With all of the high-brow exclusivity and the unrealistic standards of beauty, it can be easy to forget why we love fashion so much. Fortunately, 2013 offered up some fantastic people, organizations and moments that made us proud to follow the style beat.


A so-called "plus-size model" broke through and got the mainstream's attention... and respect.

Robyn Lawley has become the unofficial poster child of the plus-size movement, sparking conversation on everything from "thigh gaps" to the validity of the label that separates her from mainstream models. Her empowering, inclusive message -- to love your body whether or not you have curves -- has been heard loud and clear, especially as she nabs top modeling gigs for the likes of Ralph Lauren and Vogue.

robyn


Lululemon was accused of discriminating against curvier shoppers... and was forced to change its tune.

After making comments implying that not all women's bodies are built for his brand's yoga pants, Lululemon founder Chip Wilson issued an apology. "I'm sad for the repercussions of my actions," he said in an online video. "I'm sad for the people at Lululemon who I care so much about, that have really had to face the brunt of my actions. I take responsibility for all that has occurred and the impact it has had on you. I'm sorry to have put you all through this."


Retailers finally started to give curvier women the trendy clothes they deserve.

"When I'm working in the real world with real women and we're shopping, we find that fashion seems to end when you get any larger than a size 12," Tim Gunn told The Huffington Post. "How ridiculous is that?" Fortunately, it seems designers have started to hear women's pleas. More and more options have become available this year, with global retailers like Mango, ModCloth and H&M catering to plus-sizes. Nancy LeWinter, editorial director of OneStopPlus.com, told us, "I think 10 years ago, plus-size women were OK settling. Today, plus-size women are far more clear about what they want and don't want."


A magazine proved that a no-photoshop policy is actually possible.

Verily, a fashion and lifestyle magazine, hit its stride this year, pleasantly surprising the world with its no-Photoshop policy. Contributing Editor Ashley Crouch told us that the magazine was built on the principal that "the unique features of women, whether crows feet, freckles, or a less-than-rock-hard body, are aspects that contribute to women's beauty and should be celebrated -- not shamed, changed or removed." Amen, sister.

verily


Someone finally asked plus-size women what they want to be called.

As contentious as the term "plus-size" has become, it seems nobody had been asking the 60 percent of American women identifying with the plus-size market what they'd like to be called. Thankfully, Sonsi.com, a retailer from the same parent company as Lane Bryant, decided to poll the women themselves. The national survey, which polled 1,000 women sizes 14 and up, found that 28 percent prefer the term "curvy." After that, respondents were split: 25 percent said they prefer "plus-size" and 25 percent would prefer "full-figured." So there you go.


Stores placed "disabled" mannequins in their windows to better reflect the shoppers who peer in.

Pro Infirmis, an organization for the disabled, created a series of mannequins based on real people with physical disabilities in a project entitled "Because Who Is Perfect? Get Closer." The results are breathtaking.


Real women of all shapes showed off their bodies in lingerie... and were applauded for it.

When Chrystal Bougon, owner of plus-size lingerie store Curvy Girl, launched her "Regular Women" campaign, she asked customers to fearlessly submit photos of themselves in lingerie to "show that women with rolls, bumps, lumps, scars, stretch marks, surgery scars and natural breasts that have nursed babies can be stunning and beautiful." Women came out in full-force, and a national media conversation was started.


Magazines were exposed for their flagrant use of Photoshop...

It took one Jennifer Lawrence GIF to show the world how much unnecessary Photoshop goes into the images we see in fashion magazines. When a June 2011 Flare magazine cover of the actress resurfaced along with the aforementioned GIF this year, the Internet saw a striking before and after contrast, highlighting how much even the most beautiful stars aren't safe from retouching. The negative response was a strong indicator of what people really want: natural, realistic images.


... and real women, including teens, lobbied for change.

Inspired by 14-year-old Julia Bluhm's successful petition against Seventeen magazine's use of Photoshop, SPARK Summit asked Teen Vogue to do the same. "These photoshopped images are extremely dangerous to girls like us who read them, because they keep telling us: you are not skinny enough, pretty enough or perfect enough," the Change.org petition read.


Models didn't take themselves too seriously.

