Interesting and infuriating episode! Would have loved a more in-depth look into being *poor* and heavy. Vintage is a *privilege* and fancy stuff is a luxury most can’t afford. So it’s Old Navy sacks and Walmart garbage for you. And you’re so beat down to think that’s all you *deserve.* THAT’S also why other brands fail in plus size: the mind set of plus size customers who have grown accustomed to having no freaking choices. Thanks for taking on this topic. (Also- I REALLY hate the theme song. It’s a total downer on an upbeat show.)
Great episode! I searched for the Weight For It podcast right after listening to this one. As soon as I typed the word “weight”, my search results were filled with variations on the theme of “weight loss.” Weight loss was at the top of my search results. Weight For It showed up in the number two slot. Seems like an accurate reflection of our culture.
I was tall before I was fat, so I’ve never had an easy time buying clothes that fit. Even home sewing is challenging. Standard patterns come with markings showing where to add the length in my sleeves. But the pattern companies that I relied on for my skinny teenage self do not go up to my current size, so I’ve had to find others. I’m so glad to have the internet now. I don’t know how I’d shop without it.
If you sew and have a hard time getting commercial patterns to fit you, I can't recommend Brooks Ann Camper's pattern drafting classes enough. https://learnwithbrooksann.com/ I have pants that fit me for literally the first time in my life. It's completely the opposite of the pattern drafting methods discussed in the podcast and super accessible and easy to learn.
This episode was SO good! Thank you for speaking to something that is incredibly important! I hope fat clothing gets more attention in the podcast's future - there is an amazing world of fat designers, fat sewists, pattern makers, even podcasters (ex: "Love to Sew" hosted by Helen Wilkinson and Caroline Somos) who have taken to making their own clothing. I hope this conversation continues - it matters a lot!
Loved the episode! I am a home-sewer and this topic was timely because drafting for plus sized bodies came up recently in a q&a in one of my favourite indie pattern designers - how to do it well when there are no technical resources for plus size drafting? Size inclusivity is big topic in this space because a lot of people do turn to home sewing because of the lack of fashionable options for plus size bodies. I thought the comment made in the podcast about many plus sized vintage pieces being custom made was really interesting, I love the idea of home sewing become a heirloom piece or finding a second-life decades down the road.
I haven't look specifically for plus size guidelines, but Pattern Magic
by Tomoko Nakamichi is a great book for basic "formulas" for drafting patterns. Lots of math that I think might work for any size with some adjustments. The idea is to get your fit and then adjust to different styles.
I really enjoyed this episode and I love the show. Just wondering, Avery: are you aware of Eshakti? I think would be a great resource for plus size people, but it's also great for those of us who are just so tired of off the rack clothes that don't fit. If you haven't heard of them, they make women's clothing. You choose an item from their website and they will make it to your personal measurements. You can also change the neckline, hemline and sleeves. It is a bit more expensive than off the rack: I usually spend about $100 Canadian per garment, so pricey but not out of reach. The quality of construction of the clothes is very good. They did French seams on the georgette dresses I recently ordered. All the dresses come with pockets, and most are lined. Side note: I find their cotton poplin to be very disappointing, but all the other fabrics I have ordered from them have been great. Cheers!
