It’s no secret that modeling agencies have a lot of strange rules that both perceptualize idealized body types and cause people (especially women) to have unrealistic expectations about their own bodies.
But there are still plenty of things that, unless you’re in the industry yourself, you probably won’t know about. That’s why insight from models — both current and former — is so important.
One TikTok really highlights the reality for “plus sized” models.
In a video uploaded by Karoline ( @redkaroline ), she starts out by saying “I’m going to reveal a secret from the model agency today.” She then begins to talk about how she works as a plus-size model, despite not being plus-size.
“I’m a plus size model, which means I sometimes work for plus size brands.”
She adds that these brands typically carry size 44 and up, or XL to 5XL. But looking at Karoline, it’s very clear that she doesn’t typically wear plus-size clothing.
So, how does she “fix” this?
Well, she has to bring something with her called padding. It’s “basically a fat suit, but in pieces.” If you’re sitting there with your mouth agape, thinking that’s outrageous, you definitely aren’t alone on that.
She then demonstrates how to use the padding.
It’s really just a matter of stuffing it under your clothes. Once you put on the outfit you’re modeling, it makes you look a lot bigger. At least, wherever the padding is.
And that isn’t the only trick she uses.
Karoline also talks about how they pin the outfit from the back to make it appear more form fitting, if the padding alone isn’t enough.
“If the clothes look really good from the front, it probably looks like [expletive] from the back.”
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But why would they do this in the first place, instead of just hiring actual plus-size models?
She explains that “it’s because they want the neck and the face to look really slim and sharp.
“Which doesn’t just create unrealistic standards, but impossible ones.”
Karoline wraps up the video by urging modeling agencies to “just use real plus-size women.”
“There are so many gorgeous plus-size women out there.”
Her only other wish is that plus-size clothing companies start making clothes that aren’t ugly.
Like other viewers and commenters, my mind is blown.
“This explains the midsections that never make sense,” one user commented.
I always thought they used shapewear, but padding thinner women actually… makes a lot more sense, in a really scary way.
Others in the comments were quick to blame Karoline for taking the jobs in the first place.
But she explained that she hasn’t done a job like this in years, nor does she agree with them.
“I did a couple of these many years ago when I just got signed with an agency in NY, and had a contract obligation but I refuse to do them now because I think it’s ethically wrong….”
At the end of the day, it just shows that the modeling industry still has a lot of work to do.
Plus-size women and even mid-size women aren’t going anywhere, and creating impossible beauty standards does nothing but make women, girls, and people everywhere feel bad for looking normal.
What do you think of Karoline’s revelation? Let us know in the comments!
