Why You Should Stop Whining About the Victoria’s Secret Angels
If you’re anything like me, you look forward to watching the Victoria’s Secret fashion show each year (hint- it’s on tonight!) It’s a fun-filled hour of hot models, fun fashion and sometimes good music. The ratings are high each year, so it’s obvious that lots of people watch it. But it seems that each and every year, my news feed and reader are filled with tweets, statuses and blog posts of people bitching about the show. So I’m here today to voice MY opinion on the show, the models and the industry itself.
When it comes to the type of people who watch this show, there are four main groups.
- Males who watch the show to see hot models in lingerie. Obviously.
- Women who hate-watch it and sneer and snicker at the women’s perfect bodies, complaining that “Real men like women who aren’t a size 0”. Sidenote: I’m a size 0 and you saying something like that is just as bad as calling someone overweight.
- The women who watch it and take the opportunity to trash on their own bodies and compare themselves to the models. Their Twitter statuses read something like “Why can’t I look like Adriana Lima? FML”.
- The women who watch for the fashion and have girl crushes on the angels. They don’t body snark on the models or on their own bodies because they understand that they are models.
My problem lies with the shaming of the models and the shaming of regular women’s bodies in comparison. Let’s look at each issue below.
These models look that great because they work for it
Although many of them were born with beautiful faces and the perfect hip-to-waist ratio, let’s not pretend that they don’t work hard for it. They are in the gym for hours a day with their trainers, they eat healthily and they work hard to maintain their image as a VS Angel. This includes appearances, talk shows, photoshoots, etc. I imagine this isn’t an easy life or job, so let’s give them the credit they deserve.
They’re good at what they do
You are probably great at many things- maybe you’re a kick-ass writer, the best wife in the world or have an awesome singing voice. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. These models have plenty of things they probably aren’t good at that you are, so don’t compare yourself to them. No one is perfect, including Candice Swanepoel (although she’s pretty close!) This is their strength, so take time to focus on yours.
There’s no reason to hate these women because they are pretty and have good bodies
Your own insecurity doesn’t give you the right to bash them for being thin or to call them “slutty” for wearing what is essentially swimwear. I don’t enjoy it when people write that the show and the company are hurtful for overweight women. These articles usually trash the “size 0” women around the world and automatically assume that they are all anorexic or unhealthy. Shaming thin people- whether they are a model or just an average college student- isn’t nice, and it’s not the right way to deal with whatever inner body issue you have.
Stop the self-deprecating comments
I am a self-deprecating person from time-to-time (it’s part of my humor and charm, of course!), but at a certain point it gets annoying. NO ONE is asking you to compete with these models. Why not take their healthy bodies as inspiration to start working out? Why not look at their confidence as the push to start being comfortable wearing your own bathing suit at the beach? Instead of getting down on yourself because you don’t look like them, be realistic about the entire concept. I guarantee you no guy is going to want to date you when he sees your endless Facebook statuses about how you’re not a Victoria’s Secret model. Trust me, he already knows this and doesn’t expect you to be one of them. Confidence is attractive, just ask Alessandra Ambrosio.
What are your thoughts on the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or the Angels/models themselves?
If i’m home when it’s I’m usually glued to the TV, how was having that same convo with my sister last night. When a woman decide to dislike or bash another woman it’s mostly because of their own insecurities, please I love Adrianna, Noemi Lenoir, Cara Delevigne and Doutzen these girls are awesome and gorgeous!
love this post! i’m a size 0 too and totally know what you mean about it being as bad as calling someone overweight! So, tonight, I will cheer on my girl-crushes as they rock the runway!
I have a work party tonight but you can bet I already have this dvr’ed for when I get back. I always love watching the show, but definitely notice an increase of girls at the gym the next few days/weeks. Total girl crushes on the models. They’re all gorgeous!
I agree with everything, SERIOUSLY! I always watch and cheer on powerful women 🙂 And yes, I find it annoying when a million statuses pop up like OMG I NEED TO GO WORK OUT RIGHT NOW. I think it is good if it is going to motivate you to be healthy, but comparing is just silly. I know we all do it from time to time, but that’s right, THEY WORK FOR IT and they are good at it. Let’s cheer them on! It is usually a fun show and I totally have a girl crush on Alessandra Ambrosio!
I’m with you as well. I look at these models and am amazed at how beautiful they are. They inspire me to want to continue working out, eating healthy, and being the best version of myself that I can be.
I actually don’t usually watch the show, only because I never know when it’s on! But people who try to compare themselves to models are just being silly and unrealistic. I love seeing a beautiful and fit woman… I think, good for them!
xo, Yi-chia
I started watching this fashion show a few years ago, and I look forward to it now. When choosing to tune in, you already know you’re going to be watching gorgeous women walking around in lingerie. But like you mentioned you shouldn’t compare yourself to them because this is their job! I sit at a desk for 8+ hours a day and have to force myself to work out afterwards. While I’m at my desk, they’re in the gym with their personal trainers. Of course they’re going to look amazing!
Oh my gosh, YES to everything here! It drives me crazy to listen to everyone’s “opinions” on the VS show. These women WORK for what they have. Thank you for writing this!
