What size does plus size start at? Incredibly beautiful Russian plus-size models (17 photos)
It’s not easy to be a professional model, because not all of them have a naturally slender figure. The rest are left to constantly adhere to grueling diets, malnutrition and even starvation. But there is another way out of the “overweight” situation - you can simply become a “plus size” model. What roots does this expression have?
Origin and meaning of the term "plus size"?
The term Plus size first appeared in America in the mid-20th century. The very mentality of the inhabitants of this country contributed to this. When contacting a modeling agency, a designer or photographer could not simply invite a literally “overweight girl” to work. IN otherwise this often led to certain problems, because the model herself could take such an expression as an insult and sue the offender. That's why the term "plus size" was coined, which translates as "plus size" or "one size larger."
Later, in 1958, the National Institute of Standards and Technology established clothing sizes for American residents. With this report, the term plus size was officially established. And already in the late 70s of the 20th century, plus-size models first appeared on the world catwalk.
Required body parameters for a plus size model
Those girls whose chest, waist and hip volumes go beyond the standard 90/60/90 can safely classify themselves as plus-size models. It is not customary to set the upper value of the parameters. A girl with curves 96/76/106 can easily become a plus-size model. But even such magnificent parameters are far from the limit. In the modeling business, girls with even more curvaceous figures (112/94/120 and even more) are no less successful.
Plus-size clothing comes in sizes from 46 to 60. The parameters a girl must have to become a full-body model are presented in the table below.
| Volumes | |||
| Size | Breast | Waist | Hips |
| 46 | 92 | 74 | 100 |
| 48 | 96 | 78 | 104 |
| 50 | 100 | 82 | 108 |
| 52 | 104 | 86 | 112 |
| 54 | 108 | 90 | 116 |
| 56 | 112 | 94 | 120 |
| 58 | 116 | 98 | 124 |
| 60 | 120 | 102 | 132 |
Owners of such chic shapes have a real chance of conquering the domestic and even world catwalks or getting on the cover of a fashion publication.
for full
In the world, more than half of women belong to the category of overweight. Designers could not ignore this niche and therefore, along with clothing models for slim people, they began to produce entire plus-size collections.
Today, the most popular brands that offer items for ladies with luxurious parameters are the German brands Mia Moda and Meyer Mode, the American brand Igigi and the French company Tailissime. They create their collections taking into account all the features of a curvaceous figure. Thus, you have a real opportunity to dress fashionably and beautifully.
Truly comfortable and high-quality knitwear items are offered by VERDA and the Danish company Bon’a Parte, and exquisite summer dresses and suits are offered by the Aira Style sewing company from Belarus and many other German, American, and French companies.
Regardless of the chosen brand, all clothing models are cut in such a way that they fit perfectly on full ladies, emphasizing the beauty of a curvaceous body.
in Russia
The first curvy Russian girl who was able to achieve success on the world podium was Ekaterina Zharkova. She was born in Minsk in 1981, since childhood she dreamed of becoming a model, but, despite all her efforts, she did not fit into generally accepted beauty standards. Now the girl is also a successful actress and TV presenter. It is in demand not only in Russia, but also in America. Ekaterina Zharkova’s figure parameters are 107/82/112.
I could confidently top the list of “Plus Size Models, Russia.” girl with beautiful face and a luxurious figure have long been in demand both in Russia and abroad. Yulia Lavrova’s figure parameters are 110/80/120 with a height of 170 centimeters, and her weight is 86 kilograms.
Among the famous plump models of the domestic catwalk, other beauties can be noted: Ekaterina Shumskaya, Dilyara Larina, Natalya Pampukhts, Marinz Bulatkina.
Famous world-class body models
The plus size model format first appeared in America. Therefore, it is in this country that there are the most curvaceous women who successfully conquer the catwalk.
The thirty-year-old American woman is by far the most complete model in the world. She weighs 155 kilograms and wears size 22 (US). The girl’s story is in many ways similar to those that other plump podium stars tell about themselves. Tess has been a plump girl since childhood. She was teased for being overweight at school, and her relatives, having learned that the girl was going to become a model, simply laughed in her face.
But, despite all the grievances, Miss Holiday managed to achieve everything she could only dream of. She is a successful model, beloved woman and mother. Tess's motto is: "I'm sexy and I know it."
In 2009, the world-famous Glamor magazine published a photo of a naked woman whose parameters were far from ideal. Lizzie Miller, with a height of 180 centimeters, weighed 80 kilograms and was much plumper than other models. This girl was one of the first to say that a woman can be beautiful at any weight. Now Lizzie is a successful cover girl for famous publications.
