Body Issue of the Day, Brought to You By Urban Outfitters’ Skinny Tee

While the attempt to foist super skinny body standards onto guys is being tried (but perhaps not working), you’ll be relieved to know girls are still being pushed to be thin by any means possible.

If the overly airbrushed advertisements that turned models into alien stick figures were too subtle, there’s now a t-shirt from Urban Outfitters that makes it a bit more clear.

They’re selling a t-shirt with the words “Eat Less” on the front. Ironically the unflattering cut of the shirt actually makes the thin model wearing it look bulky. {Gawker}

Here’s our problem with the shirt: while overeating isn’t healthy, neither is starvation. Fashion’s faux concern about obesity as a response to concerns over models who need to be airbrushed larger to appear healthy is really getting old. Some people have naturally thin body types and speedy metabolisms. We all have that friend who can eat pizza all day and not gain an ounce.

On the flip side, we all know a perpetual dieter who may lose weight, but never gets thin. Some people are meant to be thin, and some people aren’t. There’s no need to deride someone if their body doesn’t fall into the naturally thin category.

It’s only one of many reasons why skinny doesn’t equate to healthy, especially if someone has to go to extremes like not eating to attain that shape. While no one should look to fashion for health advice (and designers and editors should stop offering it if style opinion is their only qualification), t-shirts with silly messages don’t help.

The shirt isn’t showing on the Urban Outfitters website, so we’re assuming the company has at least removed it from their online store. Hopefully they’ll follow suit for any shirts in physical locations.