No one can make us laugh like Chrissy Teigen can. The stunner continues to prove that models don't have to be stuck-up, aloof figures. Between her hilariously candid Twitter account, her real talk about model diets and her down-to-earth take on her own style, Chrissy's redefining the role of models... in the best way possible.

chrissy


The industry started an honest discussion about eating disorders.

When it comes to prompting a dialogue about eating disorders in the industry, sometimes it's best to start right at the source: the sketches which inspire the clothes marketed to women. Star Models, a modeling agency based in Brazil, released ads depicting a fashion design sketch of a model contrasted with a picture of a "real" model with those same unweidly proportions. The resulting images made for a powerfully graphic anti-anorexia campaign.


Abercrombie & Fitch said it didn't care for heavier shoppers... so shoppers of all sizes hit back with amazing parody ads.

After Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO said he only cared to sell his clothes to "cool," "good-looking" people (and not "larger people," as industry expert Robin Lewis suggested), blogger Jes M. Baker decided to show the company what "Attractive & Fat" looks like in the brand's clothes with a series of parody ads. "I challenge the separation of attractive and fat, and I assert that they are compatible regardless of what you believe," Baker wrote.

abercrombe


But the fashion world's not always so peaceful...



Loading Slideshow...



  • Kanye West vs. PETA


    Kanye West really doesn't know how to hold his tongue, and he also really loves wear fur. So it's safe to say that he and PETA are not on good terms. In one of his songs he raps: "Tell PETA my mink draggin' on the floor." PETA fired back, with senior vice president Dan Matthews saying, "What's draggin' on the floor is Kanye's reputation as a man with no empathy for animals or human beings." Harsh.




  • Benetton's "Unhate" Campaign


    In November 2011, the United Colors of Benetton <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/jay-z-occupy-wall-street-t-shirts_n_1088132.html" target="_blank">released photoshopped images of world leaders making out</a> to promote the idea of "unhate." Here is the Pope and al-Tayeb kissing. Other shots included President Obama kissing Hugo Chavez and Mahmoud Abbas kissing Benjamin Natanyahu. Alessandro Benetton, the deputy chairman of the company, released the following statement: "The images are very strong, but we have to send a strong message. We are not wanting to be disrespectful of the leaders ... we consider them "conception figures" making a statement of brotherhood with a kiss."




  • Tory Burch vs. Chris Burch and C. Wonder


    It's sticky when you divorce a guy and he decides to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/18/first-photos-tory-burchs-_n_1017979.html" target="_blank">use your ideas to open up his own store</a>. That's what Chris Burch allegedly did with C. Wonder in 2012, a retail concept that had a very similar tone and product offering to Tory's initial brand. Surprisingly, Chris was planning on suing Tory for breach of contract and tortious interference, but instead Tory filed counterclaims accusing Chris of withholding documents that indicate he stole Tory's ideas.




  • Coco Chanel vs. Elsa Schiaparelli


    The iconic Chanel was apparently quite the tormentor. In fact, one of her victims was fellow designer, Elsa Schiaparelli. Chanel has been noted as saying Schiaparelli was just "that Italian artist who makes clothes." As the story goes, she also once "accidentally" pushed Schiaparelli into a candle arrangement and set her on fire! Ouch.




  • Vogue Netherlands' Black Face Spread


    Vogue Netherlands' May 2013 issue features this "Heritage Heroes" editorial. They<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/17/vogue-netherlands-blackface-shoot-controversy_n_3101059.html?utm_hp_ref=style&ir=Style#slide=2327193" target="_blank"> decided to take white models and paint their faces black</a> and put wigs on them that evoke African-American hair. Damian Bao expresses our opinion perfectly. Why couldn't they have used models of a different ethnicity instead of offensively slathering a model in makeup?




  • Hedi Slimane vs. Cathy Horyn


    You're bound to get hate when you're the New York Times fashion critic. At Spring 2013 Fashion Week, designers pushed back after Horyn critiqued their collections. Oscar de la Renta compared her to a "stale 3-day old hamburger," and Lady Gaga even rapped about how much she doesn't like the critic. Perhaps the strongest shun was from Hedi Slimane, who was premiering his first collection with YSL and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/hedi-slimane-twitter-fight-cathy-horyn-new-york-times_n_1933884.html" target="_blank">banned Horyn from attending the show</a>! Horyn claims Slimane is holding a grudge from five years ago and Slimane responded by creating a Twitter graphic with the title, "My Own Times."




