When you're plus-size, things get even trickier. Let's forget, for a
moment, that most brands and stores simply stop producing apparel after a
size 12. The reality is that a curvier body has, well, more curves. And
those curves aren't something you can easily measure — let alone put
into jeans.
I will admit that I am simply not a big denim lover. Whether this is
due to my affinity for vintage dresses, or whether it's a distaste
cultivated by the sheer unavailability of comfortable plus-size jeans
that fit a 50-inch bum and a 39-inch waist, I do not know. What I do
know is that sitting in my closet are clothes — including jeans —
ranging from sizes 14 to 20. Just like no two bodies are ever the same,
it would seem no two pairs of jeans are ever the same, either.
So because I'm into fashion/beauty experiments (like finding out how photo editors around the world manipulate my features or gauging reactions to my low-rise bikini),
I decided to use my median size of a "16" — which is what I find myself
purchasing most often — to investigate what different brands and
designers think that number actually means.
Ahh. The sweet feel of perfectly fitting denim. Such a rarity. Soft,
sufficiently stretchy — I might change my mind about jeans, after all.
*Lycra
*GOLD STAR RECOMMENDED
Hmm. This isn't so bad. I would prefer you in high-waist, BUT you're
relatively comfy and soft, and you don't seem to hate contouring to fit
my wide hips.
*No Lycra
*GOLD STAR RECOMMENDED
I'm all for size experimentation, but unless I lie flat on my back
and suck it in more than I've ever sucked it in before, this just isn't
happening.
*Lycra
Ignore the horrendous lighting that is a Forever 21 dressing room.
These aren't so bad actually. They fit everywhere they're supposed to.
And yet my figure seems to have become far more pear-shaped than usual.
Peculiar, indeed.
*Lycra
You're too big, Decree! When stretched at the front, we're looking at
three unnecessary inches of space. But you're not baggy anywhere else!
The confusion never stops.
*Lycra
All right, Liz. I'm a little bit impressed. You don't create lumps
where there aren't any, and you're long enough to accommodate a
5-foot-10-inch gal's legs. But camel toe will forever be my personal
fashion faux-pas. Some things I like to keep private.
*No Lycra
*GOLD STAR RECOMMENDED Conclusions:
Our obsession with being the "right" size is nonsensical. To try to
define a "size" is equatable to trying to define a "color." Much more
energy than it's worth. Sure, I had fun trying to squeeze into pants
that were far too small. Because once you get into it, it is actually
fun. But there are other things that require far more better use of head
space.
0 comments :
Post a Comment