Dallas Thompson has been fantasizing about a J. Crew purple cocoon coat for weeks.

Unfortunately, the $259 coat doesn't come in her size.

Thompson, who runs her own fashion blog, is a size 24. Shopping for fashionable clothes in her size can be a nightmare.

"It's very challenging," Thompson told Business Insider. "You have to make shopping a hobby or a sport."

Thompson isn't alone.

According to the Fashion Institute of Technology, more than half of women in the US are plus-size, or size 14 and above.

Women’s plus-size apparel is a big business. It generates $20.4 billion of annual sales in the US and in the past three years, the category has grown by 17% — far outpacing sales of women’s apparel in general.

But many plus-size shoppers still have trouble finding flattering clothing, despite having money to spend.

In an open letter for the fashion blog Racked titled, “Hey J. Crew, why don’t you want my plus-sized money?" Thompson called out the retailer for not selling clothing bigger than US 16, despite advertising US 18 online on its size charts. A spokesperson for the store told Business Insider that product sizing varies from season to season and could not confirm whether larger sizes would be offered in future.

J. Crew could benefit from tapping into the growing plus-size market. The retailer's same-store sales fell 9% in the last quarter, following a decrease of 12% in the third quarter of last year.

“I spend a lot of money on clothes,” Thompson said. “I have a huge closet full of things and there are retailers, like J. Crew, that are really missing out on the chance to have me spend a lot of money.”

Victoria's Secret, which is known for its ads featuring rail-thin models, is losing ground to more body-positive brands, like American Eagle's Aerie, even though both brands sell up to size XXL. 

Last week, Victoria's Secret's parent company L Brands announced that the brand is expecting a 20% drop in same-store sales in February. Meanwhile, Aerie, which triumphs natural beauty and self-acceptance in its ad campaigns, has seen five consecutive quarters of more than 20% same-store sales growth and plans to open 50 new stores in 2017.

Department stores have also been slow to cash in.

“In general you see weird patterns, strange fabrics, and odd cuts,” Thompson said about plus-size offerings. “Just because I am fat does not mean I want to wear a polyester blouse with rhinestonesstones and lace on it.”

A few weeks ago, luxury store Neiman Marcus introduced a new collection of plus-size clothes in 5 of its off-price Last Call stores.

“I always have customers come up to me and say, ‘We love your jewelry. We love your shoes. When are you going to carry clothes for people like me?’” Frank Crisci, vice president of merchandising at Neiman Marcus Last Call, told WWD. “It struck a chord that we are not serving this customer the way we should be. It’s a huge market, and we’re not playing in it.”

JCPenney has collaborated with plus-size "Project Runway" star Ashley Neil Lipton to launch Boutique+, a line of fashionable plus-size clothes in 200 of its stores, but it's a small collection. 

Thompson mainly shops online on UK websites like ASOS and Simply Be, which have expanded into the US market and brought more interesting and creative plus-size options for shoppers. But trying clothes on in stores is still more appealing, she says.

Sarah Conley, a plus-size fashion blogger at Style It, has faced similar issues. 

“Sure they have free shipping and returns,” she said, “but that doesn’t save the day when you have a date that night.” Conley finds it time-consuming to browse the web for designs that will fit her well and misses the social element of shopping with friends.

"It's frustrating," she said. "A lot of brands aren't willing to change."

Join the conversation about this story »

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Weak sales at Victoria's Secret are plaguing its parent company, L Brands, dragging down its stock price more than 40% over the past year.

If you visit a store, it's clear why.

I became obsessed with Victoria's Secret in college, buying bras, underwear, lingerie, clothes, swimsuits, and perfume from the brand in its stores and online. I would typically buy something every two months or so. It was excessive, but I loved how fun the brand was and all the luxurious stuff I could get with tons of discounts because I shopped there so often.

For the past four years, I've had a Victoria's Secret Angel VIP credit card. But over the past two, I've noticed a deep dive in the quality of materials it uses, the number of deals I can get, and the overall variety of options it offers.

I recently visited a Victoria's Secret store to see how the brand has changed.

SEE ALSO: The owner of Victoria's Secret is plunging after forecasting weaker-than-expected sales

DON'T MISS: Victoria's Secret has suddenly gone on the offensive

I went to the Victoria's Secret in SoHo — one of its largest stores in New York City — when it didn't have a large enough selection at its Flatiron location.

Each section of the store features about a dozen bra types, each of which comes in a variety of colors and styles. Bras range in price from about $15 to $200.

My first impression is one of decadence — rich, deep wood and mood lighting fill the store, inviting you to treat yourself.

Target is keeping it real in its new body positive swimwear campaign, which is entirely photoshop free. 

The retailer has partnered with creator and dancer Megan Batoon, pro skateboarder Lizzie Armanto, model and body activist Denise Bidot, and TV host and model Kamie Crawford. The women have posted unairbrushed images of themselves modeling the new collection on social media. 

"Target is committed to empowering women to feel confident in what they wear by offering a variety of style choices," a Target spokesperson said in a press release. "It was important to us to use photography that represented their true beauty, without filters." 

Target was criticized for its excessive photoshopping of models in 2014.

“When you're a curvy girl it can be hard to find a suit that fits perfectly in all the right places, but Target definitely has accomplished that with their swimwear," Bidot said in a statement on Target's website.

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“You're bearing the most amount of skin in public when you're in a swimsuit, so it's important that it helps you feel confident so you can be completely yourself and enjoy every part of summer without the burden of insecurities,” Batoon said.

Armanto is pictured on her Instagram page wearing the Target Macrame bikini.

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The head of the New York Stock Exchange, a famous actor, and a Victoria's Secret model walk into a gym. 

That may sound like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's not. It's The Dogpound, an exclusive Manhattan gym that caters to New York's crème de la crème.

