This Girl Needs a COOKIE!

[iLander]

Or maybe a whole lot of cookies, and any other food they can cram into her.

I got this from Urban Outfitters in an email today. I think she looks awful. Even with the odd lighting, no one's wrists should be soooo thin.

This kind of unhealthy image is just sad, not fashionable. Booooo, UO!

 

[Lulie]

They can be much, much worst IRL seriously.

 

[diamondseeker2006]

Yeah, those lower arms look out of proportion to me. No telling how much of it is real, though. But I agree with you.

 

[kenny]

The more the appearance industry pushes the impossible to make you feel inadequate, the more money they stand to make off you.

Wise up.
Screw them and what they are selling.

Just don't play.
Spread the word.

 

[iLander]

I hope that young girls don't think this is any way normal or desirable.

I thought we were against eating disorders in this day and age.

In case my pic is too small for you to see how awful this image truly is, here's the link:

http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=31480338&parentid=W_APP_DRESSES

 

[Enerchi]

...and she has that "OMG, I'm soooo bored" look I see on so many young adults now.


But the dress is lovely!

 

[movie zombie]

another botched photoshop? look at her arms!

 

[iLander]

The more the appearance industry pushes the impossible to make you feel inadequate, the more money they stand to make off you.

Wise up.
Screw them and what they are selling.

Just don't play.
Spread the word.

Seriously, I (almost) wish I had a Facebook so that I could post this with a word bubble saying "Feed me".

Almost. I said almost.

 

[arkieb1]

another botched photoshop? look at her arms!

I agree I wonder if her arms are actually that thin or if they have been airbrushed/photoshopped because the person doing the design thought her arms were too fat. There was a big thing here recently when someone airbrushed/photoshopped Miranda Kerr's arms and legs to look stick thin because they thought she looked too fat. It's a sad world we live in when an already thin attractive woman needs to be digitally enhanced because someone thinks their arms legs or any other parts are too fat.

 

[Circe]

I have a friend who is really thin. Naturally. She loves food more than anybody I know, but she just has a happy metabolism that will take ALL the chocolate, ALL the steak, ALL the cheese. And keep her at a healthy 5'10", 125 lbs.

And she has body image issues, too. She feels like she doesn't have the "womanly" curves our society encourages. She HAS had people come up to her in public telling her to have a sandwich, or, in one memorable case, as she was eating some ice cream, coming up to her to tell her they hate her. As a stocky/curvy lady, I would BITE anybody who did that (not because I was hungry, but because they maybe shouldn't be judging other ladies eating habits).

Look. I think corporate photoshopping and the promotion of unobtainable ideals is bullshit, too. And I think the equation of fat-shaming and of thin-shaming is disproportionate. Not doing that, here. But I also think the ire might be better put to whatever idiot company is promoting (and exaggerating) the "ideal" of thin=beauty, as opposed to any individual women, even the naturally skinny ones, even the models.

 

[Andelain]

Bad photochop.

 

[JewelFreak]

Right, Andelain. Pathetic that companies think this is necessary & something to be admired. It is also time for the bored, ugly expressions on models to go out of style. Has anybody looked at catwalks online? Designers think weird hair & makeup that looks like a 5-yr-old got into Mom's stuff gets attention -- hardly, since they all do it & it's par for the course. Why do they have somebody made so icky-looking wear a dress they expect people to buy?

 

[monarch64]

I have a friend who is really thin. Naturally. She loves food more than anybody I know, but she just has a happy metabolism that will take ALL the chocolate, ALL the steak, ALL the cheese. And keep her at a healthy 5'10", 125 lbs.

And she has body image issues, too. She feels like she doesn't have the "womanly" curves our society encourages. She HAS had people come up to her in public telling her to have a sandwich, or, in one memorable case, as she was eating some ice cream, coming up to her to tell her they hate her. As a stocky/curvy lady, I would BITE anybody who did that (not because I was hungry, but because they maybe shouldn't be judging other ladies eating habits).

