All Stores Should Be Size Inclusive & Here’s Why | Self Love Sunday

Any overweight person can attest to the stress and embarrassment of being invited shopping with “normal” sized friends.

You’re walking through the mall, and your best friend makes a beeline to a lingerie shop to buy a new set for an upcoming date. You follow her around the store, a few steps behind as she digs through drawers of underwear, picking out 5 pairs for the 5 for $40 deal. None of the sizes available in store would even come close to fitting you. She walks around the store looking for a few bras to match, and the sales lady offers to start a dressing room for her.

Nothing in this store would fit you, and the sales lady knows it. She doesn’t ask if you need help finding anything because she knows they don’t carry your size. You don’t belong here. You awkwardly glance around the store for non clothing items to browse through. Tote bags, body spray, the store brand makeup they carry near the cash.

Your friend pays for her items and you both walk up the hall towards a clothing store that carries both men’s & women’s clothes. Your friend tries on dresses for her date, and blouses for work. You walk around and take a look at the men’s clothes, because they fit bigger, and MAYBE they’ll have something you could fit into. They don’t. You try on sunglasses at the front of the store. You don’t need sunglasses, but you buy a pair so you don’t have to leave another store empty handed. You and your friend walk down the hall of the mall, bags in hand. Your friend doesn’t notice that you can’t actually fit into sizes at any of the stores you’re visiting, or if she does, she doesn’t say anything. No one thinks about those things. “Normal” sized people often don’t stop to think about the fact that the plus size friends they invite shopping can’t actually fit into the clothes at these stores.

So, why should we have to shop separately? Why are plus size people even called “plus” size. Who decides where normal sizes end and plus sizes begin?

Dear stores that sell clothes, you should be size inclusive, & here’s why:

plus size people have bodies that need clothes

Unless they live in a nudest colony (no judgement), plus size people are human beings that require clothes in most situations- much like average sized people. You’re a store that sells clothes and wants customers.

we need to try clothes on

I know, I know, you don’t want your beautiful store to be tainted by the sight of plus size people walking around and trying things on- BUT we want and need to. Just like most people, we need to try clothes on, we want to feel the quality, see if the buttons are going to gape, etc. Shopping online isn’t always good enough, and it’s beyond infuriating to have stores carry plus sizes online but not in store. What that tells us is, you’re okay with us hiding behind our computers and spending money at your store, but you aren’t okay with us being seen in your store- and I’m not comfortable giving my money to stores like that any more.

we don’t deserve to be SEPARATED from other sizes

There is a difference between a store being plus size and being size inclusive. I am okay with the term “plus size” (hence my plus size style guide), however I’m not okay with being forced to shop in a totally different section of a store, with different options being offered. Why can’t we all just shop in the same section with the same options? I have to applaud Old Navy for their recent decision to be size inclusive in store. It’s beyond exciting to be able to just freely shop without having to scan the store for our “section”.

small shops can do better too (but it starts with suppliers)

I LOVE supporting small local businesses, Etsy shops, fundraisers, etc- but it is SO upsetting to see a local business drop a new clothing item you want, only to check out their site and see that they only go up to an XL or XXL. Like, I WANT to support your business, I want to wear your logo- how can we make this happen? I’ll buy the sticker or keychain you sell too, but that’s not what I really want. I’ve seen businesses comment about how hard it is to source plus size suppliers for certain items- but how can we change that? If you own a small business and have issues sourcing plus size items, I don’t blame you at all, because plus sizes need to be more easily accessible and affordable before you’re able to regularly offer them. I’m just sad about it, ya know?

comment below or dm me your favourite size inclusive brands, so I can check them out!

D