The gym opened up in March of last year, and is a favorite with Wall Streeters and Victoria's Secret models.

Some of the original members include Tom Farley, the president of the New York Stock Exchange, and actor Hugh Jackman.

Meet Kirk Myers, the founder and CEO of The Dogpound.

Kirk Myers, CEO and founder of The Dogpound, told Business Insider he was "chunky" when he was growing up. In High School, he weighed nearly 300 pounds. 

His life changed forever when he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure at the age of 21-years old.

"I realized I had to change my life if I wanted to avoid further health complications, so I went to the gym," he said."In two years I lost 130 pounds."

That wasn't the end of his fitness journey, however. Kirk started to help his friends achieve their fitness goals and ultimately he discovered that helping people "get fit" was his passion.

When he moved to New York he started working as a personal trainer. Before he opened up The Dogpound last March, he trained his clients at other New York gyms.

"It started out with 4 people, then 8, then 16," he said."And after I paired up with my friend Brey, and his brother Dawin, it became 31, and it just kept getting bigger."

Ultimately his crew got so big, he decided he would just open up his own gym.  

You can thank Hugh Jackman for the name.

Before The Dogpound was an official gym located in Manhattan's West Village, it was basically a men's club, a group of 14 guy-friends who would get together at 5:45am every day except Sunday to workout. 

Some of the original Dogpounders included actor Hugh Jackman, Tom Farley, the president of the New York Stock Exchange, and former America’s Next Top Model judge Nigel Barker.

Hugh Jackman's french bulldog presided over all of these workouts, and that's how the group got their name.

Here's a video of Jackman working out in the early days of The Dogpound, before it was an actual gym.

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In May 2015, Hugh Jackman joined what is known in the fitness world as the "1000 club" after he successfully completed a 355 pound squat, bench pressed 235 pounds, and dead lifted 410 pounds.

Gracie Carvalho has proven her success on fashion runways, but could the Brazilian model be looking to swap the catwalk for a ringwalk?

Carvalho, who began modeling in her hometown of Sao Paolo in Brazil aged 18 in 2007, was snapped up by agencies in 2008 — just a year later — to promote Fashion Week in Rio de Janeiro.

From there, she began walking for prominent labels like Burberry, Karl Lagerfeld, Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang, and Vivienne Westwood.

Renowned for her work modelling lingerie, beachwear, and for catalogues, Carvalho has been involved in a number of key industry events like Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in 2015 and 2016.

Staying in shape is crucial to Carvalho's career, but a look through her Instagram account shows that the secret to her health and fitness could be combat sports training.

Modelling and fighting may seem worlds apart but Carvalho, who has been practicing Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu for a number of years now, appears to be making herself known in both.

The footage below, some of the best from her rigorous training regime, gives a different insight into the life of the model who, at just 26-years-old, has already punched her way to the top of the fashion game.

To kick things off, back squats optimise quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles in an athlete's lower body. Carvalho does them with ease.

Here, she throws a seven-punch combination before finishing with a well-placed lower kick in this Muay Thai drill.

Finally, she swaps her lingerie for a gi, or robe, to demonstrate jiu-jitsu knowledge as she attempts to lock her trainer's limbs.

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Weak sales at Victoria's Secret are plaguing its parent company, L Brands, dragging down its stock price more than 37% over the past year.

After posting another month of subpar sales, a retail analyst said in a note to clients that there is "mounting evidence the VS monopoly is losing share every single day,"CNBC reported, concluding the brand is "getting weaker by the day."

If you visit a store, it's clear why.

I became obsessed with Victoria's Secret in college, buying bras, underwear, lingerie, clothes, swimsuits, and perfume from the brand in its stores and online. I would typically buy something every two months or so. It was excessive, but I loved how fun the brand was and all the luxurious stuff I could get with tons of discounts because I shopped there so often.

For the past four years, I've had a Victoria's Secret Angel VIP credit card. But over the past two, I've noticed a deep dive in the quality of materials it uses, the number of deals I can get, and the overall variety of options it offers.

I recently visited a Victoria's Secret store to see how the brand has changed.

SEE ALSO: The owner of Victoria's Secret is plunging after forecasting weaker-than-expected sales

DON'T MISS: Victoria's Secret has suddenly gone on the offensive

I went to the Victoria's Secret in SoHo — one of its largest stores in New York City — when it didn't have a large enough selection at its Flatiron location.

Each section of the store features about a dozen bra types, each of which comes in a variety of colors and styles. Bras range in price from about $15 to $200.

My first impression is one of decadence — rich, deep wood and mood lighting fill the store, inviting you to treat yourself.

If you’ve ever tuned into a Victoria’s Secret fashion show, chances are you’ve wanted to know the secret behind their impossibly long limbs, tiny waists and thighs that don’t meet in the middle.

But, it turns out that being a VS Angel and maintaining the physical image associated with the brand is a seriously gruelling, and damaging task.

In a bid to debunk what people deem as healthy, two YouTubers decided to take on the diet of a pre-show Angel only to be left feeling worn-out, moody and seriously underfed, the Daily Mail reports.

Candace Lowry and Michelle Khare teamed up for a new video where they decided to spend four days eating like one of the famous supermodels.

Despite citing a dietician consulted by Shape who said, "I wouldn’t recommend this diet to anyone," the pair decided to go ahead but explained that they wouldn’t be going the whole hog.

Instead, they limited themselves to two ‘normal’ days of eating like a model before moving on to the arduous pre-show liquid only diet for another two days.

Their routine was based on the habits adopted by one of the most prominent and longest-serving Angels, Adriana Lima, who revealed the lengths she went to before an event in an interview with The Telegraph in 2011.

Nine days before the show, Lima claimed that she would drink nothing but protein shakes made with powdered egg and a gallon of water. Then, two days before showtime she would cut back on the water before the 12 hours leading up to the show where she would consume nothing at all.

