The Instapundit also links to this catalog of Saudi swimwear for women.
When I saw it, all I could think of were those great Wendy’s commercials from years ago, where the stocky woman was modeling Soviet clothing, and it was the same outfit for every season, but with some small change. Does anyone remember the commercial I am talking about?
*** Update ***
Here is the commercial. Still funny.
Dave Schuler
“Evenink vear” (with a flashlight)
“Svim vear” (with a beachball)
The model looked not unlike Khrushchev in drag.
StupidityRules
I’m guessing most Europeans could make fun at the prudish Americans for not allowing their women to be topless at the beach….
Stormy70
After seeing the topless European women at the beach in Mexico, a little Saudi swimwear would have been appreciated. After seeing the 70 year old topless, thong-wearing woman, accompanied by her speedo-wearing husband, my husband and I wanted to scratch our eyes out. There is something to be said for prudery.
Dave Ruddell
Dave Schuler has it almost right. I think it was:
āEvenink vearā (with a flashlight) “Very Nice”
āSvim vearā (with a beachball) “Very Nice”
Ah, the cold war…
StupidityRules
Stormy70, I agree with you, old and ugly women (and men) should not be allowed outside. If they must go outside then they should have to wear burkas so that the young and beautiful won’t have to look at them.
Actually I don’t.
StupidityRules
New angle. Young and hot women in Saudia Arabia are forced to cover up since otherwise the men will “lust for them”. Stormy70 wants old and ugly women to cover up so that men won’t have to feel sick… (she’ll be sick too if they don’t)
this is fun ;)
Stormy70
Actually, I don’t care if they run around without clothes on the beach, we just had to head for the nearest bar after seeing it. I find your lack of a sense of humor disturbing.
StupidityRules
I really don’t know what’s funny about wanting to scratch your eyes out after seeing an old woman in only a skimpy thong. I think that view is a bit sad. But perhaps you’ll learn to appriciate everyone for who they are and not how the look when you get old.
Gamer
You’re right, Stormy, no sense of humor. Not even an appreciaton for hyperbole.
Otto Man
Man, that glimpse of the model’s ankle in the third picture has me all revved up. Rrrowww!
StupidityRules
Gamer, there also isn’t anything funny about joking that you wanted to scratch your eyes out nor is it funny joking that you need to drink to get the image out of your head. But maybe you thought it was funny?
ppGaz
No doubt the offending persons did not realize that they were there simply to be props in your production.
My advice? Go ahead and scratch your eyes out. It will save you a lot trouble in the future.
yet another jeff
Actually, it’s pretty funny how seriously StupidityRules is taking this topic. If I didn’t think it was funny, it would send me to the liquor store.
pleonastic piranha
ah, the common reaction of the smallminded person when somebody disagrees with her prejudice: “you obviously have no sense of humour”. man, this comeback never held any water — what, do you actually believe there is only one sense of humour? imagine, stormy70, some of us just don’t find bigotry funny. deal. or, if it’s just too much, maybe scratch off some other body parts?
instapundit, btw, needs to do some fact checking. that’s not a saudi company, but a turkish one.
as regards the swimwear — i notice a pretty wide variety from the bikesuit-lookalike to the full-cover tracksuit-like thingies. wonder whether the site is actually blocked in saudi arabia because of the former, since that leaves pretty little to the imagination. i’m not sure how far their blocking efforts go these days.
when looking at the full-cover suits i am reminded, not only of history:
http://www.fashion-era.com/images/Edwds1890-1915/beauties.jpg
but also of some other sites i’ve seen:
http://www.wholesomewear.com/page-4.html
http://www.modest-swimwear.net/swimsuits.htm
modest dress isn’t just an islamic idea. :)
and no, i don’t remember the wendy’s commercial.
Gerard
John, you can see it at http://www.ifilm.com/ifilmdetail/2423865
would you believe you’ll have to watch an ad first
Russ
Ah… one of my all-time favorites. Thanks for the memory, John.
But I’m pretty sure cutting the refusnik’s head off for failure to comply might be.
TallDave
My gf finds this very amusing.
She says it looks like a body showercap.
Steve Smith
That Wendy’s ad points out how bizarre the stereotypes we used to have during the Cold War, especially when you consider that about half of the world’s supermodels come from the old Soviet Union.