https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Sat, 09 May 2026 18:15:32 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81182 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:28:19 +0000 Rosie 81182@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just wanted to say I didn't mean for my last post to sound as harsh as it came off. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81174 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:07:20 +0000 Rosie 81174@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Khris, just to be sure I understand what you are saying - are you saying that obese people are a "fringe" group? Statistics seem to prove otherwise. It most certainly cannot be related to fringe fashion trends, which is a style choice. Yes, it can be said that being overweight is also a choice, but not having stylish, classy options that actually fit is not really a choice. It's dictated by what is out there. </p> <p>Maya, what you wrote about Karl Lagerfeld is so interesting. He is such a character. For someone who used to be huge, he really has developed and distaste towards larger people. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81173 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:05:31 +0000 marianna 81173@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Awesome article about a topic that is usually pushed to the wayside.</p> <p>I definitely struggled finding clothes as a plus-size teen but I think I was lucky because I had options like Old Navy and Torrid. My generation has a few more options, but definitely still limited to two or three stores. I remember trying on clothes at Lane Bryant and nothing fit correctly because the clothes were styled for an adult and I was still very much a kid. The lack of attractive clothing options definitely contributed to my lack of self esteem.</p> <p>Nonetheless... even though there are more options these days, none of these stores are necessarily of high quality. It's almost as if stores are saying that plus size people are not worthy of *good* clothes... we'll let them be up-to-date, but still not *great*. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81154 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 17:05:44 +0000 Maya 81154@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I know this is old but:</p> <p>Does H&#38;M really ever do any promoting? I don't think i have seen any ads or promos even for their "regular" clothes, except recently for their sale. </p> <p>This is a little bit OT, but I remember when Karl Lagerfeld did his H&#38;M line and complained that H&#38;M did not produce a sufficient quantity so the clothes sold out before "poor" people from rural areas could get to a store. He called this snobbery. In the same breath, he expressed his frustration that they produced his range in "larger" sizes when he meant for it to be worn only by slim women. I don't know if this was just a silly PR stunt or what since he obviously must have known H&#38;M's size range before he began, but it really ticked me off and made me not like him very much, no matter how much brilliant he may be.</p> <p>For reference, he referred to Heidi Klum as being "heavy" and too large chested. If this is true, I wonder if he could even look at me without bursting into flames.</p> <p>As it is, H&#38;M sizes run so small that their largest size is probably not unreasonable, especially if you're tall. H&#38;M had to step in and send out an apology for his comments....which is funny since their size range isn't that big to begin with...</p> <p>Coincidentally, the BiB line was yanked shortly after this spat with KL. But I actually do remember seeing some promotion for it in the store windows...which is about all the promotion I ever see for H&#38;M. They seem to rely more on word of mouth than advertising, much like Anthropologie or Urban Outfitters. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81137 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 15:50:02 +0000 chewyspaghetti 81137@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I just think that the fact that this *is* now considered a demographic and a viable market, speaks volumes. As a formerly (just a year ago!) plus sized person, I also feel torn on this issue. Yes, I think that everyone should have fashionable clothing available that fits them. However, if we as a society have clothing designed for obese people (sorry if that word is offensive to anyone- I'm still obese according to my BMI) replace clothing options for normal, healthy sized people- something is wrong. It is a fringe group, and it should stay a fringe group. Just like the "alternative/punk/biker" clothing shops are fringe group shops. When I was a teen, we couldn't walk into a Hot Topic at the mall and buy studded cuffs and Doc Martens, but now you can. Those changes take time, though. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81105 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:19:58 +0000 Michelle 81105@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Bare in mind, Khris, that I had to write this article for a Canadian audience, so the focus was primarily on Canadian businesses. There are more shopping choices in the states than in Canada in general, and I think that's true for plus-sized youth as much as any other demographic. But while the range of stores catering to this market may *finally* be expanding, missy-sized women of any age still have considerably more fashion options.</p> <p>Fun to see this thread pop up again! thanks for taking the time to plough through the article. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81094 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:03:22 +0000 chewyspaghetti 81094@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well, I don't know. There are so many more choices nowadays than there used to be. There are stores like Torrid, and Junior Plus sections in many stores (Forever 21 just opened one). Those things weren't available when I was a teen. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81076 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:34:22 +0000 Kristen 81076@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for posting this article, Michelle! I've known from personal experience for years how difficult it for for plus-sized women to find decent clothes, and I didn't really realize it would be even harder for teens. