was not a modern 12/14- anyone curious can look up the size creep that has happened in women's clothing measurements. A 12 of the 1950s was something like a 6 today.

Additionally, couture clothing is cut to the old school sizes- think wedding dress sizes. An 8 in Marc Jacobs' catwalk collection is not an 8 at the Gap. I'm not getting my panties in a knot that a woman wearing a street size 10 or 12 is considered plus size in the world of haute couture.

I shop a lot at one store and the jeans I just bought were a size 12. Now let me tell you that noway, nohow am I a size 12. I usually wear a 16. So, that is what vanity sizing has done to us, who are we kidding?

I'm sure Marilyn Monroe was never the size 12 I'm wearing. She would be a size 6 by today's standards. When I was a teenager, there were no size 0's or 00's. Having said that, depending on the manufacturer, I could see where a size 12 could be plus size, because that's what used to be considered a 16 or more.

There's a really interesting thread on 3FC regarding weight/height/size. It's fascinating to scroll through and see how different women who seem to have similar stats, wear different sizes.

Also, not only are models getting thinner, but with the general population is getting larger, I can believe that they weigh 23 percent less than the general population.

It's a crazy world.

im anywhere from a 12-22 in n.a sizing and 18-20 in uk sizes. sizing is just annoying but its hard to judge whose thin or fat these days, obviously the extremes are easy to tell but ive seen girls call other girls that are 140lbs fat saying things like wow she needs to eat salad and once that girl is lost like 10lbs its oh who does she think she is being that thin! she needs to eat a burger, it seems theres a very thin line has to whats considered fat or thin when you get down to ppl that wear general 0-8 a tiny amount of weight can make the difference between fat or thin in a lot of ppls eyes than. im not saying its right or that its my opinion, i dont think any size 8 is fat, but its what ive noticed ppl saying. could just be cattyness too lol just seems the standards leave very little room between plus and thin

It's not that models have gotten skinnier. The rest of of us have gotten fatter.

And when I got to 170 last month, I was beginning to be able to fit into size 10. By the time I get to 160, I will probably wear a mix between 8-10 depending on the manufacturer, but in haute couture, I would still be about a size 14. Sizes have changed that much in the last 25 years. And.... I will nevere be a model, but at a size 8 in today's sizes, yes, that is a larger woman and would have been considered plus size for sure 25 years ago. It's a small plus size, but today,s 8 isn't small!

I'm a size 8, so therefore I'd be considered "plus sized". And to think I worked my butt off to get here. Not cool, modelling industry!!