Unless you happen to have the "coveted" thigh gap, you may want to rethink wearing Lululemon. That's ostensibly the message Chip Wilson, one of Canada's richest people and founder of the uber-popular retailer, is sending to his customers, claims an article in Huffington Post.
Remember the whole sheer yoga pant gaffe? Turns out that even though Lulu recalled a certain style of yoga pant for being too transparent, Wilson has now recanted, claiming the problem wasn't with the fabric or design but with the bodies of the women wearing them.
“...quite frankly some women’s bodies just actually don’t work for [our pants]," Wilson said in a recent interview with Bloomberg. “It’s really about the rubbing through the thighs, how much pressure is there over a period of time and how much they use it,” Wilson responded.
When Wilson was then asked if every woman can wear Lulu's pants, he was quick to catch himself: “It depends on how you use it.”
It's not the first time Lululemon has been accused of "shunning" plus-sized women as part of its branding, yet this is perhaps the closest it has come to admitting that its clothes are meant to be worn solely by those with a select body type.
In the case of Abercrombie, the negative publicity generated from its CEO's comments proved irreparably damaging, with the company's profits ultimately suffering. It remains to be seen whether Lululemon will face a similar fate.
Is Lulu's selective marketing a form of discrimination? Or do companies have the right to target their product as they see fit?
Imagine for a second that you have breast cancer. Imagine that you have just been prepped for surgery to have both your breasts removed.
That was the fate of a woman named Deborah Cohan. But instead of breaking down, she threw a party.
A video of the Ob/Gyn and mom of two dancing with staff at San Francisco's Mt. Zion Hospital has gone viral. In the clip via the Huffington Post, Cohan busts some fine moves to Beyonce’s “Get Me Bodied.”
On her CaringBridge page, Cohan's many friends and family honoured her request by filming their own dance videos for her to watch during her convalescence.
“I have visions of a healing video montage,” she wrote. “Nothing brings me greater joy than catalyzing others to dance, move, be in their bodies. Are you with me people?”
Surrounding herself with positivity and light will surely help the recovery process and keep a smile on her face during a gruelling time. See how this woman faced breast cancer with grace and bravery.
What a terrific and totally inspiring idea, don't you think? Sending healing vibes your way, Deborah!
It's a case of the body coming into maturity before the mind. Research has indicated that girls in the U.S. are reaching puberty at increasingly younger ages. Why?
Between 2004 and 2011, more than 1,200 girls aged between six and eight were studied to see when their breasts began to develop (not necessarily when menstruation started).
The findings were interesting. The average age—9.7 years old—was three to four months younger than that found in a 1997 study, and much younger than that recorded in the 1960s.
According to an article in the Huffington Post, race plays a factor, with Black girls hitting puberty at 8.8 years, and Hispanic girls at 9.3 years, compared to that of White or Asian girls above.
The reason for the change? Higher body mass indexes (BMIs) were attributed to the earlier onset in puberty, claims the study, published in Pediatrics in yet another health repercussion of childhood obesity.
Though it should be noted that diet and lack of exercise aren't the only factors at play; environmental factors including "hormone-laced hair products" may also contribute in speeding up puberty.
So what? Girls who reach puberty at a young age face an increased risk of high blood pressure and Type 2 Diabetes as they age, not to mention social repercussions such as bullying. Some tips on how to talk about puberty with your little girl.
Were you (or your daughter) an early bloomer? How did it affect you?
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