Let's talk about body image for a minute.
I, like every woman ever, have suffered from crippling doubt when faced with a mirror & a swimsuit. Like saying to my refection: "no, I'm not leaving the house today because I just can't handle this right now" kind of self consciousnesses. It's tough & I've always had such admiration for people that just couldn't give a fuck.
Spotlight on The Militant Baker & her recent photo response to the CEO of a totally irrelevant brand by the standards of everyone I know.
A statement made by Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO has been getting some pretty serious heat lately. It's being revisited that Mike Jeffries believes that A&F is a cool kid's brand (eye roll). & there's no way any cool, attractive kid could be above a size 10 & that's why his store doesn't carry fat clothes (I really don't feel obliged to quote directly nor provide a link. Just Google it if you need to read the quote, but that is the basic gist).
I have a couple of things to say about this.
First of all,Jeffries looks like this:
I, like every woman ever, have suffered from crippling doubt when faced with a mirror & a swimsuit. Like saying to my refection: "no, I'm not leaving the house today because I just can't handle this right now" kind of self consciousnesses. It's tough & I've always had such admiration for people that just couldn't give a fuck.
Spotlight on The Militant Baker & her recent photo response to the CEO of a totally irrelevant brand by the standards of everyone I know.
A statement made by Abercrombie & Fitch's CEO has been getting some pretty serious heat lately. It's being revisited that Mike Jeffries believes that A&F is a cool kid's brand (eye roll). & there's no way any cool, attractive kid could be above a size 10 & that's why his store doesn't carry fat clothes (I really don't feel obliged to quote directly nor provide a link. Just Google it if you need to read the quote, but that is the basic gist).
I have a couple of things to say about this.
First of all,Jeffries looks like this:
Wait... no, no. That is Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer. My bad...
This is Mike Jeffries pictured to the right, but you can obviously see where I got confused. (So, this is the guy tell you you're not attractive enough. Ok.)
in the interview, he makes a stink about not carrying anything over a large, but I just checked out their website (for, I think, the first time in my life) & there should be an asterisk next to that comment, because the men's line comes in XL & XXL. So, no to fatty women, but a firm maybe to fatty men (though our fingers are crossed that they're just buff)
So, when I first heard about all the uproar yesterday I had several questions like:
So, it made worlds of sense to find out that these quotes are from a 2006 interview that is being brought around for a book someone is writing about Dickwads (Retail. The book is about retail)
Many have chimed in with the overall feeling being "dude, STFU". In his words, he prefers to have the cool & popular kids shopping in his store, but I think the question is-- is there a correlation between size & popularity? If so, I've never noticed it. I've known plenty overweight people who are plenty popular. (Of course this brings up the fact that many become funny or develop other likable traits to distract from any insecurities such as weight... but that's not really what this post is about.)
I've digressed. What was my point?
Oh yes! This spread at The Militant Baker
This is Mike Jeffries pictured to the right, but you can obviously see where I got confused. (So, this is the guy tell you you're not attractive enough. Ok.)
in the interview, he makes a stink about not carrying anything over a large, but I just checked out their website (for, I think, the first time in my life) & there should be an asterisk next to that comment, because the men's line comes in XL & XXL. So, no to fatty women, but a firm maybe to fatty men (though our fingers are crossed that they're just buff)
So, when I first heard about all the uproar yesterday I had several questions like:
- "The fuck?"
- A&F? Is it 2005?
- Seriously, is that store really still open?
So, it made worlds of sense to find out that these quotes are from a 2006 interview that is being brought around for a book someone is writing about Dickwads (Retail. The book is about retail)
Many have chimed in with the overall feeling being "dude, STFU". In his words, he prefers to have the cool & popular kids shopping in his store, but I think the question is-- is there a correlation between size & popularity? If so, I've never noticed it. I've known plenty overweight people who are plenty popular. (Of course this brings up the fact that many become funny or develop other likable traits to distract from any insecurities such as weight... but that's not really what this post is about.)
I've digressed. What was my point?
Oh yes! This spread at The Militant Baker
I would highly advise checking out the whole spread & the subsequent article. I found it really, really powerful.
Now, I will not be surprised if I catch some shade for what I'm about to say: but of course I am concerned with this blogger's health. I do not know her personally, do not know anything about her health & background & have not read her blog thoroughly, but obesity scares the beejeezus out of me. So of course I worry.
But oh.my.god, she must have confidence of steel to post these pictures and I can admire that to the max. (the miggity-max, if you will, but you probably won't)
Also, Abercrombie: a size 10? Really? Yes, I am under a size 10 (I have no idea what size I am in A&F fantasy world, I've never owned anything from this store), but I am also pretty much nearly a midget. I know people who run marathons & probably wear a size 10. Body index & all over health do not always go hand in hand & a size 10 for say someone who is like 5"7 is totally healthy.
Anyway, I guess the point that I'm really trying to make is that, in a very real sense, I am so jealous of this woman. I wish for myself & all of you to have this sort of bad-ass spirit & to be comfortable in the skin you are in.
Of course, I am always striving to make myself better & I have goals that I want to meet, but in the meantime, I need to love who I am no matter what shape or jean size I am.
Who the fuck cares what Unfrozen Caveman Lawyers says?
This is who you are. Make the best of it or be miserable. Those are your choices.
Now, I will not be surprised if I catch some shade for what I'm about to say: but of course I am concerned with this blogger's health. I do not know her personally, do not know anything about her health & background & have not read her blog thoroughly, but obesity scares the beejeezus out of me. So of course I worry.
But oh.my.god, she must have confidence of steel to post these pictures and I can admire that to the max. (the miggity-max, if you will, but you probably won't)
Also, Abercrombie: a size 10? Really? Yes, I am under a size 10 (I have no idea what size I am in A&F fantasy world, I've never owned anything from this store), but I am also pretty much nearly a midget. I know people who run marathons & probably wear a size 10. Body index & all over health do not always go hand in hand & a size 10 for say someone who is like 5"7 is totally healthy.
Anyway, I guess the point that I'm really trying to make is that, in a very real sense, I am so jealous of this woman. I wish for myself & all of you to have this sort of bad-ass spirit & to be comfortable in the skin you are in.
Of course, I am always striving to make myself better & I have goals that I want to meet, but in the meantime, I need to love who I am no matter what shape or jean size I am.
Who the fuck cares what Unfrozen Caveman Lawyers says?
This is who you are. Make the best of it or be miserable. Those are your choices.
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