As plus-size model Tess Holliday and size zero models dominate the catwalk, why are average women like me STILL out of fashion?
Sun writer Joely Chilcott says 'as a 5ft 2in, size 12 woman with no particular standout features, I feel under-represented' on the catwalk
WITH the style world’s elite in the capital for London Fashion Week, once again the catwalk is full of stick-thin models showcasing designer looks.
For years, the industry has come under fire for its lack of representation across race, size and age — and improvements are only being made at a snail’s pace.
The plus-size backlash has been partially successful, with blogger Kellie Brown launching #FatAtFashionWeek in New York last week and size 26 model Tess Holliday making the latest cover of Cosmopolitan magazine.
I wholeheartedly cheer these women on from the sidelines for taking matters into their own hands.
But I can’t help but think: What about me?
As a 5ft 2in, size 12 woman with no particular standout features, I feel under-represented.
I have cellulite on my thighs and I will moan that I want to lose a few pounds — but in the same breath I will say “life is too short” and scoff a chocolate bar and quaff a glass of wine.
I am not skinny or “model pretty”, but also I’m not obese. In short, I’m average.
Yet it feels as though you have to be at either end of the spectrum to have a voice.
Us average women need to pull together and ask fashion brands to represent us as well.
Surely, we are the majority, so have the most disposable in- come to spend on the latest high street trends.
As a former fashion editor, a part of me appreciates these elite catwalks are aspirational, an artistic event rather than a representation of real life.
But fashion brands have to take into account the effect their model castings can have on women. The Fashion Spot’s diversity report shows that 32.5 per cent of model castings went to women of colour in September’s fashion month — a 2.3 per cent increase from the season before.
But only 0.2 per cent were aged 50 or above and just 0.4 per cent were deemed plus-size — in fashion talk, that is a UK size 12 or above. On Instagram, I follow three different kinds of fashion influencers. But I struggle to find someone like me.
There are the would-be models. Take, for example, Inthefrow (aka Victoria Magrath, 29), who has 848,000 Instagram followers looking at her magazine-worthy pictures.
I look at her and other similarly tall, lithe women in the hottest trends in the same way I view the catwalk. To me, they are mannequins to show off outfits.
Then there are the plus-size bloggers, such as Callie Thorpe, 30, with 201,000 followers.
I admire these inspirational, curvy women who fly the flag for the stylish, larger lady but I personally find it difficult to understand the style struggles of a woman over size 18.
And there are the mummy bloggers, the women who are showing motherhood in all its honesty, warts and all.
For example, dresslikeamum (aka Zoe de Pass, 37) uses her platform to prove to her 119,000 followers that mums do not need to lose their fashion identity.
But, once again, it is not for me — I am not yet a mum.
There is a lack of appetite for women like me in fashion, and that is just plain sad.
This is part of the reason why This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby, 37, has hit style icon status — her look feels achievable.
The sooner brands recognise the appetite for “average”, the better.
I can not campaign for bigger sizes as I fit into high street collections, and I am not sought after for being beautiful.
Instead, I am just little old me.
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We’ve come to think of the word “average” as dull or boring. I disagree. It could be empowering, like a gang of like-minded individuals doing their best.
We could reclaim the “Miss Average” title.
So for all the hashtags, social media followers and catwalk models, there are women who are getting by — stylishly, muffin tops and all.
Don’t forget us.
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