Opinion

OPINION: Being “plus-size” and my love-hate relationship with shopping

The one activity I love to do most is also something I can’t stand.

I have a love-hate relationship with shopping. Being the girly girl I am, I have always been into fashion and clothes. I try to make sure I know what’s currently in style by paying attention to magazine ads and what’s displayed in clothing stores.

I get excited walking into stores and finding new clothing. I head straight to the rack to find my size until I finally find it and a little piece of me dies inside. Depending on the store, there is sometimes a plus-size section by itself, or a section deemed plus-size mixed in with the regular sizes.

There are a couple causes of death, all depending on the differences I see between plus-size clothing and ‘regular’ clothing. Sometimes, the plus-sized item is more expensive, which I understand the logic behind — but I’m still frustrated by it.

Plus-size clothing requiring additional material. But how is that fair? For me and other women it sends the message that we aren’t equal to regular sized women.

Just because some women are bigger than others doesn’t mean they have bigger wallets, too. I think designers need to accept and understand that the average size of an American woman is a size 14. This doesn’t go to say designers should make less of smaller or bigger sizes than that, but be accommodating to all women.

Central Michigan University senior, Anamaria Dickerson, the writer of this article, shows off her sense of style in a trendy leopard print top matched with a brightly colored cardigan for a pop of color on a cold winter afternoon on March 5, 2014.
Central Michigan University senior Anamaria Dickerson, the writer of this article, shows off her sense of style in a trendy leopard print, top matched with a brightly colored cardigan for a pop of color on a cold winter afternoon on March 5, 2014.

Another difference I notice, when a store has separate sections of plus-sizes and regular sizes, is that the plus-size version of an item is usually slightly different in terms of aesthetics.

It could be because designers think certain patterns and colors will lay differently on a woman of a bigger size but that goes for any two people. Clothes will look different on any two people whether they’re plus-size or regular size.

I can’t speak for all women in general but it drives me absolutely crazy to think designers don’t see plus-sizes and regular sizes equally, in terms of aesthetics and pricing of clothes. When I go shopping I look for clothes that will make me feel good and look good but all of that diminishes when I see the price and aesthetic differences among plus-size and regular size clothing.

I think it’s time we ditch the two labels all together and focus on creating an atmosphere that welcomes and appreciates women of all sizes.

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