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Old 04-05-2004, 12:46 AM   #1  
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Question A question to ponder

Okay the talk about the plus size models and what you would like to wear got me to thinking (I know it can be a scary thought )

Do you think the ease of getting plus sized clothing has helped us to get fat? (I realize that no one but me is to blame for my weight) But I know 30 years ago there were very few places you could get clothes much less trendy, fashionable ones if you were overweight unless you sewed them yourself.

I have to wonder if I would be as large as I am if I had to wear moomoos or double-knit clothes all the time.
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Old 04-05-2004, 02:40 AM   #2  
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I think that is a good question to ponder.

Being as I am only 21 yrs old, I grew up always having access to fairly stylish plus sized clothing. But I've heard my mother say many times that when she was growing up, there really weren't many options. (And she was a big girl like me too.) So it really does make you wonder.

I know if I didn't have much to choose from I would DEFINATLY have to lose the weight, because I wouldn't want to be seen in a moo-moo or any double-knit clothing.
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Old 04-05-2004, 08:17 AM   #3  
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the ease of getting plus size clothing? where do you live? it's either way too expensive or it's walmart. For so many of us in the USA being a 14 size or greater I think the selection is extremely poor. And there's a lot of fat people in my state!!!
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Old 04-05-2004, 08:45 AM   #4  
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I have terrible access to anything fashionable; always have had poor access. The department stores in my area carry "generic" brands in the plus sizes - and usually only a few racks of stuff in any case. I travel almost 2 hours to a great mall, with lovely clothing, about twice a year. Even then, the number of things that fit well are few (I'm heavily pear-shaped). Argh.

Indeed, when I first gained weight, I learned to sew in self-defence. I design my own knits for the same reasons - its hard to find things that fit well, and look they way I want them too.

In any case, I'm fat because I don't care to exercise and I do rather like food. Its a bad combo. I'dve grown fat if only kaftans, etc were available - but I'd no doubt have sewn more. :-)
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Old 04-05-2004, 10:41 AM   #5  
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I agree that plus sized clothes are too expensive or from discount stores. You can't go to the mall and buy any plus sized clothes as at most stores. You either go to a speciality store or Sears where they are more expensive than the 'normal' sized clothes. Also I find that a lot of plus sized clothes still come in hideous colours and designs. I was thinking about this very thing yesterday because currently I have about 3 pairs of pants I wear and I need more clothes. I have 2 pairs of sweat type pants and a pair of loose cotton pants. It's been so long since I've worn a decent pair of pants I wouldn't know what they are. I honestly don't think it is the availability of plus sized clothes that has made us as a society fatter. I think it is the increased availability and ease of fast food, the self perception that we don't have time to exercise or prepare healthy meals and in general the increased non-active society we exist in. We have so many things done for us, we've just gotten less active, in thought and body and this shows as a society that is increasing obese.
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Old 04-05-2004, 12:45 PM   #6  
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I live in very rural OK over an hour south of Tulsa and 1 1/2 hours east of Oklahoma City and would have to drive to get to a mall. Wal-Mart is my only option as well and I guess ours has more of the cute, stylish clothes in it. I was in there the other day and it had probably 5-6 decent looking outfits that were reasonably priced. I agree that all the other stores are overly priced. When there was a Lane Bryant in the mall around here, I only shopped in there when they had the huge sale.

I totally agree that the ease of fast food, our on the go lives and stuff has made it easier for us to be lazy and not exercise or eat healthy.
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Old 04-05-2004, 03:32 PM   #7  
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Good ?....I have not read the other responses yet...but here is my take on it...


In my personal experience....I do not believe that this is the case. I am so thankful that we have places like Lane Bryant (o.k., I may be a bit biased....but) because when you are over weight and plused sized...there is an automatic stigma when it comes to clothes anyway...like "not showing my arms" or that "shows too much skin" or "that shows my three spare tires"...LOL But, I think You see where I am going. So...even though if I could take back my years of being unhealthy and overweight in a heart beat...I can't. But, at least at times I looked damn good. I mean really..my mother still does not get how even at my highest weight I wore g-strings!!!! ( LOL, o.k...way to much info but, I think of you as my family!)

But...and there is always a but.....from what I see daily....from some of my customers...is that people ...and am not making a general blanket statement...but there are definitely some people that HIDE behind the clothes. Sure they look great...hair foiled and low loghted, Tiffany eaaring and necklace, nails painted, make up fresh and perfect......and looking good in designer clothes....but are they REALLY, REALLY HAPPY...or even healthy for that matter. I don't care what some say....in my own opinion....you can not be genuinly happy and obese...you can't. You can sure try....because I have for years....but I was not truely happy. How could I be....I was afraid of getting yelled at by the doctor, I was afraid of braking every chair I sat down on, I was afraid what "kids" not even my own....what they were thinkng, and worse yet...what they were gonna say. That is not happiness, by any means.

So, thanks for opening up this discussion...now, I am gonna read everyone elses responses!

