Bruins, we should be ashamed of American Apparel

At this point that American Apparel is the hub of every basic article of clothing you could ever want (in the best way possible) and in turn a second home for many girls that aren’t on a budget.

Personally, I love American Apparel, especially since there’s one right down the street, but I don’t think that I’ll ever become accustomed to their online site simply because of all of the sex being shoved in my face at every turn. Here I am just trying to buy that Sofia bodysuit in pale pink with pink socks to match when I am immediately bombarded with legs and butts with a sparse view of the actual feet.

Are we so primitive that we are constantly thinking with our nether regions and need to be seeing things sexually to even be remotely interesting? I get that people say mockingly say that all we need is sex, food, and water to survive, but from our advertisements, all I’m getting is that we’re completely obsessed with sex. In the nature of DJ Khaled’s life tips, the message I’m getting is that the key to success is sex, sex, and more sex, and I’m not saying that that isnt the case, it’s just that I don’t understand why.

Okay, that’s a lie. Of course I understand why. Capitalism. The entire advertising market. It’s known that things can be sold with sex especially when it’s women being exploited, because for some reason, a scantily clad women will evoke a much better response in terms of selling practically anything than a man (I’m sure this applies to even men’s underwear. Just wait and see.

Sidney, 18, told me as we were online shopping together that she couldn’t even take the ads seriously because of the abrasiveness. So not only are they playing towards the fact that sex sells, in many cases, it doesn’t even work. This doesn’t change the fact that I have spent embarrasingly large sums of money on the products, but it may have something to do with the fact that the franchise filed for bankruptcy fairly recently.

With there being one of the stores right down the street from UCLA, it is a staple shop for many students. I went on campus to speak with some more students on the issue, and received some pretty unsurprising results; most people agreed that regardless of the advertising, they’d still buy.

“I buy crop tops from here, because they’re iconic, but I feel like I have to live up to unrealistic expectations. Am I going to have to expose myself like that if I want to rep the brand?” – Mars, 18, as she visits the online site for the first time.

“Well, I pretty much just buy the body suits because they’re cute, but that online site is kind of weird, like her whole bootyass out.” -Cameron, 18, casually perusing the site simply trying to purchase a new pair of socks.

(Cameron at Venice Beach rocking the tricot bodysuit)

“I only purchase things from American Apparel when there’s a sale going on. It’s too sexual, and the stuff is overpriced for it’s considerably average quality.” – Zoe, 18.

(Zoe, watch in hand and not on.) (Watch no longer available on the site.)

“Honestly, it doesn’t even matter that they advertise like that, they’re American Apparel. I’m buy my jeans from here regardless.” –Elizabeth, 18, spoken in the lounge of Hedrick 5S.

“Damn. So little fabric, so much money. I don’t really buy things from here that much because it’s so expensive, but like the stuff is so nice that when I do have money, I splurge on the tops.” – Veronica, 19, as she continues to strut up Bruin walk to class.

(me after buying my Sofia bodysuit sans socks.)

@sageisaplant