We have all been there. There's this perfect piece of clothing, and you try it on. Guess what? It doesn't fit. There's one specific trend for which this can be extremely frustrating: One Size Fits All. Stores such as Brandy Melville sell clothing that is supposedly "One Size Fits All," but I'm calling bull.
Here's the thing, this idea that one size works for all simply does not work. When we take into account how different all of our bodies are, this idea is simply ridiculous. Women don't come in one size, and neither should our clothing. Our bodies have curves in different places, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. It is already difficult enough to find things that fit well as your size gets higher, and this clothing trend just makes it even worse. We don't all fit into one little box, into one little size. There is nothing wrong with your size, and clothing lines need to start respecting and recognizing that.
In the picture above, five women all tried on a one size fits all skirt, and it just did not work. This visual representation serves as a reminder of some of the ideals and expectations that our society has internalized about the way that women should look. Every curve, every extra pound is scrutinized, and it is this scrutiny that is used to justify such limiting clothing trends. The idea that women should be able to fit into one size defies all logic, and yet, it persists due to the scrutiny that women's bodies constantly receive.
One of the most frustrating and ludicrous aspects of one size fits all clothing is the humiliation and shame that it often brings about for women who are unable to fit into the clothing properly. Selling clothing in a single, supposedly all-inclusive size has a clear message: this is the way your body should look. For those of us who fail to meet this ideal body image, it can be a terrible experience to try on a one size fits all outfit, hoping that it will fit, because it often results in us internalizing the idea that our bodies are imperfect or wrong in some way, which is completely false.
We live in a world where we expect women to be a certain size and be a certain weight, but this has gone on long enough. We should focus on health, not on weight or size. Love your size, and don't let anyone tell you how you can dress. Screw one size fits all because it does not work. Let's focus on improving diversity in sizes because each and every one of us is beautiful, and no clothing company can put us into one size.