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-81062 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:30:59 +0000 Mac 81062@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for sharing the article, Michelle! I'm by no means a teenager (now in my early 40s) but I, too, find it a nightmare to find a wide range of attractive, high quality clothing. I keep reading that, while there are many of us larger ladies "out there," that size 14s and above just aren't willing to spend the money on clothes. It's quite depressing to go shopping and I find it especially sad that in my teens and 20s, when i had no money, I was slim, but now that I'm older and have a generous budget to use on clothes, there's so much less for me to choose from. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-66289 Tue, 19 May 2009 18:01:42 +0000 Rosie 66289@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Michelle, wonderful article. There are still very few good lines for adult plus-sized women, but it truly is even harder for teens. I've been to Torrid a few times, and most of the clothing is quite trampy and ill-made. There are some good lines there, but a lot of the clothing is just a bit strange and made with cheap materials. It seems there are even fewer lines catering to younger girls who want to wear classic clothes that actually fit them than there are for adults. Even though I run into this problem quite frequently as a shorter proportional 16, I think it is a bit easier to deal with it as an adult. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-66063 Mon, 18 May 2009 20:54:06 +0000 Michelle 66063@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for all the nice feedback, guys. It really is a problem, and I feel dreadful for teens who already may have a harder time fitting in and whose issues are potentially compounded by this lack of retail awareness. Even for someone in their 20's the shopping landscape is limited (too many matronly styles etc), and it's harder still for teens. Merry, your sister's experience sounds typical Either plus-sized clothes are cheaply made and absolutely inappropriate, or of relatively good quality and considerably more expensive than their regular-sized counterparts. Add to that potential alterations and you have a whole other conundrum for the curvy lady.<br /> What amazes me is how unwilling retailers are to market their plus-sized lines. That anecdote about H&#38;M yanking their bigger clothes due to poor sales just infuriates me. I'm confident they'd have seen a very enthusiastic response if they'd just gotten the word out. I'll never understand why it's so uncool to cater to this expanding customer base. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-66012 Mon, 18 May 2009 14:42:03 +0000 Angie 66012@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks, Michelle. Good article. </p> <p>I have a client who has a plus sized child (age 8) and she battles to find her clothes too. If she goes up in size for her child (I think she wears a teenage size 16 at the moment), the proportions in length and rise are all wrong. She tries to alter but it doesn’t always work. It’s quite difficult. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65992 Mon, 18 May 2009 13:48:29 +0000 Inge 65992@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thank you for posting this Michelle, it's quite outrageous that there still aren't all that many stylish and affordable options out there for plus-sized people, and teens in particular. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65990 Mon, 18 May 2009 13:43:43 +0000 Sarah 65990@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Great article Michelle. Thank you for taking the time to post it! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65988 Mon, 18 May 2009 13:40:46 +0000 merry77 65988@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I was thinking about this article again this morning. </p> <p>My sister (who is 24 but wants to look like she's 17 and headed to a party all the time) has a terrible time finding clothes. It's been a little while I was shopping with her, but I'm thinking she's an 18/20 and at least a DDD bra size. There is a U.S. chain called Dots where she likes to shop. They sell cheap trendy knockoffs, and they do have a plus size line, which is why she likes to shop there.</p> <p>Anyway, I've been with her a couple times and it's quite an experience. The clothes are so poorly made with cheap fabrics and construction and the majority of clothes are the trends that only look good on the skinniest. The colors and prints in the plus size department are often more garish than the juniors department. When you take garish colors and prints and combine them with unsuited trends and cheap fabric and construction, my sis often leaves with a pile of clothes for under $50 but that are extremely unflattering. She adds to the issue by choosing tight clothing and showing as much cleavage as possible, but I'm always saddened by the lack of options for teens who want can't shop in the junior's department but still want to be stylish. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65863 Sun, 17 May 2009 23:56:48 +0000 merry77 65863@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for sharing, Michelle. There is already so much stigma for plus sized teens, and fashion challenges certainly don't help. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65819 Sun, 17 May 2009 21:09:25 +0000 Louise 65819@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I remember being a plus sized teen myself, it's a shame things haven't moved on i still remember my extremely small unfashionable wardrobe. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/by-request-from-sarah-article-on-plus-sized-fashion-for-youth#post-65816 Sun, 17 May 2009 19:36:20 +0000 Michelle 65816@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>In another thread, Sarah requested that I post an article I wrote a couple of years ago on the challenges plus-sized youth encounter when trying to dress in age-appropriate style. I don't think things have changed much two years later.<br /> It's a bit long, but enjoy! Sorry I couldn't link to it in a newspaper or online news site: most of those links are archived now, and often they abridge material. The only thing you're not getting here is the picture of the main interview subjetc.