From Carl Jr.?s To Harper?s Bazaar: How Kate Upton Is Changing The Face And Body Of Fashion [PHOTOS]

Few models can pull off devouring a Carl Jr.'s Southwest Patty Melt in one advertisement and then turn around and pose for a high-fashion spread in Harper's Bazaar; yet, Kate Upton manages to do just that in one foul swoop.

Kate Upton's editorial feature in Harper's Bazaar is a complete 180 from her bikini-clad Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition spread. The blonde bombshell showcased her enviable curves in a elegantly refined manner. Gone were the two-piece bikinis, replaced with luxury threads designed by Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, Dior, Prada, Tom Ford, Gucci, Hermes, Akris, Dolce & Gabbana and Chloe.

The inspiration for the Bazaar photo shoot, shot by famed photographer Terry Richardson at the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, was Old Hollywood. The 19-year-old managed to echo the sultriness of pin-ups Jane Russell, Brigitte Bardot, Jayne Mansfield and Marilyn Monroe.

I'm so nervous! Upton said as she posed with actor Hared Leto in a plunging white Chloe gown. But Leto diverged. A star is born, he said of the teenage beauty.

Surely, the bikini model is the pin-up girl of the twenty-first century. She is swiftly changing the face (and body) of the fashion industry. The New York Daily News credited Upton's Bazaar shot as [bringing] Kate Upton brings classic, voluptuous femininity back to fashion.

The supermodel's racy Carl Jr.'s Southwest Patty Melt commercial debuted just weeks ago. In the ad, the buxom beauty eats the spicy sandwich, glistening with sweat and she removes more and more items of clothing at a drive-in movie. Switch to the polished glamour queen who posed for Harper's Bazaar's high-fashion spread and you have yourself a model who effortlessly straddles the fence between sexy and sophisticated -- a feat few can master.

Kate Upton's rise to fame seemed to shoot straight out of the woodwork.

Kate Upton was born in Michigan and bred in Florida. The blonde beauty, who is also an accomplished equestrian, was discovered by a modeling scout after a horse show in her teens. In 2008, Upton attended an open-call in Miami and, at just 16-years-old, was signed by Elite Model Management that very same day.

Eventually, the 5-foot, 11-inch stunner moved to New York and caught the attention of IMG scout David Cunningham. When Cunningham brought Upton to the attention of IMG super agent Ivan Bart, it was anything but love-at-first-sight.

IMG represents the likes of Gisele Bundchen, Kate Moss and Heidi Klum - multi-million dollar models with size-0 frames. When Kate first came in, everyone at the agency thought I was crazy, Bart told The New York Times. She wasn't 'fashion' enough. But, he signed Upton anyway. The rest, as they say, is history.

Kate is bigger than fashion, Bart said. She's the Jayne Mansfield of the Internet.

Others agree with Bart's assessment that Upton does not fit into any particular category in the modeling/fashion world today. I come from a business where the perennial question is 'Are you beautiful in a fashion sense or in a beauty pageant sense or beautiful-girl-next-door sense?' Stephen Gan, V magazine's editor in chief, told the NY Times. And I feel like, why can't we try to find something that's a little bit different? If you've ever looked at pictures of Jean Harlow up close, she had the same curves as Kate Upton, the same silhouette, and she was the definition of beauty at the time.

Kate Upton's immense fame is a sign that curvy is in.

She's not your typical model, a friend of Upton's told The New York Post. She will eat anything. She's not assuming. She's not into herself. She's not very affected.

I never deprive myself. If I'm craving something once a week, then I'll go have it, Upton later told the Post. Ice cream or whatever, I just eat the foods I like.

Upton is one of numerous A-listers gaining popularity for their voluptuous physique. Christina Hendricks of Mad Man is known for her ample assets, which she personally adores. I hope I'm not encouraging [breast augmentation]. If there's anything to be learned from me it's that I'm learning to celebrate what I was born with, even though it's sometimes been inconvenient. Having larger breasts has made it harder for me to shop throughout the years, but I've learned to love it. It's so bizarre that people are constantly asking if my breasts are real or fake, she told The Daily Mail's You magazine. They're so obviously real that anyone who's ever seen or touched a breast would know.

A comparison to Marilyn Monroe is trite but applicable. Monroe was, and still is, considered the greatest American sex symbol to ever live; and she was a modern-day size-10! Monroe's measurements were as follows: height 5-feet, 5½-inches; weight 118-140 pounds; bust 35-37 inches; waist: 22-23 inches; hips: 35-36 inches; and bra size 36D. She is considered one of the most beautiful women of all time, though still a far-cry from modeling industry standards.

Now, with Kate Upton landing on the cover of one of the most popular magazines in the nation, it is clear that buxom is back.