I don't understand.. - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

ThisTimeIsDifferent · 04-12-2008, 07:27 PM

I was out shopping with my Family today. We went to the mall, and 95% of the stores don't carry plus size clothing. Why not? It really made me feel like crap, and not to mention the people who have severe staring problems. Boy, Society really does know how to make a person feel really bad!

DMPLS · 04-12-2008, 08:08 PM

Yes I understand your feelings! I have found our mall has two nice plus size shops and I go in those for my clothes....but on rare occasions I have to step inside a small size shop to buy a present or like VS to get my purfume.....talk about STARES! that is one thing I can't wait till I can walk into any shop in the mall and buy something there besides socks or jewlery or perfume! LOL

Big HUGS on your hurt feelings from someone who knows how you feel!

fiberlover · 04-12-2008, 08:31 PM

I have never understood this. There are plenty of people who need the plus size clothes, we shouldn't all have to shop online or through the mail. Why does the Fashion Industry think overweight people only need one store (Lane Bryant)?

In the stock market, all of these retail stores are showing same stores sales at a loss. Well, gee - if they sold more plus size clothes, I bet those numbers would be up!!

SuchAPrettyFace · 04-12-2008, 08:33 PM

Yes, I can't take the staring. I rarely go to the mall, and that would be why.

Someday soon it won't bother us.

Lyn2007 · 04-12-2008, 08:56 PM

Did you know that 65% of adult Americans are overweight?
30% of adult Americans are OBESE.
Almost 5% of adult Americans are MORBIDLY OBESE.

So I don't know why the stores and the public want to keep pretending that fat people are in the minority, because we are not.

Jen · 04-12-2008, 09:12 PM

I agree that it makes no sense, if the majority of people wear plus sizes why don't the plus size stores outnumber the other stores? They are losing a lot of $$ by not providing nice clothes that plus sized people want to wear. I hate going to the mall to clothes shop so I end up going to Wal-Mart and just buy stuff off the rack. Not that some of their stuff isn't okay but it sure isn't the same as going into a department store and trying on a large variety of different clothes.

Heather · 04-13-2008, 12:26 AM

Before I started this journey I was wearing size 28/30. So, I was beyond all the PLUS size stores at the mall.

As I lost, I had a lot of smaller clothes in my closet, so I went "shopping" in my closet for a while. But after I'd lost about 75 pounds, I was at an end, and had to hit the malls.

I hadn't been to malls to shop for clothes in several years and was excited by the possibilities. Imagine my great sadness when I realized that as a 20/22, I was still in plus sizes that were only available in limited places. I almost broke down trying to find the tiny and poorly marked women's section in a major dept store. It was tucked up on another flight separate from the misses sizes.

I think it was one of the most depressing days of my weight loss journey. 75 pounds lost and still very limited in choices.

It still thrills me no end that I can walk into most stores and shop finally. Though I have to say that I am still on the high side of overweight and wearing 12s and 14s. It seems clothing has been "upsized" so that the majority of women can fit into the misses sizes... but it still makes me angry that the many many larger women have such limited options.

JasonsLea · 04-13-2008, 06:25 AM

That's why I hate the mall. Always have. Most girls my age live in the mall. I go once, maybe twice every couple of months and always under digress.

jillybean720 · 04-13-2008, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lyn2007

Did you know that 65% of adult Americans are overweight?
30% of adult Americans are OBESE.
Almost 5% of adult Americans are MORBIDLY OBESE.

So I don't know why the stores and the public want to keep pretending that fat people are in the minority, because we are not.

But being overweight doesn't mean plus sized. Lots of women are overweight but still fit into higher misses sizes.

I agree in general, though. I can buy clothes at Lane Bryant, Avenue, and Fashion Bug. That's it. Oh, and Catherine's, but I'm 25, and they certainly don't cater to my age demographic, so I very rarely find anything there.

And then there's the price. I have thinner friends who rave about finding $5 jeans on clearance, or finding lots of cute clothes at second-hand shops for cheap. The clearance racks at most plus size shops are filled with the tiniest plus size they offer (like a 14/16) and still aren't really that cheap. Even with a coupon, I really have a hard time justifying paying over $25 for jeans. I hate it! I'm 25 years old with bills and a mortgage in northern Virginia--I certainly don't have money for new clothes very often since plus sizes are so expensive. I even have a Lane Bryant outlet store near me, and their prices are still high!

I just started a new job and would LOVE a few new things to really make me feel confident in my position. But, we need a new hot water heater, need to have our deck power washed and sealed, need to have a leak fixed from our bathtub, need to replace a toilet in the basement...and, as do we all, need to pay more and more each time I stop for gas!

Buying clothing, for me, has become a luxury rather than a normally recurring event.

SkinnyDogMom · 04-13-2008, 08:20 AM

I like to shop online. Sometimes things don't fit right or don't look as good as I thought they would...probably because the plus size catalogs/online stores don't use plus size models. I have complained about this in writing to LB and Roamans and Jessica London...but no change is forthcoming. They sell more clothes because "we" think we will look good in them, just like the model.
I like Jessica London and Silohettes because they seem to have more contemporary looking clothing. I still use LB and Roamans as well.
I have found it best to stick with clothing "basics" when ordering online. These plus size catalogs/online stores do have good sale items/prices.
I don't buy a lot of clothes, I wear scrubs at work, so I don't have to worry about work clothes.
I have also found these plus size stores to have a nice selection of wide and extra wide shoes and wide calf boots. I find many of my extra wide shoes at Zappos as well.
Maybe we should have a clothes exchange as we go down sizes??? It would be difficult to arrange, unless it was by areas of the country. I am still wearing my baggie clothes and holding off buying new ones until I go down maybe 1 or 2 more sizes. So far I haven't dropped my drawers in public, but I don't have to unzip my jeans anymore and I find myself having to pull them up frequently.
Jill--you live near me, you can come "shop" in my closet. The price is right=free! We are getting ready to move the end of May and I need to go through everything. I don't know if anything in there would interest you, but you are welcome to come take a look.
Karla

ThisTimeIsDifferent · 04-13-2008, 08:26 AM

I know...I didn't even want to go but the kids needed clothes for spring/summer. I dread the mall. I never go anymore and thats exactly why. Theres two stores in our mall that sell plus size clothing, and they are so ridiculously expensive! I mean a pair of jeans is 65.00....No way! I used to always shop at Old Navy but they removed their plus size clothing line out of stores and its now exclusively online only....LOL! WHAT A JOKE!! When I'm thin, and I wear a much much smaller size I don't even want to shop at these stores that don't support our sizes. I believe that if they don't support us when were really overweight then they don't deserve our money when were thin!

ThisTimeIsDifferent · 04-13-2008, 08:32 AM

SkinnyDogMom I agree 150% about the plus size models. I never ever see a plus size manican. When i go into a plus size store it would really be nice to see what the clothes really are going to look like on me rather then what their going to look like on a size 0 manican!

JasonsLea · 04-14-2008, 02:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThisTimeIsDifferent

When I'm thin, and I wear a much much smaller size I don't even want to shop at these stores that don't support our sizes. I believe that if they don't support us when were really overweight then they don't deserve our money when were thin!

Oh my god! I said the exact same thing to my friend on the phone today!

findingfawn · 04-14-2008, 09:04 AM

I absolutely hate clothes shopping! I honestly am thankful that I'm a homebody stay at home mom and can dress like a bum 99% of the time! The thing that bothers me the most about my weight is looking for something to wear at a store. I haven't even had a winter coat in probably 4 or 5 years because I can't find one to fit me that isn't a mans!