Friday, December 4, 2009

Book Review: Hungry Crystal Renn with Marjorie Ingall

So did I mention I like fashion? I'm not one of those people that knows the name of every model but I can recognize the same model pretty easily and know a lot of the Victoria Secret model names (but I know they aren't exactly runway). Glamour magazine has been doing a lot recently (or at least I've noticed recently) about loving your body and accepting all shapes and sizes... anyway, I'm pretty sure that's where I first started to recognize Crystal Renn. Renn has appeared in Lane Byrant ads and is the girl in the breast cancer research ads (she's got red fabric draped around her and it's mainly a shot of her back). I found out she had written a book and decided to check it out.

First off, I thought this was going to be more of an autobiography and it starts that way before detouring off into a tangent about ideal body weights and fashion portraying all shapes and sizes. It starts to read like a research paper with all the quotes about how overweight might not be that unhealthy and everybody has an ideal weight. I'm not saying she's wrong. I know for myself my body no matter the amount of dieting or exercise hovers around the same point - give or take five pounds. I'm just saying that maybe this was part of another book. I get that weight plays a huge part in her life - she started as an anorexic straight size model and is now considered a plus size model - but at the same time I felt like it went on and on and could easily have been summarized into a few key points.

The funny thing is looking at pictures of Renn as a straight size model she looks downright sickly (bones jutting out, eyes that aren't focused) and as a plus sized model she doesn't look that big. I would say she's curvy but not fat.

The book is interesting. Renn is hungry for food and a career. She wants to prove that a plus size model can do everything a straight size model can do. It's an inside look at how hard she worked to drop weight - joining two gyms, working out until she's so sick she can't even walk home - and then gain back her self-esteem (and the weight).

I personally didn't come away with any new information on modeling and high fashion. I think everyone can pretty much guess its a cutthroat business with girls that are 6 feet tall expected to weigh 90 lbs. That designers want girls that are stick straight so the clothes just hang. I do think there might be a shift coming - Glamour has certainly been using more "real" women - although I'm pretty sure the short girl is still probably 5'6. Like anything, fashion is cylindrical so I'm sure at some point it will change to celebrate a curvier figure.

Good for Renn for championing healthy eating habits. I think all women should realize their bodies will probably never look like a supermodel or a celebrity. Those women are paid to look amazing and have a lot of help pulling it off (not to mention there is such a thing as Photoshop). I admire her for trying to break through and show women that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes.

Overall three out of five stars.

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