April 17, 2013

If only I had these clothes, I could have this relationship.

Isn't that the implicit message when a clothing ad poses a man and a woman together? But then look at these 2 characters, in an emailed advertisement, received just now, from Lucky Brand:



I showed this picture to Meade, and he said "Lean in."

56 comments:

Unknown said...

Almost all advertising sells lifestyle, not product.

My husband wears Lucky brand jeans sometimes, and looks good in them. But not white ones. And not so, um, snug-fitting.

bagoh20 said...

It's true some women prefer a relation ship with a gay man or stereotypical facsimile.

Ann Althouse said...

"But not white ones. And not so, um, snug-fitting."

And could he possibly keen the snuggums farther away from the lady's parts while still possessing a head that purports to find her neck interesting?

bagoh20 said...

They should reverse the outfits if they want to sell them.

Ann Althouse said...

"It's true some women prefer a relation ship with a gay man or stereotypical facsimile."

When women think they'd love to have gay guy friends, it's not a relationship like this that they are picturing. They're picturing fun and laughs, not awkwardness!

Ann Althouse said...

"They should reverse the outfits if they want to sell them."

Oddly, when I clicked on the photo in the email, it took me to a Lucky Brand web page that was full of long, tight jeans for women. No shorts and no men.

Unknown said...

Yeah there is definitely subliminal female messaging going on there. He's hot, and hot for her, but she's in control.

Tank said...

Where is his right hand?

Rae said...

"Fine, I'll pose with the skinny breeder!"

Rae said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lem the artificially intelligent said...

In the spirit of the times... if you see something say something?

Known Unknown said...

Yeah there is definitely subliminal female messaging going on there. He's hot, and hot for her, but she's in control.

Nope. They hate one another, or have never worked together before. You can see it.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Ha! i was going to say the white pants.
Gay?
Nttiawwt

bagoh20 said...

I used to wear shorts like that, but that was before homosexuality was invented.

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

All I see is two people posing for a picture using their eyebeams to make me do their bidding.

Hey! Maybe I really do have Asperger's or something!

edutcher said...

If I had those clothes, I'd want a girl with some more "substance" to her.

Ann Althouse said...

But not white ones. And not so, um, snug-fitting.

And could he possibly keen the snuggums farther away from the lady's parts while still possessing a head that purports to find her neck interesting?


It looks like his parts aren't allowing that.

Unless the bulge is built in.

Oddly, when I clicked on the photo in the email, it took me to a Lucky Brand web page that was full of long, tight jeans for women. No shorts and no men.

Althouse Heaven?

Ann Althouse said...

"keen the snuggums"

I meant keep the snuggums...

Hope that makes more sense!

It's always bad to make a typo next to an intentionally made-up thing.

Snuggums was intended.

I sort of like keening the snuggums.

I may use it again, and, if so, you'll be an insider.

Just like the snuggums!

Æthelflæd said...

She kinda looks like she's trying to escape the snuggums.

I don't think this ad is all that it was perhaps meant to be.

Unknown said...

Snuggums sounds like one of those dippy infomercial products that pop up before the Christmas retail season.

I like "keen" and since it's a real word too, adapting to this context sounds like there's some sexual yearning going on.

Kevin said...

Yeah, sorry girls, I don't think you could have that EXACT relationship unless you had a prostate and really liked anal.

Unknown said...

Yeah there is definitely subliminal female messaging going on there. He's hot, and hot for her, but she's in control.

Nope. They hate one another, or have never worked together before. You can see it.


I disagree, at least if you consider all other fashion shoots. The models always look like they hate just about everyone, and the only emotions projected are cold lust and power.

traditionalguy said...

This maybe a new ad campaign for underarmor. When a female athlete is being approached by her male coach, that is when armored underwear comes in handy for the athlete.

Anonymous said...

He's hot, but not for her.

Æthelflæd said...

He's leaning in, but she's all "get that thing away from me". I find the ad to be rather asexual.

Unknown said...

Shana to me it is too except that the fashion industry portrays sex exactly like this oftentimes. I think some women want the power of their sexuality without actually the sex.

bandmeeting said...

Not really but you'd look somewhat stylish whilst attempting to get yourself into that relationship. Advertising is a pretty decent way for an enterprise to present their products. If you totally swallow the message, that's your problem.

Freeman Hunt said...

The tight pants thing needs to end. Not flattering on anyone. Obviously tight isn't flattering on fat, but the thinner people are, the more tight gives them a gangly giraffe look. No good. It's like those universally unflattering capris they pushed on everyone for so long.

Æthelflæd said...

Yes, the skinny jeans look just exaggerates whatever you are. They make you look either fat or emaciated. And on guys, well, that should just never happen.

Unknown said...

Here's a good product to market via infomercial as a Snuggems.

(sorry I don't know how to do the portal link...so if anyone wants to avoid the Christmas rush now and order for the man in their life...click through the Althouse portal first!)

MadisonMan said...

That man never eats a hamburger with ketchup.

AllenS said...