This episode is incredible. Truly! Gaining weight in my 40's introduced me to this surreal discomfort of clothes not fitting my body. For so many years I knew on a cognitive level of the fat shaming inherent in the fashion industry, but physically feeling it in my body is a whole different experience. I LOVE your addressing the idea that being fat is societally encouraged to be a temporary state and then emphasizing the importance of accepting a new state of being. Felt so, so validating and is helping to take the pressure off of losing weight in order to feel comfortable in clothes. <3
This was a very interesting podcast and trip down memory lane. I am 5’11” and have always been up and down from a size 22. My mom was a standard 12 to 14 so she did not know how to dress me once I started to grow and gain weight as a pre-teen. Naturally, I could not wear the “teen” sizes and it effected my whole life. I was teased in jr. high for wearing the same clothes over and over in a upper middle class town and the only sizes I could wear for a while, were called “chubbettes.” OMG it was so demoralizing. Those clothes didn’t fit me because I had long legs and arms; it was misery to have to shop for clothes. We tried making some, but we were not a family of seamstresses. In high school the Preppie look was in style so I was able to wear men’s clothes. The jeans and pants never fit me however, so I wore a lot of skirts. Anyway, by the early 80’s things did improve. I did shop at The Forgotten Woman and Z Gallerie in Saks. The mid to late 80’s we’re about big shoulders and designers like Norma Kamali and Willi Smith brought more generous cuts. Anyway, as someone who has dealt with this my whole life (arguably from a place of privilege where I could buy more expensive clothing) it has not improved. I wear clothing from J.Jill, Johnny Was, H&M and have just discovered Madewell, but the sizing is always inconsistent. I found in my lifelong search to cover my body, that my clothes were most often near the baby clothes and customer service, now I buy online. I appreciate the info about pattern making and it explains a lot. The clothing/fashion industry has never claimed nor embraced me, even though they wanted my money. I can proudly say that I have never owned any cold shoulder garments and I learned at an early age the importance of accessories.
Great episode! I’ve always been bigger, I went from kids’ clothes straight to a misses 8/10 at puberty, and graduated from hs as a size 14-
so no cute trendy juniors section or clubbing clothes for me 😕, but I could still find a few things in regular stores until about age 40 when I was a 16/18. I’m now a size 20 at age 45 and not so much.
I completely identified with the woman who said you can’t ever shop last minute. A couple years back I wanted a second bathing suit while on vacation in a FL beach town and couldn’t find one in the Walmart. I was angry because I thought Walmart was the average middle American go-to, but no. This year, I bought a new swimsuit way back in May even though I usually don’t go to the beach until August, and just ordered two more on clearance at Old Navy.
I look forward to this episode. Decent looking, well made plus size clothes are so rare - it’s like a competitive sport to get your hands on anything. If a brand bothers to expand the size range beyond 12, the plus sizes sell out first every time.
Why companies insist on ignoring an entire market of people is beyond me.
I wear a size 14, so as an adult I have one foot in "plus size" clothing and one foot in "straight size". But I've been this size since I was about 10 years old.
Your guests were SPOT ON about what kind of clothes a big/fat kid can wear. I'm not sure which was worse: having to wear "old lady" clothes in 3rd grade, or getting gift cards to trendy clothing stores from well-meaning family members when I was a teen. Even the necklaces were too tiny to fit right.
I'm also the mother to a teenage girl. I had to watch her have the same struggle I did, although it looks like she won't be "plus sized" as an adult. Even now, when there are a lot more options for plus size clothing, there was still almost nothing for a girl who is an adult WIDTH but not yet an adult height or shape. What infuriates me is that the options for "husky" boys exist. But the only brand we found that had plus-sized girls' clothes (especially bras!) in the 2010s has dropped that line. Because of course they have.
Gabriella Rossetti is rewriting the global luxury fashion narrative for sizes 12-24 and creating a legacy that empowers more women to feel confident and look their best.
On the one hand, this was a great episode. On the other, it's disheartening to realize that after this brief foray into how the other half lives, the podcast (which I love, don't get me wrong) will probably go back to acting as if the smaller half of the size range is everything "normal".
Super interesting to think about the pattern makers and their background here.
My sister went to school for apparel design and recently taught me how to draft patterns. It took me 2 hours of guided instruction through this book: Pattern Magic
by Tomoko Nakamichi. Finally, I can make clothes that fit! I can't recommend this enough if you're looking for custom sizes.
In the episode it was interesting to hear about the grading in drafting patterns for plus sizes. Duh! Obviously not going to be a good fit and honestly not that hard to draft a pattern that will actually fit people.
Interesting and infuriating episode! Would have loved a more in-depth look into being *poor* and heavy. Vintage is a *privilege* and fancy stuff is a luxury most can’t afford. So it’s Old Navy sacks and Walmart garbage for you. And you’re so beat down to think that’s all you *deserve.* THAT’S also why other brands fail in plus size: the mind set of plus size customers who have grown accustomed to having no freaking choices. Thanks for taking on this topic. (Also- I REALLY hate the theme song. It’s a total downer on an upbeat show.)
