Does anyone else feel disenfranchised by models?

I like Moshulu

I can’t think of any situation, manikin or picture that would make me feel invisible or disenfranchised. ?

Grandmabatty

I see many older women as models. None of them are five foot nothing, round with not much hair so I suppose I could be disenfranchised ?

That could be almost me, Grandmabatty, except I have tooooo much hair!

A wee bachle, as my mother used to say!

Marydoll ???

Feel 'disenfranchised' because models do not look like you?

The purpose of a model is to show what a garment looks like, a tailor's dummy would be as effective.

We all come in different sizes and shapes - even slim women do not have indentical figures some have long waists, some short, some are almost flat chested others well endowed.

Surely by the time you get old you know your body shape and its idiosyncracies and what clothes suit you and what do not, what you are comfortable in so that what a garment is draped to display it is irrelevant.

As far as I am concerned, I barely notice the model. I just look at the garment and if it is waisted or belted I count it out because I do not have and never ever had had a waist, I ignore high waist trousers because they fit me under the armpits.

This is what matters, not what the model looks like.

Germanshepherdsmum

Absolutely right merlotgran. I would find a catalogue full of overweight ageing ladies pretty depressing. If I want to see that I only need to look in the mirror.

Yet I would like to see what these clothes would look like on someone my weight and height. The issue for me is these models tend to be five foot ten and a size eight, with no breasts.

Most of us aren't anything like that shape.

I wouldn’t say I feel ‘disenfranchised’ but e.g. I was all too well aware last summer that a dress I was thinking of buying, pictured on a size 8, 5 foot 10 model (as the company so helpfully stated) who was wafting down a beach, was not going to look precisely the same on me, at 5 foot seven and, er, just a wee bit more than a size 8.

Unless it’s a company specifically catering for larger sizes, I can’t say I blame the company for choosing models that are going to make their clothes look as good as possible.

It's not just clothes models, though, is it? I get infuriated by the models for stair lifts and adapted showers and baths. They are fit, slim and under 30 and would certainly not have any need of the aids they are advertising. If I sadly get to the stage of needing any of those, I want to believe they are suitable for the likes the more frail!

You just need to check the length of the garment and use your imagination Blinko! If I haven’t found out by now what does and doesn’t suit me I might as well give up!

Have you seen the ladies who model for Snag tights?

But even if the model is round and grey, leg length will vary, breast size and shape, neck length, all those other items of body shape will vary, so the round grey model can still give you no indication of what the garment would look like on you.

I am quite happy with a dress on a standard size model so that I can see all the features, of the garment. I then check that has the features that suit me or do not suit me.

Lets face it there are so many features to a garment that you cannot tell on a model, no matter what their shape; quality of fabric, thickness, quality of assemby, true colour etc.

As GSM says, essentially, if you do not know what clothes suit you/or not by the time you are 50, and if you cannot recognise these when you see them recognise them when you see them in a garment, you might as well give up.

I had to google Snag tights after reading your post Fanny. I now feel positively svelte so thanks for that!?

FannyCornforth

Have you seen the ladies who model for Snag tights?

one of them was def a chap though but I think it caused all sorts of controversy I love snag tights.

Jane I’ve been umming and ahing about Snag tights for ages.
I usually wear cotton leggings and socks. I have ‘sensory issues’? about fabric

oh they are really comfortable. I could never get on with normal tights as I am tall and overweight but I followed their measuring advice and ordered the suggested size and they fit really well. I have some orange ones - I think they were called pumpkin - which are good for embarrassing my children

The online catalogues will only ever give you a very rough idea on how the clothes will look on you, whatever size you are but I have to wonder if it's just a sneaky way of saying "this is what you should look like in our clothes"!
Even such a shop as Yours for size 16+ has models that certainly don't have lumps and bumps where I do !
I quite like watching QVC as they have models of different sizes, ages and they even have one that is I think about 5'4" and a size 18, so it can be done!

It’s not a matter of having catalogues full of overweight old frumpy women GSM but to have a few representative of an older age group without the perfect face or figure in fact someone who looks good as an ordinary person with normal older flaws They’ve got as far as including ethnic minorities and sometimes disabled and occasionally larger and rightly so but surely we need clothes that look good on a non perfect face/figure
Just a bit derogatory to think only the perfect ‘need apply’

Germanshepherdsmum

You just need to check the length of the garment and use your imagination Blinko! If I haven’t found out by now what does and doesn’t suit me I might as well give up!

Not so much the length, GSM, I can do as you suggest. But the thing for me is, erm..boobs. Non of these models seem to have them and they make a difference to the fit of a garment and the way it hangs.

I know what you mean there. I have to make the same allowance and sadly a lot of styles hang beautifully on the less well endowed but are not for those with a more ample bosom.

Boob size is just one of the many attributes that make a dress look good on one person, but not another.

Where the waist on a dress is in relationto where your waist actually is, whether the arm length will be too long or too short on your arms.

I have a problem that my hip bones are very close to my waist and makes fuller skirts bunch up.

There are so many aspects of each of us that can affect how a garment hangs, but surely by our age we can recognise those problems by just one look at a garment, without even seeing it on a model.

I feel disenfranchised by people who think that anyone over 5ft and overweight isn't a real person ?

In fact I've been disenfranchised for years, come to think of it, by the many shops that don't stock clothes for anyone taller than about 5 ft 4". Dresses have waists that are under my armpits. Trousers are always around my ankles. I only buy skirts designed for midi length so they cover my knees. I used to buy a lot at M&S because they sold long lengths, but my local M&S never had them in stock, I had to order them in because "we don't sell many". Of course you don't sell them if you don't stock them woman!

Try being my tiny daughter in law who has to buy almost all her clothes and shoes in children’s sizes!

GSM my MIL did that! She was under 5 ft and tiny. She paid next to nothing for many of her clothes, which were just as trendy as adults clothes, and in many cases better made. She didn't wear high heels and the flat sandals suited her beautifully. We always had a laugh when we went shopping because we were two extremes.

AreWeThereYet

I feel disenfranchised by people who think that anyone over 5ft and overweight isn't a real person ?

In fact I've been disenfranchised for years, come to think of it, by the many shops that don't stock clothes for anyone taller than about 5 ft 4". Dresses have waists that are under my armpits. Trousers are always around my ankles. I only buy skirts designed for midi length so they cover my knees. I used to buy a lot at M&S because they sold long lengths, but my local M&S never had them in stock, I had to order them in because "we don't sell many". Of course you don't sell them if you don't stock them woman!

I'm a tad short of 5'11 and a size 14. Considering I have the dimensions of some catwalk models, I still find it difficult to buy clothes which fit. I can't buy anything with a defined waist.

Wow *growstuff"

I wish my shape was thew same as yours!.