I am freaking sick and tired of plus size clothing being advertised on thin women. But even worse was something my friend recently pointed out. Online at Roaman's they don't have plus size women in pictures, but often the outfits themselves are covered with a jacket. It isn't exclusive to Roaman's, it is hard to find fat people modeling PLUS SIZE clothes.
The real punchline? Roaman's sells plus sizes only. They don't have "thin" clothes only thin models.
Even Old Navy who doesn't want fat people in their stores and will use armed guards to keep them out (the latter is a joke, the former is true) have plus size models featured on their website. If a store that hates us and wishes we would go away can have plus size models, how come stores that actually cater to plus sizes arrange to have their wares modeled by twigs with eyeballs and lips?
As mentioned in previous columns shopping for plus size clothing in stores is often laughable--if you can laugh while grumbling and holding in the desire to use a flame thrower on what they call "clothes". Selection is terrible, and sizes bigger than 26 are almost non-existent (even in plus size stores!) That leaves fat folks in a pickle. We can wear the hideous, overpriced crap that we can get in the store, sew our own (not for people like myself who sew everything crooked) or find out if burlap sacks come in plus sizes (note: they do, but they itch).
That gives way to the fabulous internet where we can find clothes, selection and sizes and often fat models to show them off. If you want something specific you can find it. Even goddess sized women can find clothing in their size (beats burlap sacks!)
Which brings me back to Roaman's. How am I supposed to find out how something appearing on their web site would look on me: telepathy?
I'm not just picking on Roaman's. If you manage the web site for a clothing dealer and stock the larger sizes we need to see Larger models (I can forgive the struggling designer who can't hire models). I'm not talking size 8's here like with Lane Bryant the ones that are only slightly bigger than the Hollywood standard, or even ones that are slightly bigger (yeah like a size 14, big deal), If you go up to a 32 then we should see how your outfit would look on a size 32.
The moral of this story, don't allow the industry to treat you like garbage. We need to demand change from them. Otherwise they shouldn't see our dollars.
______________________________
Lara Frater is a writer, librarian, activist and fat
chick from New York City. After 17 years of bad
diets, she gave it up, embraced her body and preached
size acceptance. This gave her the inspiration and
motivation to write "Fat Chicks Rule" her first book.
www.larafrater.com
I am interested in modeling. Do you have any suggestion who to break into the industry? I a recent college
graduate with a major in Electronic Merchandising. I would love to model and one day design my own label.
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached at the email provided.
I have been surfing around today in preparation for the upcoming fancy holiday party dress I'll be need ing to buy soon. I can't belive how many sites have these models that are so thin when all they offer are plus sized clothes. Sometimes you can even tell they are pinned because they hang a little oddly.
Why on earth do they think this will make plus sized women want to buy their clothes. Most of us have a grip on reality & know that we are not going to look like that size 8 (or whatever size they are) just because we buy/wear their clothes. They are just clothes - not miracle makers!
To say it is frustrating is the very least. It actually makes me want to look for sites that use plus sized models because I want a true idea of what to expect out of the clothes when they are on my plus sized body.