I don't know if you have noticed but i went to the mall to other day and thought all manikins look the same, skinny, fit ,muscular, or those manikins in yorkdale that look like pregnant women...so instead of sharing a video or an article I thought this picture would be interesting instead because we all have gone to mall for something(i hope) and have seen something on display usually on a manikin...and when we like something that is on display we usually go in try it on...and we end up not liking it because of the way it fits on us? Majority of the time it happens with girls...not too sure about the guys though...with this said what do you guys think?
1) Have you ever tried on something, because it looked good on display and when you tried it on you didn't like it because of the way it fit on you? if so have you wished you could be like the manikin body?
2) If the manikins were more realistic as to people who had( curves, heavy, muscular or skinny) would this attract more people to come shop at a certain store or would it cause the store to loose business?
3) applying to above question would this help prevent eating disorders and certain stereotypical gender roles?
4) Do you think stores purposely make manikins look a certain way, so their brand of clothes look good and who can shop at their store?
I think that happened to me once. When I went out to buy a dress, I say one on the manikin, and it looked so pretty, so I tried it on, but I didn’t like the way that it fit on me. It didn’t really have the flow that I was looking for I guess. To be honest, I have never wished that I had a manikin’s body because I don’t even think that is possible.
ReplyDeleteI think that it would attract more people because they would feel that they have a chance of finding something that would look as nice on them as it does on the manikin. In reality, when you see manikins in stores, they have model-type bodies, and not everyone has a model’s body.
In my opinion, it might help stop the eating disorder trend because people will begin to see that every body type is beautiful and accepted by society. Since they can find things in their size, they won’t feel like shopping is a struggle, and they won’t get anxiety from it. If they aren’t feeling anxiety, they won’t feel that they have to change themselves, and therefore, a potential eating disorder will be prevented.
I think that stores try to make the clothes look as appealing as possible, and if the clothes are on a skinny, muscular, tall body, then apparently, they are the most appealing. I feel that stores are sending a strong message that they only want stereotypically beautiful people shopping at their stores. This obviously bashes the self esteems of “regular” people.
I agree with what you have said and i also think that it might be a good idea to display manikins that do look like everyday people, this way it can help prevent such disorders and it can possibly increase business for stores. Also do you think it might prevent media/society from displaying that women or men should be like this?
DeleteAlso as far as stores go, I know what you mean about how stores sending out a strong message of stereotypical. Like the store in yorkdale with the pregnant manikins, but have you thought they might just be stating if you're looking for this type of style we have it? or if you like it than come on in? because stores do carry different sizes,so they have a variety of shoppers coming in and still make business, or do you still think that they might be sending out the message of they only want beautiful people in their store?
DeleteI get what you are trying to say, but if they want everyone at their store, then why don't they display plus size clothing? I agree, that they do have those clothes, but they still prefer a fit body type. If I'm walking in the mall, I rarely see that. So to me, as a consumer, even the types of manikins that the store uses is sending a message.
DeleteThat is true, and funny you mention about manikins displaying plus size clothing, there was a store that I walked by and they had manikins that weren't the "ideal" manikins and they were wearing plus size clothing and i decided to take a peek in and they were also carrying smaller sizes, so it really makes me wonder if manikins are really targeted for an intended audience? but i also see why majority would think otherwise...
DeleteI don't think using different types of manikins will prevent eating disorders because using fatter manikins aren't necessarily going to make people like being fat. In other words, they will still strive to be what they think is the ideal body type. And yes, I do think that stores use certain manikins to make their clothing look better, and i think they do this so it attracts people to buy their stuff.
ReplyDeleteBut would you agree that it might make them feel better about themselves that they don't have to worry about being obese? and they can still wear nice clothing? & have you faced a scenario where you liked something on a manikin but didn't like how it looked on you? I Also agree with that they use certain manikins to make their clothing look better and they do this to attract consumers, but I would have to disagree with that it may not prevent such disorders.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't look at a manikin and feel insecure if I didn't look the same in a shirt. You gotta be crazy if you see a damn manikin and go on an eating disorder.
ReplyDeleteI think stores choose a manikins that are made a certain way, because these manikins reflect what the media believes to be beautiful. Like you said, skinny fit and muscular.
From a marketing perspective, the smart thing for a store to do is have all types of manikins. This way they can apply to all people. If you are morbidly obese, a thin manikin with skin tight jeans will not appeal to you. Also, in North America we have a weight issue.
These manikin companies should take the initiative to cater to all body types.
hahaha, some people might be like that, who knows? but I agree that stores should be making their clothes look appealing to all consumers. Not just to how society views it to be.
DeleteYes, I would hate to say it but there are times when something looks really good on a manikin but doesn’t compliment me or seems weird when I put it on. I don’t really wish for the manikin body but, wish that it would look nice on me.
ReplyDeleteI think that adding people with realistic looking manikins would make the store more popular because you would not be trying to look like the idea but look closer to what you actually look like. This would help with peoples self esteem and allow them to openly accept what they look like. I think this would prevent eating disorders and the gender roles because you are not forced upon having the ideals right in front of you, staring you in the eye.
I think they do place these special manikins because these are the manikins that make all the clothes look good and then have an idea type of figure that only these manikins have.
Thank you for commenting and i agree with you as well, You also made a good point about trying not to look like the idea but closer to what you actually look like. I think if people saw manikins of such it would prevent eating disorders or let them know that it is okay, and society is accepting how everyone looks.
