Is it me or... (possibly NSFW... probably not though)

[Pickers]

Originally Posted by Piggymon

*steals*

I thought he was found in reeds rather than on stilts? Is this from a re-make?
<sigh> - can anyone tell I'm bored and lonely?

[goldilocks]

Originally Posted by TinkerBell

Because when you have images like that and adverts saying you should watch what you eat, look like this, if you don't look like this that you aren't sexy, after god knows how many years it sinks it.

you *should* watch what you eat - and that isn't an appearance thing, surely it is a health thing?

i hate the fact that 'slim' seems to be becoming a crime - every woman who is size 8 or smaller is 'anorexic', an 'over exerciser', a 'twig' a 'stick insect' or a 'health freak'.
yes - you can take it too far, of course you can be 'too thin' - but it has to be a reciprocal argument.
if anything where you can see/feel ribs is 'too thin' then what is 'too fat'?


edit: i am not *that* slim, but i feel that the argument has to be put in both directions.

[Piggymon]

Originally Posted by Pickers

I thought he was found in reeds rather than on stilts? Is this from a re-make?
<sigh> - can anyone tell I'm bored and lonely?

Poor picky wicky !!

[Tak]

Originally Posted by DRZ

the love of sweet baby Moses on stilts

Originally Posted by Pickers

I thought he was found in reeds rather than on stilts? Is this from a re-make?

There are tears in my eyes

[semi-pro waster]

Originally Posted by goldilocks

you *should* watch what you eat - and that isn't an appearance thing, surely it is a health thing?

That is the part that often seems to be forgotten, being overweight or underweight can be unhealthy, in fact even if you are dead on in the BMI* you can still be very unhealthy. Arteries can get clogged up, blood pressure can be raised, diabetes can occur etc etc etc. If you just eat crappy foods then you will be doing your body no favours regardless of whether you weigh 10 stone or if you weigh 20 stone. Another point is that good quality healthy foods will normally give you more useful energy and leave you feeling healthier which then makes you more likely to keep active and so on ad infinitum.

*Just waiting for Will to state what a crock it is for gym goers.

[BBx]

Actually you are both wrong, moses was found in the Bullrushes.



BB x

[divine]

One thing I think may have been missed, is that the 'party' atmosphere is probably a lot different to the shop one.

Why are these women only trying this stuff at home in private with friends and not in the shop anyway? I suspect the women that Pheebs interacts with at the parties are probably more disposed to be insecure about their image already so of course they'll complain. They won't necessarily be a fair representation of the majority of the Ann Summers catalogue. Obviously this is just assumption on my part but I reckon it's a valid point.

I think the majority of the business they do will be through the shops, where I think this advertising probably works a lot better on the general buying populace than maybe the type of people who attend the parties. One of my friends at Uni, who is a little overweight really, bought lingerie from Ann Summers last year and it made her feel fantastic and look fantastic. That's the kind of person she is, she doesn't get depressed looking at people thinner than her, she just does what makes her feel good.

Also, you have to remember that a lot of the market they sell to will be guys, buying for girlfriends and wives and as shallow as it sounds, when a guy is looking around trying to figure out what will look nice for his girlfriend, he will probably be enticed by whichever poster looks nicest to him and that girl is smoking hot, with fantastic eyes that suck you in.

That's probably a bit of a rambling read but i'm knackered and short on sleep so meh

[Piggymon]

Originally Posted by semi-pro waster

*Just waiting for Will to state what a crock it is for gym goers.

According to the BMI I am at the " fatter " end of healthy

Beat Will to it

[Tiggy]

Originally Posted by divine`

Why are these women only trying this stuff at home in private with friends and not in the shop anyway? I suspect the women that Pheebs interacts with at the parties are probably more disposed to be insecure about their image already so of course they'll complain. They won't necessarily be a fair representation of the majority of the Ann Summers catalogue. Obviously this is just assumption on my part but I reckon it's a valid point.

