Square Peg/Round Hole: The Dilemma of the Plus Sized Model

The involvement of plus size models in fashion shows are on the rise, but at times I unsure whether to be exhilarated or enraged. Diversity is key to showcasing designs for customers, but I am completely against it being done solely for the sake of notoriety. It reeks of exploitation and commodification, and also an extremely condescending attitude towards the minority being represented.

Take for instance the Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2007 Ready to Wear Show. He casted a size 20 model and then trussed her up as some sort of Valkeryie sent to consume the souls of fashion's fallen. She looked absolutely awful and extremely out of the place when juxtaposed with the looks that proceeded as well as followed her on the runway. A real statement to me, would have been to create a look that fit with the collection and also looked stunning on her. Instead, we get smug commentary on how the plus sized just does not mesh with the scenery of traditional fashion. The whole thing overall smacks of exploitation and also relied on heavy stereotypical imagery of plus sized women in fashion.

What do I mean by this? Well, have you ever wondered why is almost every plus size shoot either naked, in lingerie, or covered with a bed sheet? I mean take the shots of Christina Hendricks who is just a tad bigger than the majority of Hollywood starlets. I swear I have seen her in her knickers more than well myself lately!

Not that there is anything wrong with shooting curves with appreciation, but the real reason these shoots are so common is the sizing issue. Simply put, sample sizes are holding back shoots do to their restrictive size ranges. Thus, a twisted cycle perpetuates itself further and discrimination becomes customary.

There are some designers like Mark Fast that are trying to be more inclusive. He just showed his latest collection at London Fashion Week, and unfortunately all he deserves for this gesture is a golf clap. This is because after viewing the collection I was left with the following question: If the intention was to include plus size models from the beginning THEN WHY ARE THE GARMENTS NOT FITTING CORRECTLY?

I was lucky enough have interned at a brand where I was present from the initial design process to when the clothing walk down the runway. So, I feel that I am qualified to say that there is no way this would have happened if Mark Fast's intention was to include plus size models from the beginning. If the original samples made for the show were intended to be worn by plus sized models then there is no way the pinching that you see here would not have been addressed during model tryouts. I mean what designer in their right mind would want months of work go down the runway imperfect?

Once again, it is clear that this designer was subverting the plus size model as a means to their own end. In this case, it was all about publicity and I just do not think it was worth it to me as plus size shopper. This is because I much prefer underrepresentation than overexposure of the wrong type of imagery. Hopefully, this will not always be an issue and one day plus as well as straight sized models will walk down the runway arm in arm without notice.

What Not To Wear: Leggings as Standalone Pants

Just because you can fit into something it does not necessarily mean that you should wear it. Discretion is key to being truly fashionable as it gives one the ability to ascertain whether or not a look works for their body type. After all, is not one of the main aims of modern fashion to create an ensemble that flatters the figure?

Why do I bring this up? Today as I was going about my day, I saw two of my chotto brethren wearing leggings as standalone pants. I know I have a whole post about how leggings are godsends, but that was was in regards to when worn as intended: foundation garments! For all of you unfamiliar with foundation garments: they are normally items meant to be worn underneath another item of clothing.

In the case of leggings, especially for larger fashionistas this means that it should be worn underneath a long sweater/shirt or a dress/skirt and not serve as a replacement for pants. Why? It more often than not emphasizes the not so sexy elements of the plus size frame when worn as standalone pants. I personally am part of the majority of people that cannot pull of this look, and that is why I always wear leggings as a foundation garment only.

If your intent is to emphasize the curves of your lower half you would be better served wearing something more akin to a pencil skirt in lieu of leggings as pants. It accentuates plus size curves in all the right places, and also provides the coverage needed to hide any negatives. I mean look at how great Stéphanie of Le Blog de Big Beauty looks to the left. It should be obvious that this is look is a win-win!

The Emperor's New Clothes: The Limitless Limitations for Plus Size

So for the first actual post I thought I would address the designer dilemma that plagues your everyday chotto coquette. Even though we live and breathe fashion our options are normally limited to fierce accessorizing due to our simply being ignored by the designer market. This is astounding when you consider the sheer amount of plus size women in this country and then the amount we as a whole spend on clothing. All in all, these designers are missing out on potentially a billion dollar market hungry for merchandise. (Forgive the pun - I couldn't help myself.)

Marc Jacob's business partner (Robert C. Duffy) recently tweeted:

"We have sizes 0-16. We sell mostly 2-6 in our stores. Thats a fact for our business. Our wholesale business is very different."

"Yes we go up to 16. Few people buy them. I wish they would. We keep making them. So we stock in our stores only to 14. No one buys them."

Well that was probably because even I an avid fashionista was under the assumption they didn't go beyond a size 12. Those are the sizes that are normally carried by department stores, and I rarely visit his stores downtown as they are always chock full of tourists from magnolia bakery. So, I guess the more you know?

The fact is that this is simply not advertised as larger sizes have always been the black sheep of the fashion game. Always relegated to the back of the store or the basement, it seems plus size shoppers are only welcomed to shop in stores where they can easily be hidden from view. This is because most designers are simply afraid to compromise their brand by associating themselves with plus size customers. Remember the fuss Karl Largerfeld kicked up when H&M supersized his designs?

I mean take Ralph Lauren and Micheal Kors's extended sizes for example. You will never find their "extended" sizes alongside straight sizes in stores like Saks, Bloomingdales, or Macys. Instead, these items area always relegated to the special plus size section of the department store. This section is more often than not beyond depressing. The salespeople are ancient, the decor is decrepit, and the clothes for the most part are hideous.

Private labels, however, have entered the market and have attempted to address the failings of buyers and visual merchandisers. In all honestly, however, the attempts are rarely up to my standards . Cheap materials, ill fitting silhouettes, and merchandise that in no way flatters a larger form abound.

So, as you can imagine it has always been a constant battle to create a wardrobe from such slim pickings. Then again that is why I created this blog in the hopes that I can help others, and maybe in return you can turn me onto some of your fantastic finds!