The whole American Apparel thing...

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SuperScrabbleGirl
SuperScrabbleGirl Posts: 310 Member
in Chit-Chat
Okay, so first I'd like to preface this by saying that I applaud the women for taking part in this, I'm not denigrating any contestants in the competition and I really hope it doesn't come across like that. Hell, I've even voted for an MFP member to get through. However, I do take issue with the context itself and the way it's been portrayed by American Apparel.

I've written a blog post about it for my other blog at http://www.thesizist.com, but I thought it might be an interesting thing to debate here too.

Here's the post. Sorry it's a bit disjointed, but there's no way of posting links on this forum.
Okay, so I did forget. I forgot what the American Apparel shop assistant said (http://jezebel.com/5547247/american-apparel-is-not-interested-in-your-plus+size-dollars) and that makes me a bad fat woman. Thankfully Nancy Upton (http://extrawiggleroom.tumblr.com/) didn't forget.

So, it turns out that AA are looking to extend their sizing to include an American size 12. So, that's a UK size 16. All the way up to a whopping size 16. "Fat" women of the world thank you, American Apparel. If, however, we put aside the issue that a size 16 is the average size of a woman in the UK, if we pretend that American Apparel is doing a wonderful thing that we should all be grateful for, we get to the really patronising stuff. Now, please don't get me wrong, I'm 100% happy for more plus size women to be represented in advertising, and I guess holding an online contest to find the best person to do it is a good, inclusive idea. My problem lies with the language used and the attitude portrays. Sadly, the press release isn't up on the website any more, so I can't provide you with specific examples, but suffice to say that the highest rating you can give a model is 5/5 or 'XLent'. That's right, because they're XL. At US size 12. Some other choice words used in the publicity and on the site have been "booty-licious" (Christ), "full size fannies" (Really) and "bootyful" (hilarious). Never mind the awful language for a minute, set that aside if you can, how come there is only one acceptably big body part being referenced here? Why is it only bums that are going to be "full size"? If you're overweight, the chances are, you're likely to hold it over the majority of your body and not just your *kitten*.

That's another thing, a lot of these women are not a US size 12. A lot of them are bigger than that. Many are smaller than that. There are some positively svelt ladies in this competition and the size difference is pretty overwhelming. What are the chances that an over US size 12 woman is going to be picked? I'd say slim. Excuse the pun.

I urge you to look at Nancy Upton's photos. There she is, doing was big women do best: eat. She's bathing in the stuff. Literally. Is that 'bootylicious' enough for you American Apparel? Ironically enough, as I write this, Nancy is in the top rated position. What will happen if she wins? Who knows. What I do know is that this seems a lot like pandering. It seems like AA are happy to throw some money at the problem, make a couple of plus-sized-concessions here and there and then sit back and hope that all of their previous sins will be forgiven.

Sin (http://jezebel.com/5561273/wear-a-size-8-american-apparel-does-not-want-your-money)

Sin (http://gawker.com/5323472/we-predict-more-lawsuits-in-dov-charneys-future)

Sin (http://store.americanapparel.co.uk/rsans309s.html?cid=29)

Big thank you to Jezabel.com for most of the links.

Even bigger thank you to Nancy Upton for taking a (hilarious) stand.

I was going to post the pictures but they're NSFW (they're very mild, but you know what employers are like), I urge you to follow the link to my blog and look at the photos, they are incredible.

Okay. I'm not sure why I'm expecting a backlash, but I am.

Replies

  • BeckyRayJohnson
    BeckyRayJohnson Posts: 88
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    No back lash here. Just a comment that no sizes in the US are the same from one garment to the other. Not even in childrens clothes. And they are all kind of rude or inaccurate in the advertising too. I did not find the pix you are talking about at your blog site but I don't really need to see them to know what you are talking about. I do get excited by the sizes going down as I do ..though not for a long time now sadly to say but I know they are not accurate.I can wear a 16 and still squeeze into a twelve in another brand pants. Just not something to go by. And advertisers always choose women who do not look like the sizes they are saying. I agree about the "boody " comments too. I have no "asatall" yet my belly is a biggie.lol. Old age makes it sag worse than a younger woman's would.
  • starwhisperer
    starwhisperer Posts: 367
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    I have stopped buying from American Apparel actually. Mostly because all of their models look like underage girls, and they make their whole catalog look like porn. That irritates me. I know sex sells, but I have a daughter and I don't want her being used to sell with sex. I can see why you are irritated with them too though, so lets be irritated together :)
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
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    Loving it. I caught those pics on tumblr and that woman is AMAZING. I voted for her and she had BETTER win.
  • AnaNotBanana
    AnaNotBanana Posts: 963 Member
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    Nancy Upton = BRILLIANT!!! There is so many things wrong with the way the AA is handling this. Yet another reason I have never and will never support that company.
  • SuperScrabbleGirl
    SuperScrabbleGirl Posts: 310 Member
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    Yey to being irritated together!

    There has been some Nancy Upton hate online, I haven't found any yet though, but there always manages to be some crazy person who has grasped completely the wrong end of an entirely different stick.
  • unsuspectingfish
    unsuspectingfish Posts: 1,176 Member
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    I've never shopped at AA because of the pricing, but this makes me want to shop there even less. And shake a few hipsters that think it's the ONLY place to shop.

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