1. Vera Bradley bags are very popular in the States. Every other person had one. Here are a few I managed to snap:
I am not sure why these things are so popular? I guess they are cute, but they all look like diaper bags to me. I would be glad to have one as a diaper bag or a shopping tote, but as a handbag? Eh. Kinda country for me.
2. There really is an obesity crisis. I have heard about it often, but don’t really see it at home. In my community, there is a anorexia crisis if anything. My local mall is full of thin, thin, thin, women. As for kids, nope, not here. Most of the girls I see, ages 8 and up, are slim as can be and showing it off in hip huggers and long tight t-shirts (better than crop tops!), and I just don’t really see a lot of fat kids. At Disney though? Wow. I saw the largest people I have ever seen in my life, and lots of them. Frankly, I am not sure how they did it at all, as Disney is exhausting.I cannot imagine carrying 300lbs or more all day long! I can say a lot of people rented the 40$ a day scooters, and I am quite sure many of them rented them because they were too large to walk all day, and not for medical reasons (firstly because about 90% of the people I saw in Disney scooters were very large, and also because most people that need them for medical reasons own them, and would not spend $40 a day to rent one if they already had one). As for the kids, lots and lots of very large kids as well. I did not take pictures of these people though. It just seems like it would be wrong!
3. Muffin tops a plenty. Here was one I managed to shoot. This woman is not large by anyone’s standards, so why she is subjecting herself to the torture of wearing jeans about 3 sized too small is beyond me:
Dina said,
December 3, 2007 @ 2:16 pm
UGH…those bags are not my style either…
also UGH…on the obesity thing too. I know when we went to Buffalo a few months ago i noticed tonnes of obese people-more than here that is for sure!
Cori said,
December 3, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
I hate those bags. They are a suburban american phenomenon, though. I live in a major North Eastern US city and hardly ever see those ugly bags OR scores of obese people. I think the car and consumer culture of the ‘burbs is a huge factor in obesity rates. The bags are just bad taste…LOL ;-)
That muffin top looks painful!!!!!
Glad you all had fun. Sorry you’ve been sick. Hope you’re feeling better soon!
mommiebear2 said,
December 5, 2007 @ 11:42 pm
I am dying to know how you got these shots without someone man-handeling you!?!?
Raye said,
December 7, 2007 @ 1:10 am
Those bags are hideous! I had never noticed them (of course, I don’t really look at handbags either) until today when I walked into a store and there was a whole wall of them. I had skimmed this blog entry, so I think that’s why I noticed them. UGLY UGLY UGLY!!! And I’m a suburbanite! The obesity phenomenon in America is astounding. It seems most people are at one end of the spectrum or the other. Down here, I used to think it was the southern cooking, but now I think it’s everywhere. People are disgusting gluttons…
alimum said,
December 7, 2007 @ 5:20 pm
You know, a friend of mine had a big Vera Bradley bag (it was her overnight bag for awhile) which her mom gave her and it was cool because it totally didn’t suit her personality at all. There is something kindof cool about seeing an otherwise hip and sophisticated woman carrying a Holly Hobby bag every now and then. So I have one which I used to use for DS’ stuff. However, seeing a frumpy person carrying around a Holly Hobby bag is not so good. (keep in mind, I rarely see those bags as I live in the land of Birkins…seriously, where are all these people getting the money for a 10K bag? Don’t they have better things to spend 10K on than a bag? Alright, I know, most of them are probably fakes.)
Anyway, I think your picture of Miss Muffin Top 2007 (I have never seen it that bad) is a result of her wanting desperately to fit into a certain size, even if it means it makes her look hideous everywhere else. A nice illustration of the rule “go up a size to look a size smaller”.
Glad you are back safe.
Chrissy said,
December 12, 2007 @ 11:19 pm
Not a fan of those bags either. I’ve posted some shopping totes that my friends made for me on my blog the other day. They’re good for going to the beach or stuffing your groceries in, but not to be used or substituted for a purse or handbag.
The last time we were at Disney, I noticed the same thing re: the issue of obesity. We went with my immediate family, and my mom looked like a little elf next to everyone in the line ups. I suppose the super sized soft drinks and fast food at the kiosks weren’t any help for those who already have poor eating habits. I remember packing my lunch because I thought everything was A)too expensive and B)too greasy.
Disney is a great experience though. I felt like a kid again. What was your favourite thing there? I loved the “It’s A Small World” thing. Oh, and Space Mountain.
Glad you’re home safe and sound. Now I bet you need a vacation for after your vacation! ;)
Jeff said,
April 11, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
My partner and I just returned from a trip to Disney World. It had been 10 years since I was there, and we were shocked at the tremendous number of severely obese people there. All of them riding around in their Mart-carts. It really irritated us that they were allowed to use the handicap bypass queues to go to the front of the line when they clearly were not handicapped. Oftentimes, they filled the handicap queues while legitimately handicapped people in wheelchairs had to wait behind them. It was disgusting. Disney needs to stop making special accommodations for lazy people.