If This Is Real, I Don’t Want To Know
Shortly after falling asleep last night, the heat was shut off in my building. I woke up to glacial temperatures. I agonized over the idea of making the necessary journey from my bed to the shower. During my frigid trek, I passed by my full length mirror and was pleased with the view. I had on green low rise Hanky Pankys, a soft-to-the-touch cream colored tank, and I looked slimmer than I deserved to. I thought how wonderful it would be if the world always saw me in the early morning light. That time of day before any food has entered my body and my stomach looks flat. When the soft light is forgiving to the indentations on my legs. I looked airbrushed. It felt good.
An hour later, with boosted confidence, I rose up from the ground at Broadway-Lafeyette. I scurried to the office, with coffee in hand, and settled in at my desk. Gazing out the window with the warm aroma of La Colombe filling my mouth, I noticed that aerie posted their new campaign. It read: THE GIRLS IN THESE PHOTOS HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED – aerie. I took notice of the photos and suddenly that wonderful boost vanished.
Three giant images followed. Two featuring beautiful girls with copy that read: THINK REAL. GET REAL. NO SUPERMODELS. NO RETOUCHING. The last image was of a perfectly shaped bum accompanied with: BECAUSE THE REAL YOU IS SEXY.
Huh? No retouching???
These girls are practically perfect. If they’re not super models then aerie is telling me these gorgeous girls are walking among me. Like on the same street. Riding the same 6 train, standing in the same coffee line, fighting for the same cab.
I asked myself — is this type of campaign any better than others with retouching? If they are using genetically perfect girls, untainted by age, the sun, or Cronouts, how is this any different? I would have been much happier going about my day believing these girls were retouched. It’s easier to forgive those slight indentations I see in the early morning light when I believe the perfect images are all fake. Now aerie, thanks to you, I’m forced to accept I’m flawed, in need of a personal trainer, and much older than I want to be — at least until your next campaign.
LoveMsFit 