Great episode! I searched for the Weight For It podcast right after listening to this one. As soon as I typed the word “weight”, my search results were filled with variations on the theme of “weight loss.” Weight loss was at the top of my search results. Weight For It showed up in the number two slot. Seems like an accurate reflection of our culture.
I was tall before I was fat, so I’ve never had an easy time buying clothes that fit. Even home sewing is challenging. Standard patterns come with markings showing where to add the length in my sleeves. But the pattern companies that I relied on for my skinny teenage self do not go up to my current size, so I’ve had to find others. I’m so glad to have the internet now. I don’t know how I’d shop without it.
If you sew and have a hard time getting commercial patterns to fit you, I can't recommend Brooks Ann Camper's pattern drafting classes enough. https://learnwithbrooksann.com/ I have pants that fit me for literally the first time in my life. It's completely the opposite of the pattern drafting methods discussed in the podcast and super accessible and easy to learn.
Thanks for the recommendation! I’m comfortable sewing dresses, blouses and skirts, but pants are my nemesis!
It’s so worth it to sew pants! I’m not plus size but I’m long waisted so I’ve never had pants that really fit until I started sewing them.
Hi Ann, I'd recommend checking out www.gabriellarossetti.com for beautiful, impeccable fit, women's wear sizes 12-24.
Hi April , I'd recommend checking out www.gabriellarossetti.com for beautiful, impeccable fit, women's wear sizes 12-24.
This episode was SO good! Thank you for speaking to something that is incredibly important! I hope fat clothing gets more attention in the podcast's future - there is an amazing world of fat designers, fat sewists, pattern makers, even podcasters (ex: "Love to Sew" hosted by Helen Wilkinson and Caroline Somos) who have taken to making their own clothing. I hope this conversation continues - it matters a lot!
I’m so excited for a plus size episode! Welcome to the writhing pit of hell that is the plus size clothing world 💚
Amazing story.
Now do 3/4 sleeves. 🙄
Loved the episode! I am a home-sewer and this topic was timely because drafting for plus sized bodies came up recently in a q&a in one of my favourite indie pattern designers - how to do it well when there are no technical resources for plus size drafting? Size inclusivity is big topic in this space because a lot of people do turn to home sewing because of the lack of fashionable options for plus size bodies. I thought the comment made in the podcast about many plus sized vintage pieces being custom made was really interesting, I love the idea of home sewing become a heirloom piece or finding a second-life decades down the road.
I haven't look specifically for plus size guidelines, but Pattern Magic
by Tomoko Nakamichi is a great book for basic "formulas" for drafting patterns. Lots of math that I think might work for any size with some adjustments. The idea is to get your fit and then adjust to different styles.
I really enjoyed this episode and I love the show. Just wondering, Avery: are you aware of Eshakti? I think would be a great resource for plus size people, but it's also great for those of us who are just so tired of off the rack clothes that don't fit. If you haven't heard of them, they make women's clothing. You choose an item from their website and they will make it to your personal measurements. You can also change the neckline, hemline and sleeves. It is a bit more expensive than off the rack: I usually spend about $100 Canadian per garment, so pricey but not out of reach. The quality of construction of the clothes is very good. They did French seams on the georgette dresses I recently ordered. All the dresses come with pockets, and most are lined. Side note: I find their cotton poplin to be very disappointing, but all the other fabrics I have ordered from them have been great. Cheers!
I love eshakti! For me as a tall fat person, they’re the best way to avoid ending up with accidental mini dresses!