No less popular plus-size girls are Barbara Brickner, Sophie Dahl, Charlotte Coyle, Chloe Marshall and others.
How to become a plus size model?
There are several requirements, following which, a curvy girl can become a plus size model. The main selection criteria are presented below.
- A plus size model should have attractive and interesting facial features.
- Well-groomed hair, smooth skin and healthy teeth are a prerequisite for successful completion casting.
- Models with above-average body measurements must be in good physical shape. No need to exhaust yourself with heavy strength training. But having an elastic body is much better than a loose one.
- Plus-size girls must be confident, otherwise they will not be able to succeed. Even after ten refusals, you need to not give up on your goal and continue to storm the castings.
It should be remembered that each agency has its own beauty standard. And if a plus size model does not meet the standard of one of them, then the other will definitely like it. The main thing is self-confidence and your own strengths.
Advantages of overweight models over thin ones
Girls who do not fit into generally accepted standards of beauty should not despair and have complexes about this. You don’t need to get rid of extra pounds, but accept them with dignity. An example for them is the successful “plus-size” models, who were able to become so thanks to their non-standard parameters, and today even have a number of advantages over slender women.
A plus-size model does not have to adhere to exhausting diets. To be in demand in her profession, she does not need to deny herself her favorite food and go hungry. Overweight models are rarely in a bad mood and are happy with their weight, despite the dissatisfied glances of the skinny women around them.
The demand for models with plus-size body parameters is growing with each new season. The appearance of curvy women on the catwalk is always supported by ordinary customers of branded clothing. The popularity of fashion models with non-standard shapes is increasing not only in the modeling business, but also in commercials.
The emergence of the term plus size
Democratic and freedom-loving Americans contributed to the emergence of the term “plus size”. Residents were so accustomed to going to court for any reason that any fashion designer could not advertise for an overweight woman to work with. Girls would easily consider such a name humiliating. To avoid misunderstandings, a special term plus size was introduced, which translated means “one size larger,” or literally “plus size.”
Subsequently, this form of address was formalized after the approval of the American clothing size grid. The National Institute of Standards and Technology developed a sizing chart that took into account both standard and more unusual body measurements. Following consumer demand, fashion designers in the late 70s of the 20th century released fashion models with shapes unusual for the fashion world on the catwalks.
Category "plus": parameters
To become a model, you don't have to have perfect shape. Plus size is highly valued by many brands, but there are certain requirements for girls.
In society, the truth told by Kate Moss that there is nothing more delicious than being thin has long been outdated. Unhealthy thinness is being replaced by healthy bodies, but for professional work it is important to have a well-groomed appearance and elastic skin.
The classic parameters of a “plus size” model start from 96-76-106 cm. Height is also important, it is advisable to be taller than 175 cm. The standard size range of clothing for such women is: 48 and 50 (Russian).
Luxurious Russian models
The most famous and successful Russian plus size model is Ekaterina Zharova. Despite the fact that she wears size 52 clothes and has a hip circumference of 112 cm, according to American standards a little short of normal plus.
Since childhood, Ekaterina has not been skinny, but she always dreamed of being on the podium. Her mantra became the words from the film of the same name, “the most charming and attractive,” which she often watched with her mother.
E. Zharova is not only successful as a fashion model, but also has a wonderful family. To keep her skin toned, she regularly plays sports and enjoys yoga. Her motto says that a person’s happiness does not depend on weight, and one must live now, regardless of what parameters are available at the moment.
St. Petersburg model Yulia Lavrova is in great demand at fashion shows. She was always plus size, and all attempts to lose weight were without much success. Now the girl weighs 86 kg, which is considered ideal for working in the fashion world in this sector, but previously her weight exceeded 100 kg.
To maintain her body shape and flexibility, the model goes to the gym twice a week and attends swimming classes, but she no longer sets goals to lose weight. She is quite happy with the current one appearance, and success in your career and fame make you feel happy.
Many connoisseurs of true Russian beauty compare Yulia with Kim Kardashian, but Lavrova herself does not recognize any standards and does not strive to be like anyone. Lavrova got into the crazy world of fashion shows with the help of friends. After several home shoots, her photos were seen by agency employees who were looking for new images.
Now the girl has contracts with famous brands that specialize in clothing for plus size girls: Natura, Infinity. IN personal life everything is also smooth, there is loving husband and son. Julia proves with her life that plus-size girls are in demand not only among men, but also in the fashion business.
