Do we need plus size ranges?

[AmberNectarine]

Never really thought about this before but it occurred to me today, why the segregation of plus size ranges?

Do they really need wanky names like Curve and Violeta? Can they not just be an extension of the existing offering.

I understand it may not be financially viable to apply this extension to all lines, but do they need to be so separate and 'other'? I'm not and never have been 'plus size', whatever that means, but it would really fuck me off, I reckon.

I see what you mean but its never bothered me to be honest.

I guess because a lot of clothing companies do not have a plus size range. Makes advertising easier if they give plus size a name. Also could be appealing to bigger Womens vanity iyswim?

Given that most companies don't do 'plus' sizes it makes it easier to find those that do if they identify their ranges e.g. if you do a google search.

I couldn't care less if they have a 'separate' name, as long as they exist and I have some clothes to put on my fat body.

Us fatties have a lot worse crap to cope with (e.g shitty attitudes from others etc) than the names of clothes ranges.

That makes sense re. ensuring it is a differentiator. Not convinced re. vanity - I doubt it makes anyone feel special, any more than buying from Tall or Petite ranges.

And why is it only one end of the market? Some brands only carry a few styles in 4 or 6, but there is no separate range to highlight this. It feels a bit patronising.

I agree Amber, it really pisses me of to go past all the nice fashionable clothes to the frumpy fat section, I think there could be selling point for a company saying we sell our clothes in all sizes!

There are some shops that have 'petite' ranges. Can't remember which ones off hand but have definitely seen them

I'm waiting for the day Topshop announces they are bringing out a plus size range... If River Island can (at the moment it's size 18-24) bring one out, so can they!!

New Look's PS range is called Inspire... And it has some really nice stuff in the range that isn't available in the smaller sizes.

Glove that would be Topshop, River Island, New Look etc (yet New Look refuses to stock their tall range)

I suppose it depends if they are just larger sizes of the same clothes, or different styles that might suit a larger body type.

If they are different styles then it makes sense to have a different name so people know they are only available in a certain range of sizes.

Petite = short though, not skinny. So Petite is the natural counterpart to Tall, which I would expect.

I think the plus size ranges generally cut their clothes a little differently to suit a larger body. Extending a clothing size block up to plus size for an item essentially designed for a size 10 body doesn't always work. That's something that used to annoy me greatly when I was big, as the plus size ranges in those days tended to swamp me and were horrible polyester monstrosities and all I wanted was to be able to get hold of the same high street item one or two sizes larger. I'm so glad that there is so much more available now to cater for curvy women.

Slightly off on a tangent. But I used to love the shops that had a tall range, as I struggled to find stuff long enough, especially jeans (33" leg). But now I'm finding clothes are suddenly long, I'm wearing Sainsburys regular jeans, they are a tiny bit too long...this is a fab thing, but I'm a but bemused by it.

I find plus size ranges really bleurgh...and a bit Mandy Dingle, like shitty fabrics, gaudy prints and tacky embellishments. I used to work in Evans (only about 3 years ago) and there was nothing subtle, clean lined or elegant, they even managed to fuck up designing simple black dresses by using ghastly shiny fabric.

River island do plus size wear?! I only learnt about mango this week too (also on mumsnet). At the risk of hijacking your thread are there lots of other places I don't know about?

In answer to your question I much prefer it when my size is just one of those available. I'm a 20 now having lost quite a lot of weight and find the clothes that are specifically plus size are often cut less well. But I've always been fairly hourglass shaped regardless of size. Given that fat is very much a pejorative term to be plus size always feels some how 'less than'. But then I guess j have my own ishoos

Different styles. No midriffs?

I find I quite often like the plus styles as they are a bit longer, and more tailored but they don't make in my size (Aus 14). The clothes in my size are stretchy, too short and designed for skinny people. I'm in between!

[grin} @ Mandy Dingle. I remember walking around Evans in my bigger days crying to my Mum that I didn't want to wear a 'jazzy' polyester smock just because I was fat.

Am now a size 12, but am enormously tall and I wish they didn't have one shitty rail of 'Tall' clothes gathering dust at the back of the shop (usually featuring some poor quality bootcut black trousers and a couple of 'cold shoulder' swing vests...great, thanks...my wardrobe is complete ).

Although they dont feel the need to give the Tall ranges patronising names, do they?

I like the segregation personally. It means that I can go to one area and know I will find things in my size, rather than wandering round the store looking at all the stuff I can't have.

Plus size ranges do need a better variety though. More choice. New Look are trying but aside from the basics, their stuff is woeful looking.

Yours is good, but even then, hit and miss.

I'm a 16 so I fall into the larger end of the regular lines and the smaller end of the plus sizes, so generally have my pick of both.

I think plus size ranges have their place as body dimensions can be different when your carrying weight, it's not just a case of sizing up, so cuts need to be changed. However many plus size ranges are awful. So so much over embellished man made fabric in the cheaper shops, or awful, boxy mother of the bride type outfits in the pricey ones (Jaques Vert I'm looking at you).

Considering the fact that as a nation we are getting bigger there's a huge gap in the market for reasonably priced, wearable plus sized clothes.

Plus size ranges are where they send their least talented designers. The ones who can't cope with sleeves or any type of shaping.
I much prefer places like Saintsbury's where they have just extended the upper limit of their regular range.

I'm not entirely sure who Evans are supposed to fit -I find everything is tent like on the bust and waist but skinny arms and legs

New look is good but definitely vanity sized

When I was bigger I found the plus sized ranges generally where much better fits/cuts than Normal styles just in bigger sizes.

I was going to post but then Ms Worthington said absolutely everything I was going to say - we're even the same size!

I found when I was a size 16 I couldn't find anything in normal lines was too small and everything in plus sized ranges was too large. I think they need "medium" sized lines. :P

Evans pear-shape trousers are the one, brilliant exception to the rest of the crapola stuff. The joy of wearing trousers that don't gape at the waistband.

But they are too short!