This episode is incredible. Truly! Gaining weight in my 40's introduced me to this surreal discomfort of clothes not fitting my body. For so many years I knew on a cognitive level of the fat shaming inherent in the fashion industry, but physically feeling it in my body is a whole different experience. I LOVE your addressing the idea that being fat is societally encouraged to be a temporary state and then emphasizing the importance of accepting a new state of being. Felt so, so validating and is helping to take the pressure off of losing weight in order to feel comfortable in clothes. <3
This was a very interesting podcast and trip down memory lane. I am 5’11” and have always been up and down from a size 22. My mom was a standard 12 to 14 so she did not know how to dress me once I started to grow and gain weight as a pre-teen. Naturally, I could not wear the “teen” sizes and it effected my whole life. I was teased in jr. high for wearing the same clothes over and over in a upper middle class town and the only sizes I could wear for a while, were called “chubbettes.” OMG it was so demoralizing. Those clothes didn’t fit me because I had long legs and arms; it was misery to have to shop for clothes. We tried making some, but we were not a family of seamstresses. In high school the Preppie look was in style so I was able to wear men’s clothes. The jeans and pants never fit me however, so I wore a lot of skirts. Anyway, by the early 80’s things did improve. I did shop at The Forgotten Woman and Z Gallerie in Saks. The mid to late 80’s we’re about big shoulders and designers like Norma Kamali and Willi Smith brought more generous cuts. Anyway, as someone who has dealt with this my whole life (arguably from a place of privilege where I could buy more expensive clothing) it has not improved. I wear clothing from J.Jill, Johnny Was, H&M and have just discovered Madewell, but the sizing is always inconsistent. I found in my lifelong search to cover my body, that my clothes were most often near the baby clothes and customer service, now I buy online. I appreciate the info about pattern making and it explains a lot. The clothing/fashion industry has never claimed nor embraced me, even though they wanted my money. I can proudly say that I have never owned any cold shoulder garments and I learned at an early age the importance of accessories.
Great episode! I’ve always been bigger, I went from kids’ clothes straight to a misses 8/10 at puberty, and graduated from hs as a size 14-
so no cute trendy juniors section or clubbing clothes for me 😕, but I could still find a few things in regular stores until about age 40 when I was a 16/18. I’m now a size 20 at age 45 and not so much.
I completely identified with the woman who said you can’t ever shop last minute. A couple years back I wanted a second bathing suit while on vacation in a FL beach town and couldn’t find one in the Walmart. I was angry because I thought Walmart was the average middle American go-to, but no. This year, I bought a new swimsuit way back in May even though I usually don’t go to the beach until August, and just ordered two more on clearance at Old Navy.
I look forward to this episode. Decent looking, well made plus size clothes are so rare - it’s like a competitive sport to get your hands on anything. If a brand bothers to expand the size range beyond 12, the plus sizes sell out first every time.
Why companies insist on ignoring an entire market of people is beyond me.
I wear a size 14, so as an adult I have one foot in "plus size" clothing and one foot in "straight size". But I've been this size since I was about 10 years old.
Your guests were SPOT ON about what kind of clothes a big/fat kid can wear. I'm not sure which was worse: having to wear "old lady" clothes in 3rd grade, or getting gift cards to trendy clothing stores from well-meaning family members when I was a teen. Even the necklaces were too tiny to fit right.
I'm also the mother to a teenage girl. I had to watch her have the same struggle I did, although it looks like she won't be "plus sized" as an adult. Even now, when there are a lot more options for plus size clothing, there was still almost nothing for a girl who is an adult WIDTH but not yet an adult height or shape. What infuriates me is that the options for "husky" boys exist. But the only brand we found that had plus-sized girls' clothes (especially bras!) in the 2010s has dropped that line. Because of course they have.
Please visit www.gabriellarossetti.com
Sustainable , size-inclusive, attainable luxury women's wear
Gabriella Rossetti is rewriting the global luxury fashion narrative for sizes 12-24 and creating a legacy that empowers more women to feel confident and look their best.
CEO Alison Diboll : https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisondiboll/
On the one hand, this was a great episode. On the other, it's disheartening to realize that after this brief foray into how the other half lives, the podcast (which I love, don't get me wrong) will probably go back to acting as if the smaller half of the size range is everything "normal".
Super interesting to think about the pattern makers and their background here.
My sister went to school for apparel design and recently taught me how to draft patterns. It took me 2 hours of guided instruction through this book: Pattern Magic
by Tomoko Nakamichi. Finally, I can make clothes that fit! I can't recommend this enough if you're looking for custom sizes.
In the episode it was interesting to hear about the grading in drafting patterns for plus sizes. Duh! Obviously not going to be a good fit and honestly not that hard to draft a pattern that will actually fit people.
Great episode, Avery, like always! The link to the Beatles fashion book doesn’t work FYI.