I find it... I was going to say 'funny' but maybe 'sad' is more appropriate - that size 8+ is considered "plus size."

Kate Dillon IMO is like top 10 most beautiful women on the planet.

Those women are hardly plus sized. I can't say I'm excited... It's a step forward, but it's still not moving towards being accepting of all women's natural beauty. These models are still extremely gorgeous, and photoshopped to look even more unrealistically beautiful. We need to focus on REAL beauty- not the photoshopped version.

8+ is plus sized? Well, let's see...a size 9 in Hollister jeans is a 30 inch waist. My boyfriend, the skinny mini has a 30 inch waist. I guess he is plus sized too! Wow! Look at how plus, plus sized has become! If you're not a stick, you might as well be a fat ass.

Damn, I shouldn't even bother to lose some weight, since I'll be fat no matter what!

It's good that there are "bigger" women, but honestly, 8 is not big. 9 is not big. 10 is not big. 14 is average!

Now if only they would be brave enough to feature a "plus-size" girl on the cover of a fashion magazine. I agree runningesq - size 8 is hardly plus size.

the women in the first and last photos still look pretty thin to me!

slightly off topic but after working at lane bryant, i cannot stand crystal renn. seeing her in every bit of marketing and advertising with her mouth gaping open, as if she's trying to catch flies, really drove me crazy. close your mouth! you don't look sexy, you look like a fool. she's not a very good model imo. and she's looks much older than 23.
anyway, kudos to glamour i suppose for recognizing that the people that purchase their magazine might enjoy seeing "normal" women in it from time to time. however i don't think it's necessary to see these women in the nude to appreciate their "normalcy". just start incorporating these ladies into every issue in some way and i'd be happy. i'd rather see them in some kind of fashion editorial or something.

A "normal" model is a size 0-2, for clothes that usually run size 2-12

Keeping with that ratio, a "plus size" model is usually about 10-12, for sizes that run 14-22

Models were never meant to reflect reality, they are preternaturally beautiful.

But yeah, if you saw Crystal Renn walking down the street, no one would think she's plus sized

I think what a lot of people forget when they talk about clothing size is that it is relative to height. A 5' person in a size 8 does not look the same as a 5'10" size 8.

I don't agree with size 8 being considered plus sized, but 14 is definitely. It doesn't matter that it's average when like 50% of americans are obese.

I'm 5'11 and a size 10, I will enjoy seeing women my height and my size in the magazine. I think it's a step towards diversifying. Even if it's not the diversity everybody wants, the magazine is still responding to its readers.

Years ago, I met a model who was doing a job at my workplace. She said, "You know, if you gained about 10 pounds, you could be a plus-size model."

I was a size 2 at the time. Sigh.

So yeah, "plus size" in the modeling world is pretty crazy. I do like seeing Glamour do this, though I'm hoping the editors will *continue* to feature women of different sizes, issue after issue.

I think it is a good idea that mainstream fashion magazines feature plus sized models. Hopefully they will also start featuring clothes/fashions/stores that cater to larger sizes as well.
Loulou in Canada does it quite frequently and I don't think that the people who are not plus-sized mind the addition.

Bella that's awful! Some people don't know what they are talking about.

I had that happen to me once. I was told if I lost about 10 pounds I could model and I was barely 95 lbs (I'm 5'6").

Not every woman is size zero or plus size. Some of us are in the middle-I'm a size 8- so I like seeing women that size in magazines. Glamour has actually had a couple curvy models in different issues lately. Crystal Renn did a swimsuit layout this summer which was so great, because I could actually see how the suits would look on my body type! Usually I just flip right past the fashion spreads because, imo, it's useless to look at size 0 women in the new fashions since I get no idea of how the styles would look on me. I wish they'd use average or "plus size" women every issue!

But I agree with ims, these models are still like 6 inches taller than me so weight is distributed differently, but it's still better than seeing clothes on a stick.

Size 8 is healthy, but it's not especially skinny. It's certianly larger than what the normal model is. I have no problem with that being plus size.

Awesome! I'm happy that magazines are slowly putting women who wear sizes higher than a 2 in their magazine. But seriously a size 8 is not plus size.

I've never bought Glamour issue but I will definitely be picking this issue up.

I'm with candace on this - 14 is only average when you compare it to the rest of America, which is in pretty bad shape as a whole.

Apparently I'm doomed to be fat. I'm a size 18-20 now, and the smallest I want to be is 12-14. I'm 5'10" going on 5'11" and the women in my family look thin enough to be models in a size 10, and I don't wanna be that skinny.

I think it's redonkulous how "thin" you have to be to be a model. I saw a photo once, where the model could pretty much wrap her hands all the way around her waist.

I like that this is a step forward. I just hope the fashion industry realizes how much women want to see more normal looking women in their pages, and feature them more consistently. And btw, there is no way an 8 should be considered plus size.

I'm so absolutely sick of this crap. Seriously. No wonder people have eating disorders. (Anorexia, bulimia, but also binging). You're helping NO ONE!

Glamour, do me a favor and get out of here with your "plus size models". Its and absolute joke.

You're not empowering women. When I see things like this it makes me feel bad and guilty for being fat. I'm so sick of it. Let me just be happy with myself.

I'll model for you and give you real plus sized, you big bully.

