The last couple of years have shown an increase in the diversity of womenswear models both on and off the catwalk.
With ‘plus size’ models like Ashley Graham gracing the cover of Vogue and Tess Holliday killing it in Cosmo, the big, beautiful message we’re receiving is that one size no longer fits all women.
But why aren’t brands doing the same for menswear?
December is just about the only time of year that a man with a larger frame appears in our TV ads and the pages of our magazines. But aside from Santa… where are all the plus size men?
Brands like Jacamo and ASOS sometimes showcase ‘larger’ male models in their magazines and online shops, but I would love to see more brands showcasing body diversity in menswear.
My request for improved body diversity in menswear isn’t entirely altruistic: I like to see men who love Christmas pud and hate the gym as much as I do.
But, the thing is, seeing larger male and non binary bodies plastered across our screens is beneficial for everyone.
It’s good to see more than one type of man being held up as attractive. The Diet Coke Guy is great and all, but he’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
When it comes to dating, god-like physiques can sometimes be intimidating and it’s scary to see young men being misled into thinking that is the only desirable body type.
I have male friends who feel like they just can’t win when it comes to buying clothes.
If all we see are hairless, six foot, Baywatch bodies in our magazines and adverts, the public will be misled into thinking anything else is abnormal.
It’s especially important that the fashion industry diversifies its male models, as body image issues among the male population are far more likely to go under the radar. One recent study showed that men are up to four times more likely to go undiagnosed with eating disorders than women.
In direct contrast to the pressure on women to be petite and skinny, men are bombarded with the idea that they should look big and strong. Muscle dysmorphia, or ‘bigorexia’ is a growing diagnosis in the UK, with as many as one in ten men using a gym in the UK thought to be suffering from it.
They may feel the need to spend an excessive amount of time training themselves in order to gain muscle mass and become so focused on that goal that other areas of their life suffer. It can lead to loss of jobs, relationships, steroid abuse and serious injury from over-training.
I’ve always been a size 12, which is pretty easy to buy clothes for, but there have been a couple of times when I’ve wanted to hire dresses for events and felt deflated when labels got in touch to say they only send out samples in a size 8.
Despite being happy with my body shape, it made me feel like the only way I could fit in was to literally deflate myself.
The average dress size for a woman in the UK is a 16. Seeing models who accurately reflect shoppers isn’t just good for self-esteem, it’s good for business, too. In the US, the women’s plus-size clothing market is worth £4.7billion, yet there are still limited options for larger men on the UK high street.
I have male friends who feel like they just can’t win when it comes to buying clothes. With sizing often limited to S, M and L, it’s hard to know which letter best represents them. And it’s not just larger guys who have trouble.
Men with skinny frames or shorter heights are underrepresented in men’s fashion too. It’s no wonder the ‘men hate clothes shopping’ stereotype exists if it‘s such an ordeal to find anything that fits.
With the inaugural winter edition of Love Island about to hit our screens, it’s worth remembering that there are people out there who will celebrate your body type, not despite your non-Love-Island-conformist body type, but because of it.
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