…especially if you don’t wear normal department-store sizes and your friend does? Simple.
Because even though my size 14/16/18 friend can find so many more clothes of her size to try on, she still has to deal with:
- Inconsistent sizing. (That’s why she’s a size 14/16/18 friend ; )
- Clothes that aren’t cut for her body.
- Clothes that fit her top but not her bottom.
- Clothes that fit her bottom but not her top.
- Clothes that fit, but don’t come in a color that looks good on her.
- Clothes that fit and look good, but go with nothing else that she owns.
- Clothes that fit and look good and go with her wardrobe, but are dry clean only or leather clean only.
- Clothes that fit and look good but cost more than her annual clothing budget.
- Clothes that fit and look good and are priced great, but are for a totally different person’s life.
- Clothes that just aren’t flattering for her at all.
In other words: It’s useful to be reminded that it’s not just being fat that makes finding ready-to-wear hard. It’s that often, ready-to-wear just isn’t.
Living ~400lbs 
Heh. This is very much why I learned to sew! Well, more than that — why I learned to draft patterns. There are some RTW issues that are fixed by knowing how to sew from a commercial pattern such as color, fabric and harmony with one’s wardrobe.
Issues of fit are not so easily solved with RTW. I had to redraft a SHELL so that it fit properly and was flattering on me when I did a wardrobing project not too long ago.
I draft patterns too; it’s the best thing ever. Skirts are the easiest place to start.
No doubt! My husband is quite small (but oddly proportioned, compared to most men), and the only reason he has any jeans that fit is he has two aunts and a mom who always keep an eye out for things that would fit him.
Indeed. And all of these points hold true in “straight” sizes, too. I would love stores that carried a wider range of sizes so that I could go shopping with my plus-size friends; we all complain about the same things. Yes, I’m privileged in that there are about 239857293875023985209 size 8s on the rack; however, maybe 1 or 2 of them (if any) will actually fit well, be comfortable, and look good on me.
This is why I invested in some Etsy clothes. It’s nice to work with people who can take into account that your top is 1-2 sizes bigger than your bottom and are willing to accommodate you. I’m thinking it would be worth it to invest in 1 piece per year that is a classic. Oh and Lindsay, I hear you about your husband — mine has to look in the boys husky dept. to find clothes (and make sure they’re free of Superman of Sponge Bob patches)!
I’m a size 2 and I can’t find clothes that fit well in department stores like Target or JC Penney. I certainly wouldn’t try to suggest that it is as difficult for me as it is size for a plus sized women, but I just want to make it clear that its hard across the board!
I am able to find clothes that fit me in Banana Republic, Benneton, Ann Taylor and comparable stores – but they often don’t fit my budget! You win some and you lose some!
As I get older and start to feel kind of silly wearing clothes from H&M or Forever 21, I’m realizing that I will either have to make more money or gain more weight to shop thriftily!
Thanks for this post!