World-class Plus Size
Tara Lynn is one of the bright curvy models. With a height of 170 cm, she has majestic parameters of 110-86-120 cm. At first, the girl tried herself as an actress, but since 2010 such famous modeling agencies as ELLE and Vogue have been working with her.
At first, the girl, like many, was very worried about her body. But then she realized that she did not need to chase illusory standards, and her forms excite many. Tara came to the world of fashion quite late by the standards of world catwalks; she was already 28 years old when she decided to show her plus-size size without Photoshop. The success has so stunned even the model herself that she is now completely relaxed and proud that she does not have to torture her body with exhausting diets and back-breaking workouts.
The largest model in the world
One of the most controversial plus size models is Tess Holliday. Today she is considered the biggest girl in the field of fashion. Moreover, photographers and designers are not stopped even by the young lady’s height of 165 cm. Holliday’s measurements are 124-124-132 cm, and Vogue, a well-known company in the fashion world, signed a contract with her.
The path to a dazzling career was not easy enough. Like many plump young ladies, Tess constantly endured ridicule from her peers. And when she said that she was dreaming of catwalks and filming, she was simply laughed at. However, the girl herself was never embarrassed by her own appearance; she was completely liberated in this regard. Therefore, while some were trying to lose weight and gain confidence, Holliday, without any embarrassment, began to appear half-naked.
Well-known brands working with the Plus Size category
Today, many women have non-standard sizes and are quite curvy. Therefore, designers strive to meet existing demand and produce clothing lines in appropriate sizes.
Plus size clothing is produced by many famous fashion houses. The most popular of them:
- French company Tailissime;
- German brand Mia Moda;
- American brand Igigi.
The collections created by the designers take into account all the features of a curvy figure and satisfy the needs of women with voluminous figures. Therefore, customers have a real opportunity to choose a beautiful thing, and not be content with robes with shapeless silhouettes.
For many overweight women shopping turns into a dull task, ending with the purchase of the first thing you come across. To make a young lady feel beautiful in her body, plus-size models are advertised by fashion brands that work in this category.
You have to spend a lot of time choosing clothes and choosing the right size. There are a huge number of them, and in each country they have their own special designations.
Letter sizes
Upon closer examination, you will find that Men's and women's sizes are different. Letter designations can be found on clothing quite often, so you should know how these letters are deciphered and what sizes they correspond to.
Men's sizes (in Russia)
| XS | 44 |
| S | 46 |
| M | 48 |
| L | 50 |
| XL | 52 |
| XXL | 54-56 |
| XXXL | 58-60 |
Women's sizes (in Russia)
| XS | 42 |
| S | 44 |
| M | 46 |
| L | 48 |
| XL | 50 |
| XXL | 52 |
| XXXL | 54 |
| BXL | 56 |
| BXXL | 58 |
| BXXXL | 60 |
Sizes vary in all countries. That is why, when doing so, special attention should be paid to exactly which country size is indicated on the label.
A positive fact can be considered that with the advent of such models, the a variety of beautiful and fashionable plus size clothing. Now, when you come to the store, you can see not “hoodies” for fat girls, but quite pretty ones, and even very cute ones. Moreover, considering that in Russia these sizes are in incredible demand.
Both girls and men are now in demand. Therefore, you should not be afraid of your excess weight. If a person is beautiful, takes care of himself and can present himself, then he will be accepted, regardless of his weight. You need to love yourself as you are and be able to use what Mother Nature has given. And curvaceous forms have been popular since ancient times, because if you look at many classical paintings, then the woman in the body always stood in a high place.
The 90-60-90 standards imposed by fashion are gradually becoming a thing of the past. This is proven by the increasingly popular plus size models. They are a huge success in the modern fashion industry and successfully debunk the myth about the attractiveness of thin girls.
Plus-size models in the photo demonstrate self-confidence and inner harmony, which allows women of non-standard build to feel beautiful and attractive.
Tara Lynn (36 years old)
The most prominent representative of plus size models, perhaps, can be called Tara Lynn Wilson (parameters 110-86-120, height 170 cm, weight 80 kg). She began her career as an actress, but for several years now, since 2010, the girl has been photographed for publications such as ELLE, V Magazine, and Vogue. Tara began showing off her curvy figure when she was 28 years old. She admits that she used to be very embarrassed about her weight, but then she accepted and fell in love with her body, realizing that she did not need to adjust it to imposed standards.
