Skinny jeans, leggings, and short skirts are unfortunately in style and plus size women need not apply. One trend that has never been hot is being plus size. Women and even men every where are putting the fork down for fashion. The list of gaunt celebrities grows by the weekly red carpet event. I am not saying there is something wrong about being trim and there is nothing more appealing to wear than a size six little black dress. Of course there is a line between unhealthy and pleasantly plump. It is an ongoing battle of the bulge and for most of the population it feels like a constant loss.
Today I went out to my local mall and out of 27 women’s clothing stores only 3 even carried sizes 16 and up. When over 67% of American women are size 12 and over why aren’t designers cashing in on such a majority percentage?
So where is the silver lining? No matter what the trend is, curves always fill out the Chanel sweater or low rise jeans. While options are still limited, plus size people are finally being heard. Stores like Torrid and Lane Bryant are more than just a blip on the radar. Websites like www.Plus-Size-Plus.com are gaining fashion momentum. Stars like Queen Latifah and Mo’nique are here and fabulous. Mae West was also a curvy sex pot. Emme, a supermodel, has been on People magazine's “50 Most Beautiful People” list twice. Not to mention Glamour selected her as “Woman of the Year.”
So, to all the voluptuous vixens out there...have that small piece of cheese cake and treat yourselves to a few carb ridden bread sticks. Just be aware of moderation. Healthy bodies are hot bodies. In the wise words of Sir Mix-A-Lot “I like big butts and I cannot lie.”
Written By Cara Harrington
moss says:
bravo!!
Dejean says:
The designers need to fall in line!!!!
RunawayPoster
::::Applause!:::::
leyi says:
HALLELUJAH!
Tansy says:
Amen, sister! Now, let all the designers and clothes folks read and heed!
Mrs. says:
When people say a size 6 is the ideal, are they being serious or is it like when they say you look "healthy" when they mean you look fat? Because lohan and the rest of the stick women have to be way smaller than a 6. I really want to know. who really wears a 6? I want names.(I wear a 6 but I'm not a stick woman-I have thighs and a butt and depending on the day, a decent sized belly) AND 15+ years ago, that 6 was a 7 or 8. sorry to ramble...
Mrs. says:
When people say a size 6 is the ideal, are they being serious or is it like when they say you look "healthy" when they mean you look fat? Because lohan and the rest of the stick women have to be way smaller than a 6. I really want to know. who really wears a 6? I want names.
size 4 says:
I wear a size 4 or 2. In high school I was wearing a size 6 in jeans and I was the same size as I am now. I think over the years designers have dropped the sizes so that people feel better about how big they are. Even Oprah claims she is a size 8. That's only because the label says you are, hon.
ravenswing
My boss is a size 2, one of my coworkers is a 0. My roommate is an 8. Im a 12/14. I used to be a size 24.
If Oprah is an 8 I will sit here right now and eat my shirt!!!!!
Anyway, Amen on this article. Thanks for posting it !!!!!!!
2 Old 4 This says:
It's called Vanity Sizing.
The designers figure we'll spend $200 - $400 on a pair of jeans just because we're fitting into a size 6, while at Old Navy or The Gap, jeans that fit exactly the same would only be $24.99 and a size 10 !!!! EEEK - Imagine the horror!
If it makes you look & feel good - who gives a rats ass what size it is? Wear it & work it!
When was the last time you walked up behind some one and dug into her neckline/waistline to read the label on her clothes?
Signed,
The 5th Ninja Turtle - Rubenesque
LadyE says:
I am so tired of going to shop and I cant find anything cute. I do believe what they say about the designers dropping the sizes because I can wear anything from a 14 to a 20 depending on the store and that is ridiculus. I think there should be more options besides torrid and lane bryant because for some of us they are to damn expensive. I went into torrid yesterday and bought a pair of capris (baby phat) and a shirt and spent 120.00. That is ridiculus, especially when if I were a size 2 or 6 I probally could have gotten the same outfit for about 70.00.
jen says:
Wonderful article! I was a size 8 in high school, got up to a nasty 28 after 4 misscarraiges-late term- and am now back to a 12. I truely think most people don't stop to think that plus size ladies are just as wonderful as size 6 ladies. And most us have wonderful jobs and a ton of money to spend on clothes! We just need better places to shop!