"No liquids at all so you dry out, sometimes you can lose up to eight pounds just from that," she said.

For the first day, the YouTubers ate a diet of oatmeal, egg whites and orange slices followed by a ‘boring’ dinner of broccoli, quinoa and chicken breast.

But by the second day, Michelle was already complaining of feeling very ‘tired’ and by third admitted that she was struggling with a terrible mood bought on my practically starving herself with the liquid diet.

"This diet is terrible and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies," Michelle said.

"It's not a healthy way to lose weight and it's strange to me because... no one as a regular person would go through this and these models are supposed to represent the people buying the clothes."

At the end of the experiment, Michelle insisted that the liquid diet days were nothing more than survival and that it had caused her to have trouble sleeping.

Join the conversation about this story »

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The INSIDER Summary:

• Victoria's Secret model Jasmine Tookes says she doesn't follow weight loss fads — she just tries to eat a healthy and balanced diet.
• She eats acai bowls for breakfast, snacks on protein bars, and eats protein and veggies for lunch and dinner.
• Her "diet" is just about making healthier choices.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who wonders what a Victoria's Secret Angels eat in order to look that fantastic on the runway. Really, what is their secret? One model particularly stuck out to me, because she's no fragile Angel. She's toned, strong, and not afraid to show it off.

Jasmine Tookes is one of the newer models to join the VS dream team, and after following her for some time on social media, she became one of my fitness role models.

She prefers weight training to cardio and refuses to fall prey to fad diets. Crushing model-linked stereotypes, Jastookes is an avid gym rat, boxer, and yogi, and eats five square meals per day.

When asked by Vogue if she had any special diets, she said, "No, not really. I just try to eat a healthy and balanced diet." And she told Style Caster that she could never get behind that juice trend.

She proves that you don't have to starve yourself or spend hours on the elliptical in order to have a "model body." And I choose to use this term loosely, because in my view and hers, a model should not have to live up to a specific body profile.

I was more than ready to jump into this challenge and eat like my favorite Victoria's Secret angel for a week. My goal was not to gain a VS Angel bod and become a health guru in a week (as it takes much more than a week to see dramatic results). 

After a recent surgery, my healthy habits have been gradually ignored. I went from working out regularly, dancing, hiking, and being diligent when it came to nutrition to months without working out and eating "comfort" foods more often. As I started recovering, I knew it was time to whip back into shape so I could go back to doing all the activities I love without feeling like crap.

I wanted to use this experience to start routinely practicing healthy habits again, but also to prove to myself and others that model behavior doesn't have to be as extreme as you may think. As expected, I had my ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses (Ben & Jerry's), but you'd be surprised at some of the foods Jasmine Tookes actually eats.

Breakfasts

Jastookes loves her açaí bowls, which, as anyone who knows about my obsession with Luv-a-Bowl knows, was definitely not a problem for me.

When I couldn't make the trip to Luv-a-Bowl, I made my own fruit and peanut butter smoothie bowls using frozen fruit, vegan protein powder, spinach and other greens, and almond milk.

Whenever I wanted something fast, I would choose instant oats with sliced banana or hard-boiled eggs and whole grain toast.

Snacks

Jastookes always keeps snacks in her bag when she's casually traveling between countries for Vogue and VS photo shoots. She told StyleCaster that she always keeps a protein bar with her just in case, because she doesn't like airplane food.

She also told StyleCaster that she loves peanut butter, which gave me even more reason to fangirl. One of her go-to snacks is an apple with peanut butter.

Whenever I felt like snacking while studying, I would eat an apple or a banana with peanut butter, or have a Quest Bar handy, so I wouldn't get too hungry between meals and could prevent overeating later on.

Lunches

I'm on campus from 8am to 6pm most nights, and I don't have access to a microwave, so lunch is always whatever I can find on campus. This posed a challenge, and I had to overcome temptation in the cafeteria.

When eating out, her favorite restaurant is Westville. She told StyleCaster, "I get the grilled chicken and the string beans with soy sauce." We don’t have a Westville in Athens (and honestly, eating out for me usually means fast food), but we do have an on-campus Chick-fil-A Express, where I could order a grilled market salad or grilled chicken nuggets with fruit.

We also have a Panda Express on campus, where I would order a mushroom chicken bowl with a half-and-half side of steamed veggies and white rice.

Dinners

Jasmine told Allure in an interview, "because I'm working out so much, to keep up the energy, I eat a lot of protein and feed my muscles." She normally works out three times per week, but likes to "amp it up to seven days a week" when prepping for a show. Then, she consumes more protein and vegetables to accommodate.

On my first night, I had four ounces of baked cod and a cup of veggies with Sriracha, low-sodium soy sauce, and black pepper. One thing that Jasmine and I have in common is our love for soy sauce. It's one of her kitchen staples. My schedule's pretty hectic, so I did it all out of one microwaveable bag for efficiency.

Conclusion

It’s important to keep in mind that I tried to eat according to my BMI, age, and activity level. Also note that results might not be the same for everyone who tries it.

I consumed a lot more water, protein, and vegetables than I am used to, and less carbs. I ditched as many sugary and processed foods as possible (in addition to my breaking up with ice cream for a while, which was sad).

I also ate more or less protein and carbohydrates depending on how much I exercised. To keep up with Jastookes, I exercised for 30 to 50 minutes, three times that week (including yoga and some of her awesome IG workouts). Eating this way, I felt that I had more strength and endurance when working out.

This “diet” isn’t that drastic for someone wanting to try it. In my opinion, I’d say it’s a much more realistic alternative to juice cleansing or the cabbage soup diet. It definitely helped me get into making healthier choices more frequently, but I will still treat myself to some ice cream once in a while.

