A plus-size model, also known as a full-figured model, outsize model, or extended size model, is applied to a professional woman whose primary profession is modeling garments without ruling out her engagement in other modeling activities. They are also engaged in lifestyle and advertising, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and the media. A plus-size model is subject to qualify for all the requirements of high-fashion models except she has larger bust, waist, hip measurements. They are supposed to have excellent skin, hair, teeth, gait, and composure. Marilyn Monroe’s bust-waist-hip ratio complies with the typical hourglass shape in that her bust size matches her hip size with an ideal 10 inches smaller waist. With the changing trends, appreciation for the formerly ideal, too skinny, zero-size model measuring chest, stomach, hips from 30-22-32 to 33-25-35 inches is declining fast. According to some researchers, the waist-hip ratio (WHR) is a better index of a female’s physical attraction and even in some very old civilizations 0.6-0.7 WHR was considered attractive. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a WHR exceeding 0.85 is considered as indicative of female abdominal obesity.

1. Tara Lynn

Tara Lynn was born in San Francisco, California on June 13, 1990. She has descended from mixed Irish, Italian, Russian, and Scandinavian ancestors. Having the best of traits from all of them, she has emerged into an attractive plus-size model. She said about her size, ”I was a size 14/16 (U.K. size 18-20) in high school, and it wasn’t the easiest thing. At 16, I definitely felt like my weight was holding me back. I was supposed to have these bones protruding from my body, and clearly that’s not the case and not the way my body’s meant to be.’ Her modeling card reflects upon her size as 38-34-46. She has also been sized as 38C, 32-inch waist, and 46-inch hips with a 0.7 WHR.  She became famous in the fashion world after being featured in V magazine and in the French Elle’s plus-size fashion shoot. In addition to appearing on the cover of the French Elle, she has also appeared on the cover of the June, 2011 Vogue Italia, Spanish July 25, 2010 XL-Semanal, and in the U.S. May 8, 2010 Time magazine.  She has also been featured in V and Glamour magazines.

2.  Robyn Lawley

Robyn Lawley was born to Chris and Jasnne Lawley in Girraween, New South Wales, Australia on June 13, 1989. She is best known for her appearance on the cover of the June, 2011 issue of Vogue Italia. She was the first, plus-size model to appear on Vogue Australia and the Australian Fashion Magazine. With light-brown hair and green eyes, she is 6 feet 2 inches tall. Her measurements are 36-D-32-42 with a 0.76 WHR. She says, ‘I tell tall girls, being tall and curvy is the double whammy! But confidence is really sexy. I love my shape. I love my body. I’ve come a long way.’ She has been voted for the Australian Cosmopolitan Fun, Fearless Female Rising Star Award, 2011. She is also on the list of Sydney magazine’s Award for Top Hundred Most Influential People 2011.

3. Kate Dillon

Kate Dillon started her career as a size 6, but after recovering from her anorexia, she started  her new career as a size 14 plus model. She became famous after appearing on the cover of Mode magazine. She has appeared on the covers of many issues of Vogue in different languages. She has been photographed by many famous photographers including: Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Francesco Scavullo, and many others. She has also appeared in the advertisements of Gucci and Isabella Rossellini’s perfume Manifesto. People magazine named her among the 50 Most Beautiful People in 2011.

4. Johanna Dray

Johanna Dray is a professionally qualified, beautiful, plus-size Parisian model. She became famous after her appearance in John Galliano’s 2006 Pret-a-portrer show. Her appearance in the French Vogue editorial wearing the dress which became Galliano’s best seller added to her fame. She was the first, plus-sized model to launch a plus-size clothing line. She has appeared in French Elle and Vogue Italia’s Vogue Curvy. She commented ‘Thanks Vogue for this curvy issue’¦we have been waiting such a long time for it’¦I have been working as a plus-size model since I was 13 years old (the first one in France) and I dreamed that Vogue would do such a beautiful event for women. I think it’s a revolution for the world of fashion and for each woman to be confident with their own body and shapes! Women’¦just be yourself and play with clothes.’

