Dressing the plus size woman has never been an easy task, and it is by no means the fault of the curvy woman. There are a number of factors that make dressing the plus size woman a bit more challenging than it should be. It all comes down to two things: one is the rigidity of the fashion industry and the other is the question of the economy.
The fact is that the fashion industry has never really been kind to the more gifted segment of the female population since time immemorial. Ever since Christian Dior launched his New Look for his Flower Women just after World War II, and even long before, the ideal woman in the minds of fashion designers has always been one who is tall, has a wasp waist, tall. and slim hips.
Seriously, what real woman looks exactly like this? A real woman has fuller breasts, a thicker waist, a bag of meat on the abdomen, and much rounder hips and thighs. The ideal woman of haute couture does not exist; she alone makes up less than 10% of the total female population. The sad thing about this is that real women are killing themselves to fit into this unrealistic ideal.
Frustrate supply and demand
The fashion industry’s refusal to take off their blinders and look at what’s outside their limited worlds is so ridiculous. The reason for this is that many designers fear that their creations will be labeled as clothing worn by plus size women. But is that really that bad?
In fact, there was hope for the fashion industry in the early and mid-2000s, when plus lines from well-known designer brands emerged. Designers like Ralph Lauren and Tadashi Shoji have shown that plus-size women also have the right to look elegant and glamorous.
But that is ephemeral. When the global recession hit a couple of years ago, plus-size lines were the first designers and retailers went out of business. Department stores such as Macy’s in the United States and Selfridges in the United Kingdom have removed clothing that plus-size women can wear from their racks and racks. Clothing brands like Ellen Tracy also dropped their plus-size clothing.
It doesn’t make sense, right? The law of supply and demand tells us that when more than half of the female population is likely to buy plus-size clothing, what suppliers need to do is meet that demand. Why is what is happening the other way around?
The need for alternatives
The plus size clothing market is there. The need is unmistakable and cannot be denied. Fortunately, there are designers who are responding to the demand for clothing that the plus size woman can actually enjoy wearing. Clothing companies like Igigi, Monif C., and Marina Rinaldi have given plus-size women options they can confidently choose from if they want class and style in their clothing.
This, however, is far from being enough. The fashion industry needs to stop chasing its unattainable ideal and wake up to harsh reality. Clothing for plus size women is what is in demand these days. Real women can no longer afford to be ignored.