  • Lynn Tesaro's Slap


    Tesaro, the PR rep for Zac Posen, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/09/lynn-tesoro-fashion-week-slap-marie-jose-susskind-jalou_n_2100596.html" target="_blank">was slapped by Marie-José Susskind-Jalou</a>, president of Jalou publishing house, at New York Fashion Week in 2013 right before the Posen show. The tiff was over a lack of seating, with Susskind-Jalou and her daughters confronting Tesoro angrily when they were left without seats for the show. As one of the daughters said afterwards, "Now you know you don’t f--k with French people."




  • Roberto Cavalli vs. Anna Wintour


    In April 2012, Cavalli was asked by La Repubblica what advice he would give to young fashion designers and he <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/robert-cavalli-anna-wintour-comment_n_1435517.html" target="_blank">dared to cross the great and powerful Wintour</a>. He said, "Just look at American fashion, which is almost fashion. It's terrible and you almost can't even look at it, but it has been driven by a great journalist, Anna Wintour, who wants all women to be like her and to dress the way she does."




  • Harvey Nichols' Crotch-Wetting Campaign


    The tagline was, "Try to contain your excitement," in this Harvey Nichols Summer 2012 sale campaign. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/06/08/harvey-nichols-advert-features-models-wetting-themselves-in-excitement-over-sale-_n_1580443.html" target="_blank">Responding to accusations that the ad was off-putting and yucky, a Harvey Nichols spokesperson said</a>, "In humorous reaction to the (often-irrational) excitement sale time engenders, we have developed this campaign to capture this near-fanatical spirit, because let's face it, the thought of picking up brands at up to 70% off is enough to excite and overwhelm even the most composed shopper in us all."




  • Andrej Pejic's Dossier Cover


    Barnes and Noble initially <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/16/dossier-andrej-pejic-cover-censored_n_862424.html" target="_blank">censored this cover of Dossier</a> because it featured androgynous male model Pejic taking off a shirt. The backlash against Barnes and Noble came shortly thereafter.




  • The Birkin Burning


    Tyler Shields, the photographer with a knack for controversy, was caught in a fashion scandal when he took photos of Francesca Eastwood, a model (and Clint's daughter), and her <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/29/francesca-eastwood-birkin-burning-tyler-shields_n_1553413.html" target="_blank">burning red Crocodile Birkin bag being destroyed by fire and a chainsaw</a>.




  • Topshop's Really Thin Model


    In July 2011, super-skinny model <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/19/codie-young-topshop-skinny-model_n_902365.html" target="_blank">Codie Young received backlash over photos she took for Topshop</a>. The Daily Mail called her body in the pictures "painfully thin" and said she had a "gaunt face and a skeletal frame." Topshop ultimately pulled the picture and Young responded to the comments saying, "I am very happy with my body and how I look because its apart of who I am! Throughout my entire childhood I was called anorexic and people would ask if I was bulimic. And it was really hard sometimes for me to deal with as I have always been this way."




  • 10-Year-Old Thylane Loubry Blondeau Raises Eyebrows


    This young model <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/04/thylane-blondeau-10-year-old-model_n_918066.html" target="_blank">sparked controversy after she posed for this Vogue Paris shoot in 2011</a> when she was just ten years old. She was shown in various provocative poses that people felt were a little too mature for her tender age.




  • Vogue Italia's Plus-Size Model Photo Shoot


    In June 2011, Vogue Italia embraced curves and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/03/vogue-italia-plus-size_n_870739.html" target="_blank">defied boundaries</a> in terms of high-fashion shoots.




  • Vogue Italia's Slave Earrings


    Only two months later, Vogue Italia was slammed by many, including model Iman, for <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/vogue-italia-slave-earrings" target="_blank">featuring "Slave Earrings" in their "Shop The Trend" section on their website</a>. After the backlash, they changed the name to "Ethnic Earrings."




