Viva La Revolucion! Plus Size Takes A Step Forward.

I am officially convinced that the plus-size revolution so many of us have been waiting for is here. Why? Because everywhere I turn, beautiful plus size women, like myself, are finally being given the respect we so rightly deserve.

Don’t believe me? On September 1st, Lane Bryant released its runway inspired Icon Collection to provide high-end, fashion forward pieces to plus size women, something that no other major plus-sized fashion retailer has tried to do with such gusto. Also in September, a naked, sized 14 Lizzie Miller appeared on the pages of Glamour and caused such an incredible flood of positive response from readers (of both the male and female variety) that editors decided to feature seven of the industries best plus sized models in the nude for the November issue out on stands now.

Still not convinced? Then take a look at television media. Shows like More to Love and Drop Dead Diva are taking us beyond the days when plus sized women are used as mere weight loss subjects or sidekicks for our skinny counterparts and towards an era where rubenesque beauties on television are headliners of the show. Ladies and gentlemen, we have arrived.

Where are We Going?

When will the revolution have accomplished its goals? When, like in all revolutions, business as usual is no longer deemed acceptable. When the small shifts in action become major shifts in thought. When showing plus sized women in the nude is not shocking or laudable, but a norm in our society.

The size of the average women has hovered between a size 12 and a size 14 for a very long time, yet we continue to refer to these women as being plus-sized. In my line of thinking, that means everyday at least 50 percent of the women who go shopping for clothes are being made to feel as if there is something abnormal about their size. That is unacceptable.

My idealist nature has a proposition for the fashion industry. Since each woman just desires to be treated as equally important and relevant as the next and plus-size retailers have proven that a strong market exists for women of every size, why not do away with plus size clothing and offer great pieces from size 0 and up in every store. Women who make up plus sizes account for over half of the shopping population, but plus size retailers only account for 16 percent of the fashion market. Not making all fashion available to everyone isn’t just cruel and unnecessary, it’s bad business.

I know some of you are probably thinking that there are benefits to having retailers cater to specific sizes and that doing away with the plus-size industry all together would be horrific. I don’t disagree that there wouldn’t be drawbacks. However, in my soul there exists a burning desire to shop, not just alone while my friends visit other stores and different departments, but also with them at stores that cater to all shapes and sizes.

Applaud the changes. Applaud the progress. Note that this is not our destination. The journey is just beginning. Viva La Revolucion!

Reference: Stylist.com

Image taken from glamour.com