(Photo credit: Berlei Curves)
By LUCY ORMONDE
The average Australian woman is a size 16.
But you wouldn’t know that if you walked into shopping retail giant Zara.
US media is reporting that of the 1700 Zara stores around the world, every single one is “ignoring” the larger sizes and also the larger market.
Zara has been accused of missing out on potentially huge profits by not stocking clothes for plus-size women. Their stores, along with most Australian retailers are overwhelmingly filled with Barbie-shaped mannequins and racks of clothes that stop at size 12.
Earlier this year, a report has found clothes targeted only to women size 8-14 are doing retailers no favours. The Choice Consumer report suggested retailers are missing out on profits because they only sell clothes that fit a limited number of women.
The demand is there, but the sizes are not.
Choice says an increasing number of females say they’re forced to shop online or at chain stores because they can’t fit the stylish clothes sold in shopping malls or high street stores.
Retailers who say they are struggling should consider expanding their range to fit the growing number of women who wear size 16 and above, Choice spokeswoman Ingrid Just says.
“What we’re essentially identifying is that there is a whole market out there that many designers and retailers aren’t necessarily tapping into,” Ms Just said.
The report also found that women’s fashion ranges come “crashing to a halt” at size 14 and that where larger items are available, they’re coming at a price – sometimes retailing for double the amount of similar items in smaller sizes.
Could these be the same retailers who are crying poor because everyone’s shopping with online?
If so, why aren’t designers and retailers tapping into the MAJORITY of the market and making a profit? Anyone?
Choice suggests that some retailers shun plus sizes because they only want their brands associated with slim people. Call it fashion snobbery. In the same way the vast majority of fashion retailers advertise their brands using extremely tall, size 8 (Photoshopped) models, this same principle is echoed by the racks in-store; the labels are controlling who wears their clothes by excluding plus-sizes from their range.
Plus-size fashion designer Megan Moir Pardy said she started her fashion label, Damn You Alexis, because of the lack of labels catering to plus sizes.
She said there’s three reasons Australian labels are ignoring plus size women.
Megan Moir Pardy
1. The cost and fear of changing patterns to suit a curvier figure. The grading between sizes 6 and 12 is quite uniform but when you get up to sizes 16 to 24 women put on weight in vastly different ways and the pattern needs to be adjusted to make the garment work.
2. The stigma attached to a plus size clothing. The cooler, edgier labels have a reputation that the customer wants to buy into. Plus sizes aren’t part of that.
3. They simply don’t think plus size women want fashionable clothes. There is a mentality that if you really wanted to wear fashion, you would lose weight.
And she said the Choice’s spokeswoman was voicing an opinion “plus women have been shouting about for years! There is a huge market out there for labels willing to embrace it. In a challenged retail market I’m really surprised more Australian labels aren’t increasing their size range to include plus.”
Tara Lynn and Crystal Renn on the cover of The Times magazine (Photoshopped image)
It’s our mission at Mamamia to provide you – our readers – with clothes of ALL SIZES. Because there is not one way to look. There is no right or wrong way to be. And there is no ‘one size fits all.’ You can find more information about that here.
What’s been your experience with finding clothes you like in sizes that fit you?
Comments
335 Comments so far
I visited Zara in Sydney in 2011 the day before Sydney to Surf. My friends were going wild with purchases and I quickly came to realise that nothing in that store would fit me and I started to feel depressed… seriously?! I got on a plane and flew to another city to run 14kms for an event I had trained for. I think many retailers believe that people of a certain size live a lesser life, they must earn less, and somehow they are not good enough to be catered to. And it isn’t true.
And don’t get me started on sports bras! As a size 14GG finding bras (especially sports and strapless) are find… I can order the same online from the UK (including postage and a matching pair of knickers) for a similar price then a specialty shop with quite obviously specialty prices.
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Different shops cater for different demographics.
You are right, plus-size isn’t seen as fashionable.
Just like super tiny girls (size 2-4 Australian) isn’t generally stocked either.
But we all do what we need to, buy online, make clothes, or shop from where we can.
I can’t fit into heaps of brands. They don’t want me too, which is an incentive to save my cupcakes until I can, or.. Be creative and find somewhere else.
The truth is that Aussies are getting bigger. And retailers don’t want to be associated with that. And.. They shouldn’t have to.
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Of course it depends on height and body shape… but size 16 as an average ? Phew.
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I don’t see why all the rage about this. If clothes at a particular brand/shop don’t fit….perhaps find somewhere that does. This happens to people of all sizes. Yes, I understand it happens less to people who are of “smaller” sizes…but in a world where we have SO MANY options and choices, is it really such a huge problem?? Just don’t shop there. There are plenty of places that I know, through experience, that their clothes just don’t fit me…so I go to places where they do. No big deal.
