Buy Walking VideosWhy I’m Angry At Nike
With all the gushing I’ve done about the Nike+iPod, you might think I am in love with Nike. Quite frankly, I was a little bit. The Nike+ has gotten my butt out the door for a couple of months now. When I walked into the Nike Store in Las Vegas, I was a fan.
I walked out a hater, though.
You’re looking at the reason why. I have been in love with the Nike+, so I thought I would look at some of their overpriced iPod clothing and see if there was anything that I would be willing to plunk down my money for. The commercial for the Nike+ had the guy wearing a shirt where the iPod fit into the sleeve. I liked that shirt so much that I was willing to pay the 70 bucks for it. Unfortunately, Nike lost a sale.
The shirt that I’m holding up is an XL. By my estimation, it is about the same size as an extra-small in other brands, but Nike thinks that this is an extra-large. The not-quite-so helpful service girl said, “Try it on. They are stretchy.” I took the XL into the dressing room, but it was so tight that the bottom seam rolled up to my bra. It was a painful reminder of what it felt to weigh 235.
At that weight, I couldn’t fit into any exercise clothes except one brand from K-Mart. I was so grateful that they made exercise clothes in my size that I bought two weeks worth of pants and shirts. I bought the entire inventory at three K-Marts.
Nike just doesn’t get it.
The fact that they don’t carry a size for me when I’m fifty pounds lighter, just tells me that they aren’t an athletic clothing company. They’re a fashion clothing company just like Kenneth Cole. They don’t want “fatties” like me wearing their clothes and giving them a bad name.
Despite the look on my face, I was near tears when I had Mike click this picture of me. Despite all the weight I’ve lost, I’m still not thin enough for Nike. Well, they can take their 70-dollar shirts and stuff ’em. I’m going to give my money to a company that deserves it.
It makes me want to throw my Nike+ in the garbage.
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August 31st, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Aw hon, don’t let Nike’s obtuseness get you down – they’re definitely not worth it. They have a warped idea of what real women’s bodies are like and what they want to wear (see further, the Nike Sports Corset).
And thank you for having the courage to post this review – I was thinking about getting this shirt too, but have no Nike store near me to try before I buy. I’m the same weight you are, so I think I will just go ahead and sew a pocket on my own walking shirts. Apple makes the Nano (and I think the receiver too?), but Nike will never get a cent from me for any Nike+ shoes or clothing.
August 31st, 2006 at 6:21 pm
I hate that I can’t find any decently fitting clothes! I thought surely once I get down to your weight it would be easier, but it doesn’t seem like it… I’m sorry you had such a discouraging time.
Who wears all these sizes?!
BTW, I’m glad I was able to inspire you a bit with the fact that you inspire me 🙂 I wanted to note that with the prevalence of RSS feeds, you don’t necessarily have to post every day, just as long as when you post it is quality. Every day posts are good, too, as long as you don’t get burned out. Since I read through an RSS aggregator, I see whenever you make an update–I’m much more likely to cancel a feed when they’ve had several poor-quality posts in a row than for not posting daily. I’m sure I’m not unique in this.
August 31st, 2006 at 6:41 pm
I understand. Shoping for clothes drove me crazy. They could make more money if they just even would meaure people and then order the bigger clothes.
September 1st, 2006 at 8:42 am
I’m so sorry that you had that experience. I’ve often found myself in that same situation. You would think that these companies would realize the market share they could garner by catering to those of us at our size and drive and willingness to pay.
September 1st, 2006 at 7:47 pm
I’m sorry about the nike shirt! but dont feel too bad, i’m extremely thin (100 lbs at 5’6″) and i have some nike shirts that are awful! they’re too short and are made to look fashionable. they’re nothing i would ever work out in. i have some yoga tanks from old navy i got for really cheap–maybe they might have stuff that will fit you?
September 2nd, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Hi. I can so relate to this. I was a size 2 at the Limited for a long time (before having kids) and weighed well below my “normal weight range” for someone my height and build. I was 5’8 with a very large frame (size 10 in shoes, big hands and ankles, etc) But only weighed around 120 pds. My lowest was 113 and highest was 130 (I was not anorexic at all). After my first child I had a bit more weight on me especially in the tummy, but and thigh area (but not “overweight”) I was about 155pds at the time and you know that I could not find clothes at most of these kids of shops anymore. I was humiliated when I kept trying on jeans and finally the sales lady would say, I’m sorry but we don’t carry your size here aaccckkk what??? I was in my healthy weight zone so I thought who are they selling these clothes to? Do they have it geared to only a certain size of people and how does that impact other girls? Can you imagine if your teen girl felt that humiliation of a sales woman saying she didn’t fit in any of their clothes at a store. It’d make her feel fat (maybe) and may even spawn a eating disorder.
September 3rd, 2006 at 6:49 pm
I have this experience every time I go to REI and most of the outdoor shops locally, not so much with tops as with bottoms. What, a woman with some hips can’t go hiking?
I really need a pair of rain pants to keep cycling in the fall/winter, and I’m totally dreading the experience. (Suggestions welcome, actually.)
October 14th, 2006 at 12:18 pm
Definitely make your own (hell, for $70 you could get a seamstress to sew a pocket on) — I’m going to but a shirt and sew on a small pocket for the nano, and put in some holes tofeee the cable through. Good luck — and don’t worry too much about not getting the shirts, it’s Nike that lost out on the $70. 😀
January 24th, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Ahhh…I thought is was just me going mad. I recently bought a pair of Ladies Nike workout pants at Costco. Normally, I wear a size 8, the workout pants were sized S,M,L and XL. I bought the M. When I tried them on at home, I couldn’t even get them over my thighs. Exchanged them for an XL, and even those were tight. I double checked the tags…yes these were ladies sizes. When did an XL become less than a size 8?
I’m not impressed with NIKE.
April 4th, 2007 at 10:00 am
You go, girl.
I don’t say that kind of thing normally, but you are my hero for being able to say that. The exercise market is for skinny people to pat themselves on the back about while people who are normal sized and larger hate their bodies.
What an effin’ sham.
April 18th, 2007 at 11:27 pm
I have been coveting the Nike + clothes, too. The one thing that has kept me from trying to scrounge up the money is the knowledge that one item of clothing wouldn’t be enough.
I would have purchased online, so it’s good – I guess – to know that they are not something to miss.
June 19th, 2007 at 9:32 am
I have the same issue as I ordered customized shirt from their NikeID site. I wear XL and have been wearing XL over 20 yrs. All of the sudden, NikeXL=L. I’ve been an Underarmor fan and will stay with them. They at least understand sizes. Just to forwarn you, Nike Shoes have the same reputation. You have to go up a size regardless of what your shoe measurements tell you !!!
January 9th, 2009 at 12:43 am
Unfortuneately, I think that there are also a lot of other valid reasons to hate Nike other than what you have already mentioned here.