Did you see any of the controversial coverage of plus-sized model Nancy Upton? She was offended by American Apparel’s search for a plus-sized model so she entered their contest on her own. And guess what? She won.
She won the online poll for their new plus-sized model but American Apparel chose someone else as the winner because she was “mocking” them. She explains why she was offended with their campaign strategy:
“How offensive the campaign was. How it spoke to plus-sized women like they were starry-eyed 16 year olds from Kansas whose dream, obviously, was to hop a bus to L.A. to make it big in fashion. How apparently there were no words in existence to accurately describe the way American Apparel felt about a sexy, large woman, and so phrases like “booty-ful” and “XLent” would need to be invented for us—not only to fill this void in American vocabulary, but also make the company seem like a relatable, sassy friend to fat chicks.”
Let me say, I’ve never shopped at American Apparel, at any size I’ve been, and I have no idea what their usual marketing strategy is. I think as a general rule any company that is trying to provide people of all sizes the opportunity to buy what they want, that’s a good thing–even if their press release is obnoxious.
She was trying to make a statement about the plight of plus-sized people. Her photo entry wasn’t accepted by everyone, though. She states in the interview that a fellow plus-sized model who had entered was upset with her:
“…She shamed me for hurting the world of plus-sized modeling and turning something she took very seriously into a big joke.”
I started looking around to see what kind of issues come with stores providing plus-sized clothes–like is this really that big of any issue? Is there controversy? I found a website with an article about the topic. It’s the opinion of the writer who used to work in retail, so take it with a grain of salt, but here it is:
‘ “Larger women as a whole are viewed in society as not acceptable and not needing cute clothes. If you start marketing to a larger size group then in some ways, you will be known as “catering to those that are larger and can’t fit the smaller sizes like they should.” ‘ (source)
I guess I don’t understand why having a selection of sizes over 12 in your store will mean you’re suddenly “catering” to larger people. Does it mean the store has to carry less clothing in smaller sizes? No. Does it mean the store will lose money? Um, no, I think they would entice potential customers to come INTO their store and spend money if they offered what people want.
When I was wearing a size 24W in jeans I shopped at Walmart. The only reason: they offered my size. It wasn’t my preferred place to go clothes shopping but jeans were jeans. I also shopped at Target until I no longer fit in their biggest size (XXXL I think?). None of the clothes I bought were what I’d call cute. In fact, I just wore a lot of “big” clothes. Big shirts, long skirts that covered me, jeans and a big t-shirt on the weekends.
I was able to find a few really cute dresses at places like Ross and Marshall’s. Their selections were slim for plus-sized but at least what they had was kind of cute.
I never really shopped at Lane Bryant, Catherine’s, Avenue Plus, etc. Their plus-sized clothes were stylish and cute but they were expensive. Once in awhile I bought clothes at Torrid, but again it was an expensive place to shop. When you’re a young 20-something with a limited income you can’t be spending hundreds of dollars on clothes.
Thinking back, would I have liked to see more plus-sized options at stores I liked to shop at? Hell ya! The clothing options were never that great when I was shopping. I took what I could get. I wore a lot of black. I wore very plain clothing because it fit and I thought it was slimming.
I don’t buy the argument that stores can’t afford to provide plus-sized clothes because it was cost more for them to make due to the extra fabric. If a store was buying the clothes from a sweatshop in India for 50 cents and charging over $60 for it in America, you’re still making a profit. So why not provide clothing to a group of people that will spend that $60 to buy it?
As for Nancy Upton…I’m still not sure how I feel about her statement. I want to get behind a plus-sized person who is trying to be a voice for the other plus-sized people out there….
QUESTION: Where do you stand on this issue?
Sacha
I personally liked what she did. Fat people are often made a mockery of, and I think it’s funny she made a mockery of their contest while looking (mostly) classy. Unless you want to spend A LOT of money on clothes, big people have to shop at stores like Wal-Mart and second-hand stores. Places like Target claim to offer Plus Size clothing, but in recent years, their sizes have started running smaller and smaller. Where a size 22 was a 22, now it’s more like an 18. Their Plus section, at least in my area, is extremely small now as well. If you blink you might miss it. The big girl clothes are mixed in with the maternity section and the regular sizes over-flowed their own area, crossed the aisle and have taken over the plus area. There are maybe 3 or 4 racks of plus sizes. Sad.
