Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Luxe Models on the Controversial Thigh Gap Trend

The thigh gap has, over the years, become an internet phenomenon. Hundreds, thousands of dedicated thigh gap supporters have saturated sites like Facebook, Tumblr and Pinterest with photographs, blogs and memes of thigh gaps. For anyone who doesn’t have a clue what we mean by “thigh gap”: it’s a hollow cavity at the top of the inner thighs when you stand with your feet together. Largely it indicates a drastically underweight frame and there’s many a website offering girls “tips” on how to starve themselves to achieve these cavernous spaces betwixt their legs. At Luxe Models we’re all about maintaining fit, healthy bodies and think it’s about time this dangerous trend comes to an end.

For young girls, the internet is a pressure-filled hive swimming with pictures of “how they should look”. Plus-sized model Robyn Lawley of Australia has spoken out this week about her fears for teens that may end up starving themselves to achieve legs so thin they don’t touch at the top. She is hugely disturbed by websites that promote the thigh gap as “thinspiration” to encourage visitors to reduce their calorie intake in order to slim down to this unrealistic size.

24-year-old Robyn is a size 12 and has worked for Vogue and Elle France amongst others, and is the first plus-sized model to be shot in a Ralph Lauren campaign. She says this is a very worrying image for teens to be exposed to and was alarmed when an image of her posing in lingerie was used on a pro-thigh gap Facebook page. The photograph, in which Robyn leans forward slightly, creating a natural parting at the top of her legs, garnered 900 comments and many of them were far from positive.

In an article written for the Daily Beast, Robyn says that she was described as “too hefty” to be featured on the site, and notes that the word “pig” was bandied about far too often in reference to her gorgeous figure. She also says that far from aiming to achieve a thigh gap, she’s been working hard to make her thighs bigger and stronger so that she can enjoy longer workouts.

She feels that true acceptance comes from within rather than comments on a Facebook feed or a ridiculous website where eating disorders are openly encouraged. Women and especially young girls have enough pressure laid on them without having to feel like they’re not beautiful because they don’t have a large wedge of air where the flesh of their legs should be.

And Robyn has seen it from both sides. She began her career as a standard-sized model but felt it wasn’t worth the effort of trying to maintain a size 8. From the looks of her Tumblr page, Robyn is a passionate foodie who certainly wouldn’t dream of starving her body of vital nutrients. We reckon she’s absolutely gorgeous and a real inspiration for any aspiring models. But that’s not to say that naturally slim women ought to feel bad about their shapes either!


If you’re hoping to enter the world of modelling, it’s very important to understand the value of loving yourself through and through and being very confident about your body image. At Luxe Models we can offer advice and tell you which area of modelling you’re best suited to. Check out our website for more details!