Plus Size Model Kate Dillon Speaks Out

[TheQueen]

Model Kate Dillon speaks out—about being too skinny, too plus-size, and what's up with the Crystal controversy

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2008/03_03/KateDILLON_468x583.jpg

On a 103-degree morning, Kate Dillon breezes into a New York coffee house and plunks down on a torn couch with one thing on her mind: food. There's nothing about her—the generic jeans, flats, boho blouse, E-Z Pass ponytail—that reads fashion model.

Don't get me wrong. Dillon, at 36, is a slow-mo knockout. Her skin is so luxurious, just gazing at it feels like receiving a spa treatment. And that bewitching, asymmetric smile—shot through with intelligence—has taken her from rubbing hipbones down the runway with Kate Moss, to being the first plus-size siren to ever grace the pages of Vogue (check out her most recent spread. It’s smoking.)

"The spinach and salmon frittata, please, with a decaf soy-milk latte."

Four months pregnant, Dillon can't order fast enough. Pre-preggo, she says, "I only watched calories when I was training for a triathlon or running race. If I don't, I'll eat way too much." She laughs. "In general, though, I give in to temptation—pizza, French fries, dessert—a few times a week, and basically follow a high fruit and vegetable, mostly whole-grain diet."

Of course, I want to talk about her weight—especially in light of the recent blogoversy over fellow model Crystal Renn's plus-size shrinkage. But I'll say up front: That's the least interesting thing about Dillon. For starters, she holds a master's degree in international development from the Harvard's Kennedy School. She has created a nonprofit to educate Rwandan girls (the Komera Project) and gotten a lot of ink on her environmental activism (and I'm not talking about the five tattoos hidden under her clothes.)

But Dillon has also done more than almost anyone to speak out about body image—and is passionate about sharing her story to help others. So, although, I'm torn about the weight thing, let's agree to use her figure, and figures, to get a healthier grip on our own.

http://a323.yahoofs.com/phugc/EkvEM5czykmu/photos/a62b47a490481d535cd9c98f9820de2f/mr_7e0dcc71dfa3ee.jpg?ug_____DaCGmh9CJ

Continue Reading (http://shine.yahoo.com/event/bikini/model-kate-dillon-speaks-out-about-being-too-skinny-too-plus-size-and-whats-up-with-the-crystal-controversy-2015056/;_ylt=AjkT8hd4G5XQiIWicEnZ7pRrbqU5)

[tigsmom]

Size 8 or 10 is NOT Plus size! :mad

[figmentmom]

That woman is NOT a plus-size. :rollseyes

[erika]

Size 8 or 10 is NOT Plus size! :mad

No joke! I'm wearing size 8 camp shorts right now. I've never been called "plus" anything in my life :rotfl

She is beautiful, is what she is. I could give a flying crap how much she weighs. People need to calm down.

[tigsmom]

No joke! I'm wearing size 8 camp shorts right now. I've never been called "plus" anything in my life :rotfl

She is beautiful, is what she is. I could give a flying crap how much she weighs. People need to calm down.


I agree! No matter what size she is (or how much she weighs) she is a beautiful successful woman :king

[figmentmom]

I agree! No matter what size she is (or how much she weighs) she is a beautiful successful woman :king

Yes, she is. And even she readily admits she's still obsessed with her image and body size. Part and parcel of being female?

[erika]

Yes, she is. And even she readily admits she's still obsessed with her image and body size. Part and parcel of being female?

Sadly :(

[Christy]

Yeah, I thought plus started at 12? :dunno

[tigsmom]

Yeah, I thought plus started at 12? :dunno


Maybe in the modeling world, but in the real world it starts at 16.

[Christy]

:lol Yes, I meant modeling :lol

I think 12 is the average size of an American woman, last I heard.

[tigsmom]

:lol Yes, I meant modeling :lol

I think 12 is the average size of an American woman, last I heard.


I heard that as well. Most people think Marilyn Monroe was a beautiful woman and she was a size 14.

[figmentmom]

Maybe in the modeling world, but in the real world it starts at 16.

EXACTLY what I was going to say.

[Doug11]

That's the difference between acting and modeling. When Emily went to the talent expo in Orlando a few years back, she was offered acting in New York, but was too large and too short for modeling. :shrug

Personally, I'm glad she moved off of all that on her own because I was never a fan. Such an unhealthy lifestyle.

[figmentmom]

That's the difference between acting and modeling. When Emily went to the talent expo in Orlando a few years back, she was offered acting in New York, but was too large and too short for modeling. :shrug

Personally, I'm glad she moved off of all that on her own because I was never a fan. Such an unhealthy lifestyle.

Emily, too LARGE? :rotfl What a world. Glad she steered clear. :thumbs

[Christy]

That's the difference between acting and modeling. When Emily went to the talent expo in Orlando a few years back, she was offered acting in New York, but was too large and too short for modeling. :shrug

Personally, I'm glad she moved off of all that on her own because I was never a fan. Such an unhealthy lifestyle.

