Comments on: Quick Hit: “Normal” is the new Plus

By: Emerald

Emerald — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 19:50:26 +0000

Wow.

Although I’m much shorter, I had a BMI of 21 on my first wedding day, age 21. I was rushing round everywhere trying to plan stuff, stressed out over a bitch queen MIL who threatened to stand up in church and ruin the day, (long story) and basically, from barely eating anything, went from 140lbs to 125 in a few weeks. I was a sick, exhausted wreck who needed a ton of makeup to look anywhere near passable on the day. (My mother, who would love me to have stayed that way, ‘lovingly’ keeps those photos, even though I’ve since divorced and remarried.)

And that’s PLUS SIZE? You coulda fooled me. But, sadly, I think, all too typical for modeling.

Fashion sucks, which is why I more or less ignore it these days.

(For euphemisms….try ‘Twice as Sexy’, which was what Ann Summers used to call their bigger-sized naughty underwear range. They stopped it some years back, which was annoying as it meant all the sizes were lumped in together and you couldn’t tell which ones went up to larger sizes – bra backs, my bugbear as always! – and which didn’t. Never mind ’special’ catalogs and names, just give me everything you have in my size, OK?)

By: Pippa

Pippa — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:46:05 +0000

FJ, I still do think it’s sound. Truth is experiential to a certain extent, non?

As Kate said, there is a lot of dorky (awkward, don’t -want-to-be-rude-and-call-you-big-but-we-can’t-think-of-a-really-clever-word-for-it) euphemising of larger sizes within the modeling industry, and just because Happy Size is not widely or even publicly used in Germany or anywhere else doesn’t mean it’s a false statement to say that it IS used. It only means that it is synonymous with “plus size”, nothing more. And that was my basis for mentioning it, although I have reread my post and see that I did not clearly state that I was talking about the models, not the clothes or the company that sells under that trading name in the wording “It’s called other things around the world, such as Happy Size in Germany”. Maybe I should have added ‘also’ to that sentence, whatever. Coulda woulda yada yada

/cloaking device *on*

By: spacedcowgirl

spacedcowgirl — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:54:40 +0000

Hmm… but now that I think about it, at least they were no longer called “Chubettes” by the time I was growing up…

By: spacedcowgirl

spacedcowgirl — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 17:54:09 +0000

Hey, Dee, I remember Pretty Plus. And the JCPenney equivalent, “Extra Special.” Oy.

By: fillyjonk

fillyjonk — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:46:08 +0000

Ah, I was confused because you said “I am trying to offer a broader perspective and information set than just the Nth American view,” and then went on to say that you’d worked in Germany and thought your information was sound.

By: Pippa

Pippa — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:44:54 +0000

I’m actually referring to having Dee question everything I say.

By: fillyjonk

fillyjonk — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:43:19 +0000

Pippa, I believe Karin and Em are both German. I think it is reasonable for them to think that they can question you on what you say things are called in Germany. Nobody’s picking on you. You said plus size was called “happy size” in Germany, and two German people said they hadn’t heard that and maybe there had been a miscommunication. Not a big deal. It’s called “using the internet to facilitate cross-cultural discussion.”

By: Pippa

Pippa — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:35:17 +0000

Okay, I have to say I feel like I’m being picked on here and I don’t appreciate it. I am trying to offer a broader perspective and information set than just the Nth American view which is not the last word in plus-size on the planet, okay? I may not live in Germany but I’ve worked for Germany catalogues (Mona Lisa and Moda Vita) myself and with German-speaking plus models so I think the information I have provided already is sound. I’m well aware of the catalog of the same name. Perhaps it is a dorky euphemism; I can’t explain it beyond what I have already said as I don’t know who started it to ask them about it.

And Dee, as this is not a topic about normalcy, all I’ll say is an unqualified yes, and ask you to desist from what appear to be thinly veiled attacks on every thing I say. Stop shooting the messenger, ay?

By: Karin

Karin — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 09:57:13 +0000

Em, thanks for the tip! I live in Frankfurt, but that store looks so incredible that it would be worth a trip to Düsseldorf. The prices are a bit high, though… :-(

By: Em

Em — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 23:16:36 +0000

Hi Karin! I don't know where you live, but I've heard just a few moments ago that this has just opened in Düsseldorf, and this is their brand new online store. It's inaffordable, but, oh my god, real, proper clothing in plus sizes! Gives you hope, doesn't it? Sorry, I had to hijack this thread for a minute, I am so excited. Here you have it back.