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Big Clothes, Small Market
I am a big girl. You may call it curvy, chubby, fat, fluffy, big boned, whatever the point is I’m plus sized.
People often think of plus sized womens clothing as shapeless, oversized, mumu like pieces of material draped over enormous bodies simply to cover the fat underneath.
I am a perfect example of why that thought is bullshit. I put a lot of time, energy and cash into my wardrobe! My clothes flatter and accentuate my good parts and down play my flaws (hear that ass? No one is looking at you!). I love colour and trends and I’m not scared to try a new look (Even though I often totally screw it up). I certainly have bad days, but that’s a woman thing not a size label thing.
This brings me to why I’m irked today. My stylish, well cared for, awesome clothes are not acceptable to consignment clothing stores. Why you ask? Because of their size.
No wonder women are leaving the house looking like shit, who can afford 70 dollar jeans to go to the park? I know while scouring thrift shops I very rarely find plus sized items and I also know why. We plus size girls keep our clothes until they die.
Knowing how difficult and expensive it is to find and buy nice plus size clothes causes us to become super attached to what we have. Now people can say “So lose some weight and it won’t be such an issue”, but that’s where the real issue begins.
Telling us to lose weight says there is something wrong with us. Telling us there is something wrong with us causes a huge self esteem drop. The self esteem drop causes many many things, depression, over-eating, crash diets and the list goes on. Sure, some people respond by losing weight and keeping it off and kudos to them, but how many plus sized women do you know who escape being plus sized?
My personal opinion is if we could spend less time worrying about how we looked, we could be spending more time actually out being happy and loving ourselves and our lives. And a laughing, playing, happy fatty is a fatty with less time to eat! (I know… Interesting thoughts I have in this big ole brain of mine).
So retailers and clothing manufacturers of the world I implore you… Make plus size clothing affordable and accessable! Take the shame out and put self-worth in it’s place! Your business and women of the world will thank you!
(Quick note: I am aware of medical conditions and serious mental diseases that can’t be cured with a tee shirt that fits and doesn’t belong on the mens rack. I also am aware that being heavy isn’t healthy for anyone in the long run. My point is, for most people, making them feel like shit is going to hinder the path to a healthier life not help it. In fact making people feel like shit often leads to a binge eating problem which is even less healthy then just being big. Chew on that my friends, we’ll call it food for thought.)
