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Original poster

Brandy Melville- only sells one tiny size. Why is this allowed to happen?

199 replies

S0rrel · 18/02/2021 16:03

So since the first lockdown my dd is one of many teenagers contributing to the huge spike in Anorexia. It’s is deadly and incredibly difficult to beat once it has taken hold.

She needs new clothes and mentioned Brandy Melville. Went on to tell me they only sell one tiny size and her friends tell her she is small enough,barely able to hide her glee.Angry Talk about putting dreadful pressure on already susceptible girls. How are we as parents supposed to battle crap like that. I did the women come in all shapes, how deplorable spiel. Went on complete deaf ears.

Why are they allowed to do this? What messages are we sending out to young girls.Sad

OP posts:
emilyfrost · 18/02/2021 16:08

They’re allowed to do it because anyone can make and sell anything they want. Morals don’t come into business.

Legality is another matter, but selling smaller size clothes isn’t illegal. Being a small size doesn’t mean you’re unhealthy; it depends entirely on your own personal circumstances.

TartanGoose · 18/02/2021 16:09

Well, I've never heard of them but I was intrigued so I've had a look at jeans and you are right. 'S' only.

They are 28 inch waist though which I wouldn't describe as tiny. I would say that's a UK 10. It's a really weird concept though.

Bramshott · 18/02/2021 16:12

I'm not sure it's that tiny, it's just designed to fit teenage girls but not their mums! DD1 (18) shops a lot from there and most things fit although some things have been too large/oversized and had to go back. DD2 (14 next month) is too small for brandy melville clothes much to her chagrin. Teenage girls are built differently from older people of the same size/weight - smaller hips etc.

Very sorry to hear about your DD's anorexia though - that must be really hard.

Notcoolmum · 18/02/2021 16:12

Wow. Have just had a look. 18" chest size 😱

ilikebooksandplants · 18/02/2021 16:13

They also have a vaguely sat-in-a-charity-shop-bin-bag look to them so I don't know why they're so popular.

But I guess anyone can sell anything they like.

Original poster
S0rrel · 18/02/2021 16:14

They should be developing bigger hips and boobs. Trying to stay small enough to fit into a single size of clothes is pressure these girls don’t need.

OP posts:
Lockheart · 18/02/2021 16:14

I'm sorry? You want a shop which only deals in small sizes to stop?

Do we apply that same logic to places like SimplyBe?

I was a very skinny teen but never anorexic (I've filled out quite a bit since!) and frankly I wish there had been places which specialised in smaller sizes then. I remember my mum taking me around every shop in Leicester and still coming home in tears because nothing would fit me.

I'm very sorry that your daughter is suffering from anorexia, but the existence of small clothing sizes is not the problem.

Original poster
S0rrel · 18/02/2021 16:17

It sends dreadful messages out re women- we should all be one tiny size.

Many other brands have petite sizes to go with their range of sizes. That I can live with.

OP posts:
DishedUp · 18/02/2021 16:18

Its not only dealing in small sizes. Its dealing in one small size. I just looked at a top and its a bust of 14 inches?! That's about the circumference of my calf. One size being sold by a shop that paints itself not as a specialist shop for slim people but a cool shop for teenage girls.

luxxlisbon · 18/02/2021 16:22

You can "live with" shops offering petite sizes? You realise petite refers to height not weight?

I just don't think this would be anything called out if it was a one-size plus size shop.

They sell one size which isn't overly tiny, they obviously reduce their customer base due to that but they must think it is worth it business-wise overall to only have to purchase stock in one size.

Every single shop doesn't have to cater to every single person or taste, otherwise what is the point of individual shops?

Loopyloututu · 18/02/2021 16:24

I agree, dd and I went to one in London and I was a bit horrified to see the ridiculous sizes of the skirts/trousers. The T-shirts and jumpers are generally fine as they’re stretchy but nothing else would fit her and she’s a size 8-10. I marched around huffing loudly at how disgusting it was Grin luckily dd seemed to agree with me (I’m lucky in that she seems to have very good self-esteem). But it will be very damaging to people like your dd. Even the girls who worked there were normal sized girls and were just wearing the stretchy stuff. They must be seriously limiting their sales but I guess it’s a lucrative move to just buy lots of very cheaply made clothes in one size and sell them at a huge markup.
It’s popular atm but I’m not sure it will last the distance as this generation will grow out of it and it won’t be the trendy thing anymore - all the clothes look the same.

