After hearing that Australian starlet Rebel Wilson is promoting her new plus size clothing, (sizes 12-28), collection for Torrid, the Kettle team and I were appalled to hear that a size 12 was even considered to be a plus size.
To all the curvy girls out there representing(!), check out my new clothing collection at https://t.co/ZTrSGlAqcy X pic.twitter.com/1zpku75SYE
— Rebel Wilson (@RebelWilson) November 11, 2015
Obsession with numbers
There is no doubt that Wilson’s clothing range will be glamorous as ever and reflect her larger than life personality, but it got me thinking: why do we need to have numbers on our bodies?
I know I am a size 12, but what does a size 12 even mean? As someone who works in the retail industry of clothing as a part-time job, I am all about what the customer feels nice in. I don’t focus too much on their size or body shapes because that can be a tough subject for women and men alike.
I am sure the male Kettle readers would agree that having a certain amount of letters on their clothing to determine what size they are is crazy, L or XXL- we know what they stand for but what does that realistically mean?
We all know that just because we are a 12 in one shop doesn’t mean that we are 12 somewhere else. Finding a pair of jeans can be an emotional rollercoaster; one minute you feel great that you can fit into a pair of size 10 jeans and then you look in a more up-market store and they don’t even do a size 10, because you aren’t the right body shape (whatever that is).
Bodies, not fruit
Image: Pixabay
When you walk into a store you see things like “jeans for apples” or “are you pear shape?”. Have I been living a lie all this years? Because up to now I thought I was a human being, not a bit of fruit that can be put into a smoothie or a rather tasty Mary Berry Pie.
I don’t think it is right to compare our body shapes to the shape of a fruit; we grow in all shapes and sizes and we should be happy with our bodies and who we are. We shouldn’t worry that we aren’t curvy enough to fit into a top that is suited to a banana-shaped body. I would be worried if I was a banana shape that’s for sure.
Clothing to suit everyone
Though what Rebel Wilson is doing has to be commended as there are too many clothes shops out there that don’t cater for the larger lady and the fact that her new range is catering for larger sizes means that there is more choice for us girls that love to shop.
Who knows, this new evolution of fashion may inspire other fashionistas to widen their clothing ranges so there is something for everyone and we don’t have to worry about squeezing ourselves into ill-fitting clothing.
I just hope that one day can stop focusing on size and start concentrating on clothes that we like and that make us feel good. Surely that’s the most important message?
