Critical Lens
The Admiration of an Angel’s Body
The beauty of literature is its ability to illuminate both conspicuous and inconspicuous occurrences in society. In Lennard Davis’ “Constructing Normalcy”, Davis addresses how the idea of normalcy creates the concept of the “disabled”. The Victoria Secret Fashion Show is an example of normalcy reinforcing the idea of “undesirable” bodies, since the preferred physical appearance for women, that the brand promotes, consists of being tall and skinny. This requirement that is placed on the models is highly unrealistic for the everyday woman, just as the expectation for all humans to have minds and bodies that function in the same manner, is also unrealistic. Similar to the establishment of normalcy which finds a problem with anything that deviates from the norm, the presence of brands such as Victoria’s Secret have made the bodies models, the “ideal” in the eyes of society, creating a problem with the bodies of all other women. Through the focus on statistics to achieve perfectibility in Lennard Davis’ “Constructing Normalcy”, the strict beauty standards of Victoria’s Secret are exposed.
Throughout “Constructing Normalcy” Lennard Davis, states that statistical norms favor certain extremes, which is exemplified through the preferences used in selecting models for the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. What “Galton saw as positive extremes-tallness, high intelligence, ambitiousness, strength” (Davis 16) overlap with the criteria that are favored in Victoria Secret Angels. The prerequisites for being cast as an Angel include “[having] a slim build, yet [being] slightly more voluptuous than a typical runway model (34-24-34, give or take an inch, is the industry standard). [Being] between 5 feet 8 inches and 6 feet tall” (Stevens). These are the expectations placed on the bodies of the models, which are indeed extremes, since a very minute amount of the female population can call those physical proportions their own. With regards to height, the “extreme” could be either be considered positive or negative, since shortness and tallness are both at polar ends of the normal curve. It becomes apparent that a tall height is the preferred extreme when it is revealed that given Galton’s “desire to perfect the human race, or at last its British segment, tallness was preferable to shortness” (Davis 16). While height is a major point that overlaps between Davis’ text and the beauty standards of Victoria Secret, it is not the only physical extreme that is highly revered. Brown and black hair are the most common when the global population of women is considered, although, when in concerns the Victoria Secret Models, blonde and light brown hair are most represented. It is only when certain traits and characteristics are praised to the point of becoming the norm that others strive for, that anyone who do not measure up is perceived as undesirable or disabled.
In Davis’ description of the distribution curve to explain normalcy, Galton’s affinity for ranking over averaging reveals why the physical appearance of Victoria Secret models deviates considerably from that of the average woman. “He changed the way one might look at the curve from one that used the mean to one that used the median” (Davis 16). Through Galton’s approach on statistics which compares the desirable extremes with the norm, and ranks them higher , a rejection of the average is revealed. This disregard for the average is exemplified through the selection of models based partly on the ranking of the dress size. It comes as no surprise the smaller dress sizes are the most alluring in the eyes of the casting agents. “The average dress size for women living in the United States or the United Kingdom is a 14, while that of the models is usually a 6” (Pomarico). When it comes to selecting models for the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, the results of ranking will ensure that the women with dress sizes less than, or equal to an American size 6, are those most likely to be hired. Mathematically, the average ought to be considered the standard, but due to Galton’s idea of ranking the preferred values become the standard. The characteristics that Galton considered to be positive extremes, are also those which are ranked the highest. The size of the average American or British woman, being 14, is not the norm that the rest of the world strives to emulate, it is the size 6 of the Victoria Secret Angles. Through Galton’s concept of ranking, the propensity to follow the norm is synonymous with chasing the characteristics which society deems the finest. Thus, several people end up striving for improbable bodies, and end up feeling inadequate as a result.
When the norm is mentioned in relation to the distribution curve, there is an “ideal” that is strived for; the presence of the ideal in Davis’s text illuminates the portrayal of the Victoria Secret models as “Angels”. Davis states that “the new ideal of ranked order is powered by… human perfectibility, and the elimination of deviance, to [create] a dominating, hegemonic vision of what the human body should be” (Davis 17). The optimal image of the female body that Victoria Secret Angels are responsible for upholding, becomes the ideal that other women must subscribe to if they want to be considered “normal”. The Victoria Secret Models are told to embody the ideals of angels, which involves looking attractive at all times “They have to be spunky, approachable, relatable (a lot of Angels are mothers), and responsible”(Helmer). Through this quote it is clear that the wings that the Victoria Secret Angels wear during their annual fashion show, are not the sole outward manifestation of the exemplary lifestyle they must live up to. The pressure on perfection is not solely placed on the women who aspire to be like the Victoria Secret Angels, but the models themselves. Just as Galton’s ideals of ranking and extremes are meant to highlight “perfect” traits, so do the Victoria Secret Angels who grace the runway. Afterall, there is not much that is as flawless as an angel. This angelic imagery parallels Davis’ argument that only divine beings can achieve perfection (Davis 10). While being called “Angels” does not make the models divine, they are far from ordinary in their ability to maintain their bodies through their strict diets and rigorous gym sessions.
Davis’ use of statistical terms and the ideal, in “Constructing Normalcy” reveals the strict beauty standards that exist in the modelling world, especially through the Victoria Secret Angels. The impact of the models’ harsh standards for their bodies, is that everyday women see the Angels as the perfect norm. Extremes and ranking are the terms that Davis uses to highlight the perfection that the bodies of Victoria Secret Angels, strive to make the norm. Thankfully more brands such as Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty like are being created. In her lingerie line Rihanna strives to push boundaries by making all shapes and sizes of women to feel beautiful, instead of having them feel like they are chasing an unattainable norm. Through the inclusivity of the models at the Savage X Fenty Show, extremely tall and thin women are no longer the ideal. In fact, the diversity of the models in the show, gets rid of the need of an ideal, so that no woman needs to fell inadequate.
Works Cited
Davis, Lennard. “Constructing Normalcy: The Bell Curve, the Novel, and the Invention of
the Disabled Body in the Nineteenth Century”. Enforcing Normalcy: Disability, Deafness and the Body. Verso, 1995.
Helmer, Vanessa. “Here Are Some Tips on How to Become a Victoria’s Secret Model.” The
Balance Careers, The Balance Careers, 8 Oct. 2019, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-become-a-victoria-s-secret-model-2379407.
Newbold, Alice. “Savage X Fenty: Everything We Know About Rihanna’s Underwear
Line.” British Vogue, British Vogue, 16 Aug. 2019, https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/fenty-savage.
Prinzivalli, Leah. “Victoria’s Secret Announced Its First Plus-Size Model Ever.”
Allure, Allure, 10 Oct. 2019, https://www.allure.com/story/victorias-secret-plus-size-model.
