Who doesn’t love buying a new outfit? It’s so fun finding something cute that you can actually afford, trying it on to see that it fits perfectly, and going home knowing what you’re going to wear to next week’s party. Awesome, right? Well, it’s not so simple for everyone. Enter: plus size women.
Although many stores are now offering pretty affordable and cute plus-size lines (I’m a HUGE fan of Forever 21 Plus), it’s still a lot harder to try and buy clothes when you don’t fit into conventional sizes. And then there are the stores that are actually meant to cater to plus size women (Torrid, Lane Bryant, Catherines), but they tend to be less affordable and not generally a staple at the mall when you’re going with your friends. While everyone else is in American Eagle trying on jeans and sweaters, you become the world’s best hanger, holding on to all your friend’s stuff and watching as they show off their latest finds in the dressing room.
You get used to ordering your clothes online, always checking the return policy in case they don’t fit. Even if a “regular” store does sell your size, they rarely have it in stock and need to order it anyway. You stop asking whether stores sell your size to avoid the awkward stare the clerk gives you and just stick to taking snapchats as your friends model their picks.
This is all okay with you; you’re used to it. This is the way it has always been. But what if I told you it didn’t have to be like this? That you could go to the same store as your friends and all find clothes you love and that fit you? Lucky for the plus size community, it seems like things are going in this direction! Major retailers like Forever 21 (I literally cannot gush enough about their plus line) are actually starting to sell all kinds of sizes in their stores to cater to a larger (heh) population.
It’s an amazing feeling to be able to go into a store and find clothes that fit you. We don’t have to be a shameful and forgotten demographic anymore! I own my body and everything that it is, fat and all. To see major retailers finally beginning to cater to those that need a little “extra room” is opening all new doors for us. Now, I can shop proudly with my friends and feel confident that there are clothes for me. No longer will I have to buy all my clothes online or stuff myself into the largest “regular” size. Now, I can go into a store and come out feeling beautiful too.