I normally have a list of things in my head to share but this one topic has been on my mind since I saw it yesterday: Crossfit Champion Annie Thorisdottir in Vogue Magazine.  So I am going to talk about this for Thinking Out Loud Thursday.  For decades most women around the world get their idea of what is beautiful from fashion magazines.  Talk statuesque willowy women grace the covers and articles of women magazine and the majority of the readers are left to feel like they are not beautiful because they do not conform to the ideal of beauty those magazines sell.  So imagine my surprise when I was browsing through the pages of Vogue's April issue and saw none other the Iceland Annie-- 2 times Crossfit Games Champion, Annie Thorisdottir.  The images below are from the article titled CrossFit Phenom Annie Thorisdottir: The Fittest Woman on the Planet?

all photos via Vogue

 

Certainly she has the beauty, but she so does not conform to the image of beauty Vogue magazine normally sells.  And for that I applaud Vogue.  Annie is a different type of beauty-- strong, powerful, confident and if you have seen her interviews-- very sweet.  Which in my opinion makes her perfect for a women's magazine.  I think the world is slowly changing the standards of beauty from one of skinny and bones to fit and healthy... except the fashion industry.  So for Vogue to feature Anny Thorisdottir in their magazine is HUGE.  

Look, for better or worse women across the globe read Vogue magazine and to them it is the bible of what is fashionable and beautiful.  Never has an editor-in-chief had more power than Anna Wintour.  She speaks and the world listens.  So whoever decided to put Annie in the magazine was very smart in realizing the appeal this would have those the women who are into fitness especially crossfitters.  With millions of readers across the globe, this is sure to boost not only the image of Crossfit around the world, but that of a "strong is beautiful" ideal.   The images captured by famed photographer Bruce Webber show the power and strength of this athlete while also showing that she is feminine and womanly.  The shots are gorgeous, especially the next one.

 

 

 

I think the closing comment in the article really speaks to what fitness-- not only Crossfit is all about "She also wants to inspire women, especially young girls, to focus more on what their bodies can do than on how they look. “I’m not preaching that everyone should try to become a CrossFit champion,” she says. “But I want to show them that training can give them more confidence—and that being strong is beautiful.”  To read the complete article click HERE.