Best moments in the plus-size industry in 2019 - YouLookFab Forum

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Best moments in the plus-size industry in 2019

Kari

Veteran

“A new decade is almost upon us and we’re looking back at some of the best plus-size moments in 2019.”

Definitely some things to celebrate, including many athletes that I admire. Please give it a look.

I really appreciate it when straight-sized friends actually support plus sized/fat inclusive companies, models, and athletes by giving them the same enthusiasm and visibility as we see from straight sized/“traditional” fashion, or take care to include plus sized items or brands. That does not happen often. I’d love it if more folks would make an effort to do so.

https://www.plus-model-mag.com.....s-of-2019/

22 replies

Latest reply was from Firecracker (Sharan)

Helena

Veteran

Great article Kari! Did you see Lizzo on SNL? Her dancers were mostly plus-sized and definitely challenged some stereotypes about who can do what.

Kathie

Veteran

This is a great list. I’m devoted to MMLaFleur for my work clothes, in part because they decided to carry a huge portion of their line in sizes up to a 22. They recut everything, used different fit models, and had groups of women try on the clothes to give them feedback before they launched. More recently, they’ve even had a few items that are only cut in their extended sizes. Honestly, I was disappointed I couldn’t buy them. And, at the same time thrilled that a company that got their start in straight sizing was taking the time to come up with new styles for their plus-sized customers first.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What a great list -- thanks, Kari! I love especially that the makers of athletic wear are finally recognizing that everybody deserves gear that fits and looks fun!

Sal

Veteran

Thanks for sharing.

This inclusive approach has been a real positive in 2019 in the fashion scene.... thankfully there do seem to be more interesting options and some visibility for plus sized and diverse models.

I have seen it here too at the gym with some fantastic funky options being worn at all sizes.

There are some beauties in those photos, wow Tess Holliday is stunning!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for posting this. It just introduced me to Ryllace, which looks like a fantastic brand.

Runcarla

Veteran

Thanks so much, Kari. So many beautiful women. Can I say how much I love Lizzo?

rachylou

Veteran

Nice! I like to look at the plus size offerings. There are nice things and great ideas.

Kari

Veteran

Yes, there were new to me brands in this, too! And yay Lizzo. I used to study flute so that’s actually how she first came across my radar.

I actually think its good and interesting that some brand are plus size only, or start out just with plus sizes, without offering everything in straight sizes. Recently I saw a straight size person (in a different group) complaining about some items at Torrid that weren’t made in their size. My reaction? Welcome to what it is like for larger sized folks almost all the time. Definitely plus sizes. Also petites, and even more so for very very tall folks, and even MORE so if you are petite or very tall AND wear larger sizes, and even MORE so if you wear above a 3x.

I think it’s a good thing for ALL of us, and especially straight sized folks, to check our privilege when we are used to our size being made by just about everyone.

For example: I’m sometimes on the cusp between plus and large straight sizes. Depending on the brand, cut, and my own body fluctuations, sometimes I can even wear an XL. If a store carries plus sizes (and many do not!) I generally can find my size.

And even so - many stores ONLY carry my size online, or only a few items in stores, and usually what they carry is a tiny slice of what’s available in straight sizes. (See: last Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, or Anthropologie, both of which offer some extended sizing, but it’s only a tiny % of items compared to the items you can find in straight sizing.) We have much less to choose from.

Folks who are a 3X, 4x, 5x, 6x or above size 22-24 or so RARELY have the experience of being able to try things in stores. Many brands claim to offer extended/inclusive sizing, but they stop at a 2x or stop at 22. That’s actually not terribly inclusive.

Gigi

Veteran

I'm all for more inclusivity in clothing sizes and cuts, no matter what end of the scale you're on. I have a really hard time finding interesting clothing as a smaller petite person, and it would be even harder if I were plus sized and short! Even people who should be able to fit into "straight" sizes can have a really hard time if their bodies are curvy or have a really long torso or some other trait that is not average.

I've given up on B&M shopping because my size is often not there, as has been your experience. I was told by the local Loft once that when they get new clothing in store, they get ONE of my size if they get it at all. So online shopping it is. It's a pain in the neck, but I'm grateful that at least I eventually find stuff that fits that way.

I often see some really cute plus-sized jackets on Nordstrom when I'm browsing online. They're usually made by lines that are exclusively for plus-sized women. I have a short moment of grief that the item isn't made in my size, but I am genuinely happy that larger-sized gals get to have something that looks awesome.

Kari

Veteran

Gigi, yes, though Nordstrom recently gutted one of their best plus size brands, Sejour, which had some amazing real leather jackets (I have several Sejour jackets and also a suit.) I’m still bitter about that.

Nodding about when you have unusual proportions, too. That’s so frustrating.

One of my relatives is 4’9” and I think is on the cusp of plus/straight sizes - about my width but quite a bit shorter. It is a big challenge.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Repetition of images really does help adjust the eye (and sell products but that is another story). The more visibility the better. Thank you for posting.

Kari

Veteran

Shevia, so well said, and thank you.

