Tuesday 13 March 2012

The Fat of the Land: Female Capitalist@Work

As a conservative I am not overly optimistic about human nature, nor unduly disappointed at its weakness. When prosperity and leisure are achieved for the many, as altruists hope for (and capitalism delivers), do people use their new-found wealth for furthering their education ? For bettering their accomplishments ? For living healthier lives ? No; they eat, and eat, and eat some more.

But capitalism is non-judgmental, and so it is unsurprising that we find ourselves celebrating the triumphant entry of Sara Blakely into the ranks of self-made billionaires. Yes, Ms Blakely has spotted her market - well, it's hard to miss, really - and catered unsentimentally for the growing army of lard-arses with her Spanx range of body-sculpting lingerie.

Unsentimental is the word. "The Spanx company mantra is: Changing the world one butt at a time ... their hidden suction panels that promise 'butt boosting' and 'back fat banishing' qualities ... it boasts three grades of suction – medium, super and super-duper"

The expression, I believe, is: you go, girl.

ND

10 comments:

Electro-Kevin said...

When they said there would need to be belt tightening this is not what they meant.

Bill Quango MP said...

Sometimes retail outlets open tandem stores. Its where one chain likes to open next to another as they are complimentary, and not main rivals. So a sportswear store might like to be next to a fashion discounter for extra footfall, without too many competing lines.

Greggs and Pizza Hut are still doing very well.

Just sayin'

Nick Drew said...

a very restrained comment, EK

(just like I decided not to run with an accompanying pic on this post ...)

you are a subtle retail strategist, Mr Q - I feel certain Ms Spanx has a job for you

Budgie said...

Fat? Corsets by another name to delude the fat that they aren't (so much).

Modern (chav) diet: refined white sugar (biscuits, pop); refined white flour (biscuits, pastry); hydrogenated vegetable fats (crisps, biscuits, chocs, processed foods). Killers, every one.

No wonder there are so many fatties - their bodies need nutrients that their food doesn't provide so they over eat. They have childish tastes and crave the sugar and carbohydrate 'highs'.

dearieme said...

Thank goodness someone is providing for women of a proper womanly shape rather than all those poor, deluded, scawny souls you see about, ruining their skins by eschewing egg yolks, and by smoking to reduce their appetites. The overweight and mildly obese women will outlive them. Goo0d for them.

James Higham said...

The expression, I believe, is: you go, girl.

As Hillary Clinton's supporters were wont to chant as her campaign motto.

Budgie said...

Dearieme, even people merely overweight are more likely to develop health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and osteoarthritis than people with normal BMI. Obesity makes outcomes significantly worse, shortening life between 3 and 10 years.

Moreover there are significantly more obese women in the UK than underweight women. A recent EU survey (publicised Nov 2011) showed British women were the most obese in Europe at 23.9% of 18yr+ adults. A paper in the British Journal of Midwifery showed that for pregnant women "There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, 26.7% and 17.2% respectively, and 3.8% were underweight".

Anonymous said...

@James

"Hillary Clinton's supporters" - she using the Spanx too?

That Oprah Winfrey. Phwoar.

Black Taxi said...

Oprah? I had her in the back of my cab once.

lilith said...

I think you have to be really quite young and fit to even get into this type of underwear.