Why are female fashion models so thin?

There's nothing worse than looking at fashion magazines and being left feeling hopeless by the tiny models and their seemingly perfect bodies. But what if I told you that the ideal body type represented by these models doesn't even exist? That's right, the tall, thin and youthful physique that we often see in fashion magazines isn't something that can be achieved naturally.

BMI (Body Mass Index)

The BMI is a great way to determine if someone is at an appropriate weight. In general, if you're 5'8 or taller, you should have a BMI of between 18.5 and 24.9, which is considered normal weight (although some would consider normal weight too low). 

If your BMI falls in that range, your weight is proportionate to your height. On the other hand, a BMI of less than 18.5 indicates that you're underweight; between 25 and 29.9 indicates overweight, and 30 or higher indicates obesity. Get more information about fashion models from base models management.

Bone Structure

Fashion models have a specific bone structure that makes weighing more than 90 pounds a challenge. Their clavicles, or collarbones, can't hold up much weight. Their waists are naturally very thin (which is why designers get annoyed when celebrities like Adele talk about her curvy figure). 

These bone structures make it difficult for fashion models to gain weight—they also make it difficult for them to lose weight. The stress of strict dieting could lead to eating disorders and other unhealthy behaviors in people with these types of bodies. And, as mentioned above, most designers don't want plus-size models on their runways or selling their clothes in their stores.

Focus on Health Rather than Size

Rather than focusing on size, it's a better idea to focus on health. Exercising regularly, eating well, and getting enough sleep is good for you no matter what size you are. T

Here's no question that fashion models must be thin to work; a size-zero physique isn't possible without unhealthy practices (and even models who aren't that thin work hard to stay thin). Most women should focus more on how they feel than how they look in a mirror.

Thinness As a Fetish

The average American woman wears a size 12, but most fashion models wear an 8. It's impossible to overstate our culture's obsession with thinness, nor how harmful that fixation can be. But men aren't immune from succumbing to body ideals: Research shows that overweight and obese men consistently rank heavier women as less attractive than skinnier women, even though many would choose a heavier woman if they thought she was healthy. 

And it does not just look—thin women with chiseled faces get more dates than their full-figured peers. According to a study of Harvard undergraduates, thinness is considered sexually desirable across every social class (pdf). Pretty people make more money—they have more sex partners too.

Feminist Issues

Any women's issue is a feminist issue. And while beauty standards have always caused girls to feel insecure about their bodies, there has never been more pressure than today to look a certain way. Most standard-size clothing brands are available up to sizes 16 and 18 in North America, but models on runways and magazine cover almost always wear a size zero or two. 

Today, female body insecurity among teens is at an all-time high; 78 percent of 14-year-old girls say they're unhappy with their bodies, and nearly half of teenage girls have considered dieting to lose weight. One study found that 80 percent of 10-year-old girls would change something about their appearance if they could.

Pregnancy

If you're a woman who is self-conscious about your body, it can be hard to look at magazine covers. When you see before and after pictures of models, you have to wonder: Who picked that photo for their body? How many shots did they take to get that angle and that expression correct? 

Is she wearing padding or corsets or something else under her clothes to make her look thin on camera? The answer: Probably all of those things. Suppose we want women to feel more positive about themselves. Shouldn't we stop airbrushing photos of models until they're thin enough for anyone not clinically anorexic to live up to them?

Airbrushing versus Photoshopping

So, you may be wondering why models look super-thin in real life but don't on magazine covers. As it turns out, what you see is not always what you get. To achieve these bodies, photo editing software such as Photoshop is used to alter and smooth out images after being taken with a digital camera. 

This means that while model Natalia Vodianova's waist might measure in at 24 inches, after heavy photo editing, it can be whittled down to 18 inches on a magazine cover...or less. So let's face it: The body of any given woman is only that – her own body and no one else's!