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Can we just accept that people come in all shapes and sizes? We all know that clothing size is inconsisent from store to store. If you have curves and need to move up a size to fit some clothing – so be it (you don’t actually have to tell anyone your clothing size, remove the tag if it bothers you!). The key for looking great in clothes is making sure your clothes actually FIT property and suit your shape.
And, if a store doesn’t stock your size – move on! If clothing doesn’t suit you – move on! Not all clothes are made for every body. Designers usually have a clear image in their head when they design pieces and chances are you’re not it.
There is planty of variety for women needing larger sizes, just look beyond the main stream stores.
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Sorry, is this a post about the difficulty of buying clothes over size 14 or is it just a chance for women to bash other women? Lots of voices here judging others, telling them they’re fat, lazy, exuse makers who just need to eat less and exercise more. Shame on you.
There’s also a lack of understanding, with the same voices completely discounting any opinion that differs from theirs. Very open, I must say.
I’d like to see the Mamamia team do some proper moderation here and maybe get into the debate themselves.
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Is there not more material in plus size clothes? Thus it might not be unreasonable to ask for a higher price?
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There’s more material in a size 14 compared to a size 6 and they cost the same amount.
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Precisely!
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Im 6’2, so sorry I cant squeeze myself into a size 10 to keep all you fat haters happy. I suppose I don’t deserve to wear nice clothes because genetically I got my Mums tall genes. I’m probably unhealthy too, lazy, uneducated…hmm what else does being a size 16 automatically make you?
Hey size 10′s, go away and comment on a article that actually concerns you.
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So much faux concern for the “health issues” of the over size twelves in our community. It is very frustrating to see the same drivel repeated over and over again by the size 6/8/10 folks who seem to believe that those who are size 14/16/18/20 are “less than” in some way. All people are deserving of respect no matter what you think of their size. That includes the same access to clothing as any other person. It really is fat discrimination and fat hatred and I would like to see MM do a better job of weeding out the comments that perpetuate those ideas. How about a rule when any comment that condones fat discrimination is not published?
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I just want to know were I can buy a pair of running pants with a drawstring that are a genuine size 16. I run every day and have to do it holding my pants up
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I’ve got a pair of tights from kazfit that have a drawstring and I’m a sixteen. They also have an awesome vented bit around the knees!
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I am one of those fat people you speak of.
A size 12-14-16 depending on the store, people take one look at my thighs and assume I do nothing. Shame on you.
I climb mountains, I walk, trek or hike for hours, I swim, go to the gym.
It seems no matter what I’ll do, I’ll never ave the perfect body and people will assume I do nothing and be cruel.
The irony is I do much much much more than my thinner friends and yet I am told I’m the wierd one for being active. Ok.
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I am a patternmaker and I can honestly say that plus sized fits bring with it a myriad of issues. As many of you have stated already, you may be big, but not short. Or have a large bust and small waist. Or a round tum and no bum.. You get the point. I think that design development teams genuinely struggle with catering for more than one of these shapes. Every company picks a fit model and works to make styles look great for that one particular woman. I believe that some companies would just rather avoid manufacturing plus sizes – which greatly increase fabric useage therefore cost of styles across the whole size range, and avoid getting stuck with a bunch of sale stock that breaks their margins and possibly their business. People have been screaming out for great plus sized clothing for decades now, if it were that easy we would have seen the revolution years ago!
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I wonder how many people asking for bigger sizes are like me, though, and are only talking a bit bigger than the sizes that get made – so the same style or cut or whatever, but in a 16 or 18, rather than stopping at a 14? I don’t see how that brings any more problems than making a 12 a 6/8/10 or a 14 – if it’s just the same style but bigger? Crossroads manage it, and I think Suzanne Grae does as well, so it’s obviously do-able.
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I don’t actually think it is up to every single store out there to cater for everyone all of the time. I don’t go into every store expecting to find something that works for me. I think Australian retail needs to step it up in general it’s the reason why many of us are turning to online stores.
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Perhaps that would be valid, if it wasn’t for the fact that there are so few plus size retailers. Very very very few. Go into Target and have a look at the offerings. Try finding something to wear to work.
We do understand that not every retailer would want to explore plus size, that’s part of being a niche business, but we can’t pretend that there aren’t a lot less options for what constitutes approximately half the clothes buying population. That’s just bad business.
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Ladies, learn how to sew. I love making my own clothes and I can cater for my thicker waist, wide hips and yet still show off my good bits.
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Having mulled this over, I am curious to know a little more.
Size 16 is the average but thats not the full picture. I’m going to take a guess and say the population is not evenly distributed over all sizes (ie 10% is size 6, 10% is size 8, 10% is size 12 etc).
So if most stores stop at a size 14, I think the relevant statistic would be what percentage of the female population are over 16 or larger? Thats the figure that tells you how big the market for larger sizes are, not just a simple average.
