Male models looking like 12 yr. olds -- let the young men be anorexic too.

[pnwmom]

As if if wasn't hard enough trying to keep our daughters healthy these days, now the fashion industry is decreeing that young men should be sickly thin as well. Either that, or look like undeveloped 12 year olds. What exactly is going on? Is the fashion industry with its male and female "waifs" promoting something approaching pedophilia?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/fashion/shows/07DIARY.html?8dpc

CREDIT Hedi Slimane or blame him. The type of men Mr. Slimane promoted when he first came aboard at Dior Homme some years back (he has since left) were thin to the point of resembling stick figures; the clothes he designed were correspondingly lean. The effects of his designs on the men’s wear industry were radical and surprisingly persuasive. Within a couple of seasons, the sleekness of Dior Homme suits made everyone else’s designs look boxy and passé, and so designers everywhere started reducing their silhouettes.

Then a funny thing happened. The models were also downsized. Where the masculine ideal of as recently as 2000 was a buff 6-footer with six-pack abs, the man of the moment is an urchin, a wraith or an underfed runt.

Nowhere was this more clear than at the recent men’s wear shows in Milan and Paris, where even those inured to the new look were flabbergasted at the sheer quantity of guys who looked chicken-chested, hollow-cheeked and undernourished. Not altogether surprisingly, the trend has followed the fashion pack back to New York

Wasn’t it just a short time ago that the industry was up in arms about skinny models? Little over a year ago, in Spain, designers were commanded to choose models based on a healthy body mass index; physicians were installed at Italian casting calls; Diane von Furstenberg, the president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and Anna Wintour, the editor of Vogue, called a conference to ventilate the issue of unhealthy body imagery and eating disorders among models.

The models in question were women, and it’s safe to say that they remain as waiflike as ever. But something occurred while no one was looking. Somebody shrunk the men.

SNIP

[LynneSin]

1. I just looked at pictures of those thin models and they are so unattractive

they'll probably be the next big thing. Shame

[originalpckelly]

6. That's because these guys aren't attractive to women, they're attractive to men.

We know there are some proportions that men are more attracted to, I suspect even gay men are hardwired with these, yet we are not attracted to women, so we must make do. Making do in this case means depilation and weight loss.

Studies have shown that pedomorphic features are more attractive to men, when women are the target of the attraction. That probably happens, because as a woman's age increases, her fertility decreases. There is probably an evolutionary drive to younger women.

Well, the same type of attraction probably plays a role in same sex male attraction as well.

I'd be curious to see what the hip to waist ratio of these guys is, if it is similar to that of women, it might be a clue here.

[Norrin Radd]

7. Gee thanks.

I'm a naturally slender male who has been 125 lbs most of my adult life. And I can pack away food. Glad to know I'm not attractive.

[originalpckelly]

9. Every species has variation.

There is probably a woman or two out there who is less attracted to the stereotypical male form, so there is hope for you yet. :P

[pnwmom]

14. But are you 6 feet tall like these guys?

I think the point is that these models aren't just wiry and thin, they look weak and almost sickly. Look at the posture.

[Phx_Dem]

43. They look thin

Probably too thin for a male model, but your description of "weak and sickly" is kind of offensive and insulting to thin men.

[pnwmom]

47. My brother was 6 feet 3 and 140 pounds and I didn't think he looked

sick and weakly. Just real skinny.

But some of these models do, because of their posture. One looks like he can barely stand up.

[Phx_Dem]

49. Thanks for the clarification. nt

[Norrin Radd]

50. The models in the article pics have noticeable muscles on their abdomens.

They aren't truly slender like I am.

[pacalo]

18. Don't worry, you'll age well.

Thinness runs in my family, too. I was tall for my age & naturally thin until I was 30. Today I'm 55, at 5'8", weighing 157, & I get compliments often at how great I look (I don't like to brag, but I look years younger than those my age who were thought attractive in school -- you should see them now, oh my).

Be thankful that you are naturally thin; you can eat what you want & it's going to be great for you when you get older. Write that down so you'll remember. :)

[pnwmom]

13. Well, the ratio isn't similar to healthy adult women, that's for sure.

But maybe among the waifs it is similar.

[XemaSab]

27. I call bullshit

Most guys I know like a woman with curves and muscle tone, not the bony model types.

