Kate Upton-Too "Chubby" For A Supermodel?
.jpg?t=20120221124423)
Kate Upton, newly crowned 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue Cover Girl has the Supermodel World in uproar. The nineteen- year old, 5ft” 11” inch leggy, buxom model, reportedly wants to revive the Supermodel era. Supermodel ‘experts’ have responded, “Thanks, but no thanks, Ms. Upton. Uhh.. you‘re too, how would we say it, healthy (fashion speak for chubby)." What’s good for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is not good enough for a Runway Fashion Supermodel, or so the 'experts' say.
Supermodel-what a word! The images conjured up by the very mention of the word, are fascinating. Let’s face it, Supermodels are fascinating! Unlike ‘Superman’ these are real women that do wield “superpowers” in the pop culture we live in. Sports Illustrated and Kate Upton have launched the latest round of debate regarding Supermodels impact on what's beautiful and healthy and what's not, for women.
Why do I care? I’ve been, shall we say “aware” of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, about as long as I’ve been “aware” of sports. A Sports Illustrated subscription was given to me as a gift, in my pre-teen years. It truly was a case of, I like to read the articles. One day something different arrived in the mail from Sports Illustrated…the Swimsuit issue. Yes, my enjoyment of reading the articles continued. Christie Brinkley, Paulina Porizkova, Elle MacPherson, Kathy Ireland, Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum, Rebecca Romijn and now Kate Upton, first came into my “awareness”, courtesy of Sports Illustrated. Interesting, never actually reflected on this aspect until just now…the more I read Sports Illustrated, the less ‘yucky’ girls became.
Anyway, back to the issue at hand. This debate over Upton and her desirability,or lack thereof in the Supermodel world, is intriguing. The reason why-"chubbiness"-is incredulous. After revisiting the cover of the 2012 SI Swimsuit cover featuring Upton, my complaint is not her size, but the unimaginative, fashion-less bikini chosen. Oh well…
The ongoing conversation regarding Supermodels, beauty, “chubbiness” and women, polarize our society. Magazine covers displayed at grocery store check-out stands, Barnes and Nobles, online, everywhere... seem to scream out -these women are happy because they're beautiful. Learn how to wear your hair, shoes, makeup, etc. so you too will be beautiful and therefore happy. Articles detailing workout and diet tips fill the pages, supposedly sharing the secrets of beauty, love and happiness. Is the media pressure exerted to be beautiful as defined by pop culture and fashion ‘experts’ so powerful that what is truly healthy is labeled as undesirable? Are the women of the United States and other developed countries truly enthralled by the pursuit of media beauty and the resultant rewards of love and happiness they suggest?
Continued on the next page
Follow Technorati