Equally fashionable: Plus-sized clothes, deceptive marketing, and why I'm returning a skirt

If you've known me or been reading my blog for a long time, you might know that I lost a great deal of weight a few years ago -- more weight than most people weigh, period. I pretty much hate the way we talk about weight in this country, and it's very hard to discuss this topic without pissing me off, so although I'm always glad when I accomplish any goal I set for myself, I still tend to get annoyed when people congratulate me on my weight loss. Consider yourself warned.

I also think the visceral disgust with fat in this country is a fucking social disease, and that being fat is no worse for our health than sitting on our asses in front of the computer all day, or breathing the crap stale air in an office building, or eating processed foods. So if someone is fat, I have no agenda to judge or change that, but I also ask that they respect my right to do what I want with my own body, including lose weight.

Disclaimers aside, let's get to the part about clothes.

Although I've lost all this weight, I'm still "big and tall" by fashion standards -- I'm 5'10" and wear a size 18 Tall, 20 in some styles of pants. (It was actually hard to type that; I'm not as liberated as I would like to be.) So I mostly shop in the department known euphemistically as the "women's department" -- which must make size 3 women wonder WTF they are -- or, somewhat more descriptively, the "plus sizes."

Some stores, like Nordstrom, have a dedicated department for plus sizes, and other stores cater exclusively to sizes 14 and up.

Plus-sized clothes at Nordstrom are around the same price and quality as smaller sizes, although not always as fashion-forward. Companies like J. Jill, one of my favorite places to buy clothes, make the exact same fashions across all size categories, including tall sizes up to 20, bless them, although they don't always make everything in all sizes.

Among the "plus sizes only" stores/catalogs are some moderately expensive ones, like Silhouettes, and many, many really inexpensive ones, most notably the entire family of catalogs sold at "One Stop Plus," a retail aggregator of Woman Within, Jessica London, Roaman's, Avenue, and several more.

And after that very very long lead-in, which would no doubt make my editors and journalism instructors have heart attacks, we get to the main point.

Why are so many plus-sized clothes so badly made?

Look at the photo at the top of this post, and the skirt in the photo to the right. Set aside the issue of whether or not these clothes are to your taste or things that would look good on you.

But do consider this: Both images are promoting and depicting a new line of slightly higher-priced clothing with a fancy French designer tag, Taillissime, marketed as a more fashionable, slightly edgier, brand of plus-sized fashions through a group of companies that normally target a lower-end market.

To understand what I'm saying, compare these images with a couple of the same company's non-Taillissime images:

Now go Google "OneStopPlus coupons" and see how extremely aggressive these brands are with their discount policies. Their marketing is a heat-seeking missile for cost-conscious plus-sized women.

Because I'm lucky enough to have a fairly decent clothing budget, when I shop from these types of catalogs it's for basics like sweat pants and jeans, you know -- dog walking clothes, lie around the house clothes. I've known for years that their "fashionable" or "career" clothing  is of  poor quality -- not well constructed, and of cheap materials, as well as not being expensive. But I recently gave the new Taillissime line a try. And I bought that black skirt in the photo, because it really looks cute to me.

And it's a piece of crap that's going back as soon as I can slap some tape on the package.

I wouldn't normally care, but I do today. Because large-sized women should be able to freaking buy a skirt that at least looks close to how it does in the photo and not have to spend a hundred dollars on it -- because their smaller-sized peers can do that, easily. There are many, many places to buy reasonably priced, fashionable clothes in non-plus sizes. While they may not last beyond a single season -- the "cheap" has to come from somewhere -- they at least won't be made of glaringly tacky fabrics, as this skirt was, or have uneven hem lines, as this skirt did.

Large women on a budget are at the mercy of some pretty crappy choices for clothing. I'm sure this is a problem for women of any size, but when you're doing your best to look sleek and professional in a world that judges you on first impressions and how put together you are, and that's already assessing you negatively because you defy the mandate that all women must maximize their physical attractiveness for the viewing pleasure of the general public... you can see the problem.

