Supermodels without makeup

[RobinFinderson]

I guess I could have posted this in the random photo thread, but I would rather post it here, since issues dealing with media representations of women and the body image issues that result are more of a 'current event' sort of issue (or back fence?). Whatever. Here is a photo of supermodels without makeup, taken from this little HuffPo drive-by (seriously, HuffPo really slums it some times):



What do y'all think?

[Flystripper]

still pretty

[Indy Coug]

Too many look emaciated and look like they haven't seen the sun in years.

[TripletDaddy]

The photo seems contrived, just as much as the standard ones with makeup. They have deliberately pulled back everyone's hair, they are pretty much all dressed in drab colors, the background is a plain white wall, they are all expressionless.

There is one smiling woman at the very end and she seems out of place because of it.

This photo shoot reminds me of Bad Religion's "The Gray Race." Or paloalto's "Heroes and Villains."

[Surfah]

Is that Elle McPherson at the bottom right? She's so pretty. Most models are not attractive to me even while made up. I will say that the two VS girls I recognize in this pic are still very pretty with out makeup.

[Donuthole]

There is one smiling woman at the very end and she seems out of place because of it.

Yeah, I almost wanted to say she's thrown in there as a test, because she's the only one wearing makeup (i'm not saying she is, but she's just about the only one on there who is still a head-turner without makeup).

As a side note, I think the term "supermodel" is used much more loosely than it once was. Supermodel, at least to me, implies someone who is such a famous model that she has become a household name. Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Elle McPherson, Tyra Banks, etc. Most of them are past their modeling primes, but those are the calibre of models that make me think 'supermodel". I wonder how many of the models in that picture are names I would recognize.

[TripletDaddy]

Yeah, I almost wanted to say she's thrown in there as a test, because she's the only one wearing makeup (i'm not saying she is, but she's just about the only one on there who is still a head-turner without makeup).

As a side note, I think the term "supermodel" is used much more loosely than it once was. Supermodel, at least to me, implies someone who is such a famous model that she has become a household name. Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Elle McPherson, Tyra Banks, etc. Most of them are past their modeling primes, but those are the calibre of models that make me think 'supermodel". I wonder how many of the models in that picture are names I would recognize.

I agree on the supermodel distinction.

ONe potential up and comer...Alicia Rountree, aka the daughter of the boss in the heineken commericals. She is starting to pop up more and more at media events, launches, etc. Paps love her. I think she looks good in the Heineken commericial.

[RobinFinderson]

The photo seems contrived, just as much as the standard ones with makeup. They have deliberately pulled back everyone's hair, they are pretty much all dressed in drab colors, the background is a plain white wall, they are all expressionless.

I had thought that it was maybe a collection of specialized head shots, made to highlight the model's skin tone and facial shape.

What struck me about the photos has nothing to do with the lack of makeup. There are only three (maybe four?) women of color, and all have very light-colored skin. There are NO Asian or Hispanic looking women. All of the women are beautiful, but those skinny necks look like they are barely able to prop up those heads. It isn't a traditional healthy-looking beauty.

I'm less concerned about body image issues than I am about racial diversity. I think there is a sort of practical reason models tend to be skeletal, which has to do with how garments drape over a skinny frame. I can understand why the most neutral frame for presenting a garment is a skinny body. I can't understand why the most neutral skin-color is Caucasian.

[woot]

I'd still do all of them, except for the 3rd from the left on the bottom row, and the extreme left on the 3rd row.

But yeah, actresses tend to be more attractive than supermodels, and I imagine it's by design. Clothes look better on really skinny women, or at least that's the prevailing wisdom, I hear.

[TripletDaddy]

I had thought that it was maybe a collection of specialized head shots, made to highlight the model's skin tone and facial shape.

What struck me about the photos has nothing to do with the lack of makeup. There are only three (maybe four?) women of color, and all have very light-colored skin. There are NO Asian or Hispanic looking women. All of the women are beautiful, but those skinny necks look like they are barely able to prop up those heads. It isn't a traditional healthy-looking beauty.

I'm less concerned about body image issues than I am about racial diversity. I think there is a sort of practical reason models tend to be skeletal, which has to do with how garments drape over a skinny frame. I can understand why the most neutral frame for presenting a garment is a skinny body. I can't understand why the most neutral skin-color is Caucasian.

I see your point, but you may be missing the point of the photo. The skin tones are deliberate, made to meld into the white background that I pointed out. The less contrast, the better. Makes the faces look all the less distinguishable.

Louis V uses all sorts of ethnicity in its advertising. Perhaps not to the same frequency as Benetton, but they do a pretty good job.

You are right about height/weight. Many of the male models are actually smaller dudes, although in the pics they look like they are all 6 foot 3. To my knowledge, the heroin chic thing started back with Kate Moss/CK in the mid 90s. It is nothing new at this point.

[Surfah]

Yeah, I almost wanted to say she's thrown in there as a test, because she's the only one wearing makeup (i'm not saying she is, but she's just about the only one on there who is still a head-turner without makeup).

As a side note, I think the term "supermodel" is used much more loosely than it once was. Supermodel, at least to me, implies someone who is such a famous model that she has become a household name. Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, Elle McPherson, Tyra Banks, etc. Most of them are past their modeling primes, but those are the calibre of models that make me think 'supermodel". I wonder how many of the models in that picture are names I would recognize.

That's Elle.

I recognize Laetitia Casta (the first one, top left I believe), Leo's girl Bar Refaeli (bikini tan lines, second from bottom second from right), and Adriana Lima (dead center almost). The gal second from the bottom on the far left is a VS girl and her name escapes me right now.

[Solon]

I see your point, but you may be missing the point of the photo. The skin tones are deliberate, made to meld into the white background that I pointed out. The less contrast, the better. Makes the faces look all the less distinguishable.

Louis V uses all sorts of ethnicity in its advertising. Perhaps not to the same frequency as Benetton, but they do a pretty good job.

You are right about height/weight. Many of the male models are actually smaller dudes, although in the pics they look like they are all 6 foot 3. To my knowledge, the heroin chic thing started back with Kate Moss/CK in the mid 90s. It is nothing new at this point.

Bottom-left has the skinniest neck I've ever seen.

Oh, and don't let them smile. They might look pretty without their makeup.

[UtahDan]

Many of them are remarkably masculine. They are not unattractive as a group, don't get me wrong, but neither do they fit my definition of "beauty" on the hole.

[falafel]

I tend to think that most "models" are not very pretty. But I think that's because traditional "beauty" is not the look the designer/model agencies are going for. It seems like symmetry and an "interesting" look are more important than "beauty." Or rather that symmetry = beauty.

Whenever I catch a glimpse of America's Next Top Model I'm stunned by how unattractive all the girls are.

[RC Vikings]

but neither do they fit my definition of "beauty" on the hole.

What pictures are you looking at?