Sadly, I have yet to hear back from Vogue or Victoria's Secret about becoming their first five-foot tall model, but I do feel a lot healthier and hope to continue good nutrition habits whether it affects my aspiring career or not.

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The annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is one of the most prestigious gigs a model can land. Gaining your "angel wings," intricately designed pairs of life-sized wings given to the most highly-regarded models in the show, is a whole other privilege.

Jan Planit, who used to head up top modelling agency IMG and now runs Planit Model Management, once told the New York Post: "There are very few special things you can achieve as a model. Getting your Angel wings is the ultimate."

The iconic shows are famed for their dramatic, colourful, and skimpy outfits, as well as their impressive line up of entertainment.

Last year 51 top models made the final cut for the show, of which just 14 were designated "Victoria's Secret Angels"— brand ambassadors who travel the world promoting Victoria's Secret year-round. Best friends Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner became the most recent models to earn their wings on stage at the 2016 show.

While being in the show might be a privilege, the money doesn't hurt, either. Nine of the models who appeared in the 2016 show even appeared on Forbes' list of the world’s 20 highest-paid models in 2016.

Scroll down to see the highest-paid Victoria's Secret models from last year's show, ranking in ascending order by their 2016 earnings, according to Forbes.

*The earnings are an estimate based on income from all modelling contracts, both from Victoria Secret as well as other companies.

9. Taylor Hill — $4 million (£3 million).

Taylor Hill, the 21-year old "girl next door from Colorado" and Vogue cover star, became the face of Topshop's  AW16 campaign in July 2016. Since then her Instagram follower base has almost doubled — she now has 8.3 million followers of her @taylor_hill account.

Hill walked her first VS show in 2014 and became an Angel a year later.

8. Jasmines Tookes — $4 million (£3 million).

Californian Jasmine Tookes is one of only three non-white models — all VS models — to make Forbes' highest earning list in 2016.

The 25-year-old gained her wings in 2015, after first walking a Victoria's Secret show in 2012.

7. Lily Aldridge — $4 million (£3.5 million).

LA-born Lily Aldridge walked her first Victoria's Secret show in 2009, and became an Angel the following year. The 30-year old's favourite place in the world is her hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, according to her VS profile. Her Instagram has 5.1 million followers.

The INSIDER Summary:

• As a woman with naturally large breasts, I struggle to find good-quality, inexpensive bras that fit.
• I've never bought a bra at Victoria's Secret, but have always wished I could fit into their pretty bras.
• The brand only carries sizes 30 A to 40 DDD.
• Still, I wanted to see what Victoria's Secret could do for larger-chested women, so I had bra fittings at four of its stores.
• I was measured as a different size at each one, from a 32 C to a 32 DDD. None of the bras fit properly.

I've written before about the drawbacks of having big breasts and my frustration with bra manufacturers. Most of the bras I own are from expensive designers like Panache or Simone Perele and have structured, full cups and thick straps. No balconettes or bralettes for me.

I've always wished that I could fit into prettier bras with delicate straps like the ones sold at Victoria's Secret, but they only carry sizes 30 A to 40 DDD. Still, the company promises women “the perfect fit,” and although I've never bought a bra from Victoria's Secret, I wanted to see what America's most popular bra retailer could do for large-chested women like me.

Bra sizing continues to perplex me — since I developed breasts at the age of 14, I've had trouble finding good-quality, inexpensive bras. For reference, I currently hover between sizes 30 E and F, but I also own bras that fit in other sizes, including a 32 D sports bra designed by a British brand. Moving to the US from the UK has made bra shopping even more complicated, since sizes aren't always the same in different countries.

That said, I was not prepared for how challenging shopping at Victoria's Secret was going to be.

I went for a bra fitting at four stores in Manhattan, trying the same $39.50 T-shirt bra at every store. And as I tried each bra, I kept the advice of a professional bra fitter in mind to judge the fit.

1. At the Victoria's Secret flagship store on 34th Street, I was told I was a 32 DDD within seconds of being measured.

For the first fitting, I went straight to the Victoria's Secret mothership: its 34th Street flagship store. The space is decorated like a fancy boudoir and illuminated by moody lighting, with framed pictures of pouting Angels on the walls.

Making my way past a display of mannequins clad in lacy, cut-out lingerie, I found a Victoria's Secret employee with a pink measuring tape slung around her neck. I asked her about a bra fitting and she whipped the tape over my breasts and around my back under my denim jacket. This was in the middle of the store, while I was still wearing my own bra. I warned the fitter that the strapless bra I had on that day was actually too big for me, and though she agreed that it seemed too large, she continued to measure me in it, counting cup sizes with her fingers over the fullest part of my breasts. Within seconds she told me that my "starting size" was a 32 DDD.

At the Victoria's Secret in Manhattan's Flatiron District, I was measured by a fitter in the same way as I had been at the flagship. This time, however, I was told that my starting size was either a 34 D or a 32 DD.

Taken to the changing room, I tried on a 34 D test bra first. A sticker on the mirror in the cubicle read, "Your perfect fit guaranteed. Only at Victoria's Secret."

The verdict

After four fittings, five sizes, and too many bras to count, I still couldn't find a bra that would fit properly.

While the sizes I was given were marginally different at each fitting, none of the bras felt like they were well-made or could even begin to support me in the limited size range available.

Another big problem is the way that Victoria's Secret fits women for bras. Though many of the fitters who measured me were friendly and happy to help with new sizes and styles, they didn't see anything wrong with how the bras fit on me — which is very concerning. Victoria's Secret has its own guidelines for how a bra ought to fit, and though they mention how the cups and band should fit, they don't say anything about how the gore should fit. The fitters who measured me also didn't seem to follow any of these guidelines.

