I think one technology will solve the problem of what real women are supposed to look like: HDTV. I once saw a teeny tiny gymnast (4 foot something, less than 80 pounds) doing mat exercises on an HD set - and it wasn't even one of those humongous ones you can buy today. She clearly had a touch of cellulite on her thighs. No make-up, no artful taping of tiny titties to create false cleavage, no nothing will escape the clarity of HDTV. At first, more models will die because they simply cannot maintain the artificial standards the fashion industry has created for women under the magnifying glass of HDTV. Then the pendulum will swing the other way and the fashion industry will embrace more realistic body types and shapes - they'll have to, since all the cadaverous/androgynous will have died of anorexia.
I think Dove is doing a great thing with their "Campaign for Real Beauty" advertisements. They have a bunch of better-than-average looking women who look happy and healthy and like they are having a good time. This seems like a much healthier model.
I wonder how women respond to this.