Look. I think corporate photoshopping and the promotion of unobtainable ideals is bullshit, too. And I think the equation of fat-shaming and of thin-shaming is disproportionate. Not doing that, here. But I also think the ire might be better put to whatever idiot company is promoting (and exaggerating) the "ideal" of thin=beauty, as opposed to any individual women, even the naturally skinny ones, even the models.

Just wanted to "second" the bolded.

You can't tell who or who does not have an ED by their appearance.

Remarks like "eat a cheeseburger" or "this girl needs a cookie" are not helpful and are, frankly, insulting. Body-shaming or snarking, no matter how honorable the intent, is not cool.

 

[momhappy]

To be honest, I have to wonder why this sort of commentary is okay? It's not. It's cruel and rude and serves no purpose except for making women feel bad no matter how they look.
Sure, the young woman is thin (and likely photo-shopped), but the mean comments about her appearance are unfair IMO. Some women really are that thin and it's not for others to judge. People think that just because someone is thin, then it must not be as hurtful to criticize them for their appearance and it somehow makes it okay.
What if instead of an image of a thin model in this thread, there was an image of a model that was overweight? What if the commentary reflected things like, "She looks awful" or "she needs to go on a diet"? Think about how the reactions would be different. Making women feel bad about their bodies (no matter what their size) should not be tolerated and I find some of the comments here to be quite sad. Telling a woman to eat a cookie is no more appropriate than telling a woman to go on a diet….

 

[justginger]

To be honest, I have to wonder why this sort of commentary is okay? It's not. It's cruel and rude and serves no purpose except for making women feel bad no matter how they look.
Sure, the young woman is thin (and likely photo-shopped), but the mean comments about her appearance are unfair IMO. Some women really are that thin and it's not for others to judge. People think that just because someone is thin, then it must not be as hurtful to criticize them for their appearance and it somehow makes it okay.
What if instead of an image of a thin model in this thread, there was an image of a model that was overweight? What if the commentary reflected things like, "She looks awful" or "she needs to go on a diet"? Think about how the reactions would be different. Making women feel bad about their bodies (no matter what their size) should not be tolerated and I find some of the comments here to be quite sad. Telling a woman to eat a cookie is no more appropriate than telling a woman to go on a diet….

Yes, yes, yes. In that position, in that dress, I would look identical to that girl - waif-thin wrists and all (I've found exactly one bracelet to fit in my whole life...in Singapore, lol). I have been told to 'eat a cheeseburger' more times than I care to count, and have been told that men only love 'real women,' with the curves I don't have. I am tired of women body shaming other women.

 

[NOYFB]

To be honest, I have to wonder why this sort of commentary is okay? It's not. It's cruel and rude and serves no purpose except for making women feel bad no matter how they look.
Sure, the young woman is thin (and likely photo-shopped), but the mean comments about her appearance are unfair IMO. Some women really are that thin and it's not for others to judge. People think that just because someone is thin, then it must not be as hurtful to criticize them for their appearance and it somehow makes it okay.
What if instead of an image of a thin model in this thread, there was an image of a model that was overweight? What if the commentary reflected things like, "She looks awful" or "she needs to go on a diet"? Think about how the reactions would be different. Making women feel bad about their bodies (no matter what their size) should not be tolerated and I find some of the comments here to be quite sad. Telling a woman to eat a cookie is no more appropriate than telling a woman to go on a diet….

Yes, yes, yes. In that position, in that dress, I would look identical to that girl - waif-thin wrists and all (I've found exactly one bracelet to fit in my whole life...in Singapore, lol). I have been told to 'eat a cheeseburger' more times than I care to count, and have been told that men only love 'real women,' with the curves I don't have. I am tired of women body shaming other women.

Well said, both of you!

