Thin Privilege is alive and well people.
One of my sales associate did a video about Thin Privilege. I will post the link to her video below, but she mainly talks about how the retail industry screws over us big girls.
So I'm going to name off the retailers that offer plus-size clothing in-store:
-Torrid
-Forever 21 (Select Stores)
-H&M (Select Stores)
-AGX (low quality)
-Image (poor quality, sizing and service)
-DEB (junior, so very childish)
-Wal-Mart (Not cute)
-Lane Bryant (Older target market)
-Target (Slowly going away)
-Avenue (Older target market)
-Catos (Older target market)
-Dots (Just went out of business)
-Ashley Stewart (closing multiple locations)
-Ross
-TJ Maxx (Older woman)
-Marshalls (Older target market)
-Most department stores (Older target market)
I can't really think of anymore, but you are free to comment.
The point I'm trying to make is that we don't really have too many options if we want to have a typical shopping day. I literally have to pick and choose which shopping centers or malls I'm going to go to depending on the 3 or 4 stores they have that will have my size. Your typical "straight-sized" girl doesn't have to worry about this. Thin Privilege is walking into almost any store and finding your size, being able to touch it, try it on, return it, find an alternative if it doesn't work out, etc. For me and many others, this is just shocking. The average woman is a size 14, which is considered plus.
The retail industry will make so many excuses as to why they won't carry plus size in-store or even at all. Don't give me that it cost more money for more fabric bullshit, because it's not true. I'm a Merchandising major so we know all the little formulas to determine pricing and the quality of fabrics used. These retailers don't even use the best quality fabrics. If you can sell a shirt for $10 in straight-size, don't tell me it'll be soooo much more to sell it for plus. They also use to excuse that there is no demand for it. All of these retailers, especially the fashion-forward, trendy companies are losing out on a lot of money because they choose to ignore the demand. How the hell do you explain all of these independent, online boutiques everybody and their mama have?? How do explain all of these new plus-size fashion designers starting their own labels and brands? I admire these plus-size fashion designers, but not the average woman can afford their clothing. The retail industry has a lot of learning to do. They need to open their eyes and see the demand.
Along with seeing the demand, they need to offer clothing we actually want! I know everybody has different styles, but they don't need to offer us those boring ass options. We want to be fashion-forward and trendy too. I want to show skin and be edgy. And yes, I know everybody isn't like that. I'm still working on understanding that all plus women think differently. I get so many customer's who complain about what they don't want to show and what they don't like about themselves and it annoys the fuck out of me! Just because you don't want to show some skin, doesn't mean others shouldn't. Don't force your opinion on others, because I am quick to defend my choices. I am so PRO-PLUS, it'll drive you crazy!
So, not only do they have plus size in-store or online, but it is a little ass section. It is never merchandised the same as the rest of the store and the options are not as cute. They have the same generic options I could find at any store. If I was straight-sized, I would have loads of options, cute ideas for outfits and much more! It is always in the back of some store, like in some remote desert. Sometimes, I just hate walking into a store and asking, "Do you have plus?", because I know damn well they won't have anything. I recently went to Islip, New York to open a Torrid store, and I wanted to do a little shopping before I left. I went to a mall up there because it was the only Forever 21 in that area that carried plus. I get there and there are no other stores that carry plus. This mall had over 100 stores, yet only 1 had plus. Sadly, the Forever 21 was closed because it was being remodeled. I went into H&M, and it was HUGE! I found some stuff in the Conscious Collection that was over-sized so I thought it would fit, but I wanted to find the actual plus section. After looking around for 10 minutes, I finally asked an associate and she told me they didn't have it. I was completely disappointed and I felt like crap. Not only am I disappointed that most of the stores I walk into do not have plus, but the associates that work there and customers stare at you and act like they don't want to help since you are not their target customer.
I'm thankful that Torrid saw this and started to revamp their product assortment and image. I've never had quality jeans before I started working there. We have the most amazing jeans I have ever had! I still have them from 3 years ago! For everything else we have, I feel it is very trendy. I prefer more edgy, but Torrid is for the woman who wants to be trendy, cute and comfortable. We don't carry crop tops or a variety of fitted dresses, but we do carry a lot of different styles.
So this is my question for retailers: Is it so expensive to provide plus women with trendy, fashion-forward, edgy, comfortable clothing and quality service? Is it really going to bankrupt you to make some of the same items using a little bit more fabric? If you have a fucking store location, is it so hard to feature plus in your store? If you do put it in a store, can you make it look like the rest of the store, not some abandoned section?
Here is the link to Ashleigh's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo9IEUa4VTc
