This ad was posted on Wedinator with the caption, “Hey Look, It’s The Worst Ad Ever.” Of course, in their writeup, they kind of undermine that headline a little by missing the point: Seriously, it’s one thing to encourage your overweight friend or relative to lose a little weight for general health reasons. But to […]

Filed under: Advertising, Diet Talk, Feminism, Humor | 22 Comments »

1. Found in my referral logs, this Ask Moxie thread has suggestions for places to shop for professional workplace attire if you’re plus-sized. Lots of links in the comments. I may be fat, but I don’t want to look frumpy too. If you or any of your contributors know of good places (aside from Lane […]

Filed under: Advertising, Fashion | 6 Comments »

In case you’re not familiar with eShakti, they have an amazing concept. They will customize their garments to your exact specifications. You break out the measuring tape, you tell them exactly what to do so their clothes will fit your body, and they will do it. It’s like magic, especially if you are hard to […]

Filed under: Advertising, Fashion, Personal, Review | 17 Comments »

1. Stella Ellis, of BettyConfidential.com, put together a story all about how to stay hot when you’re hot (via Shine). It’s a beauty and fashion round-up that’s got a ton of gorgeous dresses I covet, and some very cheering words about being comfortable in your skin and whatever you put on it. The important thing is […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Celebrities, Fashion, Fat Positive, Humor, International, Media, Photoshop | 2 Comments »

So, let’s talk about “real women.” We hear this phrase a lot, often in the sense that “real women have curves” and that, by extension, skinny women are somehow not “real.” And this article from the Sydney Morning Herald articulates the problem: Women have been caught in a pointless feedback loop as we debate what […]

Filed under: Advertising, Celebrities, Fashion, Feminism, International, Race & Ethnicity | 30 Comments »

The folks at Urban Outfitters (those owl-pushers) are now selling a shirt with the words “Eat Less” scrawled across the front—modeled, of course, by a very thin model. And it is pissing people off. People like Stephanie Hayes: It’s just mean, scary and damaging to all the poor innocent girls who ALREADY feel like Shamu […]

Filed under: Advertising, Eating Disorders, Fashion, Fatism, Humor | 43 Comments »

You have to admire the creativity of PR people sometimes, desperately trying to shoehorn their products into stories about whatever might be making headlines, and then blindly sending those stories to bloggers whose blogs may or may not be at all related to the products they’re trying to sell. Here are some ridiculous pitches I’ve […]

Filed under: Advertising, American Idol, Celebrities, Feel Good Friday, Hairspray, Humor, Kids, Magazines, Meta, Music, TV | 7 Comments »

I got an email this morning about a controversy brewing at ABC, who is refusing to air a lingerie ad for Lane Bryant that features a plus-sized model. Specifically, “a pleasantly plump model [who] gracefully shows off her curves before the camera in a slew of sexy poses.” (Because she’s sexy she gets to be […]

Filed under: Advertising, American Idol, Celebrities, Fashion, Fatism, Question, Sex & Romance, TV, Video | 50 Comments »

I heard this story on the radio this morning: one California supervisor wants to ban fast food restaurants from selling toys with fast food meals. Of course, this is only one county in one state, so we’re hardly at the level of an argument before the Supreme Court. A child’s “Happy Meal” may soon be […]

Filed under: Advertising, Health, Kids, Personal, Question, Tidbit | 45 Comments »

Thanks to @lilowen, who apparently has a long memory, for the heads up on this item! We first wrote about Sara Rue all the way back in aught six, when she lost a bunch of weight and it was speculated (by gossipy people) that she’d had weight loss surgery and had to have it reversed. […]

Filed under: Advertising, Celebrities, Gossip, Reese Witherspoon, Sara Rue, Weight Loss, WLS | 30 Comments »

Pepsi Max – Save the calories for baconOriginally uploaded by jsmjr Women drink Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi; men drink Coke Zero and Pepsi Max, aka the diet sodas without the word “diet” in the name. Since diets are for girls! Feminist blogs such as The Gender Bender Blog and I Blame the Patriarchy both […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Diet Talk Warning, Feminism, Media, Personal | 46 Comments »

vending machine conceptOriginally uploaded by mo pie What is this, you ask? Well, it’s a concept for a vending machine selling diet soda–in this case, Coca-Cola Light, which is the European name for Diet Coke. The vending machine doubles as a funhouse-style mirror that makes you look thinner. As the creative brief says: Because of […]