The environment at a Victoria's Secret store isn't helpful, either. Trying on ill-fitting bras whilst surrounded by tiny mannequins and photos of Angels in sexy underwear can be damaging to a person's self-esteem. A customer could easily think there's something wrong with her body, and not the store's bras. But in reality, the majority of women who buy their bras are not supermodels, nor do they look like them in their underwear.

Ultimately, Victoria's Secret failed to give me "the perfect fit" it promised. The bras I tried on don't seem made for women's bodies as they are, but rather for the highly unattainable body type of a Victoria's Secret model.

Standing in the changing room, thinking of Kendall Jenner and how little we look alike in a Victoria's Secret bra, it occurred to me that women shouldn't have to change their bodies to fit into a bra. Victoria's Secret and other mainstream brands like them should change the way they make bras to fit our bodies.

INSIDER contacted Victoria's Secret for comment on this experience, asking why the brand carries a limited range of sizes and about the training and qualifications of its fitters, but the company did not respond at the time of this post. 

Join the conversation about this story »

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Young women are increasingly choosing bralettes over bras — and Victoria's Secret is bucking the trend. 

"Bralettes trend up and down and we’ll have them," CEO Jan Singer told analysts on a conference call, as reported by the New York Post. "But we make constructed bras best and anyone can make bralettes. We get paid for construction."

Bralettes are typically less padded than the push-up bras that put Victoria's Secret on the map.

They're also cheaper, which could be eroding margins — the company typically charges $25 for a bralette and $50 for a bra.

Selling more of its classic products would help differentiate Victoria's Secret from competitors like Aerie. 

Victoria's Secret sales are down despite an overall surge in the lingerie market. Shares of its parent company, Limited Brands, have been falling on the news. 

Analysts at Morgan Stanley think recent panic about the state of Victoria's Secret's business is overblown. 

"We acknowledge the Victoria's Secret turnaround is taking longer than we or the market anticipated, but the stock is trading like a business in structural decline, which we disagree with for several key reasons," the analysts write in a note to clients. 

The analysts write that Victoria's Secret still controls 27% of the lingerie market and is largely protected from e-commerce competitors because customers prefer to be fitted in person. 

Morgan Stanley does suggest one way Victoria's Secret could improve: by bringing back swimwear online. 

The online swimwear business was worth a reported $500 million when Victoria's Secret shut it down last year. 

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Whether you're a Victoria's Secret fan or not, its annual runway show has become a huge event on the fashion world's calendar.

A place in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is highly coveted and — with the models being some of the highest-paid in the industry, like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid — difficult to get. Nevertheless, hordes of hopefuls flocked to the casting calls held this week in New York City in the hopes of securing a spot on the runway.

As photos of the contenders surfaced, Fashionista noticed some common trends in the way models were dressed. Most of the models auditioning wore all-black outfits baring their stomach and/or their legs, and almost all of them kept their hair, makeup, and accessories minimal.

See what models wore to their auditions below — and no, you're not seeing the same picture more than once.

Dutch model Maartje Verhoef attended a call back audition wearing a pair of slim-fit black pants and a cropped black top.

Lorena Rae wore very high-waisted black pants with a matching halter crop top to give a glimpse of her chiseled abs.

Noel Berry wore an almost identical outfit, except her pants are denim and her crop top has a ribbed detail.

The INSIDER Summary:

• The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show has a selective and secretive casting process. 
• Victoria's Secret recently released two videos of its castings on Instagram.
• During a casting, prospective models strut down a catwalk wearing black underwear and heels.
• After the model walks the runway, a panel of four judges will typically ask her a series of questions before telling her if she has been cast or not.
• A small audience, camera crew, and Victoria's Secret Angels are also present for the casting.
  

Every year, hundreds of up-and-coming models audition for a coveted spot in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. However, not everyone makes the cut — even if they're invited to tryouts in New York City.

Although over six million people watched the fashion show last year, viewers know very little about the brand's selective casting process.

But this year, as early as August 22, Victoria's Secret has been releasing photos and video footage on its official Instagram page offering a peek behind the curtain at its castings. Two videos of newcomers Amilna Estevao and Rossmarijn de Kok, in particular, reveal what it's like to try out for the fashion show.

First, it looks like there's an official model uniform for the audition. Every model is required to wear a black bra, underwear with mesh panels, and matching heels. Coincidentally, it looks a lot like the unofficial off-duty "uniform" the models wear to attend their auditions. 

Then, the models walk the runway. They're encouraged to show off their personalities, and even smile, striking poses along the way.

Estevao, a first time model for the brand, showcased her charisma during her audition.

As seen during Estevao's audition, a panel of four judges offers commentary as the model walks. The judges comment on every aspect of a model's runway presence including her body, facial expressions, and posing.

A small audience, camera crew, and some of the official Victoria's Secret Angels are also in the room.

Finally, after the model has finished walking the judges will directly ask her questions about why she wants to be a Victoria's Secret Model.

"And how long have you wanted to be in the show?" a female judge asked Estevao in the video.

"It would be a dream coming true," the model said. "I don't know. I would cry."

"Well, guess what. Your dream is coming true," a male judge responds. The panel and audience burst into applause. 

De Kok, another Victoria's Secret rookie, had a similar experience.

After completing the rigorous audition process, 61 models were selected to walk in the fashion show this year. The lineup is comprised of the brand's 14 Angels, 31 returning models, and 16 newcomers.

This year's fashion show takes place in Shanghai, China, and will air on November 28. We can't wait to tune in.

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Former Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr recently revealed what she eats in a day. 
• Kerr starts off her mornings with hot lemon water and has either a smoothie or pancakes for breakfast.
• Her lunch and dinner feature unique salads and lean protein like salmon and chicken. 

Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr recently revealed everything she eats in a day in a video for Harper's Bazaar.

The 34-year-old Australian supermodel, with the help of her dog Teddy, showed how to make her favorite meals including her recipe for banana pancakes, a simple fresh salmon lunch, and a giant salad filled with over ten ingredients.

