I make my way into the store, and ask for the plus size section. "Over there..." directs the sale associate, pointing to the corner of the store that reads maternity in harsh striking letters. With a huff, I am on my way to the limited sizing, limited selection and downright embarrassing shopping experience.
Following fashion trends is hard when you are in straight sizes, but it is a downright production when you are plus sized. Over the years I have watched as many stores, add a plus size section to their massive straight sized line, to appeal to the growing customer demands. I applaud stores like Forever 21, H&M and Charlotte Russe, who all saw a desire and provided for their customers.
But just because these stores suddenly have clothes in my size, doesn't mean that the experience is a great as it should be.
If anyone is familiar with shopping at Target, they have a great plus size line which includes cheap basics. What's not to love there?
When shopping at Target, I basically have to shop in a section labeled maternity or with all of the clearance. Most always, the plus size clothes are shoved in the back corner or near the maternity section of the particular store. In my local Forever 21, I have to shop in one room located in the back corner of the basement level.
Having to make the trek through the store to an isolated area is infuriating, embarrassing and hurtful, especially when I am shopping with straight sized friends. I either have to leave my group to do my own shopping or take them to an isolated area while I pick out what I want; we can never shop together. Most of the times, I don't shop for myself and save those shopping trips for when I am alone or with my mother.
Aside from that struggle, some stores like Rue 21, Forever 21 and Charlotte Russe, only place plus size clothing in some malls. Up until two months ago, my closest Torrid was an hour away. This makes shopping last minute a nightmare. I have to plan my shopping trips with meticulous precision or else I might not be able to hit all of the stores in order to get at least one bag full of clothing to make the trip worthwhile.
And that doesn't even account for the stores that only have certain pieces online. Sometimes the Forever 21's that are in my area do not update their plus size section for months, making each shopping trip redundant, and making my only option ordering online. Old Navy didn't even accept returns on plus size clothing in store up until recently.
The models who are modeling the clothes aren't even showcasing what the average plus size woman looks like. Most of the stores provide a reference to what size the model is wearing and 9 times out of 10 they are wearing an XL or 0X, the smallest size that the store offers in the range. That's a far cry from the average 1X/2X plus size shopper.
All of this frustration goes in to buying clothes! I didn't even mention how sizing is different from store to store, and how Forever 21 still practices vanity sizing in their plus size clothes. There are so many issues that arise when trying to be a fashionable plus size person. The amount of effort I have to put into my appearance to not look like a fat slob wearing grandma's clothes is beyond what any of my straight sized friends go through.
No doubt there have been leaps and bounds made in the body positivity movement. There are so many bloggers who showcase great plus size fashion, like Gabi Fresh, Nicolette Mason and Nadia Aboulhosn to name a few. Every day I scroll through Instagram, and see them serving some plus size realness and it puts a smile on my face.
This still doesn't eliminate the humiliation, hurt and anger I still sometimes feel when shopping. It's awkward to talk about with people who do not feel the same struggle that you do, because they don't have to jump through hoops to find the perfect A-Line Suede skirt that is hot right now.
I just don't understand why companies are so afraid of plus sized people? I would be so willing to spend every penny I had on clothes that I like, but there isn't a company out there in the mainstream market place that is willing to deliver for me and my fellow fat friends, and that reality is quite sad.
