Former Teen Model Jaime King Felt She Needed To Look 14-Years-Old Forever

Jaime King plays a leading role in the CW series Hart of Dixie, but once upon a time she was also a teen model in the 90s era of heroine chic. Going into such a profession at a young age has caused her all kinds of enduring disordered eating habits that continue to follow her as a 32-year-old woman. 

Daily Mail reports that the actress admits to growing up in Hollywood meant that “my whole life I’ve believed that I have to look like a 14-year-old.” Even as an adult woman, she confesses to “eat[ing] like a toddler,” subsisting on turkey bacon, oatmeal, chocolate-covered pretzels, and PB&Js.

She’s obviously not alone. Model Coco Rocha, who is only 23 years old, had similar experiences as a pubescent girl. She spoke to Anderson Cooper saying that she had to be as pre-pubescent looking as possible to continue working. She observed:

“That’s where girls have their issues,” she said. “Why am I changing: they’re not told: ‘You’re supposed to change, you’re supposed to get hips and boobs and you’re supposed to turn into a woman.'”

King went on to explain that at the time, she knew that she was participating in “creating an unrealistic image,” but that she no longer wants to send that particular message to young girls. Healthy body image is clearly not something the modeling industry pretends to care about, but even so, the continued idealization of the pre-pubescent body in fashion is something we’re consistently seeing — even in advertisements geared towards adult women.

Holding these young models to such impossible, and fleeting, ideals is concerning. But promoting the gangly body of 14 year olds in an effort to appeal to mature women is just as questionable.

(photo: WENN)

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