Plus Size Fast Fashion: A Real Life Challenge for the Community

Remember those times you really needed an outfit for an event you got invited to or if you needed to freshen up your wardrobe for the summer….

What is your process for finding the pieces you want?

Our first instinct is to go online or head down to the local mall with a general idea of what we want to purchase.

After scrolling or walking through aisles of clothes, usually an item interests you and you're lucky it all works out to the point of purchasing that item.

In an ideal world, you probably were able to be selective and choose those pieces that went with your style, aesthetic, and they fit just right. 

This is FAR from reality at Fast Fashion stores for many customers and especially those who are Plus size shoppers… Plus Size Fast Fashion is a scavenger hunt for shoppers to find clothes that at the bare minimum FIT.

With the recent Oversized look trend and size-inclusive conversations being brought to the forefront during Corporate Social Responsibility campaigns many brands like Abercrombie & Fitch, H&M, and Zara to name a few have expanded their sizing inventories quite a bit.

However, they have not brought these new values to their Brick and Mortar stores.

Larger sizes are running out fast given the demand of shoppers that are smaller in size wanting an oversized look and shoppers that are actually plus size wanting to get these items as well.

This has become a huge inconvenience for Plus size shoppers as many have to rely solely on Online shopping options as it is the only mode available for them to access any options at all. 

The Struggle is REALLY Real   

Every time a plus size person goes into a mall or goes online it can become quite a challenge to find anything on trend that doesn’t break the bank that can sorta fit.

It is quite challenging for the plus-size community to engage in the clothing shopping experience. 

Remi Bader, a curve model that has gone viral on TikTok for reviewing Plus Size fast fashion can definitely attest to this as she mentions to Vogue:

 “A lot of these brands that carry plus sizes still don’t know what they’re doing. Sadly it’s still new for brands to extend their sizing. I always want to give brands a chance when their sizing is off, but they still carry larger sizes. At least they’re trying. The brands that refuse to even make the effort to make larger sizes are the ones I’m not a fan of ”.

The even bigger problem Plus size creators talk about is the online shopping experience.

Most Plus Size fast fashion options are hidden and quite impossible to find without dedicating a significant amount of effort to finding something worth buying.

As a matter of fact, most customers compromise on a higher price than they intended on spending due to sometimes one item of clothing being the only option available.

If Plus Size fashion doesn't gain traction, the majority (those who are sizes 16 to 18) will continue to feel excluded and disappointed while shopping for something as basic as everyday clothing.

Shopping shouldn't make things more difficult at a time when they are already difficult.

Why aren’t they bringing Plus Size Fast Fashion options to the brands Brick and Mortar stores? 

Fast Fashion brands' reasoning for not having enough garments is that there is a big issue with inventory allocation and distribution.

When brands commence their size expansion journey the demand does not directly influence the amount of inventory they actually have.

It is a complicated logistics issue that often gets lost when big-picture decisions are being made. An example of how this would look from a logistical perspective would be if a brand has 60 brick-and-mortar stores where they decide they want to allocate pieces from the new 20-piece collection that just launched.

If they order the pieces in quantities of 100 then it means if they were distributed equally there would only be two garments of each size per store which is a shocking number to hear. 

For many brands tapping into bringing more Plus Size Fast Fashion in stores, it all starts with commencing the journey finally and establishing a customer base in order to establish inventory officially in each store.

Most brands take too long with their research phases and on determining the sizing demographics which leads to not being able to keep up with the demand that there is. 

Even though conversations are being held by brands that they strive to be size inclusive these will only just be statements and not actions being taken still which can be upsetting for the plus-size community to hear.

As large corporations keep delaying the ideal wants of a significant population of their consumers. 

The Plus Size customer has to look in the most inaccessible places that are definitely not Aesthetic 

Even though inventory is one of the main issues currently for Plus Size Fast Fashion when there is any it is not allocated in the best places usually.

At most department stores, plus-size clothing is shoved in the most inaccessible areas where there is a concrete separation from regular-sized garments.

After already being separated from the rest of the store emotionally and physically, most Plus Size Fast Fashion clothes are the only option, are unflattering,and do not follow current trends. 

Surprisingly in 2016 the brand Good American pushed for their brand to be in Nordstroms stores but they noticed that the Plus size option was in a physically different section.

They were upfront with their priorities in what they wanted for their consumers and that was to make all sizes of the collection to be in the same area.

This decision affected all the women's department sections in all Nordstrom stores.

This has become a major example for brands to follow in spite of a continuing issue still being quite present. 

This is an ongoing struggle and cycle that keeps happening with no urgency being recognized by fast fashion brands.

It is crucial for brands to recognize the importance of the diversification of their image and sizes is needed with the consumers that support their product.

Creating garments that fit at affordable prices is the main struggle the Plus size community continues to face and breaking down those barriers where the promotion of body positivity and empowerment is encouraged should become the norm that these brands should live by.

 ✍️ Written by Veronica Zamora