5. Emme Aronson

Emme Aronson was born in New York City in 1963 and was raised in Saudi Arabia. She returned to the U.S. in her teen years and attended Kent School. She is considered a leading plus-size model and one of the highest earners in the fashion industry. Syracuse University awarded her a full athletic scholarship. On account of her significant contribution to women’s athletics and to the sport of rowing, she was inducted into the  Syracuse University Orange Plus Hall of Fame. She hosted Fox’s reality dating series More to Love in 2009. She had also hosted Fashion Emergency on E! and extended fashion advice to women of all age groups.

6. Crystal Renn

Crystal Renn was born in Miami, Florida, U.S on June 18, 1986. She is an American fashion model and, like Kate Dillon, suffered from anorexia. After recovering from it, she became a plus-size model. She started her career in high fashion at the age of 14. After she changed her eating habits and exercise routine, she gained 32 kgs. in weight and emerged as a successful U.S. size 12 plus-size model. She wrote about her experience in a book Hungry: A Young Model’s Story of Appetite, Ambition, and the Ultimate Embrace of Curves. In 2010 she reverted to yoga and hiking, consequently losing weight to the extent that her size dropped to U.S. 8. She has appeared in many famous magazines including: Teen Vogue, Ellie, Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour, V, i-D, Vanity Fair, and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

7. Carre Otis

Carre Otis was born in San Francisco on September 28, 1968, and she was raised in Marin County, California. She attended Marin Academy, San Rafael, California and the John Woolman School in Nevada City, California. She started modeling at the age of 16 and became famous after appearing on the cover of the French Elle while she was attached with Elite Model Management. She has appeared on the covers of many famous magazines including: Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Mirabella, and Marie Claire. She has also appeared in the advertisements of: Guess Jeans, Calvin Klein jeans, Pirelli, Sports Illustrated, and she was featured in 1990 and the 2000 issues of Playboy magazine.

8. Candice Huffine

Candice Huffine is an American plus model. She is 5 feet 11 inches and measures 38C-33-43.5 with a 0.75 WHR. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She became famous after her appearance along with Tara Lynn, Kasia Pilewicz, Michelle Olson, and Marquita Pring in the January, 2010 editorial Curves Ahead. She is best known for her appearance along with Tara Lynn and Robyn Lawley on the June, 2011 issue of Vogue, Italia. Huffine also appeared in Vogue Deutsch’s June, 2012 issue. She is presently working with Ford models.

9. Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham, born in 1988, belongs to Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S. She attended the Scott Middle School and Lincoln Southwest High School. She is best known as a lingerie model for the plus-size clothing store Lane Bryant. She has appeared in well-known fashion magazines like Vogue and Latina. She has appeared in Levi’s campaigns like Curve ID SS 2011. She appeared in these campaigns along with many other notable fashion models like: Sabina Karlsson, Ana Lisboa, Marquita Pring, and McKenzie Raley.

10. Amy Lemons

Amy Lemons was born in Diswell, Virginia, U.S. on January 17, 1981. She started her career as a straight-sized model and became famous soon after appearing on the cover of Italian Vogue at the age of 14. She has also appeared on the covers of famous fashion magazines including: Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Marie Claire. She has also participated in many campaigns for: Abercrombie and Fitch, Tommy Hilfiger, Jill Sander, Louis Vuitton, and Calvin Klein. She is the co-founder of Model Alliance and advocates for ethical standards in the fashion industry.

Conclusion:

Body measurements, like those given in women’s size charts, are a great help to find a fit for different persons. However, to measure the beauty or attraction of a woman in terms of inches or centimeters is perhaps not an equally good idea. Physical attraction is quite a subjective matter, and a measurement that is considered reflective of a highly attractive body by some people might not be considered as such by all. A zero size, for example, is regarded as ideally attractive by some but not so by many others. Beauty and attraction come in all sizes and colors.