Lisa Eirene
That’s the experience I had. Not much selection, weird sizing. I shopped at Walmart but hated the styles available in my size.
Becky
I’m torn on the issue. I think it’s great that more plus sized models are being featured (although I DO have a problem with the fact that plus size actually = normal sized human and not an overweight person). However, I know that a lot of companies are jumping on the band wagon for good press. I think that clothing stores should have a broad range of clothing options because it’s hard enough being overweight without having clothes that at least you can kinda feel cute in.
Lisa Eirene
I have mixed feelings as well and I do not consider a size 12 or 14 as “plus sized” like some stores do!! That’s average in my book.
Samantha
I have seen this and still working on how I feel about it. I think it’s great that there is someone bringing it up in popular media that there aren’t enough cute clothes for us plus sized girls to wear. I felt that way for so long and have only started to see changes. When I was growing up I remember crying with my mom in Cotton Ginny plus because all the jeans had elastic waists and big fake pockets on the bum and they looked horrible on my teenage frame. It was so horrible that they thought all plus size girls either are 80 years old or don’t mind staying at home all day hiding because we “won’t look good anyway” That’s just not true. Yes it’s true I had and have self esteem issues but at the same time I like how I fill out my dresses and want to have fun for goodness sakes. So maybe yes I do agree with Nancy! You go girl!
XO
Sam
Lori
I echo what Becky says above about what goes for a plus sized model. That is even worse for someone who wears a size 20+ to think how much bigger they are than an “large size” model.
Retail is a really, really tough business to be in. Honestly, it does cost more to make plus-sized clothes. When fabric is bought by the yard, they can sell 2 dresses for smaller sizes at $100 each ($200), or they can sell 1 plus size dress at $120 if they charge more. So, the store basically loses $80 as an example. In retail – it is all about price per square foot and how much product you can sell per square foot of retail space.
When I was a teenager, there were no plus sizes for children. I had horrendous clothes.
Lisa Eirene
I get that everything comes down to money and I see your point. I just think most companies make enough that they want to bring in new clientele instead of alienating a group of people. I guess not…
Elizabeth@GenuineEfforts
While I may not agree with Upton’s tactics and I think it is pretty pouty of American Apparel to reject her, I think she has an excellent point (XLent point?) about the words American Apparel was using to market to heavier women, like myself.
I don’t want to think of myself as booty-ful. I want to be beautiful.
I’m not X-Lent. I’m excellent.
I’m also sexy, flirty, cute, funny, and a whole lot of other words. Point being is that the words used to describe thin people can and should be applied to heavier people as well. I don’t need special words that mark me as a beatiful fat person; I’m just a beautiful person. By using special words the company is implicitly arguing that I’m not beautiful because I’m not thin, I am pretty- for a fat girl. Not just pretty.
I think that’s where Upton makes a very good point.
Elaina
“By using special words the company is implicitly arguing that I’m not beautiful because I’m not thin, I am pretty- for a fat girl. Not just pretty.”
Well said.
Lisa Eirene
I agree with you. There shouldn’t be qualifiers. “She’s pretty but…” etc.
Elaina
While I find Nancy’s pictures kind of gross, I appreciate her willingness to make a statement about the marginalization of plus-sized women in America. As far as plus-size clothing goes, initially I was excited about American Apparel’s expansion for the sole reason that I would have another stylish, reasonably priced option available. Last spring I blogged about how difficult it was for me to find a pair of cute shorts for the summer in a plus-size. (http://quarterlifeconfused.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/plus-size-clothes-are-ugly/) I really don’t understand why designers/stores can’t take their standard size designs and make them larger. It’s completely baffling.
Lisa Eirene
I saw the photos before I read the article and was turned off by the photos. They made me feel really bad about myself for some reason…
But I get the message she was trying to make. I’ll check out your post. I’m interested in reading it.
