Consciousness-raising and snappy comebacks

Crystal Renn in Australian Harper's

May 19th, 2009

crystal renn

I want beautiful, healthy women of all sizes to be represented in fashion; I want magazines to show women who are so-called “average” and “normal” (size 12-14), and I want magazines to show plus-size ladies all up and down the range of body types and sizes. I get angry when I see only size zeros with legs up to their ears, as if there is no other choice in beauty. And I want Crystal Renn to just be the first of an avalanche.

She was featured recently in an issue of the Australian Harper’s Bazaar [note: avoid the comments] and the photos are beautiful. They don’t appear to have been touched up to recontour her thighs or to redesign her figure to make her more “acceptably” plus-size–her body and its curves are high-fashion. They are showcased, and the effect is stunning–particularly when your eye has been trained, for so long, to equate “high-fashion” with “incredibly skinny.”

She’s hardly “fat,” but it is wonderful to see larger sized bodies taken seriously by a fashion magazine. What do you guys think?

Posted by jenfu

Filed under: Celebrities, Crystal Renn, Fashion, International, Magazines, Media

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23 Responses to Crystal Renn in Australian Harper's

  1. Elise, on May 19th, 2009 at 1:14 pm Said:

    Whatever you do, don’t read the comments. No love for teh fatz today.

    I think she looks like one of those 40’s cheesecake models. Like what the guys in WWII painted on their airplanes and looked forward to coming home to. Sexy, normal, and real. Women have thighs, people. Deal with it.

  2. Jennifer, on May 19th, 2009 at 1:29 pm Said:

    I agree with Elise, don’t read the comments. Full of hate and misconceptions. Apparently models should all be size 6, because it’s the only normal healthy size (don’t want our young girls to be too big or small!). Ugh.
    Pics are gorgeous, but we have such a long way to go…

  3. jenfu, on May 19th, 2009 at 1:33 pm Said:

    I’m sorry, you guys–I avoid comments on sites like that as a matter of course. I should have thought to skim and warn if necessary. I’ll add a note to the post!

  4. Nikki, on May 19th, 2009 at 1:57 pm Said:

    She looks absolutely stunning! Moar, plz!!!

  5. Cyrena, on May 19th, 2009 at 2:21 pm Said:

    WOW! Love Crystal Renn, she is one of my fave plus size models!

  6. lisa-marie, on May 19th, 2009 at 3:02 pm Said:

    From the waist up she’s gorgeous and it’s a really fabulous photo, but the shadow below her right thigh makes it look twice the size it actually is (which probably contributes to people thinking she’s really fat when she’s just a regular sized gal). I wish they’d’ve lightened that up a bit. Also the pose is really unattractive what with her butt sticking up in the air, plus the dress is way too short, imho.

  7. mo pie, on May 19th, 2009 at 3:06 pm Said:

    What an awesome editorial photo. Just knowing that the comments are awful makes me sad. But then I look at the picture and am happy again.

  8. June, on May 19th, 2009 at 4:17 pm Said:

    Funny, she’s always been my least favorite Lane Bryant model, but she looks good in other contexts.

  9. Charlotte, on May 19th, 2009 at 4:17 pm Said:

    Gorgeous! We so need more of this out there.

  10. Alyssa, on May 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pm Said:

    Beautiful! (Although I’m ashamed to say that my first thought was “did they stick velcro on her dress and have her jump on the wall?” Yeah. Sometimes I’m not so smart.)

  11. Wish, on May 19th, 2009 at 7:57 pm Said:

    People seriously have the nerve to talk shit about Crystal Renn? She is absolutely beautiful, frankly much more beautiful than most mainstream models I see. God-for-freaking-bid that a woman be healthy and happy and confident.

  12. Liza, on May 19th, 2009 at 8:18 pm Said:

    I wish there were more of that here! For how much bitching goes on about how fat we are as a country, there sure are few US spreads like this!

    She has thighs that touch each other. And she’s in a couture-style fashion spread. In a magazine that isn’t Figure (not that they do anything remotely couture, lol)

  13. Kate79, on May 19th, 2009 at 9:02 pm Said:

    Why do I always read the comments when I’m warned not to. ugh

  14. Elise, on May 20th, 2009 at 12:32 am Said:

    Kate, I didn’t have to be warned, I knew they would be evil and I read them anyway. Maybe I needed my daily dose of rage-induce adrenaline. Or maybe I’m just dim.

  15. Liza, on May 20th, 2009 at 8:09 am Said:

    Kate79, it’s like driving past a car accident. You have to look, even though you might see mangled bodies.

  16. Chantal, on May 20th, 2009 at 8:27 am Said:

    I’m not sure, but I think she also might be featured in the May 2009 issue of “Glamour” (American edition). I think the spread had the model in 1940’s-era swimsuits and she looked absolutely gorgeous! Anyone else see that?

  17. sizzle, on May 20th, 2009 at 8:50 am Said:

    I made the mistake of reading the comments. GAH! My head exploded.

    She’s gorgeous. I would love to see more models of size gracing the glossy mags. Hell, I’d even BUY a magazine then.

  18. Jezebella, on May 20th, 2009 at 9:52 am Said:

    I kind of hate the one picture you’ve picked here; she looks twisted, tormented, and deeply uncomfortable. I’m happy to see a fashion magazine using an average-sized woman (I refuse to call her plus-sized if she’s a size 12), but the stylists clearly did not know what to do with her.

  19. Catgal, on May 20th, 2009 at 2:29 pm Said:

    This woman is beautiful. I would not use the word fat to describe her. Yes, it is an advance to see her in a high fashion magazine, and I am happy for that.

    I also read the comments and cannot believe what some were saying. I won’t repeat here, but you know the ones I mean. People suck!

  20. Addish, on May 21st, 2009 at 12:24 am Said:

    I think she’s gorgeous. And I love her ass in that dress.

  21. Meryt Bast, on May 21st, 2009 at 10:35 am Said:

    Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.

  22. Geek, on May 25th, 2009 at 10:16 pm Said:

    Very Pretty. I also wish they’d show girls with big noses in fashion. You know, normal :) Even a 10 or 12 would be an improvement from 6 though!!!

  23. Windy Muay Thai, on June 4th, 2009 at 5:37 am Said:

    I follow your blog for quite a long time and should tell that your articles always prove to be of a high value and quality for readers.

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