In my dream world I decide I want to go shopping. I get up, get dressed, head to the mall, a boutique, or any place that tickles my fancy. I walk in and there are ample amounts of clothes, in assortment of colors, patterns, and styles. All seasonally appropriate, a mix of trends and well made sustainable classics. Most of all, everything is in my size. Then I wake up. Yesterday I was painfully reminded that shopping while plus size sucks.

Shopping While Plus Size Sucks

I recently snagged a few items from Target’s latest designer collab. I had to order them because of course none of the plus sizes were available in store. None of the pieces worked for me, and when I went to return them I was told the window had closed. I checked Target’s return policy because I haven’t even had these items 2 weeks. Apparently the return window is tiny for collab items. So instead of getting a refund, I got 90 bucks in store credit. I’m not one of those the customer is always right people. I worked in customer service for years, I know how bad it can suck. But this pissed me off real bad.

Plus Size Clothing Options are Terrible

Off the top of my head I can think of about 8 stores I shop at regularly not counting department stores. That’s it. More plus size brands exist, but these are the one’s I actually like. When I think of things that would send straight size people into a coma, this is at the top of the list. I am painfully aware when a plus size retailer shutters. Teenage me mourned the loss of Fashion Bug. They got a lot of flack, but I got outfits for every special occasion there. Easter, graduation, even morbidly, funerals. They were one of the few places you could go in store, shop, and leave with new clothes.

Shopping Online or Not Shopping At All

If you’re plus size, you probably do most of your shopping online. Or you go naked. I like to shop. I like clothes. I get alot of packages. But it’s also rare that I can shop in store. If you shop while plus size, you’ve probably noticed that in-store options are almost nonsexist. If there is a plus size department, it’s usually in a dark dimly lit corner, that could double as a set for a snuff film. Harsh? Yes. True? Absolutely. Most mass merchandise plus size clothing looks like it could have been made yesterday, 2003, or 1993

I’ve talked about shopping while plus size before, and things are only getting worse. Old Navy brought it’s plus sizes back in store, only to turn around and remove them. Ann taylor discontinued it’s plus sizes, and Eloquii was recently accquired. For there to be so much “body positivity” brands sure do seem to be leaving plus size shoppers behind.

Fatphobia in Fashion is Rampant

Most designers have shitty excuses of why they don’t make plus size clothing. It’s too expensive, it takes too much time. BLAH BLAH BLAH. The gag is most brands would rather go under or knock on bankruptcy’s door before expanding their size range. This may seem harsh, but it’s true. It’s not about the money. Most plus size shoppers are more than willing to spend money on clothes. This brands don’t want to see fat people in their clothes. I wish it was just us regular folks struggling. Even among the rich and famous, there is struggle. Christian Siriano seems to be the only designer willing to dress anyone bigger than a size 4.

Something has to Give

I’m so over this shit. Truly truly over it. I’m over having to trudge to the post office or UPS to return clothes because the store doesn’t exist and I have to mail my return. I’m tired of only being offered ugly shapeless flowery frocks. I’m tired of panicking when I get a last minute invite to something formal, and worrying I won’t have anything to wear. I want to go into a store, find something in my size, try it on, and leave happy.

I’m a stylish woman. That’s not a brag, it’s a fact. Trust and believe I put 3x the effort in of a skinny person to look good. Fat shaming people isn’t going to make them thinner. If it did, we would all be thin. I deserve to find cute well made clothes. I deserve to feel good in said clothes. I deserve to shop as a plus size woman, and not have it suck.

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