Posted on 08/30/2009 3:08:07 AM PDT by Scanian
When she was 16, Crystal Renn signed a $250,000 modeling contract and moved to the city. But after starving herself for years to stay at 95 pounds, she gave it all up to become a plus-size model -- and finally, at size 12, achieved major success. With her memoir, "Hungry," due out Sept. 8, Renn tells her story to The Post.
Nine years ago, when I was 14 years old, a modeling scout spotted me at an etiquette class in my hometown of Clinton, Miss., and pulled me aside to show me a photo of supermodel Gisele in a clingy white gown. "This could be you," he said.
There was just one problem. I was 5-foot-8 and 165 pounds. The scout told me that if I lost 8 inches off my 43-inch hips, he could make me a famous model in New York City.
Until I met the scout, I never paid attention to what I ate. If I wanted a cupcake, I ate two. After the scout put dreams of stardom in my head, weight loss became my job.
By the end of ninth grade, I was eating only veggies or plain chicken. Combined with two-hour workouts every day, I quickly dropped to 120 pounds.
By 2002, I was too thin for a size zero. I called the modeling scout. "Come now," I told him.
The minute he saw me, he said, "You're going to New York!"
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
No guy should have trouble saying which one he prefers...
It’s astounding that a size 12 is a “plus-size model.” She looks magnificent.
Good job Crystal!
I don’t get it. She doesn’t look any different than any actress you might see for most of film history.
Agreed, on both counts. The “after” version of her is what we would have once called “normal”.
I think the pose and hairstyle were suggested by a Jane Russell photo.
Somewhat off-topic, sizes don’t mean much. I was looking through skirt patterns in my “get to it someday ...” box, and found one from the 1970s. (An older person gave it to me.) It said that to wear a size 10 in that pattern, I should have a 25” waist. I guess I can measure my 11-year-old and see if she can use it, because I doubt I’ll ever have a 25” waist again, after 9 kids, no matter what I weigh!
9 kids! Wow, Tax-chick, just wow!
I think you’re right. Jane Russell, Sophia Loren, and Briggite Bardot, in there respective decades, were all probably more known for their looks, than their acting. But, to me, they don’t seem any thinner than this woman. We are so far out-of-whack today from the 40s, 50s, 60s?
No doubt sizes have changed. There were no zeros back then, so when my jeans say size three i automatically assume its a least really a size 5. You are right about the old patterns but maybe that was a misses size. I used to wear a 4 in misses, but since they have changed the sizes, who knows?
Good point! Back in the day when one could assume "misses" hadn't had a lot of children ;-).
In the before picture, she kind of reminds me of Ali McGraw.
And looking like that I bet her husband is working on a plan for double figures
And, if a guy prefers the before picture than what?
Before is concentration camp. After is fantastic. However, she is no real-world “plus size” in the after pic. Not even close.
Oops. ...sorry, I thought the model had 9 children.. My bad!!!!!!
(heh)
Oh, I see. Preferring thin women is somehow wrong and should be denigrated. Gotcha!
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