[AZ Criminal JD]

39. That's because most guys can't get the model types

so they settle for the "curves and muscle tone". Of course they say that's what they want. People adjust their desires with reality.

[Phx_Dem]

45. Women runway models

look the way they do because the designers like them that way. They tend to be tall and have very wide shoulders so the cloths hang better, it really has little to do with looks in fact a lot of runway models are downright ugly.

[pnwmom]

48. I disagree strongly. As someone said, look at the pix in

the men's magazines of women -- lots of curves. And they've done research showing that when shown silhouettes of women in various sizes, men actually pick ideal shapes that are somewhat heavier than the shapes that women pick out. Women think that men like them skinnier than they really do.

[Nikki Stone1]

30. I agree with pckelly here

And I would further add that the desire for skinny skinny women is not usually a hetero male trait under normal conditions. Studies have shown that, left to his own devices, the hetero male likes curves and a little body fat (most likely because both indicate fertility traits. A too skinny woman may not be menstrating or be able to carry a pregnancy to term.) In our current culture, males are discouraged from these normal desires and directed toward the super skinny by media images and the idea of the "never too rich or too thing" upper class woman. I have a study on computer at home that says pretty much the same thing about gay women.

I think from looking at those photos on the NY Times website that the purpose of the super skinny male is not just about weight--it's about feminizing the guy or making him weak, gamine like.

[Touchdown]

31. That is just so wrong.

Most men do not want to go to bed with a bag of bones. A few do, but very few. AS with gay men, it depends on the crowd you hang out with. A few like the twinks (these models are beyond twink though), but most like men who look like men.

Men don't read Vogue, Madmoiselle, or any of those other mags, and that gives women, and especially young girls the false impression that stick figures are the ideal of attractiveness. If women want to know what men like, look at Playboy or Penthouse. Those women have meat on their bones. They have curves, full faces, voluptuous, busty. In otherwords, the opposite of emaciated, which is what the fashion industry promotes.

Same goes for gay men. Being gay myself, I'd rather read Honcho or Torso than Details or the ridiculously titled "Men's Vogue" (like any man would subscribe to that :rofl: ). Why, because they've got chests, arms, and abs. I wouldn't need a boyfirend if I was attracted to these sticks. I'd just go out to my street corner and have my way with the light pole.

[XemaSab]

41. "Officer, that light pole was coming on to me!"

:P

[XemaSab]

44. Looks like the men of DU like some curves

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=7444396&mesg_id=7444396

[Matariki]

10. I don't know, the guy on the lefft looks a little fat

;-)

[Donk Yore]

2. give me a man with a beer belly anytime

I don't need no six pack abs. Just a six pack!

[Captain Hilts]

3. This is not progress. nt

[pnwmom]

4. It certainly isn't. And I'm glad the Pacific Northwest

isn't much of a fashion capital.

Except for Gore-tex fashions, that is.

[Captain Hilts]

11. The female models in the L.L.Bean catalogue are even too thin. nt

[One_Life_To_Give]

21. Pac Northwest is home to Utilikilt

And Utilikilt features what they call the "Beer Gut Cut".

[pnwmom]

34. Thanks for that little piece of info.

I think I'll go have a belly laugh.

[MilesColtrane]

5. Heroin chic for men.

[Javaman]

8. The gov't is getting us ready for the gulags...

so if ultra bizarre thin is in, no one will notice any difference.

[Ezlivin]

15. Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner

[lurky]

12. A million underweight nerds are celebrating...

"I'm hot! I'm hot! I'm finally hot! Take that, frat boys!"

:P

[pnwmom]

16. Until they're one of those skinny guys in later life,

still skinny arms and legs, but a new belly out in front.

[El Pinko]

17. I think a lot of American men are too obessed with getting buff anyway.

Not that anorexic is good, but there once was a time when most American men were just lean.

Now it seems like most men are either really fat, or they're muscular and fat.

Hopefully the skinny thing will catch on and more men will jost go for a lean healthy look.

I don't know many men who have it in them to go full-on anorexic. We likes to eat.

[pacalo]

19. I've always liked the svelte bodies, myself.

[pnwmom]

20. Lean and healthy is very different from skinny and anorexic.

And consider that the camera adds 10 or 15 pounds. Those models are way too undernourished.

I'm not hoping the "skinny thing" catches on. I'm hoping the "healthy thing" catches on.

