The Candie’s Foundation strange, abstinence-promoting tank top.

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I'm Sexy t-shirt by Candies encourages teens to wait for sex

Via the blog Sociological Images: The Candie’s Foundation—a nonprofit organization founded by the shoe company of the same name—has a new weapon in its mission against “the devastating consequences of teenage pregnancy.” And it looks super cute with flip-flops!

Just $15 plus shipping and handling gets you a tight tank top with the slogan “I’m SEXY enough … to keep you waiting" emblazoned across the chest. Waiting until when, exactly—after dinner and a movie? I would never argue that a woman is “asking for it” with her wardrobe choices. But you’ve got to admit, having the word sexy displayed across your breasts in bright pink capital letters ... well, it encourages people to look at your breasts and think about sex. If you really wanted to make a tank top that encourages teenagers to take it slow, why not make one that says, “HEY, WHY DON’T YOU TRY LOOKING ME IN THE EYES?”

Also, as Sociological Images points out, the tank top is designed for girls—making it clear that they bear the responsibility for keeping horny boys at bay. Because, you know, it’s never the girl who wants to rush things. (Jezebel weighs in here.)

What do you think—brilliantly counterintuitive marketing, or total PSA failure?

Tags: abstinence, Candie's, tank top

Nina Shen Rastogi California native, theater and comics fan, Slate "Green Lantern" columnist

Comments

تحميل برامج تحميل برنامج

By: beckham_250 | Sun, 09/20/2009 - 06:41

تحميل برامج تحميل برنامج تحميل برامج نوكيا برامج
تحميل ماسنجر تحميل موبايل موقع دليل مواقع

It is just cheesy.

By: sugar_k | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 13:47

Without commenting on abstinence as a prevention strategy or on Candie's as a business, this shirt is trying to be sassy and just falls flat on its face. Nobody with an ounce of pride in herself goes around telling the world just what she's sexy enough for. The world can figure out for itself how sexy she is.

The new hipster first-time top

By: TheMrLee | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 12:24

I can see this having huge caché as the it thing to wear when you're going to be sleeping with your b/gf for the first time—or just hoping to. It's kind of sexy that way. Hmm... is there a word for under garments you wear believing that you're going to finally sleep with somebody for the first time? There should be, and it shouldn't contain the word "lucky."

As a means of getting people to wait until… anything more significant than the next beer, I don't see it.

Abstinence and ... Candie's?

By: potterychick | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 10:24

I'm pro abstinence education, but not abstinence only. I think it works for a certain set of kids (read me) to a certain point where they make better judgments about their sexual activities. However, I have a problem with Candie's promoting this idea since their ads are sexually overt and feature young women as the yearly "Candie's Girl." Not woman, girl. In researching a paper on provocative advertising, I came to the realization that Candie's advertising was more sexually explicit than your general Victoria's Secret ad. Maybe if they want to promote abstinence, they should consider the not-so-subtle message they're sending via their marketing.

And I agree, keep you waiting until what? My parents are gone for a long weekend?

write to candies, people!!!

By: lightening | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 10:18

http://www.candiesfoundation.org/contact.html

TO: jmarino@iconixbrand.com, mdolgetta@candiesfoundation.org, tlevy@iconixbrand.com

To Whom it May Concern,

I am appalled by your current "Be Sexy" abstinence campaign. I cannot see how you are supporting healthy sexuality in young women by encouraging them to wear tight tee-shirt with the word "SEXY" boldly written in pink lettering across their breasts. I feel that if you were truly concerned with protecting young women, you would advise them to respect and protect their bodies. Instead, you are sending mixed messages about flaunting their bodies and refusing affection.

In addition, studies have shown that abstinence education is largely ineffective, mostly because when young adults who are "abstaining" do decide to have sex, they are not familiar with how to protect themselves. And on top of that, your contribution to this abstinence education is to sell them a tight tank top and that highlights their breasts.

For the health and happiness of young women in America, I would appreciate if you would end this campaign or alter it into something that is positive, protective, and educational.

Sincerely,
Lightening

counter-productive

By: lightening | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 09:43

First of all, abstinence is basically a joke. Second of all, I agree with the author that a tight top with SEXY written in pink across the boobs is not the best deterrent.

What not something like: This body is worth taking care of. Use a condom.

Abstinence is great until kids have sex, and then they have no idea how to protect themselves.

a couple things

By: tokidoki | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 07:47

first, the ellipses are on the t-shirt, so the author used them as they were intended, as a pause, and you can't fault her for just quoting what the t-shirt says. She didn't design it.

I am for abstinece education, just not abstinence-only education, and as ideal as some might feel it is to wait for marriage, with the average age of marriage increasing, it is just alot to ask. I do think we should place emphasis on how important and meaningful (especially to girls) the sex act is, because it's not something you should take lightly, and promiscuity and having alot of partners is very risky behaviour. Granted, I am speaking as one who has had only one partner, and that my husband, granted we didn't wait until marriage, but we did wait for each other, and I don't regret that in the least bit. I never think, man, I should have slept with some other dudes to compare, or am I missing out on something? not ever.

That said: this tank top idea is about as silly as promise rings. It works well as a conversation piece, to talk about abstinence, but as the author says, why is the burden placed on girls? why can't they have a male version muscle t-shirt? and have something perhaps more explicit on the back: like "I'm sexy enough to keep you waiting" on the front and something like "for sex" or "for the bedroom" or something to make it clearer what the message is intended to be on the back. Just a thought.

who proofread it?

By: eats shoots and... | Wed, 08/12/2009 - 06:41

The apostrophe is going the wrong direction, and what omission of words do the ellipses represent? Since I know the copywriter knows that ellipses are NEVER used to suggest a very long pause.

Hmmm

By: mustireallyweighin | Tue, 08/11/2009 - 21:02

I think it's a devilishly clever idea...they sell this tank to women who clearly aren't going to be abstinent and for the PR then use the profits to fund other initiatives where they might make some headway.

Otherwise they are just crazy and this is an absurd idea.

Frankly, this is a classic horse/barn type issue for me. Then again, I am not the target market (somebody who will ever believe that waiting until marriage is a good idea - it's like saying "Let's not make sure that we are compatible in a hugely important part of our relationship until we've entangled ourselves domestically, financially and emotionally"
www.therantguy.com

Re: Magnum Penii

By: Dark King | Tue, 08/11/2009 - 19:28

I think the idea behind this is to wear it as an undergarment. When your bf is taking your shirt off, thinking hes about to get some, he will instead see this tank top. He will feel like he just stepped in vagina dentata.

Er, what? Just what kind of girl allows her boyfriend to take off her shirt before she then says "no, I won't have sex with you"? Shouldn't the "abstinence" start when said boyfriend is fumbling for the buttons on her blouse, not when he has partially disrobed her?

I hate the entire "abstinence" program concept anyway; to me it is hopelessly naive. This particular advertising strategy seems doomed; it strikes me as like trying to advertise Alcoholics Anonymous on the back of beer bottle labels.

Abstinence Is ... Sexy?