I don't really get why size 8 is a plus size. I'm not trying to rip on skinny poeple, but I don't agree that it's attractive to be as skinny as most models. I think it makes you look unhealthy and skeleton-like. I just don't know who decided that models should be that size. I guess I think a model should just be a model and they should come in all shapes and sizes like real people do.

I agree with Candace, SpaceKat, and TLSgirl...

Size 14 may be average, but you also need to also realize that most American women are overweight/obese. So is it fair to say that 14 is average to the rest of the world? I wouldn't think so. I thought size 8 was average, for a taller woman. If you're 5'2" and size 8, I would think that's crossing the line as being overweight.

Just my 2 cents for the day!

It's true that sizes can be related to height. A 30 inch waist on someone of average height, 5'4'', looks totally different from someone who has a 30 inch waist and is 5'8''. But, since we are talking about models, and they don't usually take models of average height, 8 is damn skinny and LOOKS damn skinny. Not sickly skinny, but skinny enough!

When Whitney won AMNTM I thought we would strike a blow for reason in this country, but I guess not! 'Plus sized' to most people with a brain is NOT size 8 or 10, and the Couture Fashion people as well as those who support it can start taking some responsibility for the MILLIONS of young anorexic/bulemic/suicidal people that they help create!!! Maybe when a young, talented member of their family dies from Cardiac arrest/wastes away they will get the point!

My daughter is 15 and she is 5'10 and wears a size 14,which is not skinny,but she's not fat either. She wants to be a singer,and is very talented,she watches all these models and singers, and is constantly saying how she hates the way her body looks, and she is a very beautiful girl,so I will be glad to see larger models in magazines, I will definately buy this issue,even though a size 8 is definately not plus sized.

For their height, these women are healthier than their fellow models. I don't believe that the majority of those women are born skinny, they are starving.

Wow! I'm so excited!
Also, after years of trying to be thinner at my height (I'm 6' and weight 170lbs, my thinnest was 140 at this weight because of a stomach problem), I've finally decided to try plus-sized modeling! So it's a very exciting time for someone trying to get into the industry to see this boom!
Yes, it's crazy that women who are sizes 8-14 are considered 'plus-sizes', but it's a step in the right direction. If people can get used to seeing plus-sized models, and realize not all tall girls are born that thin, then hurrah!
I still get a lot of comments from (mean) people saying that I could be a model if I lost weight. &$#@ you! I'm doing it my way!

tlsgirl & ckeller825:
Yes, the majority of America (and pretty much Canada too, although not as bad) is obese, but size 14 doesn't necessarily mean 'obese' or 'overweight'. It's completely important to take into account your height as well. If you're size 14 and 5'4, there may be a chance that you could be overweight. If you're 5'10 and size 14, probably not.
I work at a clothing store, and when women comment on how big they are to not a size 10-12, I try to joke with them that they're too small for me too. Usually, they give me the most perplexed look and think I'm being rude or mean. I'm a plus sized to the industry, but to the rest of the world, I'm just a 'normal'.

I think women big sized ( I mean obese people) should loose weight for their own health instead of criticize a magazine for putting really beautiful healthy women on their pages, do you really want to see obese, people on those pages?...OK, they can be beautiful...but that's not an example, like neither are super skinny women....

As a make-up artist working in the catalog world in NYC, I know 1st hand size 8 is not plus sized. The majority of Plus Size Models are a size 14. I have worked with Crystal Renn & Amy Lemons and they are not tiny woman. They are bigger boned woman with amazing bodies & perfect proportions. A size 2 myself I am envious of these woman's curves - my 32 AA boobs ain't got nothing on what these woman have. But in all honesty true reality will never sell fashion or clothing!! Models are genetically gifted no matter what size they are & this is what looks best in clothing. Not everyone is model beautiful - so be it. Love what you got & make the best of what your natural gifts are - please.

I could give a flying flip about my size, or anyone elses'. No clothing manufacturers can agree as to what is a 6, or a 4, or a 22, so why should I care?

If you ask me, size is arbitrary, and it's not an indicator of anything except the fit model's shape and the designer's opinion. I've had body image issues, and dreaded the day that the number on the tag would go from 0 to 1 or *gasp* 2, but now, feh. I'm usually either a 4 or a 6, depending on the brand and style, but I don't care what the tag says, I care about what I see and feel.

As a big boned and tall woman who will never see the likes of a size 0 unless its the second digit in some arbitrary clothing size, I'm mildly optimistic that Glamour is taking the time to show normal sized women. I shudder at the idea that anything over an 8 is plus sized. Narrow minded and unaccepting. Breaks my heart. Huzzah to you blessed with amazing metabolism, glossy hair, and perfect teeth - for the rest of us normal girls, thank goodness we don't have to look through another magazine of stick figures and jutting ribs.

this is absoulutely ridiculous...many of you here have basically come out and say that if the model who wears a designer's outfit is not skiny enough or "naturally" beautiful, the clothes won't, and that's a load of crap...the size 8's, 10's, 12's 14's and and yes 22's out there will buy whatever a designer sells once it appeals to their senses and is made in their size. people spend soo much time talking positively about skinny, and that's the zeros to 2's 4's and 6's people, that they think they have some kind of superpower when all they have is probably a bad heart, early arthritis, acid reflux disease among other things. MANY of these people are so far from being naturally skinny that it makes me wonder what we are leaving for the generations after us. As for glamour's attempt to showcase plus sized beauties, i hope someone in management sees that plus are the people that walk the street everyday