Slim (fit) pickings...

For me, clothes shopping is a frustrating and depressing experience.

Sometimes I feel like a cranky old man (which I am not), because every pair of shorts I try on are too long for my super-short legs. Cargo shorts look like cargo pants on me. And don't get me started on capris for men.

It doesn't matter if I'm feeling good about how I look or not, once I find myself in a clothing store, I often can't find clothes that I like that fit the way they should.

And it's not all my fault—the fashion industry's continuing obsession with all things slim fit (despite there being a serious obesity crisis in America) befuddles me.

Sure, I'm not as thin as I'd like to be, but what I'm working on is trying to find a balance between a healthy weight and one that is realistic to manage. (I've been super thin before, and if I'm willing to eat air and work out 12 times a week, I can get there again, but I'd like to have a life, too.) The fact is, though, that I'm a pretty big guy, even when my weight is down. I'm built kind of like a football player, albeit one without the coordination to actually play football.

See the pictures at the top of this post? That is what the majority of clothing designers are designing for these days. I am not one of those people, nor will I ever be. And I'm fine with that, except for the fact that more and more clothing is being designed in this way.

I completely understand that clothing geared toward younger people can and should trend toward a slimmer fit. That's fine. I have no need for low-rise skinny jeans, and don't need to throw on scarves anyway, except when it's cold. But I don't need to shop in the big and tall store, and I'm not ready to visit the old men's section just yet.

When a person who always wears the same size shirt suddenly can't fit in that size and their body hasn't changed, something's got to give. If an XL shirt fits a person who normally wears a medium, what does someone who normally wears an XXL need, a tent? And what is the need for a slim fit XXL shirt anyway? Is every clothing company suddenly outfitting only football players?

Shouldn't being able to find clothes you like in your size be an unalienable right? I know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

The fine line between risque and just plain dumb...

Update: As of Monday night, Adidas announced plans to cancel the release of the sneaker. So intelligence (or fear of lawsuits) wins the day.

The fashion world is often known for pushing the envelope, and footwear designers are no exception. While sneakers frequently court controversy because of their astronomical prices, a new Adidas sneaker has garnered an altogether different type of criticism—claims that it promotes racism.

Adidas' new Roundhouse Mid "Handcuff" shoe, created by controversial New York designer Jeremy Scott (he of the $424 clutch that looked like a pair of tighty whiteys, among other infamous creations), features a plastic orange shackle that attaches to each ankle. While the sneakers—priced at a ridiculous $350 a pair—don't hit stores until August, their recent premiere on Adidas' Facebook page has caused quite an uproar.

The sneakers are accompanied by this quote on Facebook: "Tighten up your style with the JS Roundhouse Mids, dropping in August. Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?"

While Adidas may be poking fun at shoe theft, many are equating these binding devices with slavery and prisoners. Comments on the company's Facebook page have referred to the sneakers as everything from "Adidas Amistad Originals" to "ignorant" and "slavewear."

Yet not everyone is offended. Some fans have noted the shackles' resemblance to those "worn" by the 80s toy My Pet Monster.



Adidas' initial response to the controversy was this: "The JS Roundhouse Mid is part of the Fall/Winter 2012 design collaboration between Adidas Originals and Jeremy Scott. The design of the JS Roundhouse Mid is nothing more than the designer Jeremy Scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion and has nothing to do with slavery. Jeremy Scott is renowned as a designer whose style is quirky and lighthearted and his previous shoe designs for Adidas Originals have, for example, included panda heads and Mickey Mouse. Any suggestion that this is linked to slavery is untruthful."

So what do you think? Are these sneakers racist, stupid, or cool? And is any sneaker worth $350?