AIBU to think that clothes shopping in person as a plus sized woman is now impossible?

[FatFuckerFrances]

I was in Oxford Street today. Usually I can go into M & S and find clothes in a size 22 to try on. Today, there was one pair of black trousers in a size 24. Everything else was a size 20 or smaller. Mostly smaller. Even ranges like Seasalt, which goes up to size 28, only go up to a 16 or 18 in store. Same for John Lewis. Nothing above size 18.

A few weeks ago, I was in M & S, bought two dresses, a top and pair of jeans, and tried on a load more stuff. Asked a member of staff, who said “you’ll just have to click and collect.” Same in John Lewis, which until a few weeks ago stocked a small amount of one plus sized range, Live Unlimited. They now only do this online.

So now, if I want to buy clothes, I have to go through the faff of click and collect, try them on in the fitting room and then queue up to get a refund on what doesn’t fit. The option of browsing, and trying on clothes like a normal person is no longer available to me. The only shop I can go to is Beige, which is out of my price range. How is this fair? I still need clothes! And there seemed to be plenty of sizes 6 and 8 in stock, so it’s not as if they are only stocking sizes 10-16.

My local Primark has a good selection of adaptive clothing, I wonder if they are only sold in certain stores.

I'll take online shopping over going in to town and having to deal with the awful people who think fat people don't deserve normal lives.

Hi OP,

This reminds me of the early 2000s when it was impossible to find anything over size 20 anywhere apart from H&M in a very select, tiny area of the shop. Other than that, I used to go to Yours and BonMarche.

I'm sorry that it's hard for you to find clothing. I remember that frustration and having to pay double the price for clothing that others had to pay for the same thing.

Maybe it's your area or a temporary stock issue in those shops? I was out shopping yesterday and found many items of clothing in 22/24 at Meadowhall.

Ignore the arrogant comments. People are so "brave" online.

Not me. I hate shopping online!

I can assure you as a 5ft 10 person, the clothing in most stores is too short for me and I have to shop online, even online is a struggle as tall ranges can be limited or really old fashioned.

I agree. This thread has really upset me this morning. I mean genuinely upset. Why do people have to be so cruel? It’s the opposite of motivating tbh.

I reckon the posters who have gone out of their way to make a nasty comment on a thread that has absolutely nothing to do with them, have some genuine issues themselves.

This is very true, shopping in person is shit now, even kids clothes have whole sizes missing. Stock is poor.

Also online has all the offers.

It’s a business, it clearly hasn’t/doesn't pay them to stock large sizes. It may be that the demographic mostly doesn’t chose to shop in store as they would rather try on at home? You may find with all and sundry taking WLI that plus size clothes sticking actually shrinks even more.

If anyone on this thread is going on holiday across the Channel this summer, then C&A is worth a visit. It’s not exactly inspiring clothing but it’s better than it was, and tends to stock the plus size range in-store.

Why would you want to hide it?

Thank you all for your comments (well most of you…). I’ve just returned six pairs of jeans to JL that I bought on click and collect. Several pairs were too big, the rest were too small, with one pair fitting beautifully but being about six inches too long (and I’m a 33” inside leg). I’ve also returned two coats (sleeves too short) - these are things that I would like to try on in store. My most recent shopping trip, I went with a friend who was a size 14/16, and she found lots to try on. I will have a look on Vinted - thank you to the person who suggested it.

Try browsing charity shops - usually have plenty of larger sizes and despite Vinted etc. you can still find some amazing bargains with high end labels as well as the usual high street and catalogue brands. Normally very friendly environments with shoppers of all ages, shapes and sizes.

You don't say your age but there's no shortage of younger people in charity shops now buying things to wear on TikTok😆

Let's be honest, MN has always been a forum full of bitter individuals. They're becoming increasingly more toxic - for obvious reasons - but the core demographic is the same as it always was. Who takes any notice of a bunch of internet randoms who have no impact on anyone else's life whatsoever.

Agreed it’s a total pain and the shop assistants just say we can order it online and I just think well thanks I can do that from my sofa. Although having to deal with EVRI is almost as miserable. I recently lost weight and I’m wearing jeans and tops from 20 years ago and the jeans fit beautifully. Can I find any jeans that fit well now? Nope snd I’ve tried every Size 20 jean on. Mostly I just wear leggings and tunics because I can’t find any clothes to wear

Most shops I look in seem to only have sizes 6-10 on the peg, 12s are rare and anything above are even rarer.

I must be the only person on this thread who never has problems finding clothes to it. 5’10, size 8, size 7 feet, always in stock and (almost) always long enough these days. Places like Bershka do really long trousers that are almost too long for me. Sometimes sturuggle with top lengths being too short but trousers have improved a lot since the 90s and are much longer. I hate shopping online - if I want something, I want it then, I do not want to wait a few days for it to turn up.
sorry, not hugely helpful, but just to counter everyone’s posts that no-one can ever find anything that fits. I have literally never had a problem!

I've been your size and it was shit going shopping. It was a massive waste of time, disheartening and embarrassing to constantly see they wouldn't have my size (even though they sold my size) and pretending to my friends that I'd rather just get it online. What was available tended to be cold shoulder tops, gawdy print tshirts, baggy flappy trousers and smocks.

I'm now a 12ish and shopping is shit. It's how the high street has gone. So many retailers have removed all presence from physical stores now and the ones left only keep quick moving stock, which means very little outside of the most common/popular styles and sizes.

I don't know how it is so well for plus size these days but I found Next, Matalan and New Look to be generally OK. Supermarkets also are better for stocking wider ranges of sizes. Conversely, I was in M&S near Bournemouth recently and everything seemed to be size 20!

Please be assured that it's a miserable experience for most people, but I absolutely agree that it's worse when you're big x

Unnecessary

I have this issue too, so annoying! I
think Primark is the only shop which seems to stock smaller sizes.

I was a size 16 about 30 years ago. That was the maximum size in most stores then. I'd say choice has massively increased and this is likely to get worse for you with increases in use of WLI as the numbers of people buying larger sizes will reduce. (No judgement just reality.)

Is click and collect or ordering online that much of a hassle if returns are free?

Also just wanted to reiterate someone else's suggestion on the Next account. I found it quite helpful if I found something I liked in store because I could order it from my phone there and then with the stock code and wouldn't then pay for it until I received it, tried it on and decided to keep it. If I returned it my account would be credited before my statement was generated. I'd order to store because I drive past one most days but you can get an annual delivery pass. Returns are easy too, you can just scan at the console thing and don't have to deal with anyone. M&S have the same system for returns but don't offer an account. I guess an option would be to use a credit card in the same way if you're conscious of having money debited from your account and waiting for refunds etc.

Nothing is straightforward these days!

It has always been like that with high street shops, although the numbers on the labels have changed due to changes in sizing.

In the 80s it was 10s, 12s and 14s - might find a couple of 8s (which were absolutely minute in those days). Not a 16 in sight in places like TopShop. The only high street shop that sold fashionable clothes in larger sizes back then was Evans

Exactly the same here. It’s all sizes, not just plus sizes. And sizes have changed! I’m the same size physically I was 30 years ago. And yet now I need to buy sizes 4 and 6 in Next, for example, rather than 8 and 10. An M&S 10 would drown me!!!

I spent 2 years looking for jeans that fitted me properly in the waist, hip and leg. They don't exist.

I now buy them from Motel as they fit perfectly across the waist and hip, and have the length altered. I struggle with trousers generally though. Regular length are half mast and long trail the floor. I'd love it if we bought trousers the same way men do!

Direct message the seller about any you're interested in and ask them to measure them for you.