Alfar 1

AmandaAlfar

AmericanAsianStudies113B
04March2015
GenerationJudgment

Beautycomesinallshapesandsizes
fromtallandthicktoshortandskinny.The
mostbelovedfashiondesignersandmodelsare
typicallyfocusedoncreatingfashionfora
specifictypeofbeauty.Mostwomenwantto
fitinwiththenewesttrendyclothinglinesand
theonlyproblemisthatwomenhavedifferent
bodytypes.Womenwhodonotfitintothe
standardfashionsizesareoftenaskedtoshop
atadifferentstorethatoffersnonstandardsizes.Retail
Figure 1 Belle Vere 2011 VOGUE Cover

fashionstoresforwomencategorizeand
separatewomenbybodysize.Retailsstoresmusttreatplusandregularsizewomenwith
equalrespectanddignityandshouldnotseparatestoresbybodysize.Currently,retail
storeshaveestablishedseparatestoresforregularsizedwomenandplussizewomen.
Separatingthestoresinthiswaycanbeproblematicbecauseitisnotrightthatwomen
whoareplussizedhavetoshopatadifferentlocationduetotheirbodytypes,yetonthe

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otherhandsomewomenactuallyliketheseparationandfeelcomfortablehavingplus
sizedclothingitemsseparatedoffandawayfromregularsizedclothing.Thisanalysisof
theseparationoffashionwillexplorehowthisgenerationthinksandfeelsaboutthis
movement.
Plussizeclothingisclothingthatismade
tofitrounderandfullerbodytypesinwomenand
men.Aplussizeforwomenisdefinedbyclothing
sizesthatexceedthetypicallargedesignation.
AccordingtoPLUSModelmagazine,theFashion
industryplussizeisidentifiedassizes1224."Evans
wasthefirstfoundingplussizeretailstore
manufacturedbyJackGreenin1930.Incontemporary
retailstores,somehaveplussizeclothingwithin
theirstores,butinaseparatesectionfromthe
regularsizedclothes.Mostpopularstores

Figure 2 The American Venus 1962 Silent

Film

likeForever21,H&M,andOldNavycarryplussizedclothingtoaccommodatethe
growingplussizepopulations.However,higherpricedclothingstoreslikeHollisterand
Abercrombie&Fitchdonotselloraccommodatewomenwhoareplussized.According
toAshleyLutzfromBusinessInsider,themessagethatstoreslikeHollisterand
Abercrombie&Fitcharesendingplussizedwomenisthatitisunfortunatethatyouare
plussizedandmaynotshopouritemssinceyouarenotthinandsmall.

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Storesthatofferthemyththatonesizefits
allcanbeproblematictoallwomen
regardlessofsize.Onegreatretail
storethatisnamedThehottestteen
clothingretailerintheU.Sby
HuffingtonpostsauthorKimBashinis
BrandyMelville.Thisstorecarries
nothingbutsizesmallandonesize
fitsallclothing.Onesizedoesnotfit
Figure 3 Who Wore What and How It Really
Looks

allbecausethereisadiversityof

womeninanygivenstore.Womenwhoarearegularsizesmallthoughlargehavemore
than900plusstoresavailabletothemwhileotherplussizedwomenarereducedtoshop
onlybywhatisavailabletothembysize.Plussizedwomenarenotgiventhesame
fashionchoices.
IfwomenwalkintostoreslikePacsunorUrbanOutfitters,theywillfindsizes
smallthroughlargeonly,whichforceslargersizedwomentofeelalienandpressuredto
fitin.ThearticlePsychoanalysisShapesConsumerCulturebyLisaHelddiscusses
andanalyzeshowEdwardLBernaysmarketshisclothingproducts.Inhis1928book
"Propaganda,Bernayshypothesizedthatbyunderstandingthegroupmind,itwouldbe
possibletomanipulatepeople'sbehaviorwithouttheirevenrealizingit.Whatismost
importantabouthisarticlesisthatitindicatesthatevenasfarbackas1928,fashion
designerssoldbypopulatity.Retailstoressellingclothingthatareonlyavailableto

