I was outraged by a magazine pictorial I saw while I was waiting in the doctor’s office. It was a lovely lady in an orange dress. I liked the dress then I noticed the caption. It described the woman as being plus size.

 

I decided I don’t like the label plus size. It just doesn’t sit right with me. However my main issue with the picture was she looked like a regular woman who didn’t need a label. I posted the picture on Facebook and got several comments. One person said women’s fashion is obsessed with thin and how ridiculous it is. He went on to say how it bombards women and girls, implicitly and expressly telling them they need to lose weight when most of them don’t. I agree. Another friend said run way models should be labeled as minus-sized.

 

We are obsessed with labels in general. I bought a baby sling and I was highly disappointed when I found out it was just a long piece of cloth with instructions. I paid for the label.

 

I like nice things. I have mentioned how I try to buy nice things on sale. However I don’t buy these things because of the label but because I like them. However I know to stay away from some things because they are no better than a non-labeled item.

 

I don’t buy name brand basketball shoes for my son that cost $50 because he is not going to be able to wear them for longer than three months. I don’t have that kind of money to waste. I know people that don’t have the money to waste either but they still buy them.

 

It is all about the label for some people. We have been brained washed with marketing ploys and by celebrities. If you have the money to spend, spend it. I have issues with people who feel pressure to have brand named labels who can not afford it.

 

This label obsession starts early. Children only want boxes of name brand cereal. I have seen children throw fits in the cereal aisle because their parents were trying to buy store brand cereal. One year I decided instead of buying a toy that cost $50 for my nephew I bought several no name toys for the same price. He didn’t like them at all and said the toys were generic. I don’t know where he learned the word generic since he couldn’t have been over seven at the time.

 

I learned I am going to have to be careful about what labels I support because each time I support a label I am influencing someone else.

© 2012, MaLu Bradford Beyonce, All Rights Reserved.

You may reach MaLu Bradford Beyonce at malubeyonce@gmail.com.