 

[momhappy]

I am tired of it too, justginger. Mean is mean - no matter how you slice it. It's not okay to ridicule someone for their weight if they are 100 pounds or if they are 300 pounds

 

[iLander]

Yes, that's it, I'm body shaming

My opinion she is not an appropriate aspirational "fashion" image in a country where the average dress size is a 12. I believe that, as an aspirational image, she presents another one of those unattainable goals for the average girl. I feel the same about Victorias Secret "angles". If we want everyone to be comfortable in their skins, why do advertisers exalt the two extremes of waif and implanted?

Why isn't average exalted?

Your opinion may differ. And if you choose to avoid recognizing the actual point I'm trying to make, that is your right. Have at it.

 

[LoversKites]

...and she has that "OMG, I'm soooo bored" look I see on so many young adults now.


But the dress is lovely!

This comment reminds me of this: http://fashionista.com/2014/02/hm-fall-2014-paris/

 

[momhappy]

Yes, that's it, I'm body shaming

My opinion she is not an appropriate aspirational "fashion" image in a country where the average dress size is a 12. I believe that, as an aspirational image, she presents another one of those unattainable goals for the average girl. I feel the same about Victorias Secret "angles". If we want everyone to be comfortable in their skins, why do advertisers exalt the two extremes of waif and implanted?

Why isn't average exalted?

Your opinion may differ. And if you choose to avoid recognizing the actual point I'm trying to make, that is your right. Have at it.

It seems pretty obvious what the actual point of your thread is and yes, it's body shaming. You begin your thread by saying, "This girl needs a cookie. Or maybe a lot of cookies or any other food that they can cram into her." You then go on to say how awful she looks. If the point of your thread was to vent about how women are portrayed in the media, then there are other ways of going about it that don't involve ridiculing someone who happens to be thin. Again, how would you respond if I posted an image of a model that was overweight and said, "This girl needs to go on a diet. Or maybe just starve herself because she looks so awful" Either way is clearly not okay and I'm sorry that you can't understand that.
It's not a difference of opinion that we share because I actually agree with you that the media is to blame, that society puts unfair pressure on women to be thin, that photo shopping is wrong, etc., but that doesn't change the fact that some of the comments in this thread are gross, and mean, and do nothing to promote your cause.

 

[chemgirl]

I find threads like this upsetting because I look like that and I don't have an eating disorder.

I have never been in the normal BMI range, even at my heaviest. Nothing I do will help. My ribs and hipbones are always showing and my index finger and thumb meet if I use them to measure my wrists.

It's how I've always been. I recently saw a GI specialist and thought I might gain a bit after sorting out some issues. Didn't happen.

I'm 6 feet tall and my weight stabilizes around 125. Just how I am.

I hate being called anorexic and told to eat.

 

[lyra]

Honestly, I think it's just photoshopping, and it is done on already thin people and plus size models all the time. It's ridiculous, and sends a bad message. The looks are unattainable for slim and heavy women. There is no real life photoshopping, whether it is to make one thinner, or more curvaceous.

My youngest daughter suffers from body issues. We can't mention ANYTHING about it, or she obsesses. She's almost 24. She goes to the gym all the time. She is tiny, but average for her size. In perfect proportion for being petite. Her BMI is ridiculously low as is her body fat ratio. But she sees herself as something else. If she gains 5 lbs she is distraught. It's very difficult to watch. She has never been overweight by more than 5-10 lbs in her life. I definitely point out photoshop to her when we look at things online. I don't think there is a way to change her outlook. It's not completely unhealthy (she has no eating disorder), but it's disheartening for her and us.

 

[justginger]

I find threads like this upsetting because I look like that and I don't have an eating disorder.

I have never been in the normal BMI range, even at my heaviest. Nothing I do will help. My ribs and hipbones are always showing and my index finger and thumb meet if I use them to measure my wrists.

It's how I've always been. I recently saw a GI specialist and thought I might gain a bit after sorting out some issues. Didn't happen.

I'm 6 feet tall and my weight stabilizes around 125. Just how I am.

I hate being called anorexic and told to eat.