Here's everything Kerr likes to eat in a day — and it involves a lot of lemons. 

Unlike coffee addicts, Kerr's morning wake-up call is hot water with fresh lemon. 

"It's a really great way to kind of kick start your digestion," she said. "It's full of vitamin C." Kerr isn't the only star to start her day with hot lemon water.

Meghan Markle, Drew Barrymore, Giada de Laurentiis, and Christie Brinkley are also fans of this morning beverage. TIME reported that lemon water could indirectly help people lose weight by staying hydrated. 

Her breakfast is usually a smoothie filled with fresh fruit and veggies.

Kerr's favorite smoothie ingredients are almond milk, fresh papaya, blueberries, raspberries, almond butter, and a serving of Kora Organics skin food supplement. Kerr is the founder of Kora Organic's, which sells everything from beauty supplements and skincare products to aromatherapy oils.  

The supplement added to her smoothie contains noni, a popular medicinal tree or shrub found in Australia and Indonesia, as well as acai, blueberry, and matcha green tea. 

If she's not in the mood for a smoothie, she makes banana-oat-egg pancakes for her and her son. 

"This is one of my favorite things to have for breakfast," she said. "I like it because they're healthy for him and he likes it because they're really yummy."

The recipe calls for range free eggs, oats, and a banana. Kerr blends them together and cooks them in coconut oil in a pan. She tops the mini pancakes with raspberries and coconut nectar sans sugary syrup. 

Lunchtime usually consists of garlic salmon with a side salad. 

Kerr's lunch puts sad desk salads to shame.

The model likes to have salmon seasoned with garlic, turmeric, and lemon with a side salad. She makes her own dressing to freshen up the sprouts, arugula, cucumber, purple cauliflower, and avocado salad. For the recipe, Kerr combines olive oil, lemon, apple cider vinegar, and a little sea salt. 

While she doesn't always have time to make her own lunch, she notes that no matter what her day holds she sets aside time for some mindful eating. 

"No matter how busy I am I really try to take a moment and just really be present with eating and really enjoy my food," she told Harper's Bazaar. 

Her favorite dinner recipe is a slow roast chicken paired with a 10-ingredient salad. 

It's no wonder that this is one of Kerr's best-loved meals. It was one of the dishes served at her wedding to Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel. 

Kerr seasons the chicken with onion, garlic, lemon, turmeric, and rosemary before cooking it for seven hours. She likes to serve it with sweet potato mash and a huge salad. 

"So this is one of my favorite salads, it's super simple," she said. Kerr combines cabbage, baby spinach, parsley, cilantro, finely chopped cucumber, olives, halloumi cheese, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, and celery. 

Kerr's fresh and simple recipes are an inspiration to get cooking and start adding lemon to almost everything. 

Watch the full video below. 

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

On August 24, Victoria's Secret officially announced the lineup for its annual fashion show. This season, 61 models made the cut to walk the runway in Shanghai, China, on November 28.

Victoria's Secret's 14 official Angels — including favorites like Adriana Lima and Candice Swanepoel — will be joined by 16 newcomers and 31 returning models. While Bella Hadid is one of the latter, it's unclear if Kendall Jenner will be back on the runway. And out of the newcomers, viewers should keep an eye out for promising models like Aiden Curtiss, Frida Aasen, and Xin Xie.

While fans count down to the fashion show, here are the models who have been confirmed to walk the runway.

Adriana Lima will return for another season as a Victoria's Secret Angel. The Brazilian model has walked in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show since 1999.

Lima is the longest-serving Victoria's Secret model ever.

This will be Aiden Curtiss's first time walking in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

When the 19-year-old isn't working the runway, she's also a DJ and music producer, according to Vice.

Alanna Arrington, 18, confirmed that she will be back for a second season with Victoria's Secret. She made her debut as a Victoria's Secret runway model in 2016.

In February 2016, at the age of 17, Arrington visited New York City for the first time when she walked in two back-to-back shows — including opening the Altuzzara show, Vogue reported.

The INSIDER Summary:

• Kendall Jenner reportedly won't walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show this year.
• Sources close to the Kardashians cited by TMZ say that Jenner won't walk in the show due to a conflict with another modeling contract.
• Jenner is the new face of lingerie brand La Perla.
• She reportedly signed a non-compete clause, barring her from the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

The INSIDER Summary: 

• Trainer Justin Gelband works with Victoria's Secret models like Karlie Kloss, Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, and more.
• Gelband told INSIDER what people always get wrong about building ab muscles.
• Conventional crunches are ineffective and aren't good for your back, he said.
• He also believes nutrition is an underrated factor
• Finally, many people don't realize their abs and core are different, he said.
• He encourages people to strengthen their core by swimming, cycling, and adding rotational movements to their workouts.

Although Victoria's Secret might not be the most accurate place to get fitted for a bra, the models who represent the brand know a thing or two about staying in shape.

That's in large part thanks to personal trainer Justin Gelband, who is known for working with various Victoria's Secret supermodels including Miranda Kerr, Karlie Kloss, Martha Hunt, Irina Shaik, Candice Swanepoel, and Erin Heatherton. Here he is with Swanepoel and Heatherton.

INSIDER spoke with Gelband to dismantle some of the common misconceptions people have about building ab muscles, and what you can do to train and maintain a healthy core.

These are the biggest mistakes that can prevent you from building ab muscles, according to Gelband.

1. You're hung up on crunches. 

Contrary to what many people think, Gelband believes crunches are ineffective.

"[Crunches] like when we were little kids and went to gym class the teacher would say 'you have to go all the way up and all the way down,' that doesn't do anything for you," the trainer told INSIDER. "That's because all you're doing is putting pressure on your spine [...] because you're using your neck instead of your stomach to actually do the exercise."

