Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

ASOS swimwear models

35 replies

user1490142285 · 21/06/2017 17:00

Looking for a tall swimming costume or grannykini for my long waisted bod and eyeballs have been assaulted by what look disturbingly like American Apparel-style porny models some of whom look no older than 13: www.asos.com/women/swimwear-beachwear/cat/?cid=2238&refine=attribute_900:4238&currentpricerange=5-275&pgesize=36

I understood in looking for swimwear I'd encounter swimwear models - no worries - but how is it that some of them are so young and come-hither, with the briefs rucked up their arses?

Are they trying to sell this cossie to a woman or is this quick and easy kiddie wank-fodder (incl little prancing video)? www.asos.com/asos/asos-mix-and-match-high-waist-bikini-bottom-in-carnival-floral-print/prd/8020101?iid=8020101&clr=Floral&SearchQuery=&cid=2238&pgesize=36&pge=0&totalstyles=2005&gridsize=3&gridrow=11&gridcolumn=2

Contrast with Bonmarche for example: www.bonmarche.co.uk/womens/clothing/swim-and-beachwear/ They don't seem to struggle to find age-appropriate normal female models.

OP posts:
PatMullins · 23/06/2017 14:04

I really don't see it. Not a single one of them looks younger than 18.

alpacasandwich · 23/06/2017 13:57

I often use the videos to see what things are like on/with movement etc. I didn't know they were "kiddie wank fodder" Hmm

user1490142285 · 23/06/2017 12:44

Well that's me told.

It was the second link in particular that made me feel sad. I think she looks very very young and the posing is so tiresome, in the context of what look to me like dozens of Lolita fembots, so I gave in to a spell of handwringing.

PutThatPomBearBack yes, I've had a look at the usual suspects but ASOS do tall (one-piece) swimwear as well, which is the alternative to the skirtini/tankini/etc-ini. Maybe it was because I'd been looking at sites where the models were static (no 'catwalk' videos) and looked older than 20, ASOS was a bit of a culture shock.

SomeOtherFuckers that is not what I intended at all, you are of course a real person in real life walking around in 3d. It was the posing and prancing on a website of what I think (and apparently it's just me) look like very young girls that made me feel it was a bit wanky/porny. Not of course in the sense of actual porn, but that porny aesthetic of American Apparel and Larry Clark.

I find a lot of retail/advertising ultra-sexualised, ugly and reductive and I am upset by the relentless pressure on women (especially young women) to be sexy, so maybe this was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Thanks for the replies. It has given me some perspective.

OP posts:
DermotOLogical · 23/06/2017 02:54

They look over 16 to me and I work with teens.

SomeOtherFuckers · 23/06/2017 02:41

Also she's shorter than a usual model and looks young but I'm 22 and look younger than her so thanks for making me feel like 'kiddie wank fodder' to anyone who finds me attractive 🙄🙄

SomeOtherFuckers · 23/06/2017 02:39

My provider is blocking all of your links because of the words around them -_-

PutThatPomBearBack · 23/06/2017 02:37

But asos is a fashion/ trend following site with a young target audience, if your looking for a grannykini maybe try a catalogue or m&s?

BigYellowJumper · 23/06/2017 02:11

I don't think they look like they're 13, tbh. They look like young adults, but young is their target market.

I could do without the stupid posing though, just show me the swimming costume on a human body so I can see what it looks like.

antimatter · 23/06/2017 01:55

I used to work near Asos main offices in London where they do all their studio photography and their photographers (whom we used to bump into in the pub) were saying that Asos never photoshop their models

I never asked about models ages but on the links you provided none of them look 13! I actually doubt they are under 18 but I may be wrong

noeffingidea · 23/06/2017 01:39

Which models look 'no older than 13'? I only looked through the first 2 pages but they all looked to be at least 16 to me.
I would expect they're trying to sell the clothes to teenagers and young women.
Bon marche is targeted towards much older women.