Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is not to bash a store or anyone who shops at said store. The purpose is to further validate why the “one size fits all” policy is wrong.
Recently, The Huffington Post published an article about the store Brandy Melville and its “one size fits all” clothing. The article discusses how “it’s all about your body” with retailers like Brandy Melville and others.
Growing up, I’ve always modeled my look after the models I saw from stores I liked. I often thought to myself, “Oh, if I buy that shirt and those jeans, I’ll look like one of those models!” I shopped at Brandy Melville a couple of times myself, again thinking that I would achieve the “laid-back aesthetic” of the models the store used on its social media accounts. I remember going through the tops and sweaters that I liked, searching for a size tag. I stood there puzzled as to why I couldn’t find my size and finally realized why once I looked up! Right there in front of me, on a big wooden sign read the words “One Size Fits All.”
Well, newsflash: one size does NOT fit all. Stores like Brandy Melville seem to cater to only one size: small. They’re small isn’t average either, it’s stick-figure thin.
Stores with one size fits all policies need to check themselves; these polices discriminate against anyone who can’t fit into their clothes. The last time I checked, women come in all beautiful shapes and sizes. This means that clothes should too.
No woman–or young girl–should walk out of a store feeling disappointed in herself or in her body if she can’t fit into a pair of “skinny skinny” or “toothpick” jeans. No woman or young girl should walk out of a store feeling invalidated because they are not part of the exclusive “skinny” club. Instead, women and young girls should feel confident and happy to shop in a store that caters to all body types.
I want to further validate that the one size fits all policy is wrong because body image is a fundamental part of being a woman at any age. Women and girls should never feel ashamed of the way they look. Unfortunately, many magazines and retailers send messages about body image and what a woman’s body is supposed to look like. Some go as far as editing photos of models to unreal proportions. Take one look at any model from any popular store and right away, you’ll know who their target audience is…”one size.” Stores with one size fits all policies feed into these distorted body image messages even more because they literally (and metaphorically) don’t provide any wiggle room for women and girls who don’t fit their “one size.” Women of all ages and sizes deserve to feel comfortable with their bodies no matter what.
It’s time to tackle these policies head on, and empower women and young girls to be more confident than ever before in their skin!
Photo Credit: Cover image, 1