A Minor Consideration for a Not-So-Minor Hiney

It seems all those marketing folks really want to hear from me, you know my feedback. The problem is those multiple choice answers they provide on their surveys do not even begin to capture where I'm coming from. You know the ones that say, in regards to clothing, a)item was too large b)item was too small c)unsatisfied with overall quality d)was not what I was expecting. Really? Is that all you want to know about what I thought? Because if you really want to know what I think...listen up.

I'm a plus-sized girl. I have been off and on throughout my life. And although I'm not 21 anymore, I still like to be found wearing something from this decade. While I adore my fleece and my do-everything-but-yoga-in-them pants, I know the difference between going out in public looking frumpy and dressing to flatter my body. I've watched my share of TLC's What Not To Wear and I grew up with a mother who was a wise woman and knew a few things about where to place emphasis and where not to wear horizontal stripes. I'm not looking to recapture my youthful single days and don the latest fad. In fact, I'm truly grateful that I don't have to wear low-riding jeans or too short and too tight so-not-flattering-to-the-abdominal-area tops (my biggest issue when I was in that stage was whether to wear navy or heathered navy wool socks with my stirrups and hiking boots). But here's the thing: I would like to find a happy and somewhat hip medium. I want to peruse past the contemporary fashions at Target and head to the significantly less selections available of plus-size clothing to find items that do not include appliqued birdhouses. Ladies, I believe some of you know where I am coming from with this.

There may be times when I need a sweatshirt with a dickie and endearing little flowers around the seams, but there are times (most of the time) that I need some basics in classic colors that I can wear to work, wear to run errands or wear out-to-dinner. It would be easier if retailers were not deceiving and displayed misses sizes in contemporary fashions while waiting in the back corner were the larger sizes in Grandma Millie's favorite shade of mauve. If I knew that Kohl's only offered three decade outdated apparel, then it would be easy to just avoid that store in general. Instead, I walk in and see a nice blouse and think, "Well that's cute, let's see what they have in my size." That's when I walk to that department under the blaring sign that reads "WOMENS" only to become disheartened with my choice of ribbed knit cardigans in purple and peach. It's like the buyer for these stores became exhausted by the time they got done with their mass purchases of charcoal-is-the-new-black in Misses and started their plus-size purchasing at market. Perhaps the buyer's mom was there and offered to take over for her fatigued daughter. "It's ok hun, I'll finish up with your buying for Macys, you just go sit down over there and rest." So mom takes over and picks out tops and bottoms with cute critters, feminine detailing and comfort in mind. "There you go daughter, we're done with this year's Fall fashions. Shall we go get a bite to eat?"

I'm not saying that I am the go-to girl for plus-size fashion, but I think I know when I see a white denim jumper embroidered with a wreath on the bodice, I'm not looking at something that was purchased by a buyer in NYC that is under age 50. Don't get me wrong, there was a time in '94-'95 that Northern Reflections was huge and I did wear my share of Compound classics. I'm just saying, let's have some consideration here. Let me look and feel somewhat like my counterpart that is 35 lbs lighter.

It should also be noted that just because you CAN make an article of clothing larger, that you SHOULD make it larger. (See Exhibit 1) Sometimes a fashion in size 2-12 should be just that. Just by making it roomier, you're not doing me any favors.

Also, dear retailers, know that plus-size women do in fact join in the same life events/activities that their fellow sisters that are thinner do...that is, we also work-out, sleep and become pregnant. So just because you have that one circular rack in the back corner of tops and elastic waistband pants, it does not mean that you have in anyway met our needs. You will also need circular racks of clothing in the activewear section as well as the pajama and maternity departments. I don't think it's really too much to ask, is it?

Your cooperation is appreciated and so, so long overdue.

Exhibit 1.