"There is a breed of fashion models who weigh no more than an abridged dictionary"

This quote by Dave Barry is an amusing way of explaining the impractical expectations of the fashion industry. It implies that style models are expected to be exceptionally thin, to the point where they weigh no greater than a book. This is an exaggeration, but it serves to highlight the pressure that models face to maintain an impractical physique. It also suggests that the fashion industry worths appearance over substance, as an abridged dictionary is much lighter than a full-length one, but includes less information. This quote is a funny method of criticizing the fashion industry's impractical requirements and its concentrate on appearance over compound.