I think you're doing it wrong!

For any of you who have been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that I am a BIG girl.  I'm not puffy, fluffy, big-boned, a few pounds overweight....

I am FAT!

I've been fat for over two decades.  It's not because of a medical condition (even though my PCOS doesn't help matters), it's not genetics, it's not because of medication or injury.  It's really simple, I take in (eat) more calories than I burn off.

I do feel tremendous sympathy for those who do have medical conditions, injuries, take medications that cause weight gain, etc., so please don't take this as a jab at anyone out there who is larger than a size two.  This is about me and me being fat, nobody else.  HAHA!

ANYWAY, clothing has always been a big problem for me.  Buying plus-sized clothing can be very expensive.  I do shop at one expensive (for me) plus-size specific store when I can, but only shop at the outlet or on clearance.  I have found their dress pants and underwear are very well made and last FOREVER.  So, I don't feel bad about spending a little more for something that I can literally wear for years (well, I do upgrade the underwear more frequently...haha!)  But when it comes to tops and such, I just cannot make myself spend big bucks.

Fortunately, in the past few years, I have been able to find plus-sized clothing in more and more places.  But, in some of the places, their plus-sized line is literally a larger version of their regular clothes.  Ladies, this is NOT a good idea!  LOL

This brings me to one of my favorite sayings ever:

"Girl, just because they make it in your size, doesn't mean you need to wear it!"

Anyway, this weekend I was looking around at a well known discount store, and started looking at their "Women's" section.  It was kind-of hard to find, because their "Women's Section" consisted of about 4 racks and some random stuff hung on the wall.  I was a little irritated, and as I continued looking through the gigantic selection of clothes (sarcasm), I became even more irritated.  In my opinion, this store is doing it ALL wrong when it comes to their (in store) plus-sized clothing collection.  

Here are the things I noticed:

1.  What's with the weird sizes?

I'm pretty sure if I tell somebody I wear a "Size 3", they will think I've lost my mind.  I've NEVER, EVER, EVER worn a size 3...even as a child.  I think I went from birth-to-fat. So thinking that changing my real size to a "size 3" isn't doing me any favors.  It's just confusing me.

If you have to post a chart to explain your sizing, I think you're doing it wrong!

2.  I don't love having a big elastic band on the bottom of the shirt and/or around the neck of the shirt.

Nothing like a big elastic band to make the shirt blouse out right around my "muffin top" to accentuate it.  If you think women want to accentuate their muffin tops, I think you're doing it wrong!

3.  Busy patterns tend to make big women look bigger.

Not only are these busy patterns, it also has the elastic around the bottom and neck.  There is just so much wrong with these shirts!

4.  I, under NO circumstances, want to accentuate my back hump.

This is the back of a shirt.  You can tell it's the back (because it's exactly the same as the front), because of the tie that hangs down the back.  If you think that big women want to accentuate their backs, you're doing it wrong!

And finally, 5. This has to be my biggest pet peeve ever.....STOP PUTTING THE PLUS-SIZED SECTION RIGHT NEXT TO THE MATERNITY SECTION!!!

There is nothing that makes me madder than finding a really cute shirt, only to figure out it is maternity. Since this particular store didn't have much in the way of plus-sized clothes, they just decided to shuffle some of their extra maternity clothes into the plus-sized section. I am fat, NOT pregnant.

In my opinion, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG!

Now don't get me wrong, I do own clothes with strange sizes, elastic around the necks and bottom, have bold patterns, and a low-ish back, but that's only because at the time, I thought that was what I was supposed to be wearing.  After seeing myself in pictures, however, I realize that these styles are probably not the best options for me.  LOL

So, plus-sized vendors out there, what are you going to do to GET IT RIGHT?