Breasts For the Rest of Us

Everyone has been talking about this hot topic, (and by everyone I mean the New York Times and Style.com) and with good reason. Even more ubiquitous than fur this season was breasts. On models. Can you believe it?

The important Italians, such as Donatella Versace, Miuccia Prada, and their like have all made it clear about their position that clothes hang better on boyish bodies. But to put it boldly, the runways were simply saturated with curvy women this season, especially the Louis Vuitton show.

But Armand Limnander for the New York Times brings up a good point:

Why is it that curvy women in fashion must invariably be stereotyped as pinups? Do you absolutely have to be rail thin to wear a sharp blazer, a pantsuit or a short beaded dress? It’s as if the only alternative for a woman of a certain size was to cinch her waist, put a bow on and exhibit her chest on a ruffled platter.

Despite his insight, I can't help but assume by "women of a certain size" he is referring to women who are not model sized. So even if you're a size four, you're doomed.

The iconic Laetitia Casta in Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton was no exception, and her cups had all but runneth over. This is a step in the right direction toward the promotion of a better body image in the fashion industry. My inner Betty Fridan wants to see real women on the runway, but how likely is it that it will catch on?