I saw a Facebook post from my friend Charlotte of The Great Fitness Experiment as she mentioned that Lane Bryant has gone from calling it a “plus size” store to a “her size” store. (Note: I haven't seen confirmation from Lane Bryant about this, it's just floating around online.) Charlotte wrote a blog post that featured model Robyn Lawley, who has been everywhere lately for speaking out about body image issues, thigh gaps, and crossing the plus/straight line in modeling which has been traditionally super defined. Check out Charlotte's post here for a little context.
Robyn is considered a plus size model. The words “plus size” always seem to get people up in arms, and it kind of drives me nuts. Some comments I see regularly around size:
- “She's not plus size! She's a real woman!”
- “I'm a size 14 and am NOT a plus size.”
- “There need to be more models that look like real women.”
- “Plus size models aren't true plus sizes.”
kate moss / robyn lawley / beth ditto
Skinny, “normal,” plus size – none of those are better than the other. People who get offended at a size 12 model who is labeled “plus size” because they are a size 12 and how dare they be labeled plus size? You're just fueling the fire that “plus size” is a negative term. It's a descriptor, plain and simple. It is a way for people to distinguish that there is something different than the other 99% of fashion and models that we see every day. Just as all models are “real women,” regardless if they're a size 0 or size 24. We have to stop assigning value to the sizes so we can stop the BS of people thinking one is superior.
“Plus size” was a distinction given because it’s a way to label clothes beyond a size 12/14- those sizes that for eternity have been disregarded by 99% of the fashion industry. Whether you call it “plus size,” “her size,” “curvy size,” or something else – it's a way for people to figure out if store X carries a certain size. It's not an insult.
All women are real women.
Your worth is not determined by your clothing size.
“Plus size” is not an insult.
Would I like to see more variety in model sizes and an increase in the amount of options for fashion beyond a size 12? Of course! In the meantime, I just wish we could all sing kumbaya and stop assigning value to our pants size.
What are your opinions on this?
A small favor: I'm up for the Curvy Blogger Award with navabi. The top 10 vote-getters will have their blogs judged by a panel, and the winner will get a trip to London Fashion Week. I'd love your vote! No sign up needed, just select Authentically Emmie (entry 30), enter the Captcha, and submit! Many thanks. xo
