H&M Shows Model is Just That

I say enough attention has been given to Mr Jeffries at A&F.. Instead let's focus on H&M.. you know that magazine that always has beautiful women on the cover? Well they actually understand what real beauty is.. In May they Plus-size fashion model Jennie Runk model their new swimsuit line on their company homepage!! 

"Runk rose to prominence in early May when she was selected by clothing retailer H&M to model their new swimsuit line on the company homepage. For the campaign, the 24-year-old 5'10 beauty, who wears a dress size 14-16, traipsed on a beach wearing bikinis and one-piece swimsuits. The seemingly innocent photo series sent shockwaves around the Internet. First, H&M has a history of featuring toned models (Gisele is the company’s latest cover girl, replacing a bikini-clad Beyonce) so selecting Runk, of normal, healthy proportions, to model their new line was a refreshing departure. And second, unlike many companies who bury plus-size selections deep within their websites, H&M never once mentioned the word “plus-size” on the same page as the images of Runk (you have to click on the clothing samples to land in the plus-size section). The company message was clear: “Our model isn’t stick thin—so what?”*Yahoo Shine 

I say it's time to celebrate those who understand true beauty.. understand that each person is unique and stop advertising the bullies.. yep Mr Jeffries that means you!!

Boycot Abercrombe & Fitch

Have you seen this??? 

What an appalling statement. Why would anyone want to exclude shoppers.. then to proclaim that their store is only for the cool kids.. I WAS A COOL KID.. I was an athlete, a scholar, in the choir and welcome just about everywhere.. and guess what? I HAD BODY ISSUES.. 

I was told I was fat from as far back as I can remember. Oh I am fat now but I wasn't then. I had a 21" waste and hips.. those darn hips caused me plenty of problems, why? Because the stores didn't make products for hips. We weren't supposed to have them. I was raised in the Twiggy era and had a Marilyn Monroe body (ok, not the boobs but the rest) yep I had curves!! And because of idiots like this, I spent my formative years hating my body.. There was nothing wrong with my body.. it was healthy and fit... But I could never get it  to stringy. I lost so much weight once that when I was goofing with my friends and was rolling down hills, I BRUISED myself because with my hip bones.. and guess what I was still trying to loose weight...

People who make statements like this destroy self images.. they batter at a girls who are already over battered by what society says they should look like. When FINALLY people are wising up and standing up for what is a healthy body image. When countries are BANNING too thin models.. what an idiot.. 

My friend, author Sara Humphreys responded to this with a wonderful blog on the Huffington Post.. check it out by clicking HERE

I have never stepped foot in an A&F store and I never will.. I will also not shop in Hollister, RUEHL, and Gilly Hicks. which is owned by the same company... My kids already don't shop there.. and guess what I have cool kids.. ok, well adjusted kids.. who are well liked, good looking, some are thin and some are not.. but what they are is decent.. and secure in who they are. Consequently they don't need some idiot deciding that they will be cool if they wear clothes from his store. You want to be cool, create your own style and stay out of A&F

Shauni