Robin Lawley (30 years old)
Perhaps the most outspoken plus-size model can be called Robin Lawley. Her body measurements are 99-78-104, height 188 cm, weight 81 kg. Thanks to her size 58, the model has appeared in many magazines in an explicit manner. She is not shy about her forms, but on the contrary, she demonstrates them in every possible way. Robin became the first plus size model to be photographed in Vogue magazine.
Crystal Renn (33 years old)
A difficult path from an anorexic to one of the most popular models plus size had to be done by Crystal Ren. Her parameters today are 95-75-105, height 175 cm, weight 81 kg. In the past, she was one of the typical skinny models who drove her body to anorexia, after which she decided to become a full-length model. In 2009, Crystal released the book Hungry, in which she describes her story and reflects on the imposed modern society beauty standards.
Whitney Thompson (31 years old)
The winner of season 10 of America's Next Top Model was Whitney Thompson (measurements 92-81-109, weight 80 kg, height 175 cm). Thanks to this program, the plump model became widely known and starred in a photo shoot for the Panache company. This company creates underwear from sizes D to J. Previously, Whitney was a thin girl, but then she decided to radically change her appearance and succeed among plus-size models, which she managed to do.
Joanna Dray (40 years old)
No less popular among plus size models is Joanna Drey (96-76-106, weight 88 kg, height 180 cm), whom Carine Roitfeld compared with Ava Gardner and Maria Callas. Joana is the first plus-size European model, famous for her curvaceous figures all over the world. Joanna's aristocratic appearance was liked by the most famous European photographers in the world.
Kate Dillon (45 years old)
In the past, Kate Dillon was an ordinary model, but she became ill with anorexia, after which she gained weight up to 70 kilograms. Today her weight is 81 kg with a height of 180 cm. Body measurements are 102-81-104. Kate never managed to get rid of the extra pounds, so she decided to try herself as a plus-size model. And I must say, it was very successful. Behind a short time she has carved out a stunning career for herself.
Marquita Pring (29 years old)
If anyone is embarrassed about their curvy figure, it’s definitely not Markita Pring (104-89-117, height 178 cm, weight 81 kg). She loves it very much when people call her chubby, and she is glad that she has just such a figure. A photo shoot in the magazine “V - Curves Ahead” brought the model great fame, thanks to which she signed several lucrative contracts.
Candice Huffine (34 years old)
In 2000, V Magazine published photographs of curvy models, among which was a photo of Candice Haffey (measurements 97-84-111, height 181 cm, weight 80 kg). After the publication of this photo, the model was invited to Vogue. It was at that time that size 48 girls appeared on the covers of this magazine for the first time. Candice prefers to be photographed either nude or in lingerie so that she can show off all her charms.
Jenny Rank (30 years old)
The famous brand “H&M” began to fight against thin models with the help of the no less famous Jenny Rank (90-84-114, height 175 cm, weight 80 kg). A curvy model advertises swimsuits for curvy ladies.
Iskra Lawrence (28 years old)
British model Iskra is one of the most popular girls in the plus size category today. Lawrence has been working in the modeling business since he was 18 years old. She is very pleased with the shapes that nature has given her and considers her body beautiful without any Photoshop. Therefore, she does not hesitate to post photos on Instagram, where she has more than 2 million subscribers.
Tess Holliday (34 years old)
Tess Holliday holds the title of world's largest plus size model. With a height of about 165 cm, her weight is 155 kg. Body measurements: 124-124-132. Tess signed a contract with Vogue for a long-term collaboration. IN adolescence Tess was mocked and ridiculed by her classmates, although the girl herself was completely satisfied with her body. Even then, she dreamed of modeling, but the road there was not easy for her. And while women with much smaller parameters than Tess are trying to lose weight and hide extra pounds under clothes, the most complete model in the world does not hesitate to pose half-naked in front of the cameras and is rapidly building her career. Today Tess is one of the most successful plus size models.
Among Russian plus-size models there are also many popular ones.
Lyudmila Logunova (35 years old)
The girl never had any complexes about her non-standard figure (108-96-108, height 175 cm, weight 89 kg). Therefore, when she was offered to try herself as plus models size, she didn't refuse. Blue-eyed, fair-haired Russian beauty proudly works in her chosen profession.
Yulia Lavrova (32 years old)
Yulia, who dreamed of becoming a model since childhood, is called the Russian Kim Kardashian. Her body measurements: 105-80-116, height 170 cm, weight 85 kg. Today she is one of the most popular plus size models in Russia.