I think the majority of the business they do will be through the shops, where I think this advertising probably works a lot better on the general buying populace than maybe the type of people who attend the parties. One of my friends at Uni, who is a little overweight really, bought lingerie from Ann Summers last year and it made her feel fantastic and look fantastic. That's the kind of person she is, she doesn't get depressed looking at people thinner than her, she just does what makes her feel good.

I've been to ann summers parties. And I've been in the shop loads of times. I'm no different in the shop to how I am at parties.

I try things on, I ask for opinions. I have body issues, but I have a right to feel good about myself.

And just like your friend, my lingerie from there makes me feel great. I always wear my good undies whenever I go out, I find it really gives me a boost even though 8 I3ALL is the only one who gets to see my undies.

If I were to post a pic of me here wearing my special undies, I'd defy any of you to say that my pic wouldnt make a good front page for the catalogue.

[Pheebs]

Originally Posted by Pumpkinstew

Love it

Originally Posted by DRZ

Why are women incapable of ignoring the media "pressure"?

The way I see it, women LOVE to feel like they have something to strive towards - generally speaking here. If that wasn't the case, why do MILLIONS of you buy magazines like Closer and Grazia and Cosmo and all that bull****? You buy it and then feel like crap because you look at it - and then go out and buy another one or next months issue or whatever anyway!

Cynical as it may be, these magazines show you exactly what you want to see in order to make money. If you hated it, you wouldn't buy it and they would go bust. The fact they are still in business speaks volumes.

The woman in that photo is HOT. The two women Muban posted are also quite sexy. Pheebs, you are entirely attractive and have nothing to be paranoid about! Absolutely nothing at all!

I subscribe to Focus magazine a) because I'm slightly nerdy (but not nerdy enough for New Scientist... can only buy that when I am in the mood to really concentrate ) and b) for the exact reasons you say - I very rarely can cope with looking through these Closer magazine gumph without getting paranoid/upset/wound up.

Originally Posted by Johnny69

For the most part women who feel they look rubbish DO look rubbish because they are fat and lazy and sit around in the office eating biscuits and sweets all day and don't actually want to do anything about it. I see it every day of the week in my own office. They are quite happy to sit there moaning about it and how they are being undermined by images like that rather than do something about it. I'm sure many of them looked like that when they were 18/19/20 but the ravages of laziness, lack of exercise, pies, cakes and letting themselves go in front of their other halfs got the better of them.

Johnny, I understand what you're saying... but can I just point out that:

a) I'm not saying put a size 48G on the front cover (though I don't think you mean it like that... I think you're on a more general rant ) I think they should consider, however, putting more "average" sizes - 12's, 14's and 16's! Or just women with huge norks, not chicken fillets being pushed up by booby enhancers! Just not to have every page a size 0 model would be a relief and I am convinced make the product more appealing.

b) From the people I have met and spoken with - I think there is a surprisingly large amount of ladies who, although look fab, feel like they look poo. Yes some who do feel poo look poo but please don't forget those who genuinely have a crap time about their body and DO put in a lot of effort to change it. I, for one, am one of those people. I try really hard. REALLY hard.

But other than that, I think it's fair to say you should be DP

Originally Posted by goldilocks

you *should* watch what you eat - and that isn't an appearance thing, surely it is a health thing?

i hate the fact that 'slim' seems to be becoming a crime - every woman who is size 8 or smaller is 'anorexic', an 'over exerciser', a 'twig' a 'stick insect' or a 'health freak'.
yes - you can take it too far, of course you can be 'too thin' - but it has to be a reciprocal argument.
if anything where you can see/feel ribs is 'too thin' then what is 'too fat'?


edit: i am not *that* slim, but i feel that the argument has to be put in both directions.

Slim is not a crime! But being not a size zero is also not a crime and yet it's the constant image of perfection and really shouldn't be!

Sorry to hassle buuuut you've not really answered my last post about risk? I don't get the risk of having "larger" sized models (please note when I say larger I mean larger than a bean pole not obese)? Like... why would it be risky to say, have the two models mubs posted posing in the Ann Summers catalogue?