Shockingly anorexic looking models in Zara catalogue

I weighed under 7 st when I left school at 18 despite eating the traditional 1970s Scottish teenage diet of chips and Mars Bars. When I was pregnant at 30 I was under 8st. It was very annoying to be told by interfering busy bodies that I was too thin. It is possible to stay very thin and eat normally.

Those girls are not anorexic.

They are very thin yes....but so are a lot of women/young girls - that doesn't mean they are anorexic.
My body shape has resembled that of an 8 year old boy since I was about 12 - I only get boobs and a bit more chub round the hips when I'm pregnant
I was bullied at school for being "anorexic" according to everyone else - regardless of the fact I would eat burgers, pizza, bacon rolls etc from the canteen at break times God I miss early 2000's school food before the health police jumped on it

Those jeans are rank mind you.

They do not look anorexic

It's the clothing you're meant to be looking at not them.

They're tall slim young women, walk down any high street and you'll be able to see other tall, slim young women.

The issue with body image is much bigger than a couple of models in a Zara shoot.

Neither look miserable to me.

They look serious, which as Laura says, is probably the expression they were told to use.

Although I would say they're aiming more for an aloof sort of look, rather than bored.
Anyway. I would like to see different looking women in magazines and ads though, I do agree.

They presumably have that expression because that's the one they were paid to make. If Zara wanted them lepping about in clown suits I'm sure they'd do that.
I don't think they look anorexic at all, just a pair of tall, thin models. Skin looks healthy and you can see flesh on them.

I'd be happier if a wider variety of shapes were shown.

When I was a teenager there were two girls who genuinely could eat ALL day and were naturally tiny.

There were a fair few more girls who went along with the 'God I eat so much!' in public but who it later came out were dabbling with throwing up their food, laxatives and just 'pretending' to eat vast amounts and skipping meals when they were able to.

Again there were the girls that constantly tried to diet but due to shape (seriously one girl was beautifully curvy, I would have killed for her figure!) would never ever be the ultra slim line tall girl they wanted to be. Ever.

I just feel if there was more of a healthy representation it would take some of the pressure off for us all to be one shape.

I'm not saying that being very slim is unhealthy or never possibly natural, it can be. But it's not a healthy shape to aspire to for a lot of teenage girls so if there was more of a variety maybe everyone could find some security in their figure instead of trying to forcing themselves to be something they just aren't.

Look. Just because some thin people have eating disorders, it doesn't mean all thin people do.

That sort of assumption can be very upsetting for those who find it difficult to gain weight, or who are too busy living their lives to worry about it.

Most of my teenage years was spent listening to twats (usually female twats too), declaring loudly, "Ooh you have no boobs", or "Ooh you have no bum". "When are you going to get a decent meal inside you"?

And if comparing me to a pre-pubescent child wasn't enough for them, they would then throw the word 'anorexia' into the mix just for good measure.

That sort of shit from the people around you, can cause far more damage than photos of models you've never met and never will either.

Yes, OP. It's a known fact that all models are just naturally thin but really "eat like horses"

Nope. NO eating disorders there.

But seriously, why do they look so fucking miserable?

They are all really thin. So are the models in the women's, girls and men's sections.

Personally I would like to see more diverse body shapes as those don't reflect my shape or my daughters. We are both of a healthy weight according to doctors but look very chunky compared to the slender look shown in the Zara catalogue.

Op is going to get flak for using the word anorexic which is a medical term. Many people are slim as teenagers without being ill.

If my daughter attempted to become a similar shape to the girls in this catalogue she would run the risk of developing an eating disorder as her bone structure and natural shape would make it impossible.

Agree that many young girls are that thin.
My 13 year old eats constantly and is as thin. In fact she aspires to have a more curvy , hourglass shape so she is trying to put on weight

Exactly Worra I bet people wouldn't come on here and say 'God look at these fat heffers in the Evans catalogue, they must be binge eaters'

Their bodies look exactly the same as mine did as a teenager - certainly not 'shockingly anorexic'.

That's an insult to every teenager who happens to be naturally tall and thin.

It's also a very flippant statement, considering the severity of anorexia.

And biscuit some people are just naturally that thin.
I spend my teenage years being tortured for being skinny. I was 6.5/7stone till I was 21.
I used to cry and eat and eat anything I could get my hands on to try and put weight on but it never worked. It's just as bad as being bullied for being fat.

I don't think they look anorexic. You can see flesh on their bellies and their faces aren't gaunt.
I would like to see people of various shapes and sizes in catalogues but I understand why models are usually thin. Thin isn't necessarily anorexic though.

My 16yo looks like that, as well as a lot of her friends. Over the last two years they seemed to have got taller but not put on any weight, they are all a Topshop 4/6/8 but are definitely not anorexic, just young and thing.
I was exactly the same at their age.

My teen looks like that, as do a lot of her friends. I can't speak on their behalf but she eats like a bloody horse.

I think they look thin, but many young people happen to be thin.
I know what you mean though, I'm sure a meat and potato pie would make them smile.

I'm lucky my dd doesn't look at catalogues and magazines, nearly £40 for a pair of jeans. Do people pay this much for their kids?
New look is good and half the price.

my teen looks nothing like this she is a size 10/12 and very curvey this sort of thing makes girls think this is how they should be not how they actually half of her friends are starving themselves to get to a slim body shape i wish magazines showed "reality is" not "reality should be" girls come in all shapes and sizes fact

It looks weirdly photoshopped to me, too. Like it's all stretched lengthways.

I've worked with models, and there is a problem with some being blatantly anorexic, but the tide is turning. I think it's becoming less acceptable for magazine models to be starvation thin. You still find it on the Catwalk, though.

I get the bigger issue / wider concern, but that body shape is totally normal for many girls that age, it really is.