Guest Blogger: LaShauna Carr - Flowers of "The Brooklyn Diva"
Brooklyn, NY
Usually my husband isn't interested in my online browsing adventures.
Last night I told him he had to take a look at this V magazine spread. He took a viewing break from "Family Guy" and was treated to a view of pretty plus sized models. "Wow, they finally got some regular thick girls modeling." He said as we browsed the rest of the photos shot by Solve Sundsbo. Then he returned to Peter Griffin.
I had to look at the photos again and again. It's a rare opportunity for me to see shapely women in high fashion spreads. It reminded me of when I was a pre-teen and studied Tyra Banks Covergirl Ads; I was excited to see a black woman smiling back at me. Now there are models of all colors and apparently sizes.
I was a chubby kid and transformed myself to a thick chick in high school. I'm from East NY Brooklyn and being "Thick" is good. Thick is big thighs, round butt and if your lucky, big boobs too. A little belly is ok too, I mean come on you gonna have a little extra something to go with the other goodies.
I had all of the goods and all the guys as a teen. When I got to college I was always annoyed that most of the females were either complaining about being fat or dieting. Soon I began dieting and complaining. I took aerobics and moved off campus away from the dining halls.
When I graduated and started working in the world of fashion and theater, I always stood out because of my shape and confidence. I accepted my body and ate Hot Pockets for lunch while the other fashion editorial interns ate salad. I wore a pair of control top panty hose for leg support while I shoved actresses into long line bras and Spanx.
In an industry of thin obsessed women, I became a happy thick chick and admired for the way I loved the my "Thickness". Looking at the models on my computer screen was like looking at myself one year ago.
Having a baby made my stomach soft and covered with stretchmarks. So what? They have a little crease in the back...that's Hot! That's normal! Starving yourself to look like Kate Moss is not normal (I'd rather look like Beyonce in 2002). Will we see more photo spreads like this? Probably, I believe to only sell more magazines since the Industry is hurting.
I think some other publication will feature transgendered models. It will be on "Inside Edition" and "Extra" as controversial, we will flock to the newsstands and internet, and the cycle will repeat.
Photo: Sølve Sundsbø for V Magazine
Be sure to check out LaShauna's own blog, The Brooklyn Diva!
