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Beauty standards: The importance of talking about midsize women

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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

Throughout history, the acceptance of women and their bodies has undergone various transformations. As women, we have grown up seeing the media glorify and applaud thin women, whose physiques are considered “model bodies”. Time has passed, and with it, some sociocultural changes have occurred, leading us to discuss the extremes of acceptance: extreme thinness and many curves. In a way, our society’s mindset embraced this discussion, and fashion also made concessions in some areas.

In the last century, when fashion reinvented itself after years of following a trend of tailor-made clothing, with the advent of ready-to-wear (prêt-à-porter) in the mid-20th century, post-World War II, they used only a few women who were considered the standard for sizing. Despite being useful for tailors, this approach had an impact on all women to this day.

With all the revolutions in the fashion world, sizing charts began to be more flexible and included larger sizes, addressing the extremes. However, some women did not find themselves at either and felt lost in the midst of this confusion, waiting to be acknowledged at some point.

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The term “midsize” emerged in 2016, introduced by the North American comedian Amy Schumer. She declared that she didn’t feel represented by either plus size or “conventional” sizes. The actress referred to her body as midsize. According to Schumer, her statement was not meant to “define or create yet another category in which women should fit”. For the comedian, it was exactly the opposite: “having a place to feel represented”. This stance and perspective gained popularity and reached its peak in Brazil in 2020. 

Today, it’s discussed by many women, especially figures like Nanna Fernandes, an influencer who encourages girls to be free and accept themselves as midsize, and Andressa de Almeida, a midsize model, influencer, and videocaster.

In an interview for Gshow, Fernandes asserts: “For me, being midsize goes far beyond a term used in the fashion world. It’s much more than a clothing size. Being midsize is about understanding and embracing my body”. Almeida also commented, in the same interview, explaining that “Focusing on extremes is harmful when it comes to bodies. There are bodies in between, and when this isn’t recognized, it creates confusion and a sense of isolation”.

All measurements need to be accepted and embraced. We are all models of courage and beauty, and we have a place of representation in society. From the smallest size to the medium and larger ones, we are beautiful for who we are and for our shapes. Our minds need to be open to new sizes, to embrace not only our bodies but also other women who don’t feel accepted by the “standards.” 

Whether you’re size, midsize, or plus size, you are perfect and amazing. French writer Anne Lambert once stated: “A woman’s beauty should be evaluated not by the proportions of her body, but by the effect these proportions produce”.

The article above was edited by Camila Lutfi.

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Letícia Cubas

Casper Libero '26

A journalist passionate about writing a little bit of everything. Getting to know new places and having more experiences is my main goal!