It's an ad. They're probably both gay.

Nomennovum said...

He's better looking than she is. Not good. And that's why she looks so unhappy. She is being shown up.

Freeman Hunt said...

He's better looking than she is.

Au contraire!

Freeman Hunt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Freeman Hunt said...

The capri phenomenon was strange because it was, "Hey, we came up with pants to make everyone's legs look shorter." Why? No one, not even a woman with extremely long legs, wants her legs to look shorter. And yet, they foisted these odd pants on everyone.

Anonymous said...

Anita Eckberg looked very nice in Capri pants.

Anonymous said...

Madison man said:

That man never eats a hamburger with ketchup

No, but I bet he eats sausage with relish!

(Couldn't resist).

Charlie Currie said...

Funny...I bought that same outfit (white jeans, plaid shirt) at Target last year.

I also have a picture of me in that same outfit (with a ruff-out leather Levi jacket) from 1966.

Also, also...Hugh Grant wore that outfit in "Notting Hill" - 1999.

Also, also, also...I'll never tire of seeing young girls in raggedy cutoff Levis.

Cheers

bagoh20 said...

" universally unflattering capris"

Agreed. Never saw them looking good on anyone who wouldn't look better in something else.

rhhardin said...

She'd have a better chance if she smiled once in a while.

Charlie Currie said...

t-man said: "Anita Ekberg looked good in capri pants"

Bob Dylan said:
Well, my telephone rang it would not stop
It’s President Kennedy callin’ me up
He said, “My friend, Bob, what do we need to make the country grow?”
I said, “My friend, John, Brigitte Bardot
Anita Ekberg
Sophia Loren”
(Put ’em all in the same room with Ernest Borgnine!)

Cheers

Amartel said...

Snug, high-waisted white pants on men. If that guy had a mullet he could be in Journey.
The late 70s are back!
We've got the shitty economy, why not have the shitty fashions, too?

Anonymous said...

I wore the white jeans he had on back in 1965. Stay still long enough and it all circles back around.

Balfegor said...

My response is where is his belt? Also, if he's going to open his shirt like that, he needs to put on an undershirt.

Also, her stony facial expression and tight Puritan hair does not make me think I would like being in a relationship with her. Obviously, I am not the target audience here.

cubanbob said...

The only thing the ad tells me is that unless you are young, slim and good looking don't buy these clothes.

So I won't.

David said...

The lady needs a cheeseburger or two and a milkshake.

Balfegor said...

The capri phenomenon was strange because it was, "Hey, we came up with pants to make everyone's legs look shorter." Why? No one, not even a woman with extremely long legs, wants her legs to look shorter. And yet, they foisted these odd pants on everyone.

I guess true capri pants are kind of fitted, but there's a style of plus-fours that I think was fashionable among young women in Tokyo sometime in the last 5-10 years -- loose fitted, and then gathered at the sides, with a ribbon, sometimes creating a pleating effect. Looking for them now, I'm still not sure what they're called, but I found the effect fairly attractive, in most cases. And this was on Japanese, for whom (I think) the ratio between leg and torso tends towards proportionately shorter legs than for Whites.

Kelly said...

Blah, if he's hot for anyone, it's the cameraman.

Sam L. said...

Them DASTARDLY advertisers!!

Peter said...


What's to say? She looks pouty, as fashion models always do. And he's got that 4-day almost-a-beard that one often sees on male models (because someone at some time thought it looked hot?

Bottom line: I don't want to be him, and her poutiness makes her unattractive. As for the photo, it just screams "I'm a fashion photo shoor!" - it's all but impossible to imagine anyone naturally looking like that.

So, perhaps it's not designed to appeal to me. Maybe I'm the wrong demographic, or something.

Deb said...

I'm getting nothing from that ad so obviously they're not trying to sell cutoffs to 60-something old ladies. Maybe if they had elastic in the waist..

I Have Misplaced My Pants said...

The worst fashion trend I see everywhere is short shorts. They look terrible on everyone whose BMI is over about 17. They hit at the fleshiest part of the thigh and make normal healthy girls look like they have fat legs. Awful, awful.

Palladian said...

He has that "on the mend from a 3-day-bender" look that passes as rugged and masculine among certain people.

Still, I'd definitely hit that.

Ann Althouse said...

The woman's left breast seems to be in the wrong place. I think that's what made me feel so uneasy.

Anonymous said...

No, the message is "if I looked like this", nothing to do with the clothes.

I'll never understand people that look at a model or supermodel and say, "Oh, it's the clothes... which I could buy. I'm buying what she's wearing"

lol.

Krumhorn said...

I agree with Ann. Something seemed 'not right' but I couldn't Identify it. My first thought was she is wearing a dopey push-up bra or has an implant. But really, her booby is in the wrong place

The main feature of the purported relationship is that there is no intimacy. That's what women want. If there were, her head would be tilted to the right, exposing her neck to him, and he would occupy that space. Whatever else that might be said, if there is any relationship in that pair, it's not with each other