DeleteYeah it probably has happened before but i dont really remember. I don't think that caused to me to look like the mannequin at all since thats not a real person and its customized.
ReplyDeleteYes, i do think that if there was variety in the manikins it will attract people. People can actually see how a certain piece of clothing will look on them. This will cause them to not feel so down about their body and take pride in it.
I am not to sure about the eating disorders, i think that comes from an individuals mind. Even if the manikins came in different sizes they will end up looking at the magazines and feel down about themselves. The person needs to change their state of mind to prevent eating disorder, i don't think manikins will help.
Yeah, most likely that is exactly why stores make their manikins a certain way. For example, i have seen that for maternity clothing, the manikins are made to look pregnant just so the individuals can see how the clothing will look on them. Since they want to attract a certain shape of women to their store, they make there manikins resemble that.
I agree with what you have said, and yes, eating disorders do tend to come from the mind, but society also influences them. However, do you think that seeing manikins that look more realistic might help people who do have a concern with their weight and seeing manikins of such that it could help with their self-esteem and confidence?
DeleteYes, i have tried on something that looked spectacular on the manlikin but not good on me and that did make me wonder about my self-image so i lost about 100 pounds just to fit in certain stuff. Yeah, i was obese before.
ReplyDeleteAnd making the manlikins look attractive is actually a revenue gaining secret because that way they attract more customers. If they made them fat no one would come at all. Because of that they make the manlikins look all perfect showing muscles and stuff.
Even though, society tells how a person should look like doesn't necessarily mean you should change yourself. However, i'm proud of your accomplishment, because you're changing your life for the better and decreasing your chances of certain diseases :)
DeleteBut for someone who has been affected by the manikins, do you think it would help others who have been in the same situation, look at themselves differently?
To me, the manikins on display have a idealistic body type forged from the media and not the realistic or average body type. I think having manikins with a more realistic body type would definitely bring more business to clothing stores. Although I do not think that manikins with a more realistic bodytype will prevent eating disorders; they may prevent some gender sterotypical idealologies. I dont feel that manikins influence people enough to develop an eating disorder but I do feel that they may alter the way an individual percieves what the male and female figure should look like. Coming from what I think a store owners perspective might be, I dont feel the manikins represent the body types of people that could shop at the store but I do feel that they are built and used with the idealology that the manikins shape will make their brands look the best they can.
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more, you made some interesting points. Thankyou for commenting :)
DeleteYeah It's happen to me before, when I go to a mall and I see something thats cute but when I try it on I end up not liking it. I think that having more realistic mannequins will bring more attraction to the store because that way people are more likely to want to buy certain things because it realtes to them more.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this would prevent eating disorders because there's still the idea in peoples mind and the media still advertises thin people on tv. Even if manikins were made to be more available If the media still shows a certain Image people will want to look like that image.
I think certain stores do make their manikins a certain was so that other people are appealed to the store. For example ambercombie &fitch only have certain size clothing so that that only 'cool' people will buy their brands.
1) Yes, i think that's a part of shopping, but You can't take it so emotionally. Just go find another top or jeans. Theirs probably a hundred more in such a big mall.
ReplyDelete2) I think it would honestly cause a store to lose it's business. The manikins are only made like that because they're supposed to make the clothes look beyond good. If the clothes look average it won't draw the consumer's eye towards the product.
3) Yes i think it would. A lot of people want to look like the manikin and go on diets to look a certain way. If the store had a chubby person in a bathing suit as a manikin it would make it easier for others to feel confident in themselves.
4) I think stores purposely make manikins look a certain way, so their brand of clothes look good. The main goal of a business is to make a profit using any means necessary. Although people may feel bad about how they look, they still buy the clothes because it's like a personal goal for the buyer. Like fitting into skinny jeans a bit to small.
Yeah of course I’ve had that experience before and it has made me wish I could have that figure instead because it does look better. I think people might be attracted more because they would get a signal that these clothes are actually made for real life people with their different curves etc. Right now the way we see the manikins all one size doesn’t attract me b/c I automatically assume that it won’t look good on me because I have a different body size. Yes of course this would help prevent eating disorders because it will promote a healthy body instead of a skinny figure. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be thin but I think it should be a slim fit thin and not a fad that you are influenced of by Peoples magazine. Yes I think store owners have their default manikin that is proportioned well according to them that will enhance their clothes therefore they feel that they are advertising their merchandise well.
ReplyDeleteYes I have tried a some clothes, but apparently they don't look good on me because my body isn't the same as a manikin. I think everyone would want a body that like a manikin not only to look good but feel good as well. If manikins are in a realistic shape, they would probably loose business because their products wouldn't look good when they are worn on a manikin. If manikins have realistic shapes if would probably prevent eat disorders because it makes the person realize that these clothes would look perfect on them. This would cause everyone to feel confident about their body type and so on. I absolutely agree that manikins were made these ways to make their clothing look better.
ReplyDeleteI have tried clothes on but it was too large or not slim enough. I wouldn't want a manikan body to be exact nor would the manikan influence me to get into an eating disorder because that is just outrageous. I think at most it would motivate me to work out more and get a little bigger. I think having realistic manikan's won't do much but however having realistic models would. That would influence people more. Models looking like people do would prevent eating disorders. Manikans are definately made too make clothing look better.
ReplyDelete