Comments on: Open thread

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:06:22 +0000

Yes, I know I’m 2 months late getting on this thread, but I had a meeting today with a man from the Small Business Administration and I had to share.

This man’s response to my plan to start a business designing and marketing fashionable, comfortable clothing to bigger women was to immediately explain that it was a bad idea because all the department stores were ending their plus-size lines because they just don’t sell.

I did point out that sales would be better if 1) They let women know they were selling plus-sizes to begin with 2) The sales staff didn’t treat them like shit and place the plus-size department all the way in the back of the store and 3) The clothing weren’t so damn ugly and uncomfortable.

This discussion didn’t deter me, it only makes me want to get this business off the ground more than ever.

By: JustMe

JustMe — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:20:19 +0000

I just bought some tankinis w/shorts from Land’s End. Sigh. Here’s hoping…

By: jamie

jamie — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:21:05 +0000

This is exactly why I’m going to learn to sew. If they can’t seem to make anything I would like to wear I’ll just have to work around them. I would still like to call these people up and ask them just who they are actually designing these things for. I’m down here in Florida , there’s no way on earth I’m wearing plastic!

By: Mulberry

Mulberry — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 22:38:27 +0000

Old habits die hard with some of us. Time was, when you found some clothing that looked good on you, you’d keep it and wear it for years till it just about disintegrated in your hands. Actual fashion trends were not something you had the luxury of even caring about, because none of it was ever made with you in mind.
About advertising – it always seemed as if they made a special effort to encourage me not to spend my money.

“Don’t buy our magazine – we never show anyone in it who looks remotely like you.”
“Don’t watch our tv show – anyone in it who looks like you is going to be insulted and shamed.”
“Don’t smoke – the happy smokers in our ads are all slender and popular.” (I actually appreciate that one!)
“We’re going to make our clothes and shoes as ugly and scarce as possible, so you won’t even be tempted to buy more than you absolutely have to.”

I’m not going to buy a mirror if I can’t see my reflection in it.

By: volcanista

volcanista — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:21:36 +0000

It’s that the line is small and they probably don’t get to take advantage of volume discounts.

Right, and it’s not like the store could make the line bigger, and actually advertise it so people knew about it, and put it in stores so people could try it on, or anything. I mean, that couldn’t possibly help sales to justify the bigger line of cothes! (That they don’t do this, of course, ensures they never get to a sale rack, because they weren’t in stores to begin with.)

I really think people who buy trendy clothes on clearance are the people who seriously don’t care if they’re out of fashion by a year (or more), and that’s independent of size. If that didn’t sell clearance racks wouldn’t even happen. Fat people should have access to that option just the same as thin people, and i’m sure it would sell just as well!

I really want to see Up, you guys!

By: Celeste

Celeste — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:58:15 +0000

Plus size clothing in a nicer brand is a lot more expensive than most women of regular sizes have to pay for their clothing. It’s not that it’s soooo much more fabric. It’s that the line is small and they probably don’t get to take advantage of volume discounts. They just pass the cost on to the consumer, and when the consumer can NOT afford to pay $200 for their skirt (common with Ellen Tracy, for example), they simply say, “Oh these are bargain hunters”. Most middle class women cannot afford to pay $200 for one garment, much less one garment for one season.

I believe many might think that plus size women would scarf up the items on the clearance rack, then, to use the next year. This presumes that those women would want to accumulate seasonal items that won’t be useful for another year, and which won’t match the same styles everyone else will be wearing at that time. This strategy only works for very simple, classic pieces, and many lines are quite the opposite of that; they have lots of trendy touches which are great…but not at investment prices.

I also think that most plus size women don’t really shop with the idea that they will be the same size next year, anyway. Some have the hope that they will Magically. Be. Smaller. , and others know that they might just be larger (because it’s happened before). Either way, spending gigantor money on plus size clothes makes no sense to many plus size women (IF they can even afford to do it in the first place).

By: sf

sf — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:54:19 +0000

Sorry, to be clear, I mean *my* personal issues aside! Thanks again.

By: sf

sf — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:53:16 +0000

Thanks, guys! I had been planning to pick up the book anyway, but now I’ll be sure to do it ASAP. :-) And the “Fantasy of Being Thin” post is quite beautiful! I’ll be checking back in here regularly. Personal issues aside, even — there is some smart writing here!!

By: Susan

Susan — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 03:16:02 +0000

The comments have gone way off topic, but I did want to add to the discussion about the demise of the plus size stores. It is apparent to me (and I have talked to lot’s of friends and family shopping with me and they agree) that the manufacturers of plus size clothes seem to choose really bad and ugly prints. I will walk through stores and see dozens of things made with cool prints and get to the plus size department and see every item has been made with whatever was rejected by every other desiger on the planet. UGLY fabrics.

And if it is made with something nice, they bejewel it to death. Yes – I want to be large and SPARKLY!!

It is as if they hate us.

Or at least do not believe we have taste and might like a classic, sophisticated look.

By: Anastasia

Anastasia — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:55:13 +0000

oh, and @annief way upthread, I have done the same thing for years–buying shoes 1/2 size up to get the width, which doesn’t actually work but what are my other options? At the moment, the sandals I’m wearing are a too big for me men’s size. It is incredibly irritating to go shoe shopping and not be able to get more than your toes into anything even when it supposed to be your size.