I hear you. My wrists are so slender (thanks, Mom) that not only do my finger and thumb meet around them, they overlap to the first knuckle of my index finger. One huge difference between us is height though - my thin frame is less obvious because I am petite - short, thin women seem to get away with fewer snide remarks than thin women of your height.

I allow these comments bother me less as I get older, because they're either uttered by those who are jealous of a slender frame, or by those who are speaking while feeling no real ill will toward me. They're not thinking of 'real' people like us while they're heckling slender models to eat more. They're talking to 'fake' people with no feelings.

 

[crown1]

I followed the link you provided and found she does not look the same in most of the other shots. The bottom shot in particular. I am not sure if it is photo shopping or angle but the other shots look fine to me.

eta: I am not even sure it is the same girl. The necklace is different and the hair looks different. I do not know if that was photo shopped or it is a different model.

 

[iLander]

I followed the link you provided and found she does not look the same in most of the other shots. The bottom shot in particular. I am not sure if it is photo shopping or angle but the other shots look fine to me.

Yeah, I don't get that either. At first I thought it was a different model in the other shots, but I can't really tell. I agree, the other shots look fine.

 

[lyra]

I looked at all of the dress pictures. There's some wonky-@ss photoshop going on in almost every shot. Wavy leg bones, body structures (arms) that are just plain impossible. It's disturbing. I would post a pic and circle some if I knew how. One of the worst showed a girl with a skeletal arm that extended to a large normal elbow. WTH? Then other shots of that same girl it was normal.

No doubt, these girls are all thin anyway. That's just the way it is, that shows the clothes the best. But to be so sloppy in editing pics, that's ridiculous and very lazy. But this is why young girls are obsessed with thigh gaps and skeletal arms. Yes, some people do have them naturally, of course. But more often, they are created and exaggerated with editing. Dumb.

 

[TooPatient]

I wish they would leave photoshop out of it. Using it as a tool to adjust poor lighting to make an image more true to life is great. This whole idea of every body being full of flaws that have to be "fixed" is just wrong. Some people are thin or thick or small feet or large feet or pale or freckled or...... Whatever.

People vary. Bodies vary.

No one should feel that they have to "fix" their body.

 

[minousbijoux]

Body image is so tough. Just about everyone wants something changed about themselves. I can't imagine what life must be like for you Chemgirl, or Ginger, because I have always been at the opposite end - trying to not eat to get the thin look. I can honestly say that there was a long time when I wished someone would tell me to go eat a hamburger, but if I were in your shoes, of course it would be awful.

So what is the norm? I agree with iLander that all body types should be shown. Where are the size 12s in these ads? Wouldn't that be nice? Heck, where are the size 18s for that matter? We know why they aren't there. And ultimately, that is iLander's point, pure and simple.

I am sorry if I ever in my life told you to eat a cookie or hamburger - if I did, it was out of jealousy for sure!

 

[ame]

While thin, that looks like a ridiculously bad photoshop job to me.

 

[JewelFreak]

My opinion she is not an appropriate aspirational "fashion" image in a country where the average dress size is a 12. I believe that, as an aspirational image, she presents another one of those unattainable goals for the average girl. I feel the same about Victorias Secret "angles". If we want everyone to be comfortable in their skins, why do advertisers exalt the two extremes of waif and implanted?

Why isn't average exalted?

Your opinion may differ. And if you choose to avoid recognizing the actual point I'm trying to make, that is your right. Have at it.

+1. iLander's point is clear & well taken. It's very obvious she was making no remarks directed at anyone personally, not even the model, but at the obsession of advertisers with a body type that is unattainable for the average woman. If people wish to take offense, it's their privilege. In that case, we can't express an opinion on anything -- "What do you mean you don't like marquises? I have one & I won't apologize for wearing it!" Jokes about old people are constant (& some pretty funny). I recently became an old people -- can't help that anymore than someone can help being thin. So what am I going to do? Get personally hurt & indignant every time age is mentioned? Forget it, I have too much interesting stuff to do.