Even actresses seem to fall prey to the "no such thing as too thin" mentality.

Or maybe it's all the cocaine :dunno

[Regina]

Maybe in the modeling world, but in the real world it starts at 16.

Yes!! I'm just under that!! :D

Sorry :lookaroun

[TheQueen]

I have a friend whose daughter modeled for a bit and she was actually told she was TOO THIN. That threw me for a loop.

[Regina]

I have a friend whose daughter modeled for a bit and she was actually told she was TOO THIN. That threw me for a loop.

That's been an issue on Tyra's "Top Model." She always has a problem with the girls who are naturally too thin because she never wants to give out the wrong message to girls and then there have been those that really have an eating disorder.

[figmentmom]

Even actresses seem to fall prey to the "no such thing as too thin" mentality.

Or maybe it's all the cocaine :dunno

Lots of them seem to start their careers as healthy, beautiful young women - and then gradually turn into scarecrows.

[TheQueen]

Here are a few before photos of plus size model Crystal Renn. I say before because she's apparently lost a little weight. She's the model mentioned in the article I originally posted above.

BEFORE

http://thetrendsetter.files.wordpress.com/2007/05/crystal26.jpg
http://miaamber.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/crystal-renn-runway.jpg

After

http://fordmodelsblog.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/nicholasroutzen_crystalrenn.jpg?w=510&h=451

And an article on the controversy.


Plus-size model Crystal Renn appears to have dropped a couple of sizes and her fans are crying foul.

Why, they want to know, is the woman who has become the face and body of the average size woman shrinking?

Her Ford Models agent Gary Dakin has a perfectly good explanation: "She is not trying to lose weight at all," he told People magazine in May. "She fluctuates between a 10 and a 14."

"She went hiking in Patagonia for three weeks over the holidays and she firmed up and got a little smaller," he explained. "She has also been traveling like crazy and tends to be smaller when that happens."

Dakin was unavailable for an interview with ABCNews.com.

Pioneering plus-size supermodel Emme finds Dakin's explanation plausible. "She is an active girl and when she's not, the weight will come back on. Naturally," she told ABCNews.com. "If she goes to either extreme, then there is room for concern."

CONTINUE READING (http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/crystal-renn-size-model-shrinking-weight/story?id=11108241)

[figmentmom]

Here are a few before photos of plus size model Crystal Renn. I say before because she's apparently lost a little weight. She's the model mentioned in the article I originally posted above.

A LITTLE weight?!? :faint Sorry, she's doing that shrinking thing. And the eye makeup deliberately emphasizes it, so I'd guess it's no accident.

[tigsmom]

That explanation is a load of crap! Losing a little weight from hiking and toning up would not change her appearance that drastically; Emme should know better, she doesn't even look like the same person

[figmentmom]

That explanation is a load of crap! Losing a little weight from hiking and toning up would not change her appearance that drastically; Emme should know better, she doesn't even look like the same person

I completely agree.

[Regina]

That explanation is a load of crap! Losing a little weight from hiking and toning up would not change her appearance that drastically; Emme should know better, she doesn't even look like the same person

I wish that's all it took! :lol

[Garyhoov]

I don't know if it's the make-up, but she just looks healthier and better in the before shots to me:shrug. I can't imagine she'd actually get any modeling work in the after shots. So I'd say if she wants to continue to model, she should get her weight up (and that's the thing with modeling, we spend a lot of time debating the images that companies project with their choice of models, but the bottom line is that if someone wants to become a model, they have to dance to the tune the model agencies are playing).

Even if the typical model had a very healthy body, it wouldn't be something normal people would want to do because it would still be a very superficial, empty "career" no matter what body size/shape was being dictated.

[Christy]

As I understand it, modeling has little to do with the girl, it's that the clothes hang better on a skeleton (think how much better they generally look hanging on a hanger as opposed to say, my body, a lot of times :rotfl :lookaroun )

You're right Gary, and I guess that's why they all try to start their own businesses eventually down the road. I would have to think that "model" isn't the end goal for most people who start in that business. But the crazy money they throw at them :faint I know for Eva, who is 20 months, we got a casting call sent to us (which I didn't go to, 2 hour drive, are you kidding? :lookaroun ) they said it would pay $150 an hour. For babies. :blink

[TheQueen]

Well, it turns out that the photo of Crystal Renn may have been retouched. She was on the Today show talking about it.

http://tv.yahoo.com/daytime/video/the-today-show-the-view-good-day-la/20668851/

[pinkrose]

Well, it turns out that the photo of Crystal Renn may have been retouched. She was on the Today show talking about it.

http://tv.yahoo.com/daytime/video/the-today-show-the-view-good-day-la/20668851/

I saw that this morning. She didn't look nearly as thin as the touched up pics, either. She looked great on the show.