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06 January 2006
Plus sized? I don't buy it. Is the woman in the pictured really "plus sized"?
She's probably not large enough to actually fit into the clothes they sell at Layne Bryant, so calling her plus-sized is misleading in that context. She looks like a 12 -14 to me.
I love the way she's posing...hee. Like anyone stands like that. How come men never have to do doofy poses like that? But then again, guys magazines always do those stupid "hand stroking the chin while I gaze pensively at something off-camera" shots and I always laugh at them too.
Yeah, she's about my size, and I'm a 12/14. soon I will be a 10 again if it kills me. I've shopped at Lane Bryant because they actually have tall clothes; I have long legs and it's hard to find anything proportioned right. Mostly their clothes are pretty hideous though.
Yeah, they do have some okay stuff, but they tend too much to that weird officey polyester gray-pantsuit-with-a-kneelength-sweater-thing for me. If the outfit looks like you might see it marching down the street accompanied by white sweatsox and Nikes, well, that's just the fashion kiss of death. ;-)
Have you ever watched America's Next Top Model. I certainly haven't (*ahem*), but I've been told about it.
It pisses me off to no end, the women on that show that they constantly call "big." Fuckin' jerks. (Oh, yeah, and "old." The one woman was 26 or something, and they talked about her like she was on old maid).
PLus size just means more than a size 12. And I think Lane Bryant's smallest size is what they call "12/14".
Interestingly, sizes aren't even an absolute standard. Every few years, clothing manufacturers adjust sizing. What is today considered a 12 would have been a 14 or even 16 in the 1950s. IN addition to overall size shifts, they also change the proportions in other places, like armholes and hip-to-waist ratio. It really plagues those of us who like vintage clothing.
Anyway, the gal looks great, but she wouldn't be able to work as a 'normal' model anyway, due to her belly, hips, breasts, and thighs. Compare her with a model from a fashion mag and you'll see the difference.
When did "plus sized" become "women's" anyway? Are we going to turn "woman" into a pejorative term for a fat person? I wouldn't be surprised with the number of people thinking a size 8 is the maximum size for being an attractive woman -- much smaller than that and you could wear kids' clothes (I have never in my life worn smaller than a size 8).
I think that's a pretty old thing eurchrecthulhu; it seems like I remember that from ages ago... but at that time, I think it really was supposed to designate women's sizes as opposed to teen sizes. These days not being teensized is fat, I guess.
Thank goodness I've still not really worked out European sizes so I don't have to get too depressed.. I just eyeball things and take a couple of different sizes to try on... I have no idea if my size is embarrassing or not. Yay?
I remember when I was a kid, there was a size designation for girls (approx. 6-12 year olds) that was called Chubbettes. I seriously am not kidding you. No freaking lie. I would be scarred for life if I had had to wear clothes from something called the Chubbettes section. Sometimes in life there is just no dignity, you know?
Wow, Chubbettes was way worse than being a "Husky Boy". I'm amazed and dismayed at how the fashion industry manages to both make women hate themselves and want to spend money at the same time.
I'm betting that Lane Bryant ad is a Photoshop creation.
photo by splunge
photo by TheophileEscargot
photo by Kronos_to_Earth
photo by ethylene