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womenwhoareinregularclothingsizesmanipulatesthewomenwhoarealargersizes
intobelievingthattheirlargenessissomehowwrong.Thismanipulationcreatesand
contributestoasocialdiseasethatispsychologicallydamagingtowomeninmanyways.
AnLATimesarticletitledFashionsInvisibleWomenbyEmiliVesilindstatesplus
sizedwomenaretheInvisibleWomen.[...Accordingtosomeplussizedesigners,
modelsandretailers,isprejudicetowardwomentheindustrydoesn'tfindparticularly
glamorousorsexy.Likefifthgradegirlswhosecretlyliveinfearofbeingostracized
fromthecoolclique,theydon'twanttobecaughttalkingtothefatgirl.Thisarticle
illustrateshowAmericanfashionculturesanditsexpectationsareconcernedabout
forcingconsumerstofitinandbetrendyandhip.Fashionretailerswanttomaintainthis
cultureandkeepupwiththismindsetonlytokeepcompetitionwitheveryotherstore
aroundthem.
Tocontributetothisanalysis,manypeopleactuallyprefertohavefashionretail
storestobeseparatedintothedifferentclothingsizes.Asmanystoresstartedhaving
plussizeditemsseparated,ithelpedcustomersactuallyfindandknowexactlywhat
theyarelookingfor.WhenplussizedfashionmodelJennieRuckwroteanewsarticle
givingherideasonplussizeitems,itactuallygavepeopleadifferentlookatbeingplus
sized.Whiletheideaofseparatingwomenintosizecategoriesseemsstigmatizing,
clothingcompaniesdothisinordertooffertheircustomersexactlywhatthey'relooking
for,makingiteasierforpeopleofallsizestofindclothesthatfittheirbodiesaswellas
theirownuniquestylisticexpression.Thisisaplustothosewhoareplussizedand
regularsized.JennieRuckalsostatesPeopleassume"plus"equatestofat,whichin

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turnequatestougly.Thisiscompletelyabsurdbecausemanywomenwhoareconsidered
plussizedareactuallyinlinewiththe
Americannationalaveragesizenot
allplussizeisevenconsistedfator
bigjusttheoptionofhavingaXL
sizeisimportanttothosewhodonot
wanttolookstuffedintheiroutfits.
Figure 4 Jennie Runk Plus Size Model

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Asfashionretailstoreownershave
becomemoreopentoplussizeshoppersthey
notice
all

howtheygetapositiveoutcome.Ourcustomercomesin
shapesandsizesandourrangeshouldreflectthat,says
NatashaSmithretailerAsosthreeyearsago
launchedaplussizecategorycalledAsosCurve
withsizes14to24.Thecompanyfitseverythingon
asize16modelstoensureweareofferingtherightfit
andcomforttoourcustomers.Thisnotonly

Figure 5 Plus Size Model Crystal

Renn

makesthestoreownersproudtoaccommodate

theplussizegenderbutitalsotoshowshowthisgenerationneedsachange.Themore
Americagrowsintobeingplussized,themorefashionplussizeindustrieswillgrow.
FredericksofHollywoodGroupInc.,saysItsnosecretAmericaisgettinglarger,with
theaveragedresssizenowbeing14,andmorefullfiguredwomenknowtheir[intimate
apparel]size.Wemadeaconsciouseffortoverthepastfourtofiveyearstobuildthe
plussizeandfullfigurebusinessbecauseoftheplussizecustomersloyaltyfactor.If
storesprovidetheplussizeoptions,itonlymakesmorecustomershappyandproudof
theirappearanceandhelpthemfeelmoreselfconfident.
Thevalueofmyanalysisistosupportandshowhowbeautyistrulynotaboutjust
appearance.Thewondersofbeingregularsizedandplussizedisagiftandshouldbe
supportedandvaluedbytheworldaroundus.Thisisimportanttosupportduetoallthe
negativityoursocietygivesouttoplussizewomen.Whyletothersharmthemselvesdue

