Dear retail stores,
I am a plus size girl. This means that I am not a twig. I can't fit into size 2 jeans and I don't like to show off my stomach every chance I get. I am proud of my body but I don't want to prance around, making sure that everyone looks at me and what I've got. I just want to have the chance to buy clothes that make me feel confident of myself. And if we're being completely honest, you really are not helping.
Putting the plus size section next to the maternity clothes is not the best idea. I am not pregnant, which means I do not shop in the maternity section, so stop making it seem like I do. Making me walk all the way to the back of the store in order to find my size really doesn't make me feel to great about myself. People already know as soon as I walk in the door that I wear plus size clothing, so doing the walk of "shame" all the way to the back is not necessary.
We also need to get some better clothes in our section. When I walk through the "regular" sizes and see a cute top or a really nice dress that I love, I always hope that one exists in my size. But then I walk into the plus size section and all I see are "grandma" clothing. Like yes, some people may find a white sweater with a snowman on it cute, but I am an 18 year old girl who just wants something fun and trendy to wear. This does not include a white snowman sweater or a blue, flowy blouse that has a random patch of flowers on it. Yes, I know this is not entirely your fault because designers don't really think of plus sizes when it comes to making their clothing, but still...do me a favor and look a little harder. I promise you that there are good clothes out there.
While you're at it, have a little chat with the designers that you buy from. Tell them that plus size girls are definitely different from "regular" size girls. Regular size girls may love wearing tight dresses that barely cover their butt. This does not mean that we do. Tight dresses make our stomachs hang way out and we pretty much feel like a hippo. Regular girls may love wearing crop tops, but it doesn't mean we do. People don't want to see the stretch marks we have on our stomachs, which we completely understand; we don't want anyone seeing them either. This means that crop tops are pretty much a no. So please, we beg you, get designers to make clothes that fit our bodies and not just the bodies we see walk the runways. And once they do...BUY THEM AND SELL THEM TO US BECAUSE WE NEED IT.
Don't get me wrong, I love how this whole plus size "revolution" is starting to happen in the fashion industry, but we still need more voices to be heard. There are SO many different body types out there, so when only like three different models or actresses talk about the way plus size girls are treated, I still can't relate. Women like Ashley Graham and Rebel Wilson are doing their best to make sure we are heard, but they are only 2 of the millions of different women who are considered to be plus size. We need more!!
So, next time you are buying clothes to stock your store with, PLEASE think of us. We are people, we have feelings, and we still do exist.
Love, A plus size girl
