Riding crop costumes go bye bye

[Isaac]

Originally Posted by Al Lutz

Just next door to Adventureland, the CM's at Club 33 will also be getting new costumes. They mostly be updates of the current designs, although the sexy French maid outfits the Club 33 hostesses wear are going the way of most of the other feminine outfits Disneyland used to clothe its female CM's in. In a frank realization that very, very few Americans in service industry jobs in the early 21st century have the figure to pull off uniforms with short skirts and form-fitted blouses, all of the new costumes for women feature cuts and styles that hide the figure rather than flatter it. Gone are the days when Disneyland only carried costumes up to a size twelve for women, and if you couldn't fit in that you weren't hired in the first place, or had to go on a medical leave until you lost enough weight. The language about mandatory medical leaves for people too fat to fit into Disneyland supplied costumes actually still exists in the current Union contracts, but it's simply not enforced anymore.
The next costumes to be replaced, and the one that will likely create the most conversation on the message boards, will be Disneyland's Guest Relations outfits. Yes, the fabled riding outfit in use since the early 1960's will be going the way of the Rocket Rods.

Disneyland's first ambassador Julie Reihm in the famous riding outfit that had
changed little since it was seen in the 1965 tenth anniversary TV show.
In its place will be a similar ensemble, but one with a longer skirt and a more forgiving blouse and jacket. The blue velvet hat and riding crop will remain, but the overall it will look more conservative and less conspicuous as the schoolgirl knee socks go away and even the plaid will be a dark blue pattern rather than bright red. The new skirt is planned to be cut just below the knee, rather than just above it, and the current pleats that can be unflattering to anyone bigger than a size ten will be replaced by a subtle flare at the bottom. And the blouse, vest and jacket are all looser fitting.

http://www.miceage.com/allutz/al112905a.htm

[Ponine]

I feel a very long mourning period coming on.
That is very sad, and in a great many ways... wrong.

I always wanted to wear a Club 33 outfit, and did in fact in my day, try on another cast members Guest Relations costume.
I need to go have a good cry now.

[Alex]

I'm confused by the thread title. Doesn't that specifically say the riding crops will remain?

[Isaac]

I'll change it

[Cadaverous Pallor]

Hrm.

I guess this begs the question - just how "show" is the show?

I think they should have stuck to their guns and continued to hire hot chicks for the job. Actually, I think they should have stuck to their guns years ago and continued to hire hot chicks and hot guys for nearly all the jobs.

Disneyland is supposed to be a show-based hyper reality, and I'm ok with that.

Let the flames from the not-so-skinny commence. (No way in hell I'd post this at any other board...)

[Alex]

Well, you either do one or the other. Either only hire the petite and attractive (and how well will that work in an environment where they can't hire enough people even when they're willing to consider anybody mobile and not currently wearing a house-arrest ankle bracelet) or change the costumes to accommodate the people actually wearing them.

Fat isn't necessarily unattractive (nor vice versa), but the wrong clothes certainly don't help.

[tracilicious]

Originally Posted by Cadaverous Pallor

Let the flames from the not-so-skinny commence. (No way in hell I'd post this at any other board...)

Jenny, if I didn't already love you I would have some serious fighting words. Not for your opinion, just for this line. (Although I do disagree with the opinion as well.) From this pregnant two of the three last years fat and trying hard to lose it person: OUCH!

As far as whom they should hire, I would much rather encounter a friendly, outgoing CM who happens to be overweight than a thin mediocre one. I would hope they would be sued if they discriminated for any reason. Would you also like for them not to hire disabled people? Many of them aren't text book attractive.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by tracilicious

Would you also like for them not to hire disabled people? Many of them aren't text book attractive.

See, that's a sticking point there. How much is Disney a show? Should all movie companies be sued for discrimiation for hiring only attractive people to play the roles?

For better or for worse, a portion of the role of tour guide is asthetic. As a whole, the company shouldn't discriminate. But if a specific job would be most profitable to the company if it's filled by someone fitting the, perhaps unfair, American perception of attractiveness, why shouldn't they do that?

Of course, perhaps they've found that no longer to be the case, that people are just as likely to take the tour whether the CM is "attractive" or not. In that case, I stand by my previous lament that the solution is to cover EVERYONE in a gunny sack. Ideally, it'd be possible to tailor each CM's outfit, no matter their physique, to flatter them most. Honestly, when you start making these "one shape fits all" costumes, people who may not be stick thin but otherwise would be highly attractive with the right clothing are going to come out looking like fat people trying to hide it.

[Prudence]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

For better or for worse, a portion of the role of tour guide is asthetic. As a whole, the company shouldn't discriminate. But if a specific job would be most profitable to the company if it's filled by someone fitting the, perhaps unfair, American perception of attractiveness, why shouldn't they do that?

How far would you like to take that? Are you willing to accept that race and gender also play into perceptions of attractiveness? Or is it just fat cripples who should man the stockrooms?

[€uroMeinke]

As much as Disneyland likes to pretend it's employees are "Cast Members," they don't want to pay them at the "entertainers" pay scale so they long ago gave up the right to dictate that part of the "show."

While I'm sad to see this traditional costume go, I'll wait to see what replaces it. I've liked some of the new costumes I've seen and hated others. But if they are better tailored for who will be wearing them, I think that's probably a plus.

People come in all shapes and sizes (in ways much more complex than fat vs skinny), and clothing styles and cuts that looks good on one doesn't necessarily look good on another. I'm just hoping the costumes look good when they're worn.