You Too Can Be A Model

I ran across an interesting post on Boing Boing yesterday. The short post talks about newly developed garments specifically for potentially suicidal prisoners. The product site can be seen here.

I had never really thought about such issues before, and hadn't heard of the traditional--and degrading--practices used to deal with these prisoners. Such a situation does present an odd challenge. And I'm sure that belittling already suicidal prisoners by forcing them to strip naked doesn't help the situation. So the new clothing is certainly a worthwhile invention.

But I think the inventors may want to rethink their advertising techniques a bit. I mean, just look at that picture.

Now, I understand that in advertising it makes the most sense to show your product being used in a realistic environment. A picture of this being worn by children on a playground just wouldn't get the point across. But picking the craziest looking people you can find to model your clothing for suicide risk prisoners may not be the best idea. Especially when they look like they've been given the direction "look like you want to kill yourself". Even though it does make for one hilarious picture.

Looking on the bright side, this means that I might still be able to pull off that modeling career after all!