I love this post! I’m totally a #4 type of viewer. Don’t get me wrong, I would LOVE to look like one of the Angels but I’m not mad at them and don’t see the point in bashing them all over social media because of it. Last year was the first year that I actually sat down and watched it and I was actually surprised that I liked it. In all honesty I spent most of the show trying to figure out how they walked in those heels, with extravagant stuff on their heads/shoulders and didn’t fall over. I’ve got a really big amount of respect for those women. I would totally fall on my face.
I think it’s a fun show- and it’s sad to see so many women putting their own bodies down, or trashing the models. If you don’t want to watch, it’s quite simple: don’t. But I enjoy it- the costumes are so creative and I love to see how they reinvent the show each year. 🙂
I Loved this post! I love how fun the show is, and think all of the VS models are amazing. Even the production and costume aspect of the show alone makes it great!
I would absolutely LOVE to have Candice Swanepoel’s body, but I don’t. However, I’m naturally fairly tall and thin so I already have a lot to be thankful for without either shaming them or myself. I love how crazy fit and healthy (rather than just thin) all of the VS angels are, which I think makes for great body motivation!
And finally, I Hate thin-shaming! It really is just as bad as calling someone overweight. In high school I would get asked if I was anorexic (I did ballet 5-6 days per week & was still super lanky), and it was so offensive, especially as someone who loves living a healthy lifestyle.
i have never watched one of those shows, but like you said, they must be popular!!
Great post! Every year I try to stay away from social media during the show because I get so bothered by all the hate and negativity and self-loathing!
Loved this post! Such a good reminder not to hate, but also not to shame ourselves! Miranda is my girl crush- looove her!
I’m definitely a type 4 viewer! I have girl crushes on every single one of them! I am definitely not a size 0 and I don’t compare myself to them because that is an unrealistic size for me (athletic build) I think they look great but I also don’t think I need to look like them to look great as well!
Great post!!!
I agree with you! I am mainly the girl crush kind because they are beautiful (!) but I admit sometimes I do feel bad about my own body. Your points are so true though, and we need to stop comparing ourselves to others and be happy in our own skin!.Great post!
I don’t really watch the show but I don’t hate it. I’ve had to learn what I can and can’t watch because sometimes I really struggle with body image issues but I realize that NOTHING good comes of watching people and being jealous but not doing anything about it. I am glad that these women have gotten what they have worked HARD for! Those abs aren’t born overnight!
I’m the one who loves those girls, loves their bodies and am totally jealous of them! I don’t blame them or the people that produce the show for my own insecurities though. If I were that perfect I’d be a VS model too.
I don’t watch the VS fashion show, but I definitely don’t hate on those ladies. I’m sure being a model is hard, and I like to wat WAAAAAY too much to eat a models diet, haha.
I LOVE the VS Fashion Show! At the end of the day we all have different body types, and “ideal” body types change decade to decade, so I hate to hear women bashing other women for anything like this. These girls are like you said, 1. Born this way, and 2. Work hard to maintain it. BRAVO I say, they are health motivation to me!
I say I skate between a couple of these groups. 😉 I love the fashion, always have, though sometimes I’m bummed that you can’t find all of the items to purchase and that they’re only for the show! I don’t hate on myself based on these models, but what does bother me is the way a variety of “real women” aren’t represented. I know that skinny girls and size zeros and fit ladies and tiny ladies are all “real women,” but why am I ONLY seeing 5’10” girls who are size zeros? What happened to the Tyra Banks curvy girls representation? I dunno, I’m a 5’2″ curvy girl, which I know isn’t “model size” in any way haha, but I’d love to see those million dollar bras holding up something larger than an A-cup every once in awhile these days. 😉
In my opinion, healthy comes in all shapes and sizes… so as long as you’re healthy (whether you’re a 0 or a 16) then that’s all that matters. I do wish that VS had a wider range of body types but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the girls who ARE featured. I think our society as a whole needs to recognize that beautiful doesn’t have to fit an exact mold.
Thank you for this! I actually love the VS Fashion show. I agree – these ladies work their butts off, and I hate how people hate on them for it!
Amen, lady, amen! I especially like the side note about not putting down the size 0’s just like people shouldn’t put down the size 14’s. So true.
All due respect to you and the ladies of the VS fashion show, but I beg to differ. I think they’re beautiful. They get paid to be beautiful. I am beautiful in my own way. I choose not to watch this show because I know myself and I will compare my body to theirs. I don’t watch in order to protect myself from toxic thoughts about my self esteem. Also, as a married woman, I prefer that I am the only woman that my husband sees in her underwear whenever it is possible. A line of women marching in their underwear just isn’t something we’d welcome in our home, but kudos to them for being able to make money doing something that really isn’t all that difficult since it comes naturally to them.
Also, your blog title would imply that my response above is “whining” and I think that is disrespectful and rude at best.
I think my problem with the show is two-fold. 1. Yes, those models work hard, but they work ALL day EVERYDAY to look like that. And lets be honest, they eat healthy, WHEN they eat. Adriana Lima was quoted once about how she starves herself the week before the show. That makes me sad and goes to my second point/your third point of: 2. After viewing the show, some women beat themselves up because they don’t look like one of those models and never will. I know I don’t look like them and sometimes I wish I did, but then I remember that I’m not built that way. I have a healthy self confidence, but many women don’t and this show can make it worse for some.
One other thing…I feel like the show is more about the music/costumes than it is about the actual lingerie. It makes it more interesting, but I can’t see the actual products!
I applaud you for sharing your opinion because some people (i.e. the commenter below) don’t appreciate that everyone has their own views.