Back in July, the Chicago Tribune's Leslie Goldman wrote a story about three young women who have turned their struggles with eating disorders into a fashion statement. In 2004, having completed her first in-patient eating-disorder treatment, Tifani Dembek wanted a creative way to express herself and her journey. The result was a shirt, which she made for herself and two of her friends, that says "I am beautiful" on the front, "no matter what they say" on the back. What started as a craft project has become a business as orders for the shirts have flooded in.

"[Laura] Rank's favorite is her purple top, the color of recovery, according to the Highland Park-based National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, which receives the proceeds of the $12 'Angel Strength' shirts."

In a market saturated with sometimes vulgar and self-deprecating slogan shirts, these girls are working to make sure there's a positive message on the market, too. Read more, including how to order an Angel Strength shirt, from ChicagoTribune.com.

Posted By: Lori S