The Growth Of Plus-Size Boudoir Photography

The world of female glamour photography is relatively young, given that photography itself is fairly new as a technology in historical terms and that social values have changed somewhat to tolerate more nudity or near-nudity. But some things have persisted more than others, such as notions of what constitutes beauty.

During the photographic age, the standard view of Westerners in particular has been to view the female form is that of being slim with low levels of body fat, although there have been variations on this theme; from very thin in the 1920s to the Marilyn Monroe ‘hourglass’ figures of the 1960s.

However, while models tended to be skinny - often unhealthily so, the female population increasingly wasn’t and, while some may suggest that reflects negative health trends, it has clearly had an impact through the emergence of plus-size models and the ‘body positive’ movement.

Whether in the world of female glamour photography or on the fashion catwalks of Milan and Paris, the likes of Ashley Graham and many other prominent plus-sized models have come to challenge some of these traditional notions of beauty. Indeed, it is notable that someone like Ashley Graham can be seen in many settings from nudes to the latest clothing ranges.

It may be that many of the men attracted to such women are carrying some weight themselves, which is a part of the reason for this change. But it is also the case that this will appeal to many women, keen to acknowledge that they can still be beautiful without having to be as slim as previous social norms indicated.

Writing recently for Insider Magazine, plus-sized woman Lucy Aalto, who had never done any modelling before, declared that undertaking a boudoir photoshoot had “boosted my confidence and made me feel great about my body,” as she was so happy with the resulting pictures.

The chances are that this positive feeling will not be confined to the models themselves, but also to the armies of women out there who will see plus-size boudoir images as a clear sign that big can be beautiful.