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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think clothes shops should have more plus sizes available?

135 replies

somekindoflife · 29/04/2014 20:38

I am going shopping soon with one of my friends and she is plus sized (about a size 26.)

It's going to be difficult as she has to get most of her clothes online which means a normal activity most people enjoy is in a sense denied to her.

Most shops only go up to an 18. AIBU to think they should introduce a range of plus sizes?

OP posts:
SnakeyMcBadass · 29/04/2014 23:23

I volunteer in a charity shop and we get size 26 stuff donated. Wracking my brains now for the labels.

charlieandlola · 29/04/2014 23:24

I go shopping with my thin friends and don't expect to find my size in the shops we go into.
I buy shoes and handbags whilst they buy clothes as well.

Its all good.

Some of the clothes in Top Shop, can you really imagine being appropriate for someone who wears size 26? I see a lot in size 22 in H&M/New Look, eg sleeveless vest tops, mini skirts, v skimpy shorts, and I do think Hmm, honestly at size 22 is that really a good look? But they must sell otherwise why are they made? Each to his own I guess...

badgerknowsbest · 30/04/2014 00:48

It works both ways, buying clothes below a size 8 or 6 is hard on the high street as only a small proportion of women are that size and second imo it's not a healthy size.

I suppose we are lucky to have t'interweb now so people can find clothes in various lengths and sizes, but you can't realistically expect every high street store to cater to everyone's sizes.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:00

Making clothes to fit people is not normalising or enabling obesity though.

It's enabling people to get dressed.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:03

God the attitudes on this thread are horrible.

And I say that's a standard size.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:04

I say that AS a standard sized person, that should say

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:05

'Tell her to lose weight'

Shit..I bet she's never thought of that

Suzannewithaplan · 30/04/2014 01:10

I think it is normalising obesity in a roundabout way because it indicates that there are enough obese people to make it profitable to stock clothes in very large sizes.

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:12

So what? So people can still wear clothes if they are big?

fanjoforthemammaries7850 · 30/04/2014 01:14

I'm off to sleep, will leave you all to talk about obese people like some sort of subspecies

SpringBreaker · 30/04/2014 01:17

Presumably your friend hasn't always been a size 26. Barring medical reasons, she isn't being denied a choice. She is denying herself the choice if she doesn't lose weight. Size 26 is not a healthy size to be.

As someone who was once a size 20, and now a size 12, I can guarantee that there really is pure enjoyment in being able to get into a smaller dress size and be able to walk into any shop and try something on that fits.

I do understand how she feels, but only she can do anything about this if she wants to be able to buy in high street stores.

TillyTellTale · 30/04/2014 01:44

Does the availability of sizes beyond whatever 'normalise' being overweight? Do people go in and think, "ooh, I thought I was fat, but seeing as they stock my size, size 26 must be the new UK average"? Do they totally dismiss the sneering from friends, family and strangers, and mentally skip over all the slim women on the TV and in their newspapers and magazines?

I can see the 'normalisation' argument working with clothing styles, because what is available in the shop when you go shopping is what you buy, and before you know it, everyone is wearing leggings because everyone else does without realising that they don't, erm, suit us all. But weight-loss is far more complicated than "that top only goes up to size 18, so I'll successfully get down to size 18".

Mim78 · 30/04/2014 02:32

Also the bigger sizes cost slightly more to make so prices would go up. That's partly why some cheaper shops only go up to 14/16.

Charlieboo30 · 30/04/2014 06:17

I get annoyed with 'tall' ranges in shops which all seem to stop at a size 18. Fine for my top half which is a 16-18 but I'm a 20 on the bottom. At
5'10 it's a nightmare!

IsChippyMintonExDirectory · 30/04/2014 06:17

I wholeheartedly agree with korma.
Plus it's supply and demand, shops aren't going to lose money putting expensive clothing on their shelves they know they can't shift just to accommodate for larger people. If she can get them off the internet what's the problem?