  • Karlie Kloss' Nude Spread for Vogue Italia


    Then, in December of the same year, Vogue Italia <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/01/karlie-kloss-nude_n_1122881.html" target="_blank">decided to feature a photo shoot of it-model Karlie Kloss</a>. The only problem was that the magazine was accused of photoshopping Kloss' already svelte figure even thinner. Whether it was Photoshop or not, the magazine decided to pul the image seen to the left off their website, along with the caption, "The (new) Body."




  • Jay-Z's "Occupy All Streets" Shirts


    In support of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, Jay-Z's clothing line, Rocawear,<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/11/jay-z-occupy-wall-street-t-shirts_n_1088132.html" target="_blank"> released t-shirts in 2011 that said, "Occupy All Streets."</a> People were quick to fire back with criticism insisting that Jay and his team were trying to monopolize off of the protestors since the company was not donating any of the proceeds to the cause.




  • Marc Jacobs vs. Kidult


    This one is really unique. In May 2012, the Marc Jacobs store on Mercer Street in New York City <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/14/marc-jacobs-graffiti-art-kidult-t-shirts_n_1515697.html" target="_blank">discovered that street-artist Kidult had tagged the store with the word "ART". </a> Jacobs responded by using the tag as inspiration for a $689 limited-edition t-shirt emblazoned with a photo of the tag.




  • Gucci vs. Guess


    After years of battling over who gets the right to use the very similar logo design, in May 2012, a judge <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/21/gucci-lawsuit-gucci-wins-_n_1534491.html#s824190&title=Gucci" target="_blank"> ruled that Guess owed Gucci $4.66 million dollars</a> in damages from using its unauthorized trademark "G" logo.




  • John Galliano's Anti-Semitic Remarks


    In February 2011, designer John Galliano was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/28/galliano-hitler-racist-rant-arrest_n_828955.html" target="_blank">heard on the record saying to people at a Parisian café</a>, "I love Hitler," and "People like you would be dead. Your mothers, your forefathers, would all be f-cking gassed." Dior fired him as a designer the next day and then he checked into rehab. He's slowly been working his way back into the industry's good graces ever since.




  • Christian Louboutin vs. Yves St. Laurent


    It was the battle of the red soles. In April 2011, Christian Louboutin sued YSL for $1 million in damages for putting red soles on the bottom of their shoes, with Louboutin claiming that the red sole had been trademarked to their company in 2008. The dispute was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/christian-louboutin-vs-ysl-lawsuit-over_n_1970511.html" target="_blank">settled in October 2012</a> when the court ruled that YSL could make monochromatic red shoes with red soles but still gave Louboutin trademark protection over the red sole alone.




  • Jenna Lyons Paints Her Son's Toenails


    In an online feature for J.Crew in 2011, the creative director of the brand was shown <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/12/fox-news-jcrew-jenna-lyons-_n_848152.html" target="_blank">polishing her young son's toenails pink</a>. What seemed to a cute, well-meaning photo received extreme criticism from "experts," most notably Dr. Keith Ablow who said, "This is a dramatic example of the way that our culture is being encouraged to abandon all trappings of gender identity."




  • Natasha Poly vs. Jessica Hart


    Poly (seen to the left) got into a brawl with fellow model, Jessica Hart, at Double Seven, a New York City nightclub. Hart apparently attacked Poly and screamed to her that her husband (Peter Bakker) was a "loser."




  • Nivea's "Re-Civilize Yourself" Ad


    Nivea <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/18/nivea-ad-racist_n_930501.html" target="_blank">received backlash over this ad</a>, with critics citing the decision to pair an African-American model with the phrase "re-civilize" as insensitive and racist




  • Urban Outfitters' Diss to Mexico


    "New Mexico, Cleaner than Regular Mexico" t-shirts didn't go over well when released in 2005. Nice job, Urban Outfitters.




  • Urban Outfitters' Other Mexico Diss


    In January 2013, Urban Outfitters <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/03/urban-outfitters-controversy-walmart-shirt_n_2404016.html" target="_blank">stirred controversy when it decided to sell a vintage-looking Walmart work shirt </a>with the name "Juan" on it. Many Latinos felt the clothing company was being "racist and classist."




