Urban Outfitters' Makes A Bid To Win "Grossest" Title From American Apparel
By James Brady RyanJune 3rd, 2010, 2:59 pmComments (25)Obviously, Urban Outfitters realized that American Apparel (with an assist from pervy photographer Terry Richardson) had dominated the "queasy sexual exploitation" market. They would need to strike out in a new direction of being tasteless. How could they still be offensive, but not so offensive that people who shop at their stores would, you know, stop shopping at their stores? And then, it hit them: make fun of fatties!
And before anyone gets all, "James, America has an OBESITY EPIDEMIC so this shirt is actually just good advice", let me point out that if this shirt was actually meant to be some kind of prescriptive health message to the general public, it should probably say "Eat healthier" or "Get active." Of course, that would be terribly PSA and not cool at all, duh.
(Also, no one wearing this shirt is trying to educate their fellow man about healthy eating habits. That skinny chick is not going to come up to me and say, "James, I really think you should increase your consumption of leafy greens, which are high in iron and vitamin K." You want to educate, wear some pamphlets around your neck.)
Anyway. What is the point, really, of wearing a shirt that is at best a grossly over-simplified and potentially unhealthy message about diet and at worst a barely veiled insult aimed at anyone who looks at you? We're not in eighth grade anymore, Urban Outfitters! I threw out my bratty Hot Topic message t-shirts years ago. I suggest you do the same.
Via HuffingtonPost.
Commentarium (25 Comments)
Looking at that boney lass, I can't help but think that shirt is an explanation of how she messed up her body - more of a warning than advice.
What an asshole t shirt. Actually, assholes like this should just wear them so the rest of us know immediately who to avoid.
I wouldn't take it too seriously. It's just as moronic as those "I'm with stupid -->" t-shirts.
I suspect the back doesn't say "see how well it works for anorexics!"
If in fact this is a push for helpful advice on tshirts, I hope this young lady meets the person wearing "stop slouching."
This model looks like a 12-year-old boy. If I really saw her walking down the street, I'd think it was joke...or that she is a total self-centered airhead with too much money. Either way, i'd get a chuckle out of it.
I love the way that commenters all over the internet are reacting against the model as though she herself designed this shirt, as opposed to the people who are responsible for producing it and taking the lion's share of the profit from it. To me she looks pretty much like every other clothing model, save for the new "plus size" minority. Why is everyone's disgust with this tasteless and hurtful bid at free publicity channeled into more misogyny?
I agree, js. If I wasn't clear in the post that's my error, but that model up there is free to be whatever size she wants, and as you pointed out, she didn't make the shirt. I save all my ire for Urban Outfitters. (Okay, well, I also save a bit for anyone who buys the shirt.)
I think it's supposed to be a pro-anorexic tee. Women with Anorexia and bulimia often wear bracelets as reminders and to show their affiliation with the pro eating disorder community. It seems like a cry for help, attention or both to me.
i'm actually fine with this shirt. americans (myself included) eat way too much, consuming far more than necessary as part of our general tendency to pillage the world's resources for our comfort and amusement. if this reminds somebody not to get in their car and drive to grab some dead animal meat wrapped in paper they are going to throw away 3 minutes later, so be it.
obviously she does not practice what she preaches
yeah. this shirt is great. most people do need to eat less.
we've become so scared of anorexia that anyone who is healthy (burns as many calories as they eat) are now anorexia.
Eating less for someone who is very overweight or obese is actually probably very good advice. I mean, they're already eating not very well, so to cut portions in half? Chances are in most cases, that will be healthy.
Anorexia is a horrible heartbreaking disease. Obesity is sometimes just as heartbreaking because often it is due to binge eating and psychological issues -- other times due to ignorance (e.g., thinking that "eating less" is inherently unhealthy), circumstances, etc, but in every single instance, more common than anorexia. Models are also generally weirdly skinny, and I get that it's snarky to make a shirt obviously to be modeled by models that appears to be urging to be as skinny as the model.
But I'm willing to bet Christina Hendricks (who has a beautiful, non-anorexic body) eats less than say, the competitors on The Biggest Loser. She could don this shirt and I would think it's good advice for many and not at all urging anorexia.
A lot of people are just confused about what to put in their body. I surround myself with people who eat things loaded with sugar and fat and claim it healthy (fruit snacks, some granola bars, etc.). They think skipping a meal in any capacity is just so unhealthy that they can't even imagine it. If your body is overloaded with fat, a few days of fasting does you good. You're not putting yourself in danger unless you have some underlying disorder or condition and if you continue to drink plenty of water, get enough rest, etc.
It's true. America needs to eat less. Probably the Western world in general. I wouldn't wear the shirt because I don't wear message shirts, but I'm thinking it much of time and think it's a shortened version of a very good message.
Thank goodness this came along. It has been almost 7 hours since I've had something to get mad about and distract me from my real problems. Whew!
It's just a fucking t-shirt...
I agree with the shirt. America: if you're unhappy with your weight, then eat less. Take responsibility for yourself instead of blaming your genes, your family, your friends, and everything else for your gut and your butt.
If you're fat and happy with your weight, then you have such great self-image that this shirt won't bother you, anyway.
i'd wear it
I think what they are really trying to do is mock the homeless and those too impoverished to afford food. Eatless and donate to obese america those with saddlebags that need that food. I made egg salad sandwiches do you want one?
Hey fat people, thanks for our health care crisis. My tax dollars should not help you when your fat-consumed body shuts down.
I think the shirt would be more controversial if it said: "eat less meat".
Why doesn't the shirt have a "hot" rib cage silhouette printed on it?
Hey alcoholics, thanks for driving my insurance premiums up with your drunk driving. Hey smokers, thanks for driving my city taxes up with your litter all over our roads and parks. Hey 'don't ask don't tell' why don't you shut the F up until you know what you're talking about?
I want that shirt.
Everyone mad at this shirt is fat
Actually you can eat healthy all day but if you're eating healthy ALL DAY YOU'RE STILL GOING TO BE OBESE. Eating less is actually GOOD ADVICE because if you're not putting those calories into your body to begin with, you won't have such a hard time losing the weight. As for the lass, she's too thick to be anorexic LOL
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