Lockheart · 18/02/2021 16:25

@S0rrel

It sends dreadful messages out re women- we should all be one tiny size.

Many other brands have petite sizes to go with their range of sizes. That I can live with.

It no more sends out this message than the existence of SimplyBe saying we should all be a size 12 or over (which it does not and which would be ridiculous).
SplendidSuns1000 · 18/02/2021 16:25

I understand it's an issue but a lot of 'teeny tiny' people struggle to find clothes that fit properly in other shops. I wear small sizes and often the smallest size I can find is an 8 which is too big for me. There are so many brands that make only 'plus size' clothing which is excellent, but it should also be excellent that that are shops that make small sizes too. It's not our fault that small sizes are still looked at as enviable in society. I don't choose to be this small but anytime I've mentioned shopping at BM I get called 'a part of the problem'.

Yes there should be more inclusivity and less pressure on everyone to be a certain size but taking away brands that cater to small size wearing people isn't what will help the issue.

Lockheart · 18/02/2021 16:26

@DishedUp

Its not only dealing in small sizes. Its dealing in one small size. I just looked at a top and its a bust of 14 inches?! That's about the circumference of my calf. One size being sold by a shop that paints itself not as a specialist shop for slim people but a cool shop for teenage girls.
Could you link? Because I've just looked and the ones I saw had busts of 32-34".

14" is impossible unless you're a very young child.

DishedUp · 18/02/2021 16:26

I can't think of a single shop that sells only one size of large clothing

Brandy melvilles advertising is cool and desirable to young teenage girls I would hardly call a 14 inch bust not overly tiny.

Yoshinori · 18/02/2021 16:27

I honestly don’t see anything wrong with a store choosing to focus on a particular size. In fact it’s better than shops who don’t and yet don’t cater to bigger and smaller sizes. Brandy is very clearly for smaller women/girls.

Original poster
S0rrel · 18/02/2021 16:27

Over sized shops if they exist will have a range of sizes, not one.

It’s just appalling.

Anorexia is deadly. A shop you need to be small enough to shop in and fit their exclusive size is an incredibly dangerous concept and will make the job for parents like us caught up in the huge spike of eating disorders that much harder.

The messages it sends out re women and their bodies is just awful too.

OP posts:
Freshprincess · 18/02/2021 16:28

How do they make any money just stocking one size? I’ve never heard of the brand.

I hope you’re DD is getting good help. I have a family member who has had a lifelong ED and it has robbed her of any semblance of a ‘normal life’.

Mummadeze · 18/02/2021 16:29

I agree, this seems wrong and definitely not inclusive.

Loopyloututu · 18/02/2021 16:29

I'm sorry? You want a shop which only deals in small sizes to stop?

You don’t get it Lockheart. Brandy Melville clothes are seen as massively aspirational for teenage girls, plugged by the Instagrammers/models etc. They do not market themselves as a “petite brand” they are supposed to be a trendy label appealing to all girls. The problem is the only girls who can actually fit into everything are a petite size 6-8. The reason they do it is because it’s cheaper for them to buy and sell clothes this way.
If they were marketing themselves as a label for petite women, fine - but that isn’t what they’re doing.
As I said, my dd knows she can only fit into the tops/hoodies (and that’s as a slender size 8-10). Don’t you think that’s a little bizarre for a shop aimed at teenage girls and could have a potentially damaging effect on impressionable teens?

DishedUp · 18/02/2021 16:29

This one has a 17inch bust uk.brandymelville.com/catalog/category/view/s/hoodies/id/1527/#

Original poster
S0rrel · 18/02/2021 16:30

From googling around it seems it’s the bottoms that are particularly tiny.

OP posts:
Juliancoped · 18/02/2021 16:32

I tried something on in there that fitted and I'm a 14! Though I didn't realise it was for teenagers until I noticed that the only people my age in there were their mothers Grin

cliftonbear · 18/02/2021 16:33

honestly you’re so right! when i was a younger teen i bought a few of their clothes JUST to validate to myself that I was small enough :/ their clothes aren’t even nice or good quality. theres almost a cult on tiktok of girls showing off their bland wardrobes of solely brandy clothes. it’s a bad brand for sure and I’d love to see it go out of business