Filed under: Advertising, International, Tidbit | 10 Comments »

peta-save-the-whalesOriginally uploaded by marketingnacozinha I was catching up on my e-mail and noticed a number of people sent in the link to this PETA ad: Susan, Veronica, Lynette, Amy, and Kim, thank you! The only reason I didn’t post about it was that I didn’t feel like I had anything new to say; it’s been […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Fatism, Kids, Media | 24 Comments »

From BFDiva Jez comes this article, an expose of the Weight Watchers menu at Applebee’s. According to an independent lab, the nutritional info apparently does not always fall within or even come close to the advertised numbers on the menu, and lawsuits have ensued: [L]ast year Scripps News hired a food lab to test the […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Fatism, Food, Weight Loss | 20 Comments »

free for chubbiesOriginally uploaded by mo pie It’s an old-timey Lane Bryant ad! One of the Creepiest Vintage Ads of All Time. Personally, I think the creepiest one is the Love’s Baby Soft ad. But a case could certainly be made for “is it always illegal to kill a woman?” Or… most of the other […]

Filed under: Advertising, Fashion, Feminism, Old Timey | 11 Comments »

ugly girlfriend adsOriginally uploaded by mo pie BFD reader Kellie alerted us to a series of ads from Bacardi, which suggests that the perfect accessory for summer is an “ugly girlfriend.” As Kellie pointed out, “ugly” seems to be synonymous with plus-sized; of five girls pictured, three are plus-sized. AgencySpy talked about the text of […]

Filed under: Advertising, Fatism, Feminism, International, Magazines, Media, Sex & Romance | 23 Comments »

We’ve talked a little bit recently about how plus-size options are dwindling away because retailers are stupid and shortsighted and ought to be kicked in the head and it is all pretty angry-making, but here is something that sounds like kind of an antidote: the very first “Full-Figured Fashion Week” is being staged next week […]

Filed under: Advertising, Cold Hard Cash, Fashion, Fat Positive, Media | 14 Comments »

The Gruen Transfer is an Australian show about advertising which dissects and analyzes the affects of advertising on the average human brain. As part of their show, they frequently issue challenges to agencies–create This Kind of advertisement. Sell this seemingly impossible-to-sell idea. This time around, it was make an ad about fat discrimination. One entrant […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Fatism, International, Media, NSFW, Politics, Question, Race & Ethnicity, TV, Video, Weight Loss | 26 Comments »

Just a reminder on this very lovely Friday that you are beautiful, kids. Click on through this gallery of awesome art installations, take the message to heart (because it is a true fact), and have the best kind of weekend.

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Art, Feel Good Friday, Media, Tidbit | 5 Comments »

Does this new show strike you as fatist or fat positive? And why do you think so?

Filed under: Advertising, Dance Your Ass Off, Hairspray, Tidbit, TV, Weight Loss | 28 Comments »

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that Lessons from the Fat-o-sphere by Kate Harding and Marianne Kirby hits bookshelves today! Congratulations to two great writers and fabulous women on their accomplishment. Hope your book changes the world, ladies.

Filed under: Advertising, Books, Fat Positive, Feminism, Meta, Tidbit | 4 Comments »

The FDA has issued a warning against the diet drug Hydroxycut, which, as it turns out, can kill you. (It killed a teenager in 2007, but apparently the FDA was just alerted to this now.) Other patients experienced symptoms ranging from jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, to liver failure. One received a transplant and […]

Filed under: Advertising, Health, Science, Weight Loss | 25 Comments »

beth ditto basically rules Originally uploaded by mo pie In 1998, the Body Shop ran the Ruby campaign, featuring a size 22ish Barbie au naturale, reclining on a chaise. It was the campaign that woke up my little size acceptance brain, just the audacity of the Mattel icon looking, well, a lot like me (disclaimer: […]

Filed under: Advertising, Beth Ditto, Celebrities, Fashion | 14 Comments »

I was entertained and sort of fascinated by Mike’s post about the new Big Mac Snack Wrap, currently being tested in Canada, the home of the Maple Leafs, half of Niagara Falls, and Robin Sparkles. The sad, sad, Big Mac Snack Wrap. It is apparently half a hamburger patty with some sauce, pickles, and lettuce, […]

Filed under: Advertising, Diet Talk Warning, Food, Humor, International, Kids, Personal, Science | 23 Comments »

I’ve been struck down with some kind of death illness for the past few days. You’d think that being curled up on my couch for 72 hours would mean I could manage a blog post or two, but it hasn’t seemed that way. I’m hoping to be back in action tomorrow, but in the meantime, […]

Filed under: Advertising, Advocacy, Celebrities, Fashion, Kids, Meta, Personal, Sex & Romance, TV | 11 Comments »