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.

I hear you about asking for measurements! The times I have unwrapped 7/8 cropped length are too frequent to mention! And sellers can’t seem to be bothered to put leg length measurements on which is nuts because they seem happy to do so for shirts.

And measurements are so important when you are a larger person. For example I bought a shirt for myself a couple of years ago that has sat in the back of the wardrobe bc it was too big and looked like a tent. This spring however, since I have put more weight on thanks to an accident, it looks hugely better! Meaning it’s not always the size but the fit that counts!

It was me who asked! Thx very much for this tip! Sorry they turned out not to be right for you but much appreciate the info!

It's awful out there unless your 5ft7 and a size 10-12. I find it so annoying! OP fatface often stock plus size in their shops.

Im size 10, but 6ft tall and pregnant, you'd think tall people couldn't be pregnant. I hate online shopping, I want to meet up with friends, have some lunch and wander round the shops, I cant be the only one! Even the big shops that dedicate entire floors to baby and child's clothing dont stock maternity - how do they think the babies get here??!

They did look absolutely fantastic on!

They really don’t usually have larger sizes in charity shops. Occasionally a handful of size 20 or maybe 22, but almost nothing any larger than that. I’ve lost some weight recently and can now usually fit a size 18, so I’m really enjoying the charity shops again.

I agree, I could never find big sizes when I was a size 26, but now at 12-14, it's no bother. There was a mad battle for a few velvet size 24 jackets I was selling, one went for over £20! I look on Vinted and I can pick one up for under £5.

Re sale clothes, tho, I now find it's only big sizes on the rail. I don't remember this when I was big. Is I because wli are now all the rage?

I'm a size 10 and I can't find anything my size (I need to get the tall size) in M&S either. I mostly buy online these days. Even if they have my size in stock, most of the stores have a much wider range online.

It wouldn’t surprise me if there has been enough of a shift because of wli to knock the fashion industry off kilter. Too many larger sizes and not enough smaller ones. But I suspect they will even out pretty quickly.

Maybe it's geographical, those near me have plenty in 20/22!

The local charity shop where we used to live was up its own arse and didn’t stock plus size clothes. I took some in once, and the woman volunteering told me to take them to the Age Concern shop, as anything plus sized that was donated went straight in the bin for rags!

Only ten percent of people eligible for wli are on them. Yes 10 percent is a shift, but it’s not a big one, 90 percent are not on them. I think sometimes as it’s talked about so much it seems more prevalent than it is, cost is a big prohibitor for people.

I have this. I’m a petite 6 and have given up buying stuff in actual shops. I’ve just bought the smallest petite size online I could find in a next dress I really liked and I’ll still need to get it altered if I want to keep it (!)

As an adjacent point, as so many people are pushed to shop online or prefer it, I really wish sites would improve the customer experience.

An absolute pet peeve of mine is a set of photos showing a top for example, and in every single one the top is obscured by the modelling pose or tucked in in every single photo so you can't see the length. They don't state the model's height so you can't picture the length. Thanks for showing me Absolutely Nothing Helpful!

I saw one site show the same item on a variety of models of different shapes and heights, noting the different models' heights and the size they were wearing. What a great idea! Why do shops instead usually make it so hard.

I've got a friend size 6 and she has the same problem. They're there to make money and will stock the popular sizes.

Honestly, 10% would easily be enough to cause a problem in clothing supply chains.

Well it’s not ten percent all at once, and it’s a slow move down and every one shops in different shops, I’m not sure it’s that significant honestly. Not yet. It will be, but not sure we are there yet.

Agreed. They’re posted about a lot on here and in the celebrity world but in real life I only know of 1 person who has lost weight, and I still see mostly size 16/18 women everywhere, and larger men. Most can’t afford them. And I know a lot of people

Also there might be a little shift but it’ll balance out with the people who put the weight back on

When you can't find clothes in a size that will cover your body (not thinking here about style / whether you like them or not / whether they fit properly) in in person shops, travelling becomes trickier. Imagine being away from home for leisure or work and knowing you can't replace any of your clothing in an emergency because nowhere stocks suitable sizes? It's pretty rubbish.

Not being able to find clothes in suitable sizes in in person shops has always been a thing at a certain size point. It's bad that the available sizes are narrowing further but it was already a problem for some of us who wear bigger sizes.

Lots of ranges are online only now. I remember when my premature daughter was born that I couldn’t find premie clothes in the highstreet. I had to order to the house (not easy when out all the time). They seem to do this for “niche” clothing too.

I much prefer buying online. Get it all delivered to home, try on with stuff I already have too and in better lighting!

Try love your clothes, they go up to a 34 and always have plenty of the larger sizes in their stores' I never have a problem getting clothes to fit in their stores.

Have a look in TK Maxx. I was in there last week and they had a broad range of sizes.

I had a gastric sleeve last year and have lost 13 stone since. I started as a size 28, and now buy a 14 (and can get into some big 12 tops). I absolutely agree you're right. Buying bigger sizes is purely an online option now.

a friend who works in retail said it's the popularity of WLI causing the demand for plus size to drop. I had more luck on Vinted too.

Try being a 5' 0" size 8. The "short" trousers are all too long. Petites are too long. The length from waist to crotch is usually too long......and to add insult to injury, I have to pay the same as a size 20 only to cut inches off the trousers/ skirts....grrrrr!

My nearest M&S store is about 4 miles away and I was advised that they only go up to an 18. My next store is 30 miles away. Even online I cannot get the size I want.