This Girl Rocks!

Crystal Renn is the perfect example of a role model. Not because she is a model but because she has found a niche for herself in the modeling world based on what she looks like not what she should look like. At age 14 she was told that she had to lose 1/3 of her body weight in order to model. She struggled with her weight and health, gained 70lbs and begin modeling as a plus size model, but being labeled as such didn't stop her from expanding her career beyond those perimeters.

Tall, beautiful and womanly, but more importantly finally at peace with the fact that she has curves and wears clothing that isn't a sample size, she is the only plus sized models to have ever graced the cover of Harper's Bazaar, has appeared in four international editions of Vogue and walked Jean-Paul Gaultier's catwalk.


Perhaps fashion models aren't the ideal role models since their talent is based on their beauty but having one whose beauty is closer in size and shape to your average woman is better than asking young girls and mature women to remain the lithe size of young boys and still have breasts and curves. Unfortunately we live in a society that at first glance values looks above intellect or talent and women aren't going to suddenly wake up knowing that in the end our value and worth goes beyond how well we fill out a swim suit or pout at the camera. I would rather my niece admire someone like Crystal than to believe that a every woman can be a size 2 or 4 naturally and that reed thin models are the norm instead of the exception. Perhaps seeing Cystal and other women who are naturally the best their bodies can be will allow her to accept that there is more than one ideal and that she is perfect and beautiful as she is.