  • Urban Outfitters Targets Teens With Alcohol?


    Urban Outfitters thought it was a good idea to sell this shirt to its young demographic (with a lot of them being younger than 21).




  • Urban Outfitters References The Holocaust?


    The popular retailer got in trouble for its "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/20/urban-outfitters-jewish-star-tshirt_n_1441731.html" target="_hplink">Jewish Star</a>" t-shirt, that many thought made light of the Holocaust.




  • JC Penney's Degrading Shirts


    In 2011, JC Penney <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/31/jc-penneys-girls-shirt_n_943349.html" target="_blank">released these shirts targeted towards middle-school girls</a> that read "I'm too pretty to do homework so my brother has to do it for me" and "Allergic to Algebra." Critics attacked JC Penney, saying the store was sending a bad message to young girls by telling them that it's impossible to be both pretty <em>and</em> smart. The company immediately regretted the decision and sent out a statement saying, "We agree that the 'Too pretty' t-shirt does not deliver an appropriate message, and we have immediately discontinued its sale."




  • Urban Outfitters' Bad Message to Girls


    In 2010, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/03/eat-less-urban-outfitters_n_598904.html" target="_hplink">"Eat Less"</a> t-shirts weren't well received by, well, most people.




  • Victoria's Secret's Asian Stereotyping


    As part of the brand's "Far East" collection, the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/24/victorias-secret-geisha-outfit-photos_n_1909366.html" target="_blank">"Sexy Little Geisha"</a> outfit came complete with a removable obi belt.




  • Abercrombie & Fitch's Asian Caricatures


    In 2002, Asian caricature t-shirts <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/ABERCROMBIE-GLITCH-Asian-Americans-rip-2850702.php" target="_hplink">caused outrage in California.</a>




  • Nike's St. Patrick's Day Sneakers


    Nike's St. Patrick's Day-themed SB Dunk Low <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/14/nike-black-and-tan_n_1344197.html" target="_hplink">"Black and Tan"</a> sneakers incited outrage from the Irish community. Turns out Nike didn't realize that "Black and Tan" or "Tan" is still a pejorative term for the British in Ireland. Nike followed up with an apology.




  • Urban Outfitters Mocks the Irish


    Some Irish groups were not pleased with this "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/urban-outfitters-st-patricks-day-clothes-_n_1313242.html" target="_hplink">Irish Yoga</a>" trucker hat that mocked their culture.




  • Urban Outfitters Dumbs Down St. Patrick's Day


    "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/urban-outfitters-st-patricks-day-clothes-_n_1313242.html" target="_hplink">Truly Madly Deeply Kiss Me</a>" t-shirt offended Irish groups.




  • Urban Outfitters' Second Irish Dig


    Ditto to this "<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/01/urban-outfitters-st-patricks-day-clothes-_n_1313242.html" target="_hplink">Truly Madly Deeply Irish Drunk"</a> scoop tank. Congressman Joe Crowley (D-NY), along with members of the Congressional Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, quickly demanded that Urban Outfitters stop selling the Irish-themed products.




  • Adidas' Shackle Shoes


    These Jeremy Scott x adidas Roundhouse Mid "Handcuffs," or "shackle," sneakers <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/18/adidas-shackle-sneakers-controversy_n_1605661.html" target="_blank">caused outrage</a> when people connected the shackle imagery to slavery.




  • Taco Cid "How to Catch an Illegal Immigrant" Shirt


    This <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/09/how-to-catch-an-illegal-immigrant-taco-cid_n_2439294.html">"How to catch an illegal immigrant" shirt</a> was seen as being pretty in-your-face racist.




  • Fahad's "Cuntier" Hats


    These "Cuntier" hats <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/12/cartier-cuntier-hats_n_2861513.html?utm_hp_ref=style&ir=Style">spoofed the Cartier logo</a>... with a less-than-palatable term.




  • Clean and Dry Intimate Wash


    <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/12/vagina-bleaching-ad_n_1420825.html" target="_hplink">Skin-lightening wash</a> targets consumers with dark colored privates.





Want more? Be sure to check out HuffPost Style on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram at @HuffPostStyle.