If only Taillissime and the companies that sell it had put as much care into the execution of these clothes as they did into their marketing, photography, and even their design. Because some of these things would be cute if they actually looked like their photos.

And if they know their customers want more stylish clothing -- which would be why they created this line in the first place -- doesn't it logically follow that we''ll also be able to tell when we get the stuff out of the package that it's not really more stylish clothing, and certainly not worth even the slight premium it costs?

In re-reading this, I know I'm likely to set off a storm of, "You can buy inexpensive plus-sized fashionable clothing here and here and here," and I'm always happy to have new places to buy clothes recommended to me, so go for it.

But don't let the availability of inexpensive cute clothes at one group of stores or catalogs obscure the fact that the brands sold at One Stop Plus absolutely dominate the budget-conscious plus-sized clothing industry, and have for years. Large-sized women should have more choices at a lower price point, but more importantly, I think we should be treated with respect.

Comments

[KT]

Congrats on the weight loss ... ::: skipping gleefully out of range :::

;)

(I do agree with the point you are making, of course!)

[Diana]

Good points and nice rant. ;-)

Over the past two years my weight has skyrocketed due to health issues which have yet to be identified.

What it has done is brought me to a heightened awareness (but I've never been less that a size 14) on just what is NOT out there for larger sized women.

Make that also women with a big bust size.

This seems odd to me when a vast majority of the populace are not smaller sized.

Isn't the average American woman larger than size 12?

Anyway, good luck and I'll keep my eyes open for some nice skirts for you...

[Cate]

Oh, how I know what you mean. Sometimes I just want to vomit when I see the prints and fabrics used. I mean, what planet do they think we live on??? I have to admit I had never heard of One Stop Plus and most catalogs I get just go in the trash. I mainly shop at Junonia and Ulla Popken (which has some of the most butt ugly clothes but also sells solid color linen separates). I used to like J Jill but the sleeves were always too short and their pricing structure irritates me.

[victoria]

I'm interested in your opinion of "Go Figure" on Clement at about 3rd Ave. I can't believe you've not been there. I am a 16-18-20 who gets to dress in my very own femme-dyke, old gangster-hippie style 9-5, M-F. Most of my favorite clothes come from GF. You just have to work the back room.
Love,
Victoria

[Christie]

I've never heard of it... I don't usually like to go to clothing stores. I get irritable, LOL. I almost only shop online these days. BUT... it looks intriguing so I'll stop by, maybe this afternoon after my pedicure!

[Ginger]

Boy did you ever hit the nail on the head. I feel the same way. But I have two more rants to add to yours... first rant is why do they always sell in sets rather than separates. I am large on top and small (in comparison) on the bottom. If I order a "set" to fit me on top, the bottom is so over-sized that it's impossible to alter them.

My other rant is sizing. At OnePlus if you click on the sizing chart, you get one for Woman Within, one for Roamans, one for Jessica London and so forth. This is fine except most of the clothes are not marked which store they came from. Why would it be so hard to have universal sizing within a group of stores owned by the same corporation?

[Suzie]

I agree that the discrimination and attitudes that overweight people face in this country are abhorrent, and I couldn't agree more with your complaints about plus-sized clothing. (Which, frustratingly, also applies to wide-width shoes.)

As for your recent personal accomplishment, rather than congratulating you on your weight loss per se, I'll just say congratulations on having put several years back on your life, which is what a loss that significant most likely amounts to. I can think of few things better to celebrate!

[Red]

The model is hot, and I love broom skirts.

And I totally agree with you, for the most part.

There is "plus-size", which to me means "normal size women", overweight, and obese. The last one scares me, because it's not a matter of calling soomeone fat or deriding them because they are, but something that is a serious health risk.

And yeah, clothes for larger women mostly suck, because it looks to me as if they're trying to get those women to buy something that looks sort of like something my 14 yr old would wear, knowing that it'll look nothing like that.

