Ordinary men tried on Calvin Klein underwear
After ordinary women tried on Victoria's Secret swimwear, a few guys decided to keep up and staged a photo shoot in Calvin Klein lingerie.
Nowadays, the public requires men to stand up and look masculine in all situations. We are surrounded by stereotypes that a man should be a brutal macho. The idea of masculinity goes hand in hand with the male bodies we see in advertisements. These are the looks featured in the Calvin Klein ads, and that's exactly what these guys wanted to recreate.
(Total 7 photos)
1. Each of them chose their Calvin Klein look and presented it. They just wanted to show their bodies to the public, have fun and remind people that people are beautiful in different bodies, sizes and colors. And here they are!
2. Kevin
“I have always had low self-esteem when it comes to my appearance, so it was difficult for me. I had to imitate model Mark Wahlberg, but his body is almost perfect, he is one of the best Calvin Klein male models. The only thing I thought about during the photo shoot was about the same facial expression as Mark, because I knew that the body would not turn out like that anyway.
I don't see myself in ads at all, lingerie or whatever. Calvin Klein sells certain aesthetic looks, not just lingerie, and I think they are successful in that regard. The only bad thing about this is that they awaken in men unrealistic expectations of themselves. I'm not saying that I can't work out in the gym, but what they advertise is extremely difficult to maintain in the proper form.
3. Isaac
“I think of male underwear models as ordinary men who are lucky enough to look good in underwear. It's not me. I've always had problems with my body image, even without mentioning my weight.
I understand that Calvin Klein is selling some unrealistic image through their advertising. Sells to everyone - but not to me. I think it would be great if they featured the big guys in their ads too.”
4. Logan
“Almost every male model looks like a sculpture created by someone who was trying to create the perfect person. It's funny that when I looked at this ad, I didn't even think about the underwear that was advertised, I only thought: "Man, how did you get so pumped up?"
I tried to assume a natural posture, but I was occupied with a thousand questions: what do my hands look like? do i have a groove on my belly? Do I have a flat butt or a bulging one? WHAT TO DO WITH THE FACE?
The best way to feel insecure about the perfection of your own body is to advertise underwear. Better to just learn to appreciate your body. It's difficult, but necessary."
5. Matt
“My posture left me no room for imagination, so I was just terribly worried that I didn’t look like handsome people on billboards. My arms hung unnaturally and I felt completely exposed, especially when David, our photographer, said, “You sweat more than him!”
Calvin Klein has no models that look like me - fragile Asian guys who easily gain weight. But nevertheless they remain a good brand and I will buy what they offer and advertise.
6 Spencer
“I developed late and “ripened” only by the end of high school. As a result, I still see myself in the mirror as a teenager - no matter how much muscle I have built. That's why I can't take a Calvin Klein ad properly. I cannot associate myself with any of their models.
Look at the pose of the model! What does he even do? He's skewed to one side, yet his belly looks normal thanks to his abs. He didn't even have a single crease. A good reminder that models get paid to look like this."
7. Dan
Here's the thing: This Calvin Klein ad campaign is called Steel. Steel! If it was made for me, it would rather be called "Sofa". The very idea of me comparing myself to this model is insane. I am no match for him.
When all this was over, I began to think about myself four years ago. In 2011, I gained so much weight that I had to buy new pants. And I remember telling myself that something needs to change. I remember thinking I just wanted to be LIKE MYSELF. But I never wanted to be a supermodel. And no one will impose this ideal on me, because I am able to accept MYSELF and my body - preferably in its best version.