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totheirbodytypewhentheyshouldembraceit?Whenstoresdonotsupportourplus
sizedgeneration,theygivebolderandrounderwomenlowselfesteemandcanmake
themfeeloutofplacejustbecausetheycannotfitinasize8dress.Itisimportantthat
onelooksbeyondtheirweightandfeelgoodaboutthemselves.Thewebsiteplussize
livinghasplentyofarticlesdiscussingthebeautifulandpositivesidetobeingaplussize.
Whycarewhattheworldthinks?ItiswhatYOUthinkthatmatters.Theworldis
leavingtheconceptofanorexiaandbulimiawaybehind.Whileskinnyeatsdust,you
movearoundregally,flauntingamplecurvesandoozingconfidencetodiefor!!says
PlusSizeLiving.Bystoressupportingtheplussizegeneration,itshowsthemthatits
okaytonotbeasize8andthatpeoplecanlookjustasbeautifulinadressasthemodel
whowearsasize0.
Retailsstoresmusttreatplusandregularsizewomenwithequalrespectand
dignityandshouldnotseparatestoresbybodysize.Currently,retailstoreshave
establishedseparatestoresforregularsizedwomenandplussizewomen.Separatingthe
storesinthiswayisproblematicbecauseitisnotfairthatwomenwhoareplussizedhave
toshopatadifferentlocationdue.Knowingthisculturesresponseandactionstothis
plussizemovementisimportant.Theplussizepopulationwillcontinueandretailstores
shouldembracetheiruniquesizeinsteadofdowngradingthem.Everycompanyhasthe
optiontoselltowhomevertheyplease,butstatingonesizefitsalliswrongbecause
womendonothavetobeacertainsizetokeepupwiththesocietiestrends.Aplussize
womenshouldbeabletolookjustasfashionableasasizesmallwomendoes.Givingthe

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plussizedworldmorefashionoptionsonlymakesthemfeelbetteraboutthemselvesand
thathelpscompaniesboostprofits.

WorkCited

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"Fashion'sInvisibleWoman."LosAngelesTimes.LosAngelesTimes,01Mar.2009.
Web.05Feb.2015.
Bhasin,Kim."TeensLoveBrandyMelville,AFashionBrandThatSellsOnlyOneTiny
Size."TheHuffingtonPost.TheHuffingtonPost.com,n.d.Web.05Feb.2015.
Held,Lisa."PsychoanalysisShapesConsumerCulture."Http://www.apa.org.APA,n.d.
Web.05Feb.2015.
Lutz,Ashley."Abercrombie&FitchRefusesToMakeClothesForLargeWomen."
BusinessInsider.BusinessInsider,Inc,03May2013.Web.11Feb.2015.
"PlussizeClothingNotKeepingupwithUSGrowth,Demand."LasVegasReview
Journal.MAEANDERSON,22Oct.2013.Web.11Feb.2015.
"BeautyReignsinAllShapesandSizes:PlusPointsofBeinga"plus"SizeWoman!!"
PlusSizeLiving.N.p.,n.d.Web.11Feb.2015.
Adams,Rebecca."JennieRunk,PlusSizeModel,ExplainsWhyTheIndustryNeeds
BodyTypesLikeHers."TheHuffingtonPost.TheHuffingtonPost.com,n.d.Web.
12Feb.2015.
Rucks,Jennie."MyLifeasa'plussize'Model."BBCNews.BBCNEWS,n.d.Web.11
Feb.2015.
"BelleVere."Vogue.it.VOGUE,n.d.Web.29Feb.2015
"How"OneSizeFitsAll"REALLYLooksonDifferentBodyShapes."WhoWhat
Wear.KatCollings,04Dec.2014.Web.28Feb.2015.