I am not a plus size wearer, I'm a 10/12 and very tall, I feel there is SO MUCH more choice for larger ladies on the high street than tall ladies. It's hardly my fault I'm tall but I cannot buy normal tops because my midriff shows, same with trousers as my ankles are usually on display. My local New Look withdrew their tall section a couple of years ago, leaving no 'tall' departments at all in the town, so I have to buy pretty much everything except dresses online. Just one of those things.

tobysmum77 · 30/04/2014 06:32

being tall is a nightmare (I'm 5'10) Plus tbh half the time shops don't have 12s because they've sold out I find.

Also what on earth is enjoyable about buying clothes? Confused

Chopstheduck · 30/04/2014 06:42

I'm in the exact position as Spring Beaker. Maybe this could help motivate her into trying to become a little healthier?

I do adore being able to shop anywhere now for certain things and they actually fits. It's def a huge motivating factor for me not to pile it back on again. I'm also tall though at 5'11 and I have big feet, but I don't expect everywhere to cater to that, as it is unrealistic. I know where I can shop for shoes, and I have to make do.

Original poster
somekindoflife · 30/04/2014 06:57

We're both 32 and she's been big and happy, I might add, since I've known her when we were 24/25.

Yes, losing weight would be healthier but given she's pretty much always been big, judging in pictures, I doubt a shopping trip will suddenly spur her into losing weight and quite honestly all I can think is, why on earth should it? Obesity is not a crime, it might not be ideal but my point is, a recreational activity enjoyed by a lot of women is denied to her. I think that's a shame.

Of course she knows which shops have clothes that fit her, however the overwhelming majority of these are online. Personally I rarely shop online. I do sometimes buy jeans online as I have short legs but even then I try on the 'real' ones in the shop (I like Fat Face jeans) and order the short version later. In a shop, you can make a decision about fabric, try it on, discuss it with a friend - huddled over a laptop isn't really the same.

I am taken aback I must say at how unpleasant some of these posts are. Fortunately my friend wouldn't care as she is a lovely warm, generous, kind person who would do anything for anybody and if all you saw when you met her was 'she's massive, she doesn't deserve nice clothes' then you'd be denying yourselves an opportunity to get to know a really nice person.

OP posts:
Treaclepot · 30/04/2014 07:14

'Normalising obesity', errr it is pretty normal nowadays. i don't really think having more plus sizes is going to make someone either lose weight or put it on.

The obesity crisis is deeply worrying but making fat people feel even shitter about being fat is not going to solve a thing.

Sirzy · 30/04/2014 07:20

Not sure the normalising obesity argument works. Nobody is going to say "ooh I can get clothes bigger so I don't need to worry" are they? Not really!

I was size 20 and it was hard enough to find clothes then. I do think more shops are realising their is a demand but understandably they are going to stock less because their is less demand.

IsChippyMintonExDirectory · 30/04/2014 07:34

OP unless there's signs all over your town saying "size 18 and below only please" I honestly don't see how she's beings "denied an enjoyable experience". She can still go shopping she just can't buy as many clothes. Same for tall people like me, or people who are very petite, have small feet, big feet or unusual body shapes.

Thing is about your friend is that she can do something about it. She can lose weight if she wants to. Short of chopping my lower legs off I can't make myself any smaller. She DOES have options so I don't think she's in a position to moan too much about it really.

And whilst obesity is not a crime it is a concern and a public health issue so whilst it doesn't make her a bad person it's not something that, I believe, should be ignored or told it's ok. We wouldn't tell an anorexic person it's ok to be too thin so why not an obese person?

InMySpareTime · 30/04/2014 07:36

I've been both ends of high street availability, I was a size 20 before losing 5 1/2 stone and am now a size 6-8 with a healthy BMI.
I can see why shops don't stock unusual sizes at either end of the scale, I taught myself to use a sewing machine and now adjust clothes to fit.
Could your friend learn to sew? If she knows other people her size she might be able to tap into a market, making or resizing clothes to fit properly.
Just an idea.

adsy · 30/04/2014 07:48

If you are not "average" you're always going to find fewer clothes. as many have said. I'm very short and am verv restricted in my choice of clothes. Unfortunately, I can't grow taller, your friend however...

Osmiornica · 30/04/2014 08:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

bragmatic · 30/04/2014 08:20

I used to work in the fashion industry. Not stocking large sizes for many labels is deliberate because certain brands don't want "fat chicks" wearing the clothes. It was pretty hideous. I only lasted 2 years.

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