Retail Rant

Just thought I would get your all's take on something that really irked me over the weekend!  I am mainly talking about retail WOMENS' stores because that is what I am most familiar with but I am sure it happens with men to some degree as well! So I went out shopping Friday afternoon specifically looking for a certain type of dress.  I had been to department store after department store, and several other non-department stores -- retail chains....  I got SO irritated I swear I sat in my car and cried I was so frustrated and just drove home. What are the recent statistics?  Something like 60% or more of women are overweight, wearing an average of like a 12-14?  I think 30% are considered obese.  So WHY do you go into most stores and find that the "plus size" or "womens" department is a tiny miniscule section of the store?  It's like you can find anything and everything in anything below a 14 because those sections take up 80-90% of the womens clothing section.  The plus-size section is tiny, shoved in a corner somewhere, usually next to maternity.  They have a SMALL fraction of the choices the regular sizes have. One store I went into didn't even show the "womens" department on the store map.  I had to walk around to FIND it within the other clothes.  It was shoved into a small little section between where the maternity clothes were and the mens department started. WHY is this?  If the higher percentage of us wear larger sizes, then why aren't they available other than in specialty stores or online?  I want to be able to try on the clothes before I buy them, and I also want to be able to shop at more than just a handful of places.  Does this make sense? I know they MAKE clothes in larger sizes because I have been in a FEW stores that do have larger 'womens' departments, but the majority of what I found was very depressing.

Macy's is doing a great job with plus size clothes...do you have one of those around? Ross, TJ Maxx, too! My town, which is kind of hick, really does a good job of that.  My girls told me of a store in our mall - cannot grab the name, they love that stuff.  Fashion bug, too! A lady around here has a Diva second hand store - size 14 W and up only!  It is depressing looking at all the Olsen Twins sizes....I was NEVER that small, not even in kindergarten.

We do have a Macy's.  I was in there.  I don't have as much of a problem finding everyday wear.  My problem is finding "special" things.  For example, I was looking for formal gowns.  They had a HUGE section of them for tiny girls and like one mismatched rack of  "plus sizes" that didn't look ANYTHING like something someone my age would wear.  I don't even think my mom would wear some of the things on that rack.  I do like the TJ Maxx and Marshalls type places for casual stuff.  Even there though, compare their dept. to the regular size dept.  HUGE DIFFERENCE!  The specialty stores that only have 14 and up are great -- a heck of a lot better looking clothing than when I was growing up.  I remember being a chunky kid and walking in thinking I was going to be dressing like my grandma!  Now there are definitely more fashionable clothes out there.  It's just annoying when you're looking for a dress for example and there are plenty of cute things out there that are way too small.  I'd have to sew two of them together to fit me!

oh... don't get me started!! (too late!) What makes me even MORE crazy, is that in the plus size stores it's nearly impossible to find tall sizes.  When they do carry them they only have about 5 items in each style that they caryy.  I've been told this by both Catherine's and Avenue. WTF?? Do they think that big girls can't be tall???? When I do find tall sweats for the gym, (and they are usually JUST the right length, and not an inch more) my husband throws them in the dryer and shrinks them.   The girl at the gym, wearing floods -its me

I have the same problem -- 5'11" here    For sweats I just end up buying guys sweats -- I have NEVER found a good pair of sweats that was long enough.

I hear ya.  I think some day they'll get it right...hopefully!  When I got remarried five years ago I hated that I had hardly anything to try on.  I ended up special ordering my gown so I can have my dream dress, but I was terrified that it wasn't going to look right on me.  Why?  Because there was NONE even close to this to try on in the store, or any of them for that fact.  It just irked me.

I have one issue with women clothing stores in general.  They think that since it is size 16 plus store, they just assume full figured women have big boobs!!  Well ummm...NO!  I have the hardest time with this.  I have a big body with small to normal boobs.  Why are we forgotten???  Most shirts I try on just hang on me, because none of my fat goes to my boobs! ha   

Well I had initially thought that I would just find something for my 'wedding dress' that wasn't a real wedding dress.  We hadn't decided how formal/informal our ceremony was going to be so I figured I'd see what was out there.  Last year I actually saw a "prom dress" that was ivory and was PERFECT -- I am kicking myself for not buying it back then!  Anyway -- there's nothing out there to try on.  I am going to end up renting my dress from a place near where we are getting hitched  -- I visited this weekend and they have all kinds of sizes.  She said if I sent my measurements to her she would make sure I had plenty to pick from to try on the day before.  I am like you -- I don't want to buy one offline because I love it and then it looks like crap when I get it because I can't try them on!

I also belong to the "itty bitty tittie committee!  When I start to lose weight, the first place it shows is my face, then the boobs.  I'll have to roll 'em up to put them in my bra!(hmmm... isn't that a pretty picture!)

Hi Jenny,

Oh yes, I remember those days and not fondly. There were MANY days I went home in tears and fought back tears in the change room.

I used to dread wedding invitations because then I would have to try and find an outfit.  Australia has very limited clothing stores compared to the US, and the few that stocked plus sizes catered more for the matronly types.  Trying to buy work clothes was a nightmare.

What is with putting it near maternity? I never got that either.

Just an idea- you could look to hire a gown- they often stock a range of sizes.

Em

I feel your pain but just be thankful you have plus sized sections!  The only store I have ever been in that had a big and tall section is Burlington Coat Factory.  However, the clothing there leaves less to be desired. Great prices but it's all "urban wear"... aka "thug wear".. You can find the occasional pair of slacks and decent shirt but for the most part it's stuff that a professional working man like myself would not wear. I realize this stuff sells and the young crowd loves it but c'mon!  I can't even go in Wal-Mart and shop for clothes.  There is no big and tall section.  You'd be experiencing a bonafide miracle if you found a pair of pants over a size 42.  Shirts go up to a 3X but you pay $2 more for that and even then the pickings are slim and it's not something I want to wear.  Go into the mall and you might as well go sit down on a bench and watch people because there is NOTHING to be found in the mall if you're over a size 40. You can find some 2X shirts that are really extra larges. It's pathetic. I remember going into Goody's with the wife which carries sizes up to 42 and sometimes a 44.  I remember just breaking down into tears right there in the middle of the store because I grabbed the 42s and tried them on.  No luck.. Tried the 44s with no luck and I was out of pants. I grabbed some 2Xs..nothing fit.. I was devstated.  That was about 2 years ago when I reached my highest weight but I still can't shop in Goody's.  I've resorted to buying my clothes online from places like Old Navy. You can find big and tall sizes on their website. Most mens clothing is cut relatively the same. I can look at the cut/design and tell whether or not it would fit for the most part. I always get 3x in shirts because those can be tricky sometimes. I like them baggy anyway. Just hang in there!  Keep working at it on soon enough you'll be able to shop again.  Shopping is one of the things that motivates me to lose. I must have an increased estrogen level! lol