Super skinny models for M&S?

[CheeseDreamz]

I am really struggling to shop online at the moment as it feels like many retailers are using super slinky and very tall models to show clothes that are usually aimed at a more average demographic and body type. M&S being the worst right now.

Before people accuse me of body shaming I am observing the predominant use of what is actually quite a rare human shape - not about whether it is attractive, or healthy or possible to achieve. 5ft 10+ and size zero with very long legs is not that common, especially over 25. I have my thoughts on this, but my question is more around the widom of doing this and the difficulty of shopping.

It's making it impossible to tell what a piece of clothing might look like if you have boobs or bum, even at a size 12. And in many cases the clothes don't even look that great. Also has the model wears size x information now gone on many sites?

Looking over a few sites it seems to be increasing in mens clothing too.

I know that representation of a variety of body types has been adopted (for years by some retailers) but it feel as if that is really waning now - weirdly it seems to be better in brands I would consider for younger people. There is some discussion in the media about "the return of hyper skinny" (though a quick google reveals there are articles on this going back to 2022), so it's a perennial thing. But really, who the hell do M&S think shops with them? It's so off-putting - all I see is that these clothes are not for me.

@MightyDandelion , Well, I don't know about you but I don't look anything like Twiggy or Holly Willoughby.

Thats a massive assumption to make about women internalising 'tall and slim' as the ideal, where have you got that idea from?

I dont, I think women look good with a more european slightly shorter, slightly curvier/hippier, waisted look.

I try to wear clothes that sort of emulate this but its not my body shape either, Im an apple although in clothes I look just straight up and down, not a hip in sight or bum. Shapeless.

The average height of a woman in the UK is 5'3" or 161 cm

Snd before someone tells me off for using the entire post I can't work out how to delete part of it.

I am 50, 5'4, 8 st 3, with far smaller/flatter boobs than when I was 11st. My BMI is 19.7, which is in the healthy weight range. I am size 6-8 depending on the store. I shop in M&S. I have spent my whole adult life at about 11stone/size 14 until recently, and it has been a real shock how people body shame me now that I am smaller. Anyway, that is an aside. The point is that middle aged people like me do exist. I never minded seeing size 8 models when I was bigger, never gave it a thought really.

@CharlotteCChapel , it's quoting the OP's OP that is a sin. (I usually try to cut'n'paste and then clear quote. Like this: "Snd before someone tells me off for using the entire post I can't work out how to delete part of it."

I'm just over the average height and it's 161.3 cm (5 ft 3+1⁄2 in). No idea why posters say it's 5'6 etc.

In general I prefer the websites where they say the model is 5'8" and wearing size 10 - so I can judge better

I prefer the websites where they say model is 5'1" and wearing a size 16 on a good day.

@istheheatingonyet , those sites would be of no interest to me as I'd need to be twice my weight to be a size 16.

On what way are you being body shamed?

Well I didn't say it was my ideal, it certainly isn't. Never wanted to be taller. But you hear a lot of shorter women (eg on this thread) bemoaning their short stature. And clothes models are always tall.

I'm 5'4" and size 8. I'd rather see clothes modelled by someone who is 5'10" and size 8, than by someone who is 5'4" and size 16.

You know that description could easily be applied to those skinny models!😆

I would say that both of those women are far more likely to be in the middle of the average body shape of the target demographic as opposed to the models now. Twiggy aged fabulously and it was nice to see a more mature lady modelling clothes for a change.

I find reviews more helpful
If every review says the top was too long, I'm buying it. Same if it says too much bust room

Also Instagram
I'm 3 inches shorter than this woman but similar size (16/18 ish) and so I can usually figure out what stuff will look like

www.instagram.com/emilyjanejohnston?igsh=am0xbHAxeTIwYzJk

It isn't though is it? It's just a fact. If a dress is cut to accommodate breasts, it will have an excess of fabric if the model has a smaller bust size. It's just a statement.

I agree. The point is a dress with darts is made for a woman with a bust. So it should be worn by a model with a bust.

Unless surgery involved, every single woman has a bust. Surprised you both don’t know that. It’s basic biology. And the Dress size is what’s relevant. Not the darts, as we all have busts.

I'm not in the UK but have noticed when I'm browsing online that some places here do show the clothes on two different size models, which can be helpful. I just wish they wouldn't mostly use tall models, or if they do please tell us their actual height as I don't want tops/shirts/jeans which are too long. If they don't specify height I don't buy now as I'm sick of returning things.

I do read the reviews and if a lot of people are complaining the sleeves and legs are too long, then think aah, this may be ok for me rather than than go by the model who is generally a young thin thing and bears no resemblance to tall, fairly large framed, mid 60s year old me. I did get a very nice oversize coat from M&S last year in my normal size 14 coat size which loads of reviewers were moaning that it swamped them.

Agreed. It's far easier to make allowances for height differences, and therefore length/proportions of a garment, when viewing clothes being modelled, than to try to imagine what something will look like many sizes smaller.

interestingly there's an article about this exact thing on bbc atm https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62elpm2md2o

@Lighterlilly , the pp meant someone who is busty. The fit is quite different if you have a larger cup size.
There was no need for you to be patronising.

1920s boyish flappers, 1960s Twiggys, mid 1990s heroin chic Kates, 2024-5 Ozempic chic. Us humans seem to return on a 30-40 year cycle to the same very thin body type. I think I prefer it to the HAES models and the politicisation of body size. But I don't understand why the fashion industry always has to work to extremes, when most women are somewhere in the middle.

I look at the M&S website regularly and hadn't noticed that at all so went to look just now and while some are a bit "maybe a tiny bit too skinny" I'd say that on the whole they're just slender. The majority of them would be considered "too large" to do designer catwalk modelling which is mental, but that's the fashion world for you.

Maybe they could have different size models, some a bit larger than they are but other than that I don't really see a big issue. To be fair that might be because I'm slightly underweight (BMI tells me that I am) but heading toward being thin but not underweight (illness, I've not chosen this). None of them are that much skinnier than me so maybe I'm just not noticing it. I do notice when models are "oh my god, please eat some pies!" which to me is thinner than I am as well as a lot taller so heading toward looking ill. None of the models I've looked at tonight look too thin to me.