Fat Fashion

This is your semi-regular thread in which fat women can share pix, make recommendations for clothes they love, ask questions of other fat women about where to locate certain plus-size items, share info about sales, talk about what jeans cut at what retailer best fits their body shapes, discuss how to accessorize neutral colored suits, share stories of going bare-armed for the first time, brag about a cool fashion moment, whatever.

* * *

I haven't bought anything new in ages, and I haven't worn anything old that's worth posting (or which I haven't already posted), but I just saw this terrific piece at Buzzfeed by Sheridan Watson and Kristin Chirico documenting "What Plus-Size Clothes Actually Look Like on Plus-Size Women."


Kristin and Sheridan measured themselves according to the sites' size charts, ordered the size that corresponds to their measurements, and then modeled themselves in the clothes, from various retailers. It's a really elucidating look into what is an extremely common experience for in-betweenie and fat women. The clothes just don't fit right!

And this is particularly a problem for women who wear plus sizes because so many of us don't actually have access to brick-and-mortar plus size retailers, where we can go try on clothes in person. Some stores, like Old Navy, exclusively carry their plus size lines online, so even if there is a brick-and-mortar Old Navy near you: Tough shit. Sucks to be you, fatty. If you want a cheap t-shirt, you're gonna have to order it online and hope it fits you.

And, if it doesn't, like so many things don't, you're gonna have to haul your ass to the post office to return it. Or eat the cost of the garment.

This is a serious issue for lots of plus size women. It costs us money, time, and energy just to access clothing. And because so many plus size clothes don't fit, and aren't cut to accommodate a variety of fat and in-betweenie body shapes, unless we can afford tailoring, we end up with ill-fitting garments that then contribute to marginalizing narratives about how fat people are "sloppy" and/or don't take care of ourselves.

And let us note that, despite the constant barrage of news stories about the "obesity epidemic" replete with ominous statistics about the growing percentage of the US populace who is "obese," many of us can't walk into a single local store to shop for clothes that come in our size.

We're epidemic, but somehow there aren't enough of us to warrant retailers to take our money.

In fact, even many plus size retailers are increasingly failing to carry top sizes in-store. The last time I visited the local Lane Bryant, I couldn't find a single thing that I wanted in my size. When I asked the salesperson why it was that they were stocking virtually nothing above a size 18, I was told I should check out their outlet store or shop online.

This is how fat women are treated even by the retailers who are ostensibly designed to serve us.

Anyway! As always, all subjects related to fat fashion are on topic, but if you want a topic for discussion: What are some of your frustrating, or successful, experiences with just trying to get clothes that fit you?

Have at it in comments! Please remember to make fat women of all sizes, especially women who find themselves regularly sizing out of standard plus-size lines, welcome in this conversation, and pass no judgment on fat women who want to and/or feel obliged, for any reason, to conform to beauty standards. And please make sure if you're soliciting advice, you make it clear you're seeking suggestions—and please be considerate not to offer unsolicited advice. Sometimes people just need to complain and want solidarity, not solutions.