A Straight Guy's Reaction To Super Skinny Models

HuffPost Social Reading

The skinniest models have, to me, the linear quality of sleek modern architecture. Both are impressive, but the steel-and-glass beauty leaves me feeling a bit cold. In each case, the appeal seems based more in high-concept mathematics than comfort or practicality. It's all about right angles, severe cheekbones and walls that are really just huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Eighth Avenue. Which, I guess, makes sleek modern apartments the perfect place for exceedingly skinny models to live. But neither are for me. I live in Jersey City.

Not only do ultra-skinny models lack curves in their physical figures, but they rarely seem to have the welcoming curve of a smile either. Perhaps this dour disposition is just part of the work that they do, but it all feels connected for me. I'll concede that these aversions may very well be self-defense mechanisms, since I can't afford such digs and presumably wouldn't last long on a date with high-fashion model as I'd prefer to talk about the Knicks more than Inez and Vinoodh's latest spread. Of course, that sort of conversation topic might not do me much good on most dates.

Since the "skinny model" is a type that I'm not particularly interested in then I'd say that I'm looking more for the "Girl Next Door." Admittedly, I don't entirely know what that phrase means and realize that it imposes another type of daunting standard for women -- be effortlessly beautiful, but totally laid back.. oh.. and also be conveniently located. But certainly that is an ideal that I'm more attracted to. In part, because it's an ideal that I could potentially share nachos with and that would order a beer if we were at a bar. You could also go hiking with that sort of girl, push into the crowd at a concert and spend time cooking a big meal. And if everything went well with all of those things then perhaps me and the girl next door would even share pancakes in the morning. Do super-skinny models eat pancakes? Yeah, that's a deal-breaker for me.

Chris Greenberg is the Sports Editor at the Huffington Post.

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slowhanddean
I thought I was wrong once but I was mistaken !
04:03 PM on 02/20/2012
To each thier own,but some models are so skinny they look like they are two dimensional.
04:00 PM on 02/20/2012
Hear, hear, Mr. Greenberg.
03:58 PM on 02/20/2012
I find this article extremely offensive. I am 5”8 and weigh 113 pounds. There is NOTHING I can do to gain weight. I have tried everything to try and gain a few pounds. It is not right to put down one group to make another group feel better about themselves. You would be shocked by all the nasty comments a skinny girl hears constantly to their face. This article would not be allowed if he were saying heavy girls are not attractive.
12:54 PM on 02/21/2012
I don't believe the author was saying all skinny girls are unattractive, he mentions nothing of the shape/weight of his ideal girl-next-door only her willingness to eat and do things he deems fun. Whereas when speaking about the model he envisions someone who's engrossed in things he has zero interest in such as fashion and dieting, has a bitchy personality because models tend not to smile. I completely agree that most people have no idea how nasty people are to skinny pretty girls. My bff is a size 30DD naturally, and you should see people roll their eyes when she complains how hard it is to find a bra. We all have challenges with our bodies and it'd be nice if people (especially those who complain so much about the nasty comments they recieve) would be as kind to others who are different then them as they'd hope people to be to them. I'm writing a piece for my life and style site usbeingawesome.com about this, if you'd like to contribute your experiences as a skinny girl please email me at aftonawesome@usbeingawesome.com, I'd love to hear your perspective. We feature real woman with real budgets who live with style.
03:16 PM on 02/20/2012
My Grandmother always said, " Bones are for dogs and Meat is for the man." And she was never overweight.
:
03:15 PM on 02/20/2012
I wouldn't want to look like a model if they paid me. They have no figure, they look knockkneed. These bones stick out upon their shoulders. I guess they are told not smile, they look like the unhappiest people in the world. They are so skinny the shoes over take the legs. They just look awful, nothing flattering about them at all.
02:13 PM on 02/20/2012
IMO, a woman should look like a woman, all natural. Curves, shapely, and some meat on their bones. There are too many women out there who try to look like 12 yr old boys, skinny skinny, and then they get huge boobs, and no butt. Ladies, all Im saying is that there are men out here who love women of all shapes and sizes, and all natural. I think a voluptuos M Monroe type is 10 times sexier than some 90 lb with double DD's (fake). I think women are great, love them. Each one has their own special quality. Too many of these younger guys are growing up with these media induced stereotypes of what women should look like, and its wrong.
02:11 PM on 02/20/2012
High fashion and wispy models have nothing to do with either clothes or women's figures. With minimal exceptions, no one wears those clothes on the street, they are too expensive. Plus they don't fit because they aren't made for real people. The fashion industry and the models who represent it are parts of an expensive pastime for rich folks who don't have anything better to do than look at this year's version of designers' imaginations.
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01:54 PM on 02/20/2012
I prefer women of many shapes and sizes with one glaring exception......the adult woman who tries hard to keep her body looking like a 12 year old boy. I'm not talking about women who are naturally slender, but a woman who intentionally tries her hardest to keep her body looking like she's just spent 2 months trapped in a coal mine without food.
01:49 PM on 02/20/2012
my reaction to skinny models.

