To think high street clothing retailers should stock larger sized in store?

[PandoraMole]

Just back from a lovely Christmas shopping break in a nearby UK city, but ended up cross, frustrated and disappointed with several clothes stores who cater for larger women online where they are happy to take our money, but won't stock bigger sizes in their high street stores.

Dorothy Perkins had something of an excuse as their branch is quite small, not so New Look whose enormous store doesn't stock anything - really disappointing as their online range is great.

H&M had a small range, tucked out of the way round the furthest corner at the back of their stores with next to signposting. Just a shame it comprised little more than oversized shirts and shapeless jumpers in Sixty Shades of Sludge.

It's not an unknown that lots of us come in a size beyond 16 for many reasons and we all feel differently about our bodies.

While some people prefer to shop online, I imagine that lots of women, like me, would like to buy clothes in pretty designs and colours that flatter our curves and we'd like to be able to go out shopping for them on the high street with our 'normal' sized friends, daughters, mums, sisters etc and be able to enjoy choosing clothes and trying them on in Real Life.

Not only are many retailers not giving us that choice, those that do tuck 'our' range out of the way with little signage which is a pain in the arse and not much fun for the less forthcoming types who would feel uncomfortable asking where to look for them (I'm a mouthy so and so and I didn't particularly enjoy it tbh).

Why should we have to be hidden away in discreet corners and on the internet? It has an undercurrent of body shaming to me and surely in 2016 this should be a complete non-issue?

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We need an edit button!

Op. The fact that most stores charge the same irrelevant of size is maybe not something you should have rebutted to be fair, because most do. Yes there may be outlying exceptions, but the norm is one price.

I have recently started shopping with Joe Browns....their size 8's are the same price as their size 18's as far as I can tell. Santa is getting me stuff from there this year. 🎅

Agree with the people who say it's supply and demand.
It's the same for those of us on the other end of the spectrum too. I come from a family of hobbits and have the figure of an 8 year old boy and am 5'2" . It's only the more expensive high street stores that stock sizes to fit me well (stores that do carry size 6's are always too lobby in the arm/leg!!) and even the ones that do carry a petite range, only tend to have it in their larger stores. In the cheaper stores that are more my price range (i.e. Primark!), I often have to buy from the larger children's sizes....which gets tedious after a while sifting through Bunny print tshirts and cutesy slogan jumpers to find something that isn't obviously for a child
But I understand that my size is not "the norm", so is difficult to find.
Stores are going to use the space they have to sell their popular sizes in order to make more money!

The whole shopping world and high street experience is changing rapidly. The internet has changed shopping more than you'd believe. It's not just the recession/high rates which is killing high streets. It's people's habits

The problem you're finding is not just to confined to large women. Shops just aren't stocking as much as they did.

Everyone saying it's about what sells and profit is right, I think. I'm on the other end and v often struggle to find a 6. Most 8svare

My husband is tall, I shop online for him and the tall range and larger sizes as well ARE priced slightly higher. Easily done.
I'm not convinced it's supply and demand, I believe it's made in other countries where the average woman is a size 4, and a 14 seems huge to them.

if you are prepared to shop in Asda you should be able to find clothing, however you need to check often as the stocks sells out quickly.

I notice that I have to be vigilant in order to find what I want (leggings, trousers and strappy tops) in size 10 and 12 but there are always lots of larger sizes left on the rails in those items and also in tops, usually things I would have bought if they were in a smaller size.

TK Maxx also have a good selection of larger clothes.

I don't agree it's supply and demand. A 16 is an average size in the UK, so there must be just as many women wearing a size 22 as there are wearing a size 12.

I think there is a huge amount of snobbery and body shaming in fashion, as per pp many designer stores don't want to see their clothes on fat people, as their business model relies on desirability of seeing only thin people wearing their clothes. Vanity sizing also bears out the fact that some clothing retailers will mess with your self image quite happily if it gets them a sale.

I only go to larger size retailers (Yours Clothing is good) and although I am aware they use vanity sizing too I can almost always find stuff to fit which looks nice. I won't be using any of the stores who fat shame or don't carry larger sizes when I lose weight, as they made me feel marginalised because of my size.

They won't be having my money no matter what my size with an attitude like that.

I have really wide feet and can hardly buy shoes anywhere. It's because not many people want to buy shoes as wide as they are long. It's annoying but I don't expect shops to have loads of stock that won't sell just so I don't have to but online

I kind of agree with coffeethrowtrampbitch (or maybe I just wanted to say coffeethrowtrampbitch). I get sick of the attitude that it's okay to not stock larger sizes because otherwise you 'normalise' being overweight. It's just a form of 'socially acceptable' bullying. YANBU, in my opinion.

My local George stocks up to size 22/24 and has very little under a 14.

I had assunmed it was because they knew what sold from that branch.

I used to shop there a lot. But now I've lost weight I go over to a Tu (not far away, but not my local), as they have plenty of 6/8/10 in store.

Though does anyone in retail know how 'missed' sales are taken into account, if at all?

I hate it when I look at a dress which in a size 10 nips in at the waist and has a lovely shape, yet in a 20 the shape has gone and it looks totally different. Just because I'm a size 20 it doesn't mean my waist has disappeared.

I have a horrible time finding clothes because I'm average sized. Even if they stock loads of 10 to 16's they are usually gone by the time I get to the store and only the really tiny or really big are left. I would think many women obviously fall in that category.

On the bright side thanks to my massive hips and tiny boobs I can do an 8 top and 18 trousers (and just look like a baggy grunger or homeless person)

During my recent pregnancy I noticed that hardly any shops stock maternity clothes either. It's all about what sells. (The NL near me stocks the bigger sizes so must be lots of big ladies here!)