[El Pinko]

23. Well when I say skinny, I mean healthy.

To me skinny is healthy but lean - not a ton of muscle. The guys in the article don't look skinny, they look GAUNT. I agree that's not a hot look, but neither is kinda-muscular-kinda-fat.

[Ilsa]

24. That's the best word -- gaunt. My sons are children, and the oldest is thin,

but muscular, and healthy looking. Those guys in the photos look like they haven't been fed a good diet, yet managed to keep their hair looking sleek. So what. They look sickly.

[sweetpotato]

51. One doesn't need to be lean to be healthy

According to a recent study

http://uscnews.sc.edu/2007/HLTH330-07.html

"“Fitness level is a strong predictor for risk of dying in older adults,” said Dr. Steven N. Blair, an Arnold School professor and one of the study’s authors.

Fit men and women who were overweight or obese had a lower risk for death than did those who were of normal weight but had low fitness levels, he said."

[fascisthunter]

22. There is Something Really Wrong with The Modeling Industry

[kineneb]

25. the geek look? where are the taped-up glasses and pocket protector?

is this the 1950s physics dept?

Blah.

[pnwmom]

37. No, it's really the 7th grader or 8th grader look.

Just post growth spurt, no development yet. Notice also the almost complete lack of hair.

I see kids that look like that every day, but they're KIDS.

[XemaSab]

26. Ugh... not attractive....

I like men who look HEALTHY... not fat, not super-buff, not skinny, but HEALTHY.

This may be a bit chubby, toned, svelte, whatever, but too much of anything is just gross.

[cobalt1999]

28. Maybe designeers now are not smart or talented enough to handle curves.

I think they can only design around stick figures thus find models that meet their lack of imagination.

[pnwmom]

38. It must be a lot easier to design with lots of straight lines.

I'm thinking about how hard it must be to design women's jeans, based on the amazing differences in fit between one style and maker and another.

[Blue_Tires]

29. it's not just women who are told to strive toward an unrealistic body 'ideal'

[mattfromnossa]

35. That's right.

Thank you for pointing that out.

[MadHound]

32. I'm glad I live in the Midwest,

Where we don't pay attention to the fashion industry, and think much of it is silly and stupid. Much more silly and stupid is how much money goes into the fashion industry:eyes:

Besides, with that amount of musculature lacking, how is Bobo the pencil necked geek supposed to buck hay or muck out the horse barn:P

[pnwmom]

36. I don't think that Bobo is good for much more

than posing languidly for the cameras.

Sad. But he'll make a lot of money until he's too old for the little boy look.

[RedCappedBandit]

33. I'd have to give up

food and weightlifting to look like that...


No thanks!

[Canuckistanian]

40. They look like they'd snap in two in a good windstorm

But I put this down to a general trend in movies and TV. The leading men are typically VERY young and VERY boyish looking.

I think the epitome of this syndrome is the choice of Leonardo di Caprio as Howard Hughes in "The Aviator".

There's no WAY Leo even RESEMBLED the fast-living, womanizing "man's man" that the real Howard Hughes was.

In times past, a beefy, rugged-faced type like Cary Grant would have been the only choice to play Hughes.

Not any more.

[XemaSab]

46. Of the many bad things about the movie "Titanic"

the worst was casting Leonardo di Craprio as the male lead.

He didn't have the looks to pull it off AT ALL. He looked too much like a silly little boy. I would never believe in a million years that someone would ditch Billy Zane to run off with a penniless kid who looks 13. :shrug:

[madmom]

42. Just take a look at the other pics and you'll see that Hedi Slimane is

also extremely thin for a male, so is he doing this to make himself look/feel better? Is it a self esteem problem?

[secularvoter]

52. Trying to blame "the market"

I love how those in the fashion industry try to spin this as "responding to market pressures".

I'm so sick of free-market bullshit.

#1) This isn't a response to "market pressures", it is being driven from inside the industry.

#2) Even if it were being driven by market pressures, who cares, that doesn't mean that you have to follow suit.

#3) If it is being driven by "market pressures" then its all the more evidence that unregulated industry and free markets are crap that need to be regulated.

They had to come out with at least token regulations for female models, looks like now its time to do the same for men.

The fashion industry shouldn't be able to promote unhealthy body images or lifestyles. These things have an impact on youth and contribute to real eating disorders and real health problems among teenagers.