Catherine Matthews
There is nothing glamorous about being so skinny - you have no boobs, no muscle, simply put, no womanly shape. If we were meant to have the bodies of 10 year old girls, we would stop developing at that age.
Catwalk models are like the rest of us, trying to make a living and become the best in their profession. There's relentless pressure to stay lean at best, super skinny at worst. Would models want to be as slim if they were working in an office instead of sashaying down the runway?
Debra Bourne, co-founder and creative director of All Walks Beyond Catwalk, said that the prevailing body shape seen on the catwalk has wrongly come to be seen as the 'must have' physique for all women.
"Professional catwalk models are employed with a specific job in mind – to showcase a designer's collection to industry press and buyers," she said. "They are not employed by designers to represent how all women should be or look." After all do visibly protruding shoulder bones or noticeable rib cages sound sexy to you.
Despite the fashion industry's recent attempts at promoting a healthier image, Julien Macdonald has controversially spoken out against plus size models. As long as well known designers like Julien favour size 6 models over size 10 or 12 girls, there will be a widespread problem of underweight girls gracing the runway. Having a very low body weight (less than BMI 18.5) is not fashionable and should not be seen as an aspiration.
The next time you witness a waif like beauty modelling on the catwalk, keep in mind that she may be putting her health at risk. Being underweight puts you at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, anaemia, fertility problems and in extreme cases - death. In the past there have been cases of young models literally starving themselves to death in an effort to stay slim and ‘Beautiful’. The sad case of Ana Carolina Reston springs to mind. She died at age 21, weighing in at a tiny 88 pounds.
Many surveys have been carried out on men to determine their favoured body type and an overwhelming majority of these surveys suggest that skinny is bad while fit and curvy is ideal. The shape that is chic and glamorous on the catwalk doesn’t always translate to real life beauty. Even Beyonce and Rihanna have recently stated how much they love their curves.
If you are naturally slim, great, you are lucky but don’t try to achieve a shape that isn’t natural for you. With a combination of exercise and a healthy, balanced diet, we should all be able to achieve our perfect body. And this could be anything from slim to curvaceous and everything in between.
The sexiest women in the world at the moment are Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian, none of which are a size 6. See your individual beauty and love every curve.
To contact Catherine, please email nutritionist.matthews@gmail.com