Body image in ads

[Irulan]

It's a known thing, the way women's bodies are presented in advertising, and the very low key but persistent backlash starting to occur against the images presented.

So I saw this ad in the most recent Kootenay Culture magazine ( really excellent BC magazine) I'm still struggling with my reaction.
What has surprised me the most about my reaction to this is how conditioned I am to think of the super sculpted, cellulite and fat free, no fat on the thighs butt as the ideal, whether I want to think that way or not. When presented with an image of a "real" woman's butt who is no doubt fit and healthy, but is different from what we usually see, I am really having a mixed set of reactions. They range from, "how cool that they did this" to "wow, not the most flattering photo", and "is that what my rear view looks like?" and assorted other things.
Here's a link to google images on "boy shorts" for comparison.
http://tinyurl.com/6t6wqff
(should be safe for work)
I'd be interested in others reactions to this.

[zoom-zoom]

I wish my @ss looked that good!

[lph]

I hope I look that good too. That is a fit woman with great muscles! If I were the ad company I'd want to warm up the skin tone a bit to make the pic more appealing, but the body looks great. She would look even better in a more sporty model, there's a bit of a mismatch between the feminine lacy orange+pink and the sturdy well-muscled body.

[limewave]

I think it looks great too! Although, I think a different color of panties would be more flattering. That orange just looks off against her skin. I think black, white, or a turquoise would look loverly.

[GLC1968]

I look at that and see how those particular panties probably look on all those women out there who are thinner than I am. But I do think REAL women...so that's very, very cool.

I see very little point to seeing underwear on super skinny, super perfect looking 18 year olds...particularly more so as I age. Maybe men who use those catalogs (I'm looking at you, VS) for ulterior uses would prefer the perfect models, but do women?
I don't.

[LovelyGirl]

But I am a fan of modesty. Old-fashioned, I know, but I still believe in private parts being kept private. Just think, if I didn't encounter women in their underwear on giant billboard ads, I probably wouldn't be comparing myself to them. And the husbands of the world wouldn't either. We'd just all be happier with our own butts! Haha!

[Eden]

Puts on photographer hat.....

Of course those "perfect" models are often (usually) not nearly as perfect as the photos.......good lighting, makeup and photoshop can easily create something unobtainable in real life....

Funny my first thought was probably less about the rear end and more on the lines of hmmm low budget photo shoot

If you crave the real, your best bet is probably to buy a "beach bodies" edition of some scandal rag. Paparazzi generally are not into flattery.

[Tri Girl]

I see this and think: hey that butt looks like mine- a little imperfect (although it still has FAR less cellulite than mine).
I like the ad. I think the lighting isn't so great, tho. If the lighting were better, I think it would be a lot more flattering.

[PamNY]

I'm really surprised at this thread. I cannot imagine letting advertisers, clothing manufacturers, or retailers have so much power over me.

When I was growing up, my biggest source of insecurity about body image was from people I knew in real life -- mothers, teachers, etc.

I know the world has changed -- young people are exposed to much more advertising than I was in the 1950s and 1960s. And people with power over children are -- I hope -- a bit more evolved.

Even so, someone has to mention personal responsibility -- we don't have to be passive victims of advertising we choose to look at.

Advertisers are going to present their products in the most attractive way because doing that works to sell products.

When I shop for an electronic product, most likely I will not see the power cord in photos of the product. That doesn't lead me to conclude the product operates without electricity.

[lph]

Hmm. I don't think I'd say that I in general let advertising make me feel very insecure. But still - if I'm shopping for a piece of clothing, especially something closefitting or underwear or swimwear that I hope will look attractive and maybe even hot on me , it's not much fun to try on something that looks fantastic on a model but makes me look pudgy and ridiculous, not matter how happy I am with my body and it's excellent functioning otherwise.

Buying clothes is a lot more personal than buying appliances, because you look at the photo and try to translate the image into yourself wearing it.

[PamNY]

it's not much fun to try on something that looks fantastic on a model but makes me look pudgy and ridiculous, not matter how happy I am with my body and it's excellent functioning otherwise.

Actual fit is a separate issue. It wouldn't be possible to show enough photographs to give a good concept of fit for every conceivable body type.

Actual measurements would work better -- at least in some cases.

[Irulan]

Athleta I don't have issues with them not really doing cycle gear. I think it's a conscious choice to focus on other stuff. I don't ever look at the blog. I am fine with the very fit models as I see that is their thing that they do: that is what makes them who they are. The image of the buff muscular gal with washboard abs and not a lot of boobs is something I can relate too a lot more that a Heidi Klum kind of model. The swim suits are extremely practical. Other than the clothes not being cut for curvey waist and hips.... Their phone staff has been very helpful when I call and say, "Hey I have CURVES!! Which one should I try?" Quite a bit of their stuff went down the Grand Canyon with me last year.

(slight derail) anyone have the experience of them being out of stock or back ordered on a high percentage of their stuff? The last three times I've tried to order something within 24 hours of the new catalog being delivered, its backordered foot two months or out of stock because they only have one size in that particular color.

[Crankin]

Irulan, I don't have issues with them not doing cycling gear; what little they have isn't really what I like. I did buy one sleeveless jersey from them (the same brand that Terry sells, you know, that one that is super pricey, but I got on sale), and last week, the zipper broke after one season of wearing. I'm not paying $20.00 to get it fixed. I mostly buy hiking, running, and more recently, regular casual or work clothes. Yes, and bathing suits. They fit me perfectly. I love their dresses, but most of all I love the fact that they have almost all of their styles, especially pants, in petite sizes, and their pants still have a 28.5 or 29 inch inseam in my size, unlike other companies.
I haven't had too much trouble with things being out of stock. Sometimes they don't have the color I want, in my size, as I am sure I am not the only athletic petite/short person who appreciates the fact they have clothes in my size!
Like I said before, I have no issue with the way the models look. They look like me, actually, just younger . I just wish their "chosen" athletes they support would be more like me... I agree with everything Shooting Star said, in general.
And somewhat back on the original topic, I received my first 2 piece bathing suit I've bought in 20 years, yesterday. It's from Athleta and it is definitely made for an athletic body. I might look like that person in the underwear ad, but, I think that looks pretty good, actually.

[Penny4]

Back to the original pic in this post...whether we like it or don't like, regardless of the photo quality....it got us all talking! I suppose if we all lived in that area we would now be familiar with that store. Just a thought

[PamNY]

Not directly on topic, but related:

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/2012...-photoshopping