Size diversity at BR - YouLookFab Forum

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Size diversity at BR

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Sorry if this old news... I haven't been around much in the last couple of weeks so may have missed a similar post. But I just wanted to give a shout out to Banana Republic. I went on the site last night to cruise (a habit I HAVE to get out of!) and noticed that not only do they have a lot of items in sizes up to 16 (which previously stopped at 12 or 14), but they also have photos of models at various sizes.

SO AWESOME!!

I'm not sure if 14 is considered "plus sized" or not (shouldn't be) but just a follow up to previous discussions... she's wearing flats, not heels. Another win.

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15 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

Murph11

Veteran

This good news never gets old!

Recently, I was browsing JCrew, and on many items, you can switch views to larger/smaller models, which is awesome. I want to see what it looks like on someone closer to my size!

Taffy

Yeah! I noticed J.Crew showing the same item on 3 different sized models this summer, and loved it (I’m a 12/14). Hopefully it will spread to even more retailers!

Thistle

Veteran

That is good news!

I wonder if the cost of returns is helping them to realize those of us in larger sizes need to see the clothes on models that look like us...

Sorry, my inner skeptic shining through

cindysmith

Veteran

I've seen articles that call a size 4 a plus size. Yes, that says 4, as in four. So I guess 14 would be considered plus by some, although I feel its somewhere in a grey area. So little of size 14 is available in straight size sections, and a 14 from plus is often cut differently that a straight size 14 would be.

Whether 14 is really plus size or not is kind if irrelevant, since there is so little of it to be found. I feel there just needs to be more of all sizes available for all women to wear. Kudos to BR for taking a step in the right direction!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

FINALLY. Soooo fab.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Thistle, I was wondering the same.

I'm blown away that people haven't clued into this earlier. The retail sector is in trouble, in many cases, and yet they still cater to only half the population.... (pretty sure I read somewhere that 14 was the American average size) Mind blowing. I'd love to see some stats on how this type of presentation helps sales.

Now they just need to add the models height as well as size she's wearing, and we could get a MUCH better idea how it might work on us!

Cindysmith, the only reason I mentioned 14 being a possible plus size was that we had discussions about plus size models always being put in heels, and this model is in flats... I was just making note of that. Somebody was bound to say "what do you mean, she's only a 14, that's not a plus size...

Canada

Yup, I like to know the models height when I'm shopping online. Even better is when the length of an item is listed. As a petite shopper there are many tunics, car coats and tops that might fit me yet be way out of proportion..I feel it can save $$ on returns if I know in advance that an item might fit my waist, for example, but not wanting to pay the expense and or face the challenge of hemming an asymmetrical skirt or a ruffled edge may eliminate an item.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

And they need to put PETITE CLOTHING ON PETITE MODELS.

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Providing some actual garment measurements would also save tons in returns... a la Boden.

Gretchen

Veteran

Huzzah! Finally real clothes on real sized people!!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Plus size used to mean something with a W after it. 1x, 16x, etc. The cut in these garments are bigger in the waist than a “regular” 16, for example.
However, in the last year, with extended sizing, a search for plus may bring up larger non W sizes. Sometimes the word is now used for larger. I’d stick to using it for true plus sizes.

Barbara Diane

Veteran

And yes, I prefer sights that list garment measurements and model height. I especially use dress length and pant rise. It was after I joined here that I realized a short dress on a model might be knee length on me. I don’t understand how a description of knee length works-on someone 5’ or 6’? And if it’s a longer top give me the hip measurement also so I know how it will fit.

Becky

Veteran

Amen, Angie. If you're selling me petite clothing, I'd like to have an idea of how it will look on a 5'0" body, not a 5'10" body.

Greyscale

Veteran

It's interesting to me that so many of the big brands made this change to diverse size models at the same time (Madewell, Everlane, J Crew, BR). It's like once one of them took the plunge, they all felt safe doing it? Or maybe they had an industry conversation and decided together?

Gigi

Veteran

This is such a good idea! It is amazing how differently clothing looks on the different sizes of model, and it can really influence your decision of whether to buy or not to buy.

Yes, I would love to see the petite clothing on a petite model too! I am finding especially with trench coats that the coats are not scaled very well for petites. There is so much bulk in the torso that it swallows you up. It looks OK on a long-waisted person or a very tall model because they have the real estate for all the buttons and flaps.