Limp, very limp.
01:14 PM on 02/20/2012
To know what these super skinny models go through to keep their weight to such a low number wouldn't be pretty. A lot of them not only starve themselves but smoke, take drugs. Not all skinny persons work at it. I've been skinny all my life and even as a senior still skinny. My son is the same way 6ft4 and no more than 145lbs. We eat everything but just do not gain.
02:56 PM on 02/20/2012
Give it time, I was the same way when I was younger. I am also a male and I used to be able to eat anything and as much as I wanted and would not gain an ounce. Then when I hit my 40s I started gaining weight. I am 6' 3" tall and I now weigh about 245. I am now also 53 years old. This is the most I have ever weighed, I also found out that I have a thyroid disorder (typo) which lets your body gain weight more easily. I do like healthy looking women, not to skinny and not to heavy, healthy. Some of these women look scarry and don't even look healthy when they are too thin. But I guess that is their choice of life to do what they like doing, So they better enjoy it while it lasts because it doesn't last forever in most cases.
03:18 PM on 02/20/2012
I'm 5' 5 weight 105 47 eat all day long, no weight gain ever.
01:13 PM on 02/20/2012
Not a surprising reaction, Huffpost. It's the common reaction. A man is attracted to a curvy woman of normal proportions. Most of the skinny women you see around town these days are hateful because they're so hungry. Real men are teaching their young sons that Skinny = Biach. It's true.
01:02 PM on 02/20/2012
I dont care what size models are , but it would be nice to see alot more fashion out there for all sizes, skin and bones or a little figure flaw, wearing the right outfit for you body makes you feel great and look great. how can designers become more creative and fill the needs of all, I believe it is to design for all kinds of shapes and sizes and make them look great, put together solutions for gals with different body issues that just need the right outfit. Even a big gal can look her best when she can find outfits to suit her.
01:01 PM on 02/20/2012
Women that are starved looking are not attractive at all. Women look good when curves are present! I always felt that a guy who liked stick skinny women probably weren't too far from liking little boys. Be proud of having breasts and a butt girls!
12:59 PM on 02/20/2012
You know readingthese comments just confirm if you like big women then go after them, if you like a madel figure then go a fter it...If you want a girl next door go after it. No one will ever win this aurgement. Just be real don't fake something to get married that never works...Be who you feel comfortable and realize that not everyone will agree with you. But if you are happy with yourself it is a start.....
01:10 PM on 02/20/2012
I SO AGREE!!!!
07:01 AM on 02/22/2012
I agree that attractiveness is all subjective, and everyone will be attracted to and turned off by different looks, and you're right, no one will ever actually win a fight over what is more attractive. However it still offends me when a whole group of people is put down as objectively unattractive, whether it's large girls, tiny girls, small breasts, whatever it is. I am 5'5" and an A cup and weigh 107 lbs. This is not on purpose, and I've never dieted. I'm just built that way. I have no delusions that every man in the world would or should find me attractive. But to simply make objective statements telling me I'm too thin to be attractive, telling me that I need to eat more,or other such comments is just offensive, it's like telling a heavyset girl she should lay off the junkfood when you don't even know her well enough to know if she even eats junkfood. Sure some people treat their bodies very unhealthily and end up weighing too much or too little, which is never good. But don't judge what you don't know for sure about someone, and if you have nothing nice to say just keep your mouth closed and let it go.
12:59 PM on 02/20/2012
when I see a super skinny model on a runway...I think how they all have no femininity. They all look like eunichs.

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