# Why do models on the catwalk never smile? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2013, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392 "2013-09-09T07:01:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/41 "2013-09-12T12:31:14Z")
Thanks for the many varied and very interesting replies. Food for thought. Personally, I only look at fashion shows to see the models ( of course, being a male ), but the faces are somewhat offputting. I’d have thought that happy models would sell more clothes than sourpusses, but obviously I am wrong. However, the clothes horses in magazines are usually smiling, so that’s somewhat contradictory. Actually, it scares me that the western economy seems to depend so much on women buying disposable clothes, as almost every shop (other than food related ) in any town seems to be dedicated to selling women far more clothes than they could wear more than a few times. Even my wife has boxes full of clothes that she has never worn for months/ years, and she isn’t exactly affluent. Even more scary for countries like Bangladesh that make a significant portion of their GDP by selling clothes to western women. ---
**Author:** ![Rollo\_Tomasi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58956e/32.png) [@Rollo\_Tomasi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rollo_Tomasi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/42 "2013-09-12T14:22:47Z")
> [@Doggo](#): > > Actually, it scares me that the western economy seems to depend so much on women buying disposable clothes, as almost every shop (other than food related ) in any town seems to be dedicated to selling women far more clothes than they could wear more than a few times. How much does the economy “depend” on women’s clothing sales? Do you have a specific number? Plus, every shop in every town sells either food or women’s clothing (because apparently there are no clothing shops for men)? Give me a break. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/43 "2013-09-12T15:54:43Z")
> [@expectopatronum](#): > > yeah, my first thought when i read **Doggo’s** post was this little speech from that movie: I changed my whole perception of fashion after that movie, and after thinking of fashion as “art”. Of course it’s supposed to be outrageous - eventually those outrageous clothes get pared down to what I buy at Kohl’s or Dress barn, and eventually even further to Target or Walmart. If someone’s wife has “boxes” full of unused clothes, that’s a) her problem and b) I don’t care as long as she’s not taking food from her children to buy them or whatever. Why would i care? I spend my spare money on books, video games and shoes. She spends hers on clothes. Both of us get judged ceaselessly by strangers. My SO used to judge me for my shoes until I pointed out a) he has far more shoes than me, mainly because he has this aversion to throwing things out, and b) it pleases me to buy them, a lot, and we have the money to do so. So who cares? ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/44 "2013-09-12T16:30:05Z")
> [@Doggo](#): > > Personally, I only look at fashion shows to see the models ( of course, being a male ), but the faces are somewhat offputting. Believe it or not, \*all \*things women do in this world aren’t for the benefit of your erection. Some, sure. A lot, maybe. But not all. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/45 "2013-09-12T17:03:33Z")
I believe if they smile, their cheekbones actually explode thru their skin. Fortunately it is not difficult to keep from smiling when all you’ve had for the last four days is two Wheat Thins and a line of coke. And a Diet Pepsi. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/46 "2013-09-12T17:15:10Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Fortunately it is not difficult to keep from smiling when all you’ve had for the last four days is two Wheat Thins and a line of coke. And a Diet Pepsi. Apparently, what a lot of them do is [soak cotton balls in orange juice, eat them so they feel full, then barf them up later](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/12/bria-murphy-reveals-models-eat-cotton-balls-with-orange-juice_n_3423815.html). So, I suspect they’re even grumpier than you’d be after a lavish meal of Wheat Thins, coke, and a Pepsi. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/47 "2013-09-12T17:46:39Z")
> [@LovesBeagles](#): > > DMark has it exactly right. The girls are clothes hangers, that’s all. They are not supposed to attract attention to themselves. Yeah, that’s why they are so plain and unremarkable. The fantasy being sold is that if you wear this dress, you would look like that. Well, you wouldn’t. You’d look like you without a smile. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/48 "2013-09-12T18:48:48Z")
> [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > Yeah, that’s why they are so plain and unremarkable. Take a closer look at runway models. The majority of them are not bombshell attractive in the conventional sense. They’re not unattractive but they’re very uniform in height and weight and have faces that can act as blank canvases. When they are modeling off the runway they may show other facets of their personalities but they need to be clothes hangers that walk when they’re on the runway. > [@](#): > > The fantasy being sold is that if you wear this dress, you would look like that. Well, you wouldn’t. You’d look like you without a smile. Runway models aren’t selling clothes to the public. They are selling designers to buyers and industry folks; folks who know to look past the models at the clothes and ideas. At least that’s the case at Fashion Week in NYC and Milan. There are runways happening all around the world with other goals and smiling models who are actually selling clothes. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/49 "2013-09-12T18:54:17Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Believe it or not, \*all \*things women do in this world aren’t for the benefit of your erection. Some, sure. A lot, maybe. But not all. My, but you’re a big old wagonload of laughs just lately, aren’t you? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/50 "2013-09-12T18:58:43Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > My, but you’re a big old wagonload of laughs just lately, aren’t you? :dubious: Uh! Takes one to know one, Mr. Curmudgeon! (I do say this with all fondness - I like curmudgeons. But really!) ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392/51 "2013-09-12T21:07:52Z")
I know you are but what am I? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-models-on-the-catwalk-never-smile/668392.md?page=2)