I’ll add this because it just came across my feed and expands on what you wrote. I think it is critical for all of us to try to do this. Even if you take size out of the equation- and it’s such a loaded issue on its own - consider race, disability, sexuality, gender identity, age and perceived “value” and visibility of marginalized bodies, in fashion as well as the rest of life.

“The belief that thin, young, White, cis gender, able bodies are superior to others is so imbedded in our culture that we don’t even notice it. That’s how programming works; those beliefs become part of your operating system.

The process of unlearning the body hierarchy and replacing it with something new is HARD. It's like trying to replace your native language with a completely different language.

It involves confronting yourself in ways that are enraging, confusing, and grief-ridden. It can make you feel guilty and hopeless.

I hope people begin to feel empowered in the process of unlearning because constantly feeling bad about ourselves as we shed this old skin doesn't help anyone. Even though it's hard and bad feelings will come up, we don't have to stay in that place of feeling awful.

You will make missteps along the way. The language of the dominant culture will pop up in your mind and maybe even make it out of your mouth. It's ok.

Just know that you're doing the work that is vital for ALL of us to exist peacefully in our bodies.”

-Melissa Toler

Via:

https://www.facebook.com/22336.....11?sfns=mo

elpgal

Veteran

Kari, that’s a great quote. Definitely sending it to folk who need to hear this.

Runcarla

Veteran

Ha! Ha! I won’t complain, Kari, but a few years back I was drawn into a store by a most fabulous window display - only to be sized out. It was Torrid! The same thing happened in a department store just recently, where I was drawn to a fabulous pair of plaid pants - but they were in what was termed the ‘women’s’ department, and not available in sizes under 14. Though I had a moment of disappointment, I also get that curvy women encounter this ALL THE TIME!

Joy

Veteran

I had the same experience as Run Carla describes just yesterday at the mall. Everything that I saw that I liked was only available in plus sizes.

Kari

Veteran

Carla and Joy, that’s actually pretty cool. If you ever have that experience again, I’d love to see the items! Plus sized clothing isn’t shared all that often by straight sized folks.

I’ve actually never shopped at Torrid. Not out of bias, I just haven’t. Guess I should give it a look more often!

Jenn

(website)

Veteran

Because you mentioned Anthropologie above, Kari, I have an experience to relate! I popped into the Anthro in Pasadena a couple months ago and was surprised when the first piece I picked up was plus-sized. And the next. And the next. They had a HUGE plus section, smack dab in the center of the store and heavily promoted. A lot of the items were the same as available in straight sizes and I thought, "Wow, good on Anthro for committing to carrying extended sizes in store." (As an aside, I would prefer to see all sizes merchandised together and for size inclusiveness to be normal, but that's a whole 'other thing).

Alas, this story doesn't have a happy ending, because every Anthro I've been in since has not had a similar plus display. I do wonder if that store might have been a test market, though. Cross your fingers!

Kari

Veteran

You’re correct, only certain stores carry plus sizes. My nearest one does not. And only a handful of items online are offered in pluses.

As of today: 3,544 clothing items available.
Of those, 516 are carried in plus sizes. 500 are carried in petites.
So at Anthropologie, we have less than 15% of the entire clothing inventory to select from.
Then look at what’s actually in stock in those sizes... not a lot.

So, I’m very, very okay with brands saying they are going to offer most or all items ONLY In plus sizes, because even in inclusive brands, our choices are very, very limited. If straight sized folks are envious or disappointed that their size isn’t offered, that’s actually kind of cool because it turns the tables on what happens pretty much everywhere else, and might actually nudge those folks to think about what our experience is like.

I also want to see more brands take the approach Universal Standard did at first. Their goal was to expand to 00-40, which they carry today, but they started out with sizes US 12-26, I think? (Or possibly higher at the top range, I can’t remember.) Heck, I’d like to see brands saying they are going to start with 3x and up, even though that sizes ME out, because that’s a market that often isn’t carried at all even by plus sizes.

Let’s hope we see more of that in 2020.

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Kari

Veteran

Sharing with permission. These are screenshots from what *was* a public comment/post by company Angel Heart Boutique on Facebook, but apparently the company has moderated out/deleted the post since then so I can’t link to it or copy text. My apologies that I don’t have a non-image recap.

This is an example of a company that thinks they are inclusive because they go up to size 24, and they claim that customers above sizes 24 are not very nice and are too picky, so that’s why they and many other brands don’t offer clothing for them.

Let that sink in, please.

This is how fat folks are sometimes treated by so-called “inclusive” brands. This is not the only instance or brand where we are told we should be grateful that they provide *any* plus sizes at all.

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DonnaF

Veteran

Wow. Just wow. How jaw droppingly offensive.

Kari

Veteran

Yep.

So - going back to the topic of the post - my hope for 2020 and beyond is that the industry, and all of us, celebrate steps toward more inclusivity, but that we would also push for MORE, rather than “well, we already offered some stuff in small plus sizes, why are you complaining?”

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

That is some inspiring news. It's wonderful for David's to do away with the "fat tax," and I like their comment about keeping the focus on reminding every bride that she is beautiful.