HSG

Could it be that size celebration is beginning to take hold?

The first great campaign of 2010 features MSA star Lindsey Garbelman (size 16) modelling swimwear for the online retailer swimsuitsforall.com.

But you've never seen a swim campaign like this. Ever. These are without a doubt the most size-positive swimwear images ever photographed.

Just look at how this picture celebrates Lindsey's curvy middle, as well as her buxom contours and shapely arms.

Lindsey's rounded waist is the most seductive, most beautiful aspect of her figure, and these images display it proudly, the way that Sports Illustrated might highlight a model's bust.

The company offers views of each item from the front, profile, and reverse. The latter images show off the alluring curves along Lindsey's back.

You may click on any picture in this thread to view the product URLs at swimsuitsforall.com.

The royal-blue style above also comes in black, as seen here.

Each product page at the company site relays the following exciting information:

Model's bust is 38 inches; waist 39 inches; hips 47 inches.

That means that Lindsey's gorgeous midsection is as full as Kelsey Olson's--and these pictures display her opulent waist in the most unapologetic and loving manner imaginable. Notice too that the images capture the roundness of her thighs.

As catalogue shoots go, these pictures are very fine from a photographic standpoint. Lindsey's poses and expressions are flawless in every shot. She radiates happiness, and exudes a complete comfort with her generous figure.

But when it comes to size celebration, we can hardly think of any campaign that has been as progressive as this one. With the recent "In Praise of Dimpled Flesh" thread in mind, it is wonderful to see images that unstintingly showcase the texture on a model's legs.

There is something intensely alluring about a young, pretty model who possesses dimpled flesh and full thighs, yet displays total self-satisfaction as well, as if she knows that her visible fullness enhances her beauty.

Any young girl who has ever felt self-conscious about possessing texture on her figure should have her concerns allayed after seeing as glamorous a model as Lindsey exhibiting the same trait.

Notice too the attractive styling touches, like this chunky gold bangle and the big hoop earrings--all perfectly suited to the model's rounded beauty, and colour-coordinated with the attractive swimsuit.

The print of the following suit is a bit less appealing than that of the previous tiem, but it embraces Lindsey's sumptuous figure closely, defining her alluring shape.

Again, consider the soft, undulating beauty of the model's legs. The swimsuitsforall photographer shot Lindsey as if the world had never known of any such phenomenon as "body shame," and as if full-figured beauty were universally adored. So it should be.

What makes the fullness of Lindsey's waist so attractive is that it communicates the model's delight in her own body, an attitude that all voluptuous vixens should possss. This trait speaks of self-indulgence rather than gym-torture, a life of relaxation and pleasure rather than self-imposed suffering.

Notice how this suit lovingly embraces the curves along the model's back. These features enhance the model's soft, feminine loveliness rather than detracting from it.

Observe the irresistible fullness of the model's legs, and the dimpled flesh thereon. Her figure has a sensual weightiness to it. Yet these images associate such qualities with youth, with beauty--because by any measure, Lindsey has a glamorous, desirable look.

The smile on Lindsey's face seems to say, "I dare you to say I'm not gorgeous." She would laugh off any such notion--and she'd be right to do so. Her figure, with that soft, seductive waist, speaks of a carefree, fun-filled existence, of partying, enjoying food, and living the good life, in contrast to the miserable existence of her underweight rivals, who punish and starve themselves for no reason at all.

The images also celebrate the womanliness of her 47" hips. To show off swimwear to best advantage, curvy hips are the most essential figure attributes of all.

Katherine Roll's curvaceous proportions may have outshone Lindsey's in the Aurora Formals shoot, but these pictures demonstrate that Miss Garbelman does possess one of the most attractive figures in the industry, and is a perfect swimwear model. This campaign shows curvy girls how beautiful they will really look in whichever swimsuits they choose.

Notice the uneven outline of Lindsey's legs. This is a natural distinction of generous thighs, and is an sensual characteristic. Girls should learn to feel secure about possessing such features, not self-conscious about them.

The following swimsuit, with an appealing aquatic print, is highly flattering at the bust, even as it acknowledges the curve of the model's abdomen.

It may also be the most effective of all of the company's offerings in exhibiting the sensual curves along the model's back.

No Betty Grable picture ever displayed the beauty of curvy legs as well as these images of Lindsey do.

To its credit, swimsuitsforall gave Lindsey a highly attractive, romantic hairstyle for this campaign.

The touch of waviness in her long, luxurious tresses works very well for her.

This particular suit also provides us with an opportunity for a juxtaposition of designs.

Compare the above swimsuit to the following "tankini," which employs the same print. The closely fitted one-piece styles seen above, all of which define Lindsey's luscious curves, are far more attractive than are any of the looser, more flowing designs that appear in the rest of this post. Nevertheless, the black garment underneath this floral top does show off the roundness of Lindsey's middle in an alluring manner,

as does the following item. Note the terrific hoop earrings, another indication of creative styling.