Putting so much pressure on your lower back is not a good idea. Harvard Medical School even says that sit-ups and crunches are not only hazardous for your back, but only work a few muscle groups.

One variation of the crunch that has been especially popular on social media are partner leg throwdowns, which are shown below.

Gelband does not approve of this exercise.

"Someone lays on their back and lifts their legs up in the air, and the person stands behind them and throws their legs up and down," the trainer said, describing the movement. "Oh my god that’s called the back breaker. That’s probably the worst exercise you can do in your life." 

According to Gelband, the move doesn't let your other muscles engage in the movement thus limiting your range of motion and its overall effectiveness of this partner exercise.

2. You don't think about nutrition.

At the first mention of "abs," Gelband kept repeating one word: nutrition.

"Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition, nutrition," he said. Doing exercise is one thing, but making sure you're eating right is also crucial.

"So if you’re eating properly you can actually have a flat stomach," he said. "That doesn’t mean that if you eat like a crazy person and then go and do all these crazy boxing exercises and rotational exercises, where you’re actually using your lower back, that [you'll have a strong core]."

In terms of what to eat, Gelband is a big fan of dieting according to your blood type and said it's hard for him to tell people exactly what to eat. There are some foods that you should never eat if you want a flat stomach, though.

3. You think your core just means your abs, and you're only working them.   

Your core and your abs are not the same thing. According to Gelband, your core is actually made up of a few different parts.

"No, it's not just your stomach. It's your hips, your lower back, your stomach and your butt all combined into a box," he said. "That [box] is what I usually work and I'm really able to define and establish a relationship between a person's brain and body and how they connect."

To work your "box," Gelband suggests doing rotational movements and activities like swimming, biking, and running on the beach that don't put as much pressure on your lower back as other exercises. "If you’re going to do certain ab exercises you need to do rotationary exercises and different movements and motions through something that’s not so abrasive as getting on the ground and doing 5,000 crunches," he said. 

To sum up, Gelband's biggest tips are to learn how to engage all of your core muscles, skip the partner crunches, and pay more attention to what you eat. While following his advice will help strengthen your core, unfortunately there isn't a quick answer to getting supermodel abs.

SEE ALSO: Harvard doctors say this overlooked move is the quickest way to get strong abs

DON'T MISS: There's even more evidence that one type of exercise is the closest thing to a miracle drug that we have

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The INSIDER Summary:

• On September 1, Gigi Hadid apologized for a video that showed her mocking the face of an Asian man that went viral on the internet.
• "It hurts me to hurt anyone, and I want you all to know that it was never my intent to offend anyone through my actions and I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt or felt let down by me," she wrote on the social media site Weibo.
• The video was originally posted on Snapchat in February but was swiftly taken down after Hadid received backlash.
• However, it resurfaced in August after the model was cast in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
• Hadid apologized after multiple fans claimed that she was not welcome in Shanghai, China, where the fashion show is taking place.

Victoria's Secret model Gigi Hadid has apologized to fans in China who accused her of "discrimination" after a video that showed her imitating a cookie depicting Buddha resurfaced online.

The video originally went viral in February, after the model's sister Bella Hadid posted it to her Snapchat. Amid backlash and frustration from fans, Bella swiftly deleted the video of her sister, who posed alongside a cookie and squinted her eyes to mimic Buddha's facial features.

The video resurfaced in August after Gigi confirmed that she would walk in the upcoming Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in Shanghai, China.

On September 1, nearly seven months after the original incident, the model took to Weibo, a Chinese social media platform, to apologize for her actions. She posted her apology in Mandarin Chinese and English.

"It hurts me to hurt anyone, and I want you all to know that it was never my intent to offend anyone through my actions and I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt or felt let down by me," she wrote.

Hadid's apology came just days after she was criticized by Chinese fans, who said the model was unwelcome in their country because of the video.

They also flooded her social media with snake and chicken emojis; chickens have a similar meaning to snakes in China, according to BuzzFeed.

In her statement, Hadid said she has learned from this experience.

"I have the utmost respect and love for the people of China and Cherish the incredible memories I have made while visiting in the past. I have learned to be very careful of how my actions can come off or be portrayed, and I’m hopeful you’ll accept my apology," she said. "I do not condone hurtful behavior and want people and fans of all backgrounds to know they are welcomed, loved, and respected around me and by me."

However, it seems that social media users don't think her recent apology is enough.

We'll have to wait until the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show later this year to see how this plays out.

Read Hadid's full statement below:

It hurts me to hurt anyone, and I want you all to know that it was never my intent to offend anyone through my actions and I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt or felt let down by me. I have the utmost respect and love for the people of China and Cherish the incredible memories I have made while visiting in the past. I have learned to be very careful of how my actions can come off or be portrayed, and I’m hopeful you’ll accept my apology. I hope to meet many of you and let you get to know me. I do not condone hurtful behavior and want people and fans of all backgrounds to know they are welcomed, loved, and respected around me and by me.

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NOW WATCH: This Victoria's Secret model could knock you out

The INSIDER Summary: 

• I spent an hour exercising with Justin Gelband, a personal trainer who has worked with Victoria's Secret models Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, and Karlie Kloss. 
• Gelband took me through the strategies he uses to create workouts for the models, as well as a warm up routine threaded into a full-on session. 
• I didn't expect it to be as challenging as it was — luckily Gelband made it fun. 

At 5-foot-2.5-inches I would not qualify to be a Victoria's Secret model. 

But personal trainer Justin Gelband doesn't want me to compare myself to the Angels— he just wants me to train with the mindset and attitude of one.

