People do not come in uniform sizes, so why are they expected to be perfectly proportional to an arbitrary clothing system? The system for clothing sizes is unfair and pushes unrealistic standards onto shoppers.
Stores such as Brandy Melville boast that their clothing comes in one size only. One size to cater to all shoppers. Listed on their site, this size is described as fitting size small or medium. In reality, their “one size” is equivalent to somewhere around a U.S. size 2. This is in stark contrast to the average woman’s clothing size in America, which is around a size 16-18, according to a study by the International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology, and Education.
While many shirts and dresses are baggy, it is ridiculous to assume that the average woman’s 37-inch waist will fit into clothing designed on models with 25-inch waists.
Of course, women who need smaller sizes deserve fashionable clothes. However, this size exclusivity that is so commonly found is ridiculous. Stores are more reluctant to stock larger sizes. Moreover, sizes 12 or higher are often deemed plus-size by the fashion industry; such a clear-cut distinction between the sizes alienates people of other clothing sizes, especially because these sections are frequently lower stocked or feature different clothes than the rest of the store.
Some consumers praise Brandy Melville because women of smaller sizes need access to smaller clothing tailored to their body type. While the fashion industry does have more limited options for smaller sizes, stores are far more likely to stock a size 0 than a size 18. Nine percent of the fashion industry comprises plus-size sales, while the average shopper walking into a store will be able to find a size small. Clothing sizes tend to include size XS, similar to that of Brandy Melville, while most “trendy stores” cut off at an XL.
Besides, Brandy Melville valued 125 million dollars in sales in 2017 with a projected growth rate between 20 and 25 percent. Because they have the financial resources and the massive following (3.9 million Instagram followers), the brand is entirely capable of making fashion more inclusive for all.
The only time when size exclusivity via fewer options or one size only is reasonable is when it comes to small businesses or boutiques, given that often, they are just beginning to grow and cannot afford to diversify their stock of clothing.
On the other hand, the industry’s restrictive sizing has encouraged other specialized stores to pop up in the industry. One such example is Torrid, who stocks only sizes ten and over. While it may seem hypocritical to respond to size exclusivity by eliminating smaller sizes, this is far from the truth. Plus-size specialized stores would have no reason to exist were it not for size exclusive stores such as Brandy Melville, so this example is merely a reaction aiming to amend an unfair system for those of larger sizes.
When clothing sizes cater only to “standard sizes” and cut off larger sizes, it radiates a judgmental exclusivity, as if you must fit into a size small or medium in order to be normal. Size inclusivity is crucial to accommodate the variety of needs by consumers and to ensure that fashion is not limited to only people who meet society’s image of what a person should look like. Everyone wears clothes and everyone deserves access to clothing they like that fits them.
Article by Kara Peeler of Clarksburg High School
Graphic by Angelina Guhl of Richard Montgomery High School