Like all halter styles, this design is most interesting from the reverse, where it exhibits an eye-catching expanse of the model's bare back. Notice that the scapulae are wholly submerged in fullness (a must for all plus-size models), and how the flesh swells seductively over the lip of the garment.

A profile view of Lindsey in the following item displays the alluring rondeur of her midsection. There can be no more excuse for plus-size retailers to exhibit swimwear on models with "toned" figures or caved-in waists. Lindsey shows how much more attractive all swim fashions are on girls with robust, well-fed physiques.

Clever styling details like the straw hat seen here add a welcome touch of variety to the campaign. Observe the slight curve under the model's chin. Lindsey has never before looked as beautiful as she does in these images.

In another picture showcasing a blouse-style top, the eye is drawn to the model's shapely arms and the curve of her thighs.

Could this campaign finally signal the end of offensive airbrushing, and launch a trend of showing models displaying all of the natural details--the plump flesh and dimpled, textured skin--that distinguish them as full-figured goddesses? Let us hope so.

The one accessory that we do not favour for photoshoots are sunglasses, as they obscure the beauty of a model's face--and plus-size models do have gorgeous faces, to go along with their captivating figures.

Another halter design--always seen to best advantage from the reverse view--shows more of Lindsey's gorgeous back, along with a clever accessory: a glittering, crystal-shaped bangle, to match the silver metallic pattern in the suit.

This item is especially flattering for voluptuous vixens. Notice how the design plays up the model's buxom curves. Even in the modern age, the media still appreciates well-endowed women. The challenge is to remind the world that all feminine curves are beautiful, not just generous bust measurements.

Here we see another example of the floral-and-leaf print shown earlier. Customers have a choice of three different designs from swimsuitsforall.com if they like this motif.

This particular style is most attractive from the reverse. Obseve how the fabric lovingly embraces the curves along the model's back and side. Note too how the shoulder strap presses into her soft skin. A plus-size beauty dressed in this, or any of the swimsuit fashions shown in this thread, would drive all men wild with desire.

Even when modelling less remarkable swimwear, a goddess always looks fantastic--in this case, thanks to the eye-catching shapeliness of her full arms.

Any waif--or any faux-plus model, for that matter--would immediately become invisible if a stunner such as Lindsey were to show up at the beach. The men wouldn't just admire her buxom contours, but also the seductive curves along her back, entranced by her soft sensuality.

If the following luscious picture of Lindsey appears oddly familiar to you as you browse swimsuitsforall.com, it should.

It also appears on the cover of the site--and for good reason, as it suggests the luxurious fullness of the model's waist. The suit appears quite comfortable, and would be very forgiving of any weight gain.

The black hat in this photograph is a nice element--another example of clever styling. The print admirably flatters the bust.

These flowy styles aren't as exciting as the snugly fitted designs shown earlier, but if a model has a sufficiently generous figure, as Lindsey does, then she can still fill them out, and have them suggest a curvaceous shape.

When Lindsey's tresses have a romantic wave in them, they are most attractive, but even when they flow straight and long, they appear quite gorgeous. Either way, it is the dramatic length that is the key.

Swimsuitsforall.com also offers a number of cover-ups, and while the entire principle of "covering up" is anathema to size celebration, there are practical benefits to having something warm to slip into at the beach. And besides, this image does offer a glimpse of the attractively dimpled flesh on the model's legs.

The company deserves great praise for offering three photographic angles on its products. Not only does this practice better showcase the clothing, but it provides many celebratory views of a model's figure. Consider for example, this straight-on picture of a white coverup,

versus a much more exciting profile shot, seen on the site's cover page. No one angle tells the whole story, and the three-part selection offers a wonderful 360-degree impression of a garment, and of the beauty of the model.

* * *

This campaign is an absolute revelation. It is by far the most size-positive swimwear promotion ever released, featuring a model who is gorgeous and genuinely full-figured (and more importantly, one who has an a soft, full physique, with a generous waist and womanly hips, even with dimpled flesh), yet one who is young and glamorous too.

The photography is technically fine as far as catalogue images go, but beyond that, it is free of any excessive airbrushing. It preserves lovely, natural details like the curves of the model's figure and the textured surface of her skin. Indeed, the pictures celebrate these traits as part of her allure.

If there is any regret, it is that swimsuitsforall.com doesn't offer bikinis. But for now, this is the definitive plus-size swimwear campaign. Its shows customers that they do not need to put up with waifs or with faux-plus models giving them a false impression of what they will look like in swim attire, but can demand to see beach designs on girls who truly represent full-figured women.

Let us hope that other companies follow suit, and begin showcasing swim apparel on naturally beautiful models. If there was ever any doubt, there is none any longer that visibly plus-size goddesses are far more gorgeous in swimwear than their underweight rivals can ever hope to be.

- SwimsuitsForAll.com