If anyone knows about working out like an Angel, it's Gelband. In addition to having a five-year degree in Exercise Science and Sports Management, he has worked with Victoria's Secret models Miranda Kerr, Candice Swanepoel, and Karlie Kloss, as well as Taylor Swift who performed at the 2013 and 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

When he offered to train me after our recent interview, I jumped at the opportunity. While he was in town for fashion week, Gelband and I met up at Finish Line Physical Therapy in New York City, where he analyzed everything about me to develop a personalized workout program. This is something he does for all new clients, models and myself included.  

The first thing he told me to do was walk, which seemed fitting.

It seemed weird to me at the time, but in retrospect this walking warm up made a ton of sense. After all, models do this for a living, just with more finesse then my everyday hustle. 

Immediately after taking a few laps sans shoes he noticed a few issues that would affect my workout. 

Just from those few steps, he could tell that I walk on the outer side of my foot, my knees cave inwards, my left shoulder is higher than my right shoulder, I'm very thigh or quad dominant, and I have lower back issues. I didn't even know some of these things, and I walk in this body every day.

"Do you ever take the same step twice?" Gelband asked me. It felt like a trick question, and I answered yes before thinking. It turns out, I was wrong.

"OK, then do the same thing again," he told me after I stopped walking. I couldn't, because your body never takes exactly the same step twice, and that's what he wanted to prepare me for. 

Gelband's approach to training is 100% personalized, so he had me do a few specific exercises and warm ups for my body which were different from my normal routine. 

Once I finished walking, Gelband wrapped my foot in a plastic resistance band and applied pressure to get my ankles to open up. He asked me what shoes I wear, how often I get up for breaks at work, and what types of exercises I like to do. 

His questions might seem a little proby, but that's what makes him different. He doesn't train people to be models;  he trains people — models and mortals alike —  to live life actively and injury free.

Because Gelband's workouts are personalized, what worked for me will not necessarily work for you. And that's the point. His goal is to help you prevent injuries in your daily life, not necessarily turn your body into someone else's. 

The exercises I performed weren't grand movements that focused on one area, but small steps that worked my whole body.

My typical workout involves weight lifting while focusing on one or two body parts at a time. But I didn't pick up a single weight or get on a single cardio machine  my the entire time. Rather, Gelband had me perform small multi-joint, total-body moves. I nervously laughed more than once at how weak I felt doing tiny movements like holding a Pilates ring and taping my foot back and forth with ankle weights. 

Although there were no specific names for the exercises (they are customized just for me, after all) there are descriptions. 

Step Outs 

The key to this exercise is to tilt your pelvis not your lower back, as I do slowly in the gif above. I first did the tilt, then moved my foot to create a more narrow stance before repeating the tilt. This helped me learn how to engage my pelvis instead of my lower back which is super weak. 

Toe Tapers

For this exercise, I held the Pilates circle in my hands with my elbows up so that I could work my shoulders and the rest of my body at the same time. I tapped the top part of my foot back and forth with ankle weights on my legs, while keeping my right leg slightly bent. Because I didn't have the wall to balance on like with the first movement, I was able to isolate the glutes on the right side of my body. 

Reverse Toe Taps

I may be smiling in this gif, but I was dying on the inside. I stepped backwards instead of forwards, and added in a more obvious tilt that I mentioned earlier. Holding the Pilates ring above my head made this move challenging. 

Angled Toe Taps

This movement required a lot of balance. I leaned slightly over my right leg, which was kept partially bent, and tapped my foot on and off the step located behind me. I kept the ring close to my chest, and Gelband reminded me to breathe and engage my core in order to keep my body in position. 

Model Stomps

Despite the name, these shouldn't be super heavy steps. Gelband had me focus on keeping my glutes engaged and working the whole time. This is the biggest, boldest movement Gelband had me do. I was focused during the video on keeping the tempo, so my arms dropped slightly, but you should be keeping the elbows up and angled the whole time. 

In addition to these movements, Gelband had me do a few punches while holding resistance bands and some chest presses, also with the use of the bands. He typically peppers in boxing and Pilates moves too, but had us end the workout with what he calls a necessary evil — foam rolling. He said that using the foam roller will help me open up might tight hips and ease some of the tension that might muscles hold. 

In the end, I'm happy that I got to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone without taking things to the extreme.  

Overall I had an amazing experience training with Gelband. I really wanted to keep up and hold my own during the workout, but Gelband didn't rush me. He actually told me to slow down so I could focus on the moves.  

Although I won't be strutting down the catwalk anytime soon, I am happy to say that this experience has sparked me to include more functional movements into my routine. Gelband mentioned there is more work to be done, specifically with Pilates and boxing and that he wants to train me again — I definitely wouldn't object.  

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Victoria's Secret is struggling.

The brand's parent company, L Brands, has posted weak sales for four straight quarters, and the stock has plunged 45% over the last year.

Customers say they're shopping at Victoria's Secret less and less, and many don't plan to go back anytime soon.

In a consumer survey that Wells Fargo Securities outlined in a recent note to clients, 48% of Victoria's Secret shoppers said they had shopped there less in the past year.

The biggest reason they cited was high prices, with 58% of those who had shopped less naming it as their reason for staying away. A Wells Fargo price study found that Victoria's Secret bras typically sell for a 50% premium over competitors'.

A whopping 68% of consumers who had shopped less said they like the brand less than they used to, and 60% said they think the brand feels "forced" or "fake."

The Wells Fargo analysts noted that popular culture now focuses more on authenticity and body positivity, a trend that competitors like Aerie have capitalized on.

"That the VS brand feels 'forced/fake' to some may be a reaction to this shift in cultural sentiment, and while other brands have been able to use this to their advantage, it appears that VS may be lagging the trend," they wrote.

Victoria's Secret has exited the clothing and swimwear space over the last year and a half, putting more energy into sports bras and beauty products. The analysts warn this could be "alienating" their core customers, and don't expect Victoria's Secret to make a turnaround for awhile.

SEE ALSO: We went to a Victoria's Secret store in NYC and saw why the brand is struggling

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