the Title Nine catalog makes me feel so inadequate

[jobob]

There's a title nine store near me, and I love their clothes. But their catalog makes me feel so inadequate !

The pages are full of photos of "real" women wearing t9 clothes - real on what planet, may I ask?

These women are pictured climbing sheer rock cliffs, kayaking thru rapids, surfing, spiking a volleyball ...

And they all have those annoyingly long, lean bodies with slender legs with gazelle-like muscles...

And on top of that, they're uber-achievers, one knows four languages, many own their own businesses ... geeze !

But mostly, I envy their legs

[Pax]

I always get sad when I get those catalogs, I love the gear and get inspired by the women in them but even when I was thinner their stuff wouldn't have fit me. I'm 5'10" and built kinda like a linebacker, I'd love to wear "pretty" gear but since guys stuff fits I guess none of the manufacturers of womens stuff wants to bother with us bigger gals.

[yellow]

Funny you should bring this up. It has ALWAYS annoyed me.

The T9 catalog is one of those things that I could have pointed to on the other threads about diet/body image/etc. I have soooooooooo wanted to write them (T9) a nice letter saying, "OK, now put some normal women in your catalog, not super women that you are passing off as everyday women". Not only are they long & lean, they are tan too (how come their skin doesn't look like mine???)! I thought we weren't supposed to be tan??

[BikeMomma]

And they all have those annoyingly long, lean bodies with slender legs with gazelle-like muscles...

I'll deny having any gazelle-like parts, but my long legs I get from my dad....my mother had nothing to do with it (she's 5'3" and I'm 5'9"). I'm jealous of the t9 ladies for the fact that they get to do all that fun stuff and I don't! Yah...I agree, though...they do need to be more in touch with reality on the catalog pages.

[Trekhawk]

I just got one of their catalogues in the mail. Not sure how as I have never even heard of them. I looked thru and I liked the clothes but yes I got a bit nauseous reading the blurb on these women. Hey I like hearing about women that seem to excel in all areas and look fab but page after page gets a bit much.

[Veronica]

I wonder how you get to be in the catalog. They need some average and sturdy people in there I think. Gosh - they won't even have to pay me. I'd be happy to do a photo shoot in Hawaii.

V.

[Pax]

Maybe we could have "women of TE" blurbs...

This is Queen, while she is quite plump that doesn't stop her from riding her bike whenever she gets a chance. When she's not on her bike she can be found working in the glamorous field of social services spending time with her mentally ill homeless clients. Even though she has mastered the intricacies and challenges of reading books and playing on the internet, she also finds time to commute to and from her exciting and high paying job every day and stop for groceries on the way home.

[sydney_b]

Maybe we could have "women of TE" blurbs...

This is Queen, while she is quite plump that doesn't stop her from riding her bike whenever she gets a chance. When she's not on her bike she can be found working in the glamorous field of social services spending time with her mentally ill homeless clients. Even though she has mastered the intricacies and challenges of reading books and playing on the internet, she also finds time to commute to and from her exciting and high paying job every day and stop for groceries on the way home.

You're my hero this week.

/s

[Trekhawk]

Maybe we could have "women of TE" blurbs...

This is Queen, while she is quite plump that doesn't stop her from riding her bike whenever she gets a chance. When she's not on her bike she can be found working in the glamorous field of social services spending time with her mentally ill homeless clients. Even though she has mastered the intricacies and challenges of reading books and playing on the internet, she also finds time to commute to and from her exciting and high paying job every day and stop for groceries on the way home.

LOL
Now thats the sort of catalogue blurb I want to read.

[slinkedog]

Perhaps Title 9 should do a TE issue. I'd be more than happy to try to spike volleyballs on a warm beach somewhere, too. V, let's call 'em!

[Pax]

Perhaps Title 9 should do a TE issue. I'd be more than happy to try to spike volleyballs on a warm beach somewhere, too. V, let's call 'em!

Hey if they'd make some gear in my size they could follow me to work and take pics of their groovy looking tops in such exotic locales as my office, or sitting in the local shelter, or even at my local grocery store.

[SadieKate]

I love your silly blurb, Queen. So descriptive of all our lives.

I called them once trying to figure out an item I was considering to complain that they didn't include brand names. They said in a high and mighty tone that many of their clients preferred it that way so they wouldn't get hung up on labels. Yeah, right. Some brands fit me, some don't. Some brands of fleece pill, some don't. It's a load of crap. I want the brand name so I can look up the materials and performance details as I'm buying these clothes to perform not just look good.

Now, if we could get TE to expand into the same clothing areas, I'll be an even more loyal customer.

[runnergirl]

Wow, I feel the opposite! Compared to the Assos model or the trashy cat model, the title 9 women are huge. Look at the pole vaulter on page 27, she's over 30, not wearing makeup, has scars on her knees, and legs which are muscular, not emaciated. Sure, I'll never look like the women they have modeling swimsuits, but I SO appreciate that they use women that actually DO the sports they're shown doing. Most athletic apparel companies (cycling companies especially), use models who couldn't pedal a bike 2 miles. They may be too far in the other direction, but I'd rather see "super women" role models in their catalog than emaciated anorexic (normal) models.

[bikerchick68]

I just started getting this cataolgue outta the blue too... like most catalogues I sit and wonder the same things... I like the stuff but have to wonder if I could fit my tree trunks into those pant legs! I didn't notice a lot of...ahem... "relaxed" leg pants in there!

Hey Queen... your blurb is awesome! I think you should mail it in with a pic!!! Who knows... maybe the next catalogue will have YOU in it

[Grog]

Wow, I feel the opposite! Compared to the Assos model or the trashy cat model, the title 9 women are huge. Look at the pole vaulter on page 27, she's over 30, not wearing makeup, has scars on her knees, and legs which are muscular, not emaciated. Sure, I'll never look like the women they have modeling swimsuits, but I SO appreciate that they use women that actually DO the sports they're shown doing. Most athletic apparel companies (cycling companies especially), use models who couldn't pedal a bike 2 miles. They may be too far in the other direction, but I'd rather see "super women" role models in their catalog than emaciated anorexic (normal) models.

I kind of feel like Runnergirl. Isn't it inspiring to see over-achieving women in strong positions once in a while?