Fashion Police says:
Enough with the self-esteem crap....the real issue is, When the hell did it become trendy to wear spandex leggings? I know that the tights trend has been happening for a while in London, but lets get real: not too long ago we were all laughing at Mary-Kate and Sienna for wearing them. Now that they are sold at Urban Outfitters (and other mainstream retailers)its fashion? And oh yeah if you are depressed about your size go for a jog or something.
Leslie says:
The bad news is that the clothes on most of these sites are unfashionable and 'fat-styled,' for lack of a better word.
If you're a US size 16 or 18 and relatively tall, plus-size clothes are cut far too big, as if you were 5'3", and the styles don't really mimic the styles in regular stores -- the designers seem to be living on a different planet than the rest of us.
gwenna says:
It's so true! I'm 5'10 and wear a 14 or 16, depending on how much I'm working out. But so many clothes just don't fit, my arms and legs are just too long. Even my torso is too l ong for regular shirts. And plus size clothing is usually made for people who are shorter and rounder than me. Grr!! It's hard out there for a tall girl:)
Isabel says:
AMEN for that article! I believe it shouldn't matter what flippin' size you are as long as you're happy and HEALTHY! I entered into Mo'Nique's plus sized beauty pageant cuz I feel it's a great way for bigger girls to feel better about themselves. Unfortunately I wasn't chosen but I still have a shot at the User's Choice Award. As a matter of fact, I'd LOVE if you guys could vote for me! Here's the link:
http://monique.blip.tv/file/4491
THANKS A BUNCH!!!
the real mccoy says:
Stop justifying the fatsos. Any clothes look good on skinny people and that is the truth. So quit stuffing your mouths and excercise already.
European women are not size 14 and 16,amazing how other countries do not think "curves" and huge butts are ok.
cjor says:
real mccoy- so i take it we're just forgetting about three centuries of european art, then. and news flash- skinny people don't look good in a lot of things. since im a vegetarian, a lacrosse player, and a size 12- yeah. about that. and about other countries- ever been to brazil?
real mccoy says:
cjor, yeah been to brazil, been to alot of countries still in the US we're about SUPER SIZE ME (heard of that movie?) and trying to stuff bulges into stretch jeans and miniskirts. As a matter of fact my hats off to in shape people such as yourself! I do not think being a vegetarian has any relevance though.( btw huge butts are just that huge) not talkin about round shapely squats trained ones, there is a difference there..
confused says:
hi i live in australia so i dont know how you guys classify sizes, but i was told by a friend of mine that the australian size 6 is equivalent to american size 0 is this true? btw size 6 in australia is the smallest size you can get in womens clothing.........
BinkyMolyneaux
I know this comment is late in the game (hey, i just found out about this website!)...but I just had to post it in response to Mrs comment. I have a friend who works at a very upscale store on Rodeo Drive and JLo happened to be shopping there one day. Of course we had to ask him what size she wore- esp since the media is always pointing out her big ol' booty. She went in asking for a 6 (turns out 6 was too big) and ended up with a size 4. Now, for someone that the media is constantly shoving down our throats as "not small"- that is VERY small!! Granted, it was designer clothing so there may be a vanity sizing issue involved and she may actually be a size 6- but that's still really small.
Lauralee says:
I really like this article, it is so true. The sad thing is, I am not overweight, I just am more bony (as my mom always put it). I always hated shopping for clothes as it took far to long to find anything that fit. It didn't help matters that I'm tall so I had to find longer jeans to. I love that I can walk into Torrid now and easily find a pair of jeans that are comfortable.
lauren says:
Not to be so mean, but i so hate when people skinner then me tell or says oh how they are so fat. When they wear under a size 12. It pisses me off to no end.... I am in the % were i wear over a size 16.
Look not everyone is a size 2-14. Most young adults my age are a size 14-22.I think Hollywood should be more open and talk about how it is not a size 12 and under world...But how it can be okay to be a bigger person .