Ekaterina Zharkova (37 years old)
Katya has been working in a modeling agency since she was 14 years old. She likes her appearance (105-84-115 with a height of 178 cm and weight 84 kg), and she believes that there is no point in focusing on the folds at the waist. All that is necessary for happiness is to enjoy every day you live.
Beauty industry and plus-size models (video)
Tess Holliday
150 kg
Tess is now 33 years old. Not so long ago she was an ordinary housewife, and now she is the most talked about model in the world. She weighs 150 kg, but it was in this shape that she was finally able to love herself and accept her body. Tess inspires thousands of women with her example and often shares candid photos on social networks. Recently, the model starred for the cover of the British edition of Cosmopolitan magazine and gave a long interview, talking about psychological problems, as well as the fact that she was raped. She has been happily married to Australian artist Nick Halliday for three years and has two children. According to Tess, her husband was the first man with whom she did not hesitate to sleep naked.
Ashley Graham
91 kg
Ashley is considered a style icon and one of the most popular and sought-after models in the world. She was invited to appear in magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar and Glamor. She calls on all women to stop hiding their sweet spots and believes that the world has long been ready for more appetizing forms. The model has launched 16 lingerie collections, has appeared in bikini advertisements more than once, and is the host of the Miss Universe beauty contest. Ashley has been married since 2011 and her husband, Justin Irwin, is a cameraman and videographer.
Jessica Vander Leahy
90 kg
The Australian model is the founder of WomanKIND, a web project that talks about how to start loving your body. The model believes that every woman deserves to look and feel attractive, and the fashion industry needs to be more tactful when setting beauty standards.
“We want to be sexy too. We want to do everything our skinny colleagues do. We don't like being teddy chickens."
Louis O'Reilly
86 kg
The professional model works with eight modeling agencies in different parts of the world, collaborates with global clothing and cosmetics brands, and runs a fashion blog, Style Me Curvy, in which she talks about her life. “When I was a teenager, I was much bigger than I am now, and I had nothing to wear. The fashion industry is very different now than it used to be, and when I was younger I had to wear suit pants and baggy clothes, not what my friends wore. It was terrible,” Louis said in an interview.
Kate Dillon
81 kg
Nature rewarded Kate with curvaceous figures, which the model tried to fight all her life with the help of grueling diets and smoking. The result was anorexia, and then long-term treatment. After a course of therapy, Kate stopped mocking her body and decided to try herself as a plus size model. Now she collaborates with fashion brands for plus-size women and has starred for Vogue and Gucci.
Whitney Thompson
85 kg
As a teenager, Whitney was thin and worked as a fashion model. Then the girl recovered, but was not afraid to take part in the “America’s Next Top Model” project. And most importantly, she became the first plus-size girl to win a popular TV show. And she proved that you don’t have to be thin to have a brilliant career as a model. Whitney has starred in many glossy publications and advertising campaigns, worked with famous brands, and, in addition, is a member of the National Association for Eating Disorders.
Felicity Hayward
The 29-year-old British woman became a model by chance. She danced in a youth club, where a modeling agent noticed her and invited her to shoot. Now she is a successful plus size model, photographed for such magazines as Vogue, Glamour, i-D and Numero and is one of the favorite plus-size models of the Asos brand. Not long ago, netizens criticized Felicity’s revealing photos: “You’re not just fat, you’re fat.” To which the model responded with dignity: “Yes, like my bank account.”
Evgenia Podberezkina
In the past, Evgenia was a world champion in synchronized swimming, and after finishing her sports career she began to gain weight, began to have severe complexes and was very worried. And then I decided to try myself as a plus size model. In 2016, Evgenia posed for Maxim magazine, becoming the first Russian plus size model, featured on the cover of men's glossy magazine.
Over time, working as a model not only opened my eyes to myself. I look at fat people differently, I see their beauty. Now I am more impressed by fat people than by ordinary matches on Louboutins. "The Diary of a Fat Lady"
Maria Pavlyuk
86 kg
Before becoming a mother, Maria worked as a fine arts teacher, and after maternity leave she decided to try herself as a plus size model. She became the winner of the “Model XL” project on the “1+1” channel, and a little later graced the cover of the Ukrainian edition of “Cosmopolitan”.
Maria Mayevskaya
80 kg
It is one of the most popular models in Russia.
Sometimes any girl should stand naked in front of a mirror and, after examining herself, accept her body as it is.