TigressSky
In regards to Upton’s “statement”, well, I get it but I do not think it is exclusive to plus sized modeling. Coming up with cool catch phrases that are specific to any marketing arena is annoying and obnoxious regardless. In fact, I would have to counter that regular sized models suffer far greater than plus sized models in that arena.
As for the clothes, well, I’m torn on this topic. Regardless of what size you are any specialty store in the mall is too damned expensive to shop at! Hell, sometimes Target is too expensive to shop at.
What I hated the most about shopping when I was plus sized was not what stores carried my size clothes but what kind of clothes were available for plus sized women period the end. I mean come on! I do not need to have big gawdy patterns swirling about the god awfully horribly cut trashbag design based dress you made in my size! Can’t I just have a solid color in a simple cut? And why on earth are all of the solid colors you do offer in neon or pastel? And by gods, why are every single pair of pants pleated? How come all the jeans have elastic waistbands and styles only grandmothers wear? Seriously, I would go to the maternity section and shop instead of the plus sized section. I mean apparently it is okay to look good if you are fat and pregnant but not if you are just fat!
What I appreciate the most about being in a 8-12 size range now is the ability to wear clothes that are “normal” and by normal I do not mean normal based on my body size either…
~TigressSky~
Lisa Eirene
Agree!! That was one of the reasons I hated plus sized stores. I don’t want to wear tent dresses with geometric shapes and that’s what was available. Like the wacky colors and shapes distract people from my fat?
Lisa Eirene
And yes–one of the best things about losing the weight for me was being able to go shopping for new and CUTE clothes. It was a positive experience instead of something that made me burst into tears.
Jennifer
Sizing is a huge issue for me too! I can wear a 14 or 16 in Lane Bryant, but not in NY&Co. I can wear Old Navy XXL and sometimes XL, but at Target, the same sizes are sometimes still too tight. Another thing—bridal wear! Whenever I shop for a bridesmaid dress, which has happened frequently lately, their dresses are always way too small and I have to buy a size or two larger! I wish there was more oversight in sizing to make it easier on the consumer.
As for the plus-sized modeling thing…it’s hard because I’m happy that American Apparel wants to offer clothes to plus-size women, but I get annoyed at the tone a lot of store use. Many stores, like Old Navy, only sell plus-sizes online. Forever 21’s plus-size line is great, but it’s not in all stores. And many stores don’t understand a woman’s body, making, as you said “tent dresses.” We need support and shape, not huge billowy blouses and dresses! Even Lane Bryant, who I consider the authority on plus-size clothes, is guilty. Their jeans are always baggy in the thighs/butt if they fit in the waist/hip and they charge way, way too much for their clothes.
Lisa Eirene
Don’t get me started on bridal wear! I had such a negative experience as a bridesmaid being fitted as a plus-sized girl. It sucked! I went in there after losing 30 pounds, was finally down to a size 18 jeans and was told to buy a size 24W dress. 🙁
Diane Fit to the Finish
It is so hard. I resorted to making my own ugly clothes. At least there are choices now. Now finding cute ones – that’s a bit more challenging. I hadn’t heard about this plus-size model contest. Very interesting!
Lisa Eirene
Good for you making your own clothes–even if they were ugly! I tried to make my own and failed miserably.
Jane Cartelli
Bridal shops make a larger profit on the alterations. Could it be they are going to keep the sizes off the norm so that more people will need alteration$.
I would like it if the models used for ads were all wearing the average size – 12. NO zero size models, no sz 2 and no size 22. That doesn’t vilify either end of the spectrum.
Of course that would put many too-thin models out of business but at least then they could eat.
Jane~
Lisa Eirene
GOOD POINT!!! I didn’t think of that. Of COURSE the bridal shop told me to order the wrong size because then I had to have it altered. Jerks.
Ashley
This is a hard one. It makes me think of Crystal Renn, and I’m really not her biggest fan because seriously, what plus size person is lucky enough to carry their extra weight like that? One in a million, and it’s her.
Lisa Eirene
I haven’t heard of Crystal Renn. I will check her out.