I used to be a size 6, but at the time my mum and sis were probably size 16-20ish.

I'm now a 22, sis is bigger, mum is about 20-22. Both are much taller than I am, which adds in another complication.

As my sized has changed but theirs hasn't over the years, it used to be that I could easily pick up loads of nice bits and bobs when I was a 6 or 8. 10-14, usually there was stuff in stock. Got a bit more difficult as a 16, as I got to an 18 I found myself shopping more in M&S and Sainsburys with an odd foray to John Lewis if I wanted something special. Now even the local JL, with the exception of a few fancy dresses, actively doesn't have any larger sizes and very few of the 'older' brands that my dm has always worn that have catered for larger sizes.

I have noticed however that in my local sainsburys (where I pick up basics like tshirts and jeans because the fit and fabric is better than M&S at twice the price) that if you are there when stock comes in there are a few of the larger sizes and many more of the middle sizes. The larger ones sell out much more quickly and are much more difficult to get hold of - if you look at their sale rails the ones for the smaller and middle sizes are much fuller than the ones for the larger ones that have very few things left on them. And the things they do have that are left tend to be the things that haven't translated well into the larger sizes like tight leggings or floaty shirts that make you look extra massive. But the basics like jeans and simple tshirts - the 20 and 22 is always gone first. When you ask the sales assistants they always say that they could sell more but they don't get them in. And to some extent - if the clothes aren't there then I don't buy them and will have to look elsewhere. however for the middle sizes they are happy to overstock more than they are for the larger sizes (as evidenced by the sales rails).

But I would have bought more if there had been the stock. And yet the tills will make it look like they sold 2 in size 20 and 10 in size 10 - which reinforces the 'fact' that they have made the right number, ignoring the fact that they could have easily have sold 15 in a size 20 (at least for good basics rather than fashion maybes) because once you get to a larger size if you find somewhere that does decent stuff that fits you then you tend to become quite loyal and go back lots because it makes life easier, especially somewhere like Sainsburys where you are there on a regular basis anyway... Whereas those who are able to pick up jeans that fit in lots of stores are going to be a lot less loyal because they have so much more choice and thus incentive to shop around for different things.

Agree with Coffeethrowtrampbitch. I don't think it is all about supply and demand.

Also LOL at the person who said there aren't many people over size 16

It's more than just units sold although that is part of it, as a previous poster said, if I go into sainsburys or asda, or any other shop in the sale I find it's the large sizes that are left and the more "average "sizes that have sold out.

Basically if you have to restock some items five times a day and other items once a day then from a business perspective you allocate your floor space to the items that turn over the fastest.

Honestly these big shops don't give a shit, they will stock what sells fastest, and if they are left with excess stock,,they will reduce the next time and stock more of what sold out.

I once asked a shop assistant in Zara to explain their sizing to me. She sneered at me and said "We don't make clothes big enough for you". I'm a 14, 5'8". Not super slim, but not huge.

I have the double whammy at the other end, size 6 petite - even when somewhere stocks a 6 (or if they are stingy on their clothing so the 8 would be fine), getting anything in my leg length is impossible without ordering online. I often try on standard clothes to get the width size then order the petite version online.

I often see signs saying things are available in varying leg lengths, but the petite /short lengths have sold out straight away in the smaller sizes.

I also wear a 2.5 shoe so struggle to get fitting shoes as well. Online shopping has been a gift to "non-standard" people like me, perhaps you do need to realise that you are in the "non-standard" category too.

The stores are no more suggesting you are too fat for fashion as they are suggesting I'm too short (although granted, I do look bloody ridiculous in a lot of fashions given my proportions- you need height for so many trends the last couple of years, midi lengths are evil on those of us who's bottom is located close to the ground).

DD has the opposite problem. She is just under 5ft 10" has 36" inside leg and a size 4. Everything in the smaller size is made for people who are under 5ft5".

When I asked why they don't make smaller sizes I was told it was shops didn't want to promote anorexia. By the same token then why would a shop stock larger size.

I feel slightly less UR/bonkers now thanks to last few posts .

The latest figures I can find online state that around 40% or just over 10million UK women wear a size 16 or above, so it seems unlikely that its a 'demand' issue, and as confuugled says, the 'supply' issue isn't that clear cut.

I can't help but think it must be utterly soul destroying for people who gain weight due to health issues to suddenly find them self in the position of feeling shamed for their size for no fault of their own (not that anyone should have to feel like that) and in that respect it could be considered discriminatory.

Of course you can argue that the majority of overweight people are not wearing bigger sizes due to health issues, but there would still be the market there.

Bike I loathe Zara...skinny cuts, weird shapes and drab colours...but I have discovered, due to a couple of people giving me their gift cards, that therir handbags are rather nice!

Watching and Bluntness I only mentioned Joe Browns because I know the do charge more. Up to size 18, yes the same price, but the range they do for Simply Be is considerably more expensive. I can appreciate the need for a small increase re fabric cost but some items are nearly double the price.

All that "shame" and embarrassment is in your head.

At 6ft, I can only shop online for most things. That's life.

I don't feel anger or shame or embarrasment, just mildly wishful.

It makes no sense to get angry at shops for focussing on what sells.

Why are things in varying sizes the same price? I've never understood it, and here's a huge difference between say a size 10 and 18 yet I've only seen them the same price.....same for shoes a size 3 and size 7....same price or the same with bras?? Yet children's clothes .....graduated prices dependant on size!?
Why is this done for kids stuff but not adults? Surely it should be one price across the board adult or kids clothing/shoes ?

I think the most ridiculous thing is the women over 30 who try and shop at H&m or ZAra or top shop. Those brands are meant for teenagers. Why are you still buying there after you've had the natural spread that occurs with kids?