Love Your Body May 2014 | Page 7

Abercrombie & Fitch Making Clothes Only For the “Cool Kids”

Have you noticed the different sizing in stores? How, in one store you might be a Medium, but in another, you’re a Large. Sizes are not only getting smaller, but they’re also becoming unavailable. If you shop in A&F and are just a little over weight, you won’t find you're size. Abercrombie & Fitch doesn't sell XL or XXL for overweight women. It only aims for the “cool kids” according to the head CEO, Michael Jeffries.

The head CEO believes in marketing to what he considers “the cool kids.” As you can see, most ads are covered by shirtless boys and young, skinny girls. What do you think this tells viewers? A&F advertises with male models; billboards everywhere show half naked male models posing with what society considers to be “beautiful girl”. Business Insider reveals comments by CEO, Michael Jeffries, “Good-looking people attract other good-looking people, and we want to market to cool, good-looking people.”

A quote from Jess, “The Militant”, Baker, a blogger who stood up to A&F CEO, “Never in our culture do we see sexy photo shoots that pair short, fat, unconventional models with not short, not fat, professional models. To put it in your words: ‘unpopular kids’ with ‘cool kids’. It's socially acceptable for same to be paired with same, but never are contrasting bodies positively mixed in the world of advertisement.”

Lutz, Ashly. "Abercombie and Fitch CEO Only Wants Cool Thin People to Wear His Clothes." Business Insider. N.p., 16 May 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.

How does this affect your health?

If you need a size XL you wont find it in A&F stores. This affects not only your feelings, but the way you think. It pressures you to lose weight fast. It can lead to eating disorders, which will only hurt your body, rather than make it healthier. Eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia are most common. Starting from mere thoughts and/or feelings, they end up being a major health issue.

Only the “Cool Kids” and the “Good Looking” Are Allowed