</p> <p>Despite barriers, youth say it's possible to live large and look young (GenY-Plus-Sized-Fashi)<br /> Source:<br /> The Canadian Press<br /> Oct 25, 2007 13:45<br /> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p> <p>By Michelle M---- </p> <p>THE CANADIAN PRESS </p> <p>TORONTO _ When it comes to fashion, Sabrina Conley is a devotee of the Gore Vidal school of thought: <code></code>Style is about knowing who you are, what you want<br /> to say, and not giving a damn.'' </p> <p>In Conley's case, however, knowing who she is has involved embracing a socially stigmatized label and accepting the challenges that come with it. </p> <p>The 21-year-old music student at the University of Western Ontario unabashedly describes herself as <code></code>fat,'' and puts considerable time and effort into<br /> showing the world that she's comfortable with her size 24 body. </p> <p>But she acknowledges that her subtle defiance doesn't come easily and that her age makes it more difficult to overcome weight-related stereotypes. </p> <p><code></code>Sometimes when you're fat, you feel you have to apologize for it. My way of apologizing for it is by dressing well,'' Conley said in an interview from<br /> her home in London, Ont. </p> <p><code></code>I'm not a fat slob, which is the stereotype that a lot of women face when they're fat. People think you don't take care of yourself. . . . I just try<br /> to put an outfit together that people will comment on.'' </p> <p>But for those in Conley's age and size bracket, finding flattering, age-appropriate clothes is not always easy. </p> <p>In 2006, the fashion industry research company InfoMat published a report highlighting the shortcomings of the Canadian plus-size apparel market. </p> <p>The report found that 30 per cent of Canadian women wore a size 14 or above, but only five per cent of the retail market carried those sizes. </p> <p>Since many stores carry merchandise geared towards 35- to 45-year-old women, Conley and her plus-sized peers need to get creative if they want to be fashion-forward.</p> <p>Amy McIsaac, for instance, has used her sewing skills to stay current. </p> <p>Disillusioned with the styles and prices found at stores such as Addition-Elle and Reitmans, the 20-year-old native of Port Coquitlam, B.C., haunts thrift<br /> stores for affordable garments, then takes them home to alter them herself. </p> <p>She admits that her independent approach has its roots in an early antipathy for the plus-size fashion scene that stemmed from teenage discomfort with her<br /> body. </p> <p>But although she is now content with her figure, she still resents the fact that fashion-conscious, plus-sized teens have to work harder than most to project<br /> their desired image. </p> <p><code></code>I think the world, and clothes, and shopping, means we have to put a lot more effort in than someone who can wear mainstream fashions,'' she said. </p> <p>Some retailers have tried to reduce the burden on young plus-size shoppers. </p> <p>Two years ago, Rina Rovinelli teamed up with partner Cindy Davigno to launch Maximum Woman, an online retailer specializing in youthful plus-sized fashions.</p> <p>Within a year, Rovinelli and Davigno had opened a store in Toronto's west end and continue to do brisk business in person and over the Internet. </p> <p>But Rovinelli is continually frustrated with the barriers that independent retailers face when trying to cater to underserved markets. </p> <p>Recent attempts to carry styles by trendsetters such as Baby Phat left Rovinelli feeling frustrated and depressed. </p> <p><code></code>They had `missy styles' which are basically granny styles, or everything was $80 for a top, which is out of the average person's price range,'' she said.<br /> <code></code>All the nice pieces only went up to an extra large.'' </p> <p>Rovinelli acknowledges selection is less of a problem for plus-sized fashionistas south of the border and laments the toll that customs and duty fees take<br /> on retailers trying to import new fashions to Canada. </p> <p>She also takes exception to retailers such as HM who quietly launch poorly marketed plus-sized lines only to pull them off the shelves within a year because<br /> of poor sales. </p> <p>But Rovinelli believes there is a genuine need for plus-sized youth fashions in today's market, and she's determined to address it. </p> <p><code></code>For us, at least 50 per cent of our clients are under 30, and there's a struggle, because when you're young, you want to wear what your friends are wearing,''<br /> she said. </p> <p><code></code>And there's a stigma sometimes associated with plus-sized stores, and a lot of young women have tried to stay out of them. But . . . when you can find<br /> a store that carries the same thing a few sizes up, it makes it easier.'' </p> <p>Last spring, 19-year-old Ginny Landry combed Vancouver shops for a prom dress to fit her size 18 figure. The high-waisted jeans visible on most store shelves<br /> have also proved elusive in styles that suit her. </p> <p>Like McIsaac, Landry's budget often dictates what clothes she can buy from mainstream stores and she takes a cynical view of the industry's pricing policy.</p> <p><code></code>There's so many women that wear plus-sized and really like fashion and are willing to pay more. But if it were more accessible, they'd make a lot more<br /> money,'' she said. </p> <p><code></code>Maybe they feel they're going to be encouraging people to gain weight, but since when do they care more about health than money?'' </p> <p>For her part, Conley struggles with acquiring staples and specialty items. </p> <p>Winter coats pose a challenge, and items from her university clothing store are acquired in the men's section. When she worked as a restaurant chef, the<br /> company brought in a seamstress to modify their uniform for her. </p> <p>But on the whole, Conley delights in subverting plus-sized fashion stereotypes. </p> <p>She steers clear of traditional black clothing, preferring to experiment with seasonal colours. </p> <p>Like women of any size, she is constantly hunting for patterns and cuts that show off the parts of her body she's most proud of. </p> <p>And she hopes the Canadian market will improve enough to help her realize her ultimate style goal. </p> <p><code></code>I'm not here to be a fashion-icon or a trendsetter, I'm only trying to look good.'' </p>