You know what really pisses me off? The fact that many in the fashion industry still think that the perfect woman is a size two and 18 years old. I look at fashion magazines, the internet, go into stores, see all these tiny sizes, and laugh about it, because a lot of the editors of those fashion magazines and the-high fashion designers are most definitely not a size two or 18 years old.
Who in the hell are they designing for? I know that the industry is now catering to women of all sizes, much more so than a decade ago. There are some plus-size categories in higher-end designers’ collections now, and certain designers, like Eileen Fisher, make looser-fitting clothing, instead of the tight-fitting shit that show every lump, bump and everything in between. I do realize that 18 year-olds don’t have as many lumps and bumps, but so what?
The majority of women in this country are over 50 years old. The average size of a woman over 50 in this country is a size 12. And, guess what? The demographic who’s making most of the fashion purchases are women over 50! Fashion designers and editors, wake up!!
When you’re short like me, it’s even more difficult. Not only are clothes designed for a size two 18-year-old, they’re designed for a 5-foot, 11-inch, size 2, 18-year-old! Yeah, there are some designers that cater to petites, but most think all petites like clothes that are cute, but not very sophisticated. They also think short girls have no boobs.
I am lucky that over the years, I have found a few designers that recognize that all women are not a size two, don’t have small boobs and can look sophisticated at 5 feet tall. And after all these years wishing I was a size two, I have developed a great sense of style for my body type (it’s kind of like one of those naked cherubs you see in religious art). And, a good tailor.
Several years ago, I interviewed a very sophisticated young woman. She was nowhere near a size two, more like a 14. She wore a beautiful, well-tailored jacket and pants, gorgeous shoes and handbag, and just the right amount of accessories and makeup. She looked like a million bucks. She also carried herself well. That day, I let go of the concept of being a size two and began shopping for things that really fit me, no matter what the size was. It was truly freeing.
But it still pisses me off that the size 2 design philosophy still lingers. If you’re reading this, ladies and gentlemen of the clothing design business, if you made more clothes in a size 10, or 12 or even (gasp) 14, I believe your sell-through would be much better. Just sayin…