And I'm telling you, you're taller than 5'10. I look up at you way more than I do my husband, who's 5'10 and a half. So he says. I think he's shrinking. lol

[Amber Waves]

Ellos is the same as this Taillissime. I decided to give it a shot and go outside my comfort zone for clothes from Woman Within and ended up returning the stuff I bought. The pants were especially horrible. :(

[Gina Spadafori]

I've found well-made, attractive clothes at Junonia, J.Jill (as you note), Eddie Bauer and Norm Thompson. Also L.L. Bean. Orvis has nice stuff, but their clothes are usually just smaller than I am. (I'm 18/20, too.) Use to buy a lot from Lands End, but their quality has definitely gone downhill since Sears bought them.

Personally, I think retailers stick us fat girlz with overpriced crap because they hate us and think we don't deserve any better.

[Kristen]

I love J Jill, and Igigi, which is in San Fransisco, has some really cute, well made girly dresses (along with some UGLY stuff)! My problem is finding clothes that fit a waist that's smaller than my hips-curves! I can't wear a lot of clothes, especially jeans, because if they fit in the hips and thighs they're inches too big in the waist, sigh...

[Christie]

Kristen, Lane Bryant has a new thing where you enter your measurements and then it gives you a sort of code, and then you can order pants that match that code. And they REALLY fit. I have the same problem of when pants fit my butt they're too big in the waist, and these fit PERFECTLY.... love them!

[Barb Bristol]

Great rant! :-)

The only OnePlus company I've ever dealt with is Woman Within - I bought a few things from them a year or two ago and they were horrible, I sent them right back. And I RARELY return clothes! They've got to be really bad for me to go to the trouble of returning them.

I have gotten several nice things from Appleseeds online - fortunately I don't have to "dress up" for my work, but I DO have to find nice things to wear in the dog show ring! LOL

[Amanda Wray]

I've had good luck buying skirts off of Ebay lately, and have found some nice things at my local thrift store. I love pre-worn clothes, as I don't trust new stuff as much any more because of all the chemicals in it these days.

[Kristen]

Thanks for the tip on the Land Bryant jeans-I saw them one week and thought how cool, then promptly forgot! Also, THANK YOU for your post on the Fluevog Shoes, the style you showed was so fabulous that I went immediately to their website, found a pair I absolutely loved on sale, they arrived on Friday and I LOVE THEM!!!!! I have various and assorted foot issues, these shoes fit, are comfortable, and they are HOT! I love reading you on Pet Connection, AfterEllen, and the dearly departed BarkObama, but my first comments are on clothes and shoes-heehee!

[Susan]

Oh, Jesus F. Christ. I don't even know where to begin. I want to weep. Weight has been my demon since I was too small to understand it. And yes, yes, yes, they make clothes that are shitty and look shitty and then charge ridiculous prices for it. I lost more than you -- and have gained a chunk back in the past year. This society thinks that being overweight gives them carte blanche to treat you like trash, talk down to you, criticize you, tell you what to do, and say things they would never dream of saying to people with any other frailty or weakness. It fills me with fury.

[Edna Turnblad]

Amen Sistah! Thank you for your post. I could write for days about the plus sized clothing industry. It is so wrong.

watchwithfunnybits.blogspot.com

[H. Houlahan]

Errrr ... mail-order women's clothes in "misses" sizes are crap too.

Really.

And just about impossible to get for a tall chick.

I've given up. This is a huge bummer for me, as I hate clothes shopping. Hate, hate, hate. Would rather get my teeth drilled.

And weirdly, I can find jeans that fit me well, good suits in classic styles, and really nice jackets and tops, at thrift stores, but almost never at regular retailers.

Why? Where do the used clothes come from? They had to be new at one time, right?

Is there some mall that I don't know about, the "clothes that are well-made and fit properly" mall?

[Saulute]

Actually I bought that skirt too. I kept it, despite, that zipper broke the very first time- I know how to sew, so I am planning to put in other one myself.I took off the ribbon too. I agree - quality is not the best, but I love the design.