Side note...about Lane Bryant prices......I have to laugh...because a lot of customers "complain" that the clothes are way to expensive. Well, I agree but...ha, unoher but, but they are good clothes. The Limited company bought Lane Bryant retail stores about 5 years ago...but they did not buy the catalog magazine part of it. If you ever compare the two...there is a HUGE difference in the quality...you have to pay for quality...no matter if you are plus sized or not....am I right? I mean, yes, it does suck that there is a handful of plus sized clothing stores...so we don't have the opportunity to grab sales often...but that is just part of the deal I guess. I just thought people would find this tid bit interesting!

Last edited by Monkeybabies; 04-05-2004 at 03:40 PM.
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Old 04-05-2004, 03:42 PM   #8  
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Around here, I have noticed that most plus sized clothing is not truly for young adults. I am not a spring chicken, but even at 31, I would like to be a bit hip And most of the plus sized clothes here are for older people. Flowers, flowers and more flowers (why do they think that overweight people like flowery outfits???? lol) We do have one store that is kind of like a TJ Maxx, it is called Cato and they have a lot of stylish plus sized clothes along with a small section for junior and misses (how often do you hear that...more plus sized than smaller sizes?) They are pretty reasonable at times too. I am having a hard time though, because I am in that inbetween stage. Some 18s fit, some are horrendously too tight. And the same goes for tops,,,XL one moment and a XXL the next! lol
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Old 04-05-2004, 03:49 PM   #9  
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Yeah....I often wonder what some of these designers are thinking...or not in this case. O.k...if you are a plus sized woman, the last thing you want on your a$$ is a big neon flower green print against black and yellow background...ewwwww. And I have no idea why they don't make shirts in length too like they do in pants...wouldn't that be great????? Or if we can spot "shrink"...like under arms in tank tops, or the length in jeans...hmmmm, maybe I can invent that!
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Old 04-05-2004, 05:29 PM   #10  
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Jolee - We have a Cato right up the street and my daughter shops there a lot. She's 14 and a size 16, and they have lots of cute clothes in her size.

Who originally asked the question?...I agree with you somewhat. I guess it's because I live in the land of cornbread, biscuits and gravy, and deep-fried pickles, but I really have no problem finding plus sized clothing at reasonable prices. I am not a big clotheshorse, either, so maybe I'm not the right person to ask.
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Old 04-05-2004, 11:05 PM   #11  
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I'm a clotheshorse, and I get a lot of cute stuff @ Kmart.

Granted, I have to go to the next town over (chichi Brookfield) and buy them, but I find them here & there.

WalMart is good for basic pieces.

As for trendy, guh. The quality of clothes @ Lane Bryant used to be much higher before Limited bought them--thicker fabrics, etc. They never wore out or lost their stitching or anything like Fashion Bug's did. Now they are about the same quality. Although I did get a cute PJ top when I was in NYC.
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Old 04-06-2004, 05:04 PM   #12  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by barbygirl43
I have to wonder if I would be as large as I am if I had to wear moomoos or double-knit clothes all the time.
You're assuming that the fashion world woud ignore the 64% of the overweight American market and 30% of the obese American market. Yes, 30 years ago there were only mumus but there was only 46% of us were overweight, a mere 14% were obese. We're the majority now. I'd say the fashion world didn't encourage the trend for better plus-size clothes but the majority influenced the fashion world.

On a side note: The Limited has more sales and offers more clearance than Lane Bryant ever does. I remember when they were bought out (I worked for them for like a day). Target also makes me angry for the same reason. On MANY occasions I have found the "normal" size exercise clothes on clearance at Target and the plus-size clothes still at FULL price. Made by the exact same makers. Grrr.
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Old 04-06-2004, 06:29 PM   #13  
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deep fried pickles??? good heavens!!! i've never heard of such a thiing.. but bialys are another story!!! <sigh>

nope!!! i don't think that the availability of plus sized clothing contributes to weight gain, no matter what my skinny sister says!!!

we often discuss the need to feel good about ourselves, to take care of ourselves, to be kind to ourselves... if we couldn't find a STITCH to wear, what kind of message is that?? we're so worthless that we don't even deserve anything to wear???

and i always pleaded with whatever sales person was helping me to NEVER let me leave the store with clothes that made me look like a sofa!!!

by the way, lane bryant is no longer owned by the Limited. it's owned by CHARMING. and i have no idea what implications that'll have on their stock or prices or anything.
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Old 04-06-2004, 09:42 PM   #14  
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Dawnyal - Hey - I'm an OKIE too! I'm in the OKC area. Just noticed where you were from. . .cool!
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Old 04-06-2004, 10:58 PM   #15  
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Charming is who owns Fashion Bug. Now it all makes sense.

My biggest problem is that they (clothing manufacturers) just don't think. I get jackets & the hood doesn't even come close to fitting--um, excuse me, I don't have a plus sized head!!!!
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