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Here’s the answer: Vote with your feet and your money. Leave brand aspiration to those who are suckers for advertising and go out and try clothes on from lots of different retailers without looking at the sign above the door.
I’m a 10/12 depending on the day and an unconventional shape. At 35, I know what styles suit me, my budget and age and I know which retailers cater to that, so I buy my clothes from them, and there are surprisingly few. I don’t know a single woman who doesn’t do the same thing. We all ditched the idea of brand lust years ago.
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Don’t articles like this just bring out the best in people?? To all those smug, judgemental, overly simplistic people out there using this article as an opportunity to “fat bash” and yes that’s what you’re doing – I would like to tell you a personal story about me and my daughter.
I am fat. I don’t have a medical condition and I’m not on medication. I’m fat because I eat too much. I was raised in a health conscious family – with 5 other siblings, however, I stood out as being the one who was obsessed with food even as a baby. I guzzled my bottles, always ate everything on my plate and then as I got older was always in the fridge or pantry whining for food, and if I could get away with it – sneaking food. If I was going to a birthday party or other special occassion, I looked forward to it – not for the company, the games etc but for the food I could consume. Was I fat as a child? No my parents managed to keep me at a reasonably healthy weight – although it was obvious that I was much bigger than my siblings and a lot of other children. Strangely enough I was also a lot healthier than my siblings, in that I never succumbed to viruses or stomach bugs etc
As I got older I realised I was bigger than my friends and I also realised that in our society thin is the only socially acceptable body shape to be. I wanted to be accepted, I wanted to be pretty, I wanted boys to like me – so I started dieting – I was 8. And so from that age onwards I have been on some form of diet every day of my life. At 8 years of age – you tend not to be very successful at dieting, it consists of missing meals (or eating less at meals), then becoming ravenous, then pigging out. Even as a teenager you don’t have the maturity or skills to adopt healthy eating habits – I progressed to purging, obsessive exercise, drinking litres of water and eating toothpaste to curb my appetitie – then of course binging when the hunger got too much for me. My weight fluctuated – when I lost it I received accolades – “congratulations”, “you’re looking great”etc
So it continued – as an adult I no longer have the excuses of being an 8 yr old or teenager. I am well educated, I know what a healthy diet look likes – however, just as when I was a young child – I am still obsessed with food. Nothing makes me happier (or unhappier after I’ve eaten) than eating. I still look forward to special occassions, not because of the company etc, but because of the food. Food is the first thing I think about when I get up and the last thing I think about when I go to bed – usually in terms of how I can eat less. When I have successfully lost weight in the past (in a healthy way) it has quite literally been a full time job to manage my cravings and discipline myself not to overeat. I need to plan every special occassion, shop in advance, write religiously in my food diary, practice mindfulness techniques, portion out treats to avoid becoming too deprived as well as chew gum endlessly and drink water to quell the hunger. And no this isn’t some unrealistic diet I’ve been following – this is following weight watchers which provides a reasonable amount of daily kilojoules.
At present I am working full time in a demanding job and raising 3 full on children. It is no excuse, but stress, exhaustion and my natural obsession with food and the unhealthy relationship I have with it, means that at present I am an unhealthy weight. However, I will continue to fight it and am determined that one day I will achieve my ideal weight.
So that brings me to my daughter. I have 3 children all raised exactly the same, breastfed, healthy food etc. Two of them have a normal relationship with food – from a young age they would stop when they were full, liked “yummy food” but didn’t obsess continually, could save their easter eggs and eat them over a few days etc etc Not surprisingly they have aways been of a healthy weight. My daughter is exactly the same as me – obsessed from day dot with food. Sneaks food, eats all her lunch as soon as she gets on the bus, has massive tantrums when restricted, only enjoys parties for the food etc etc Like my parents, vigilant monitoring has kept her at a reasonably healthy weight – although she is still obviously bigger than most little girls her age. She is only 5 years old but has already started talking about her “fat tummy”.
So to all those judgemental people “concerned” about the obesity epidemic. This is my story – this is what it’s like to struggle everyday of your life with hunger and food. Oh that’s right, if only I’d listened to all the helpful comments of “not eating too much and excercising more” my daughter and I wouldn’t have a weight problem! Simple really!
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Hugs to you Steph – for some of us it is a lifelong battle
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Steph, I know where you’re coming from. I understand that obsession. Hugs to you.
These posts do bring out the worst in people. It’s like people lose their sense of manners and start saying things I doubt they’d say to an overweight person’s face.
To respond to all those people who – from those posts below – seem to hate me/be disgusted by me etc, I say this: get over yourselves.
We all have flaws. Mine just happens to be easy to see on the surface.
I may be fat, but, ironically, my weight is the smallest part of who I am. I am a fantastic mum to two wonderful kids (who, for those who are wondering, are thin). I have a great career where I work hard, earn a lot of money and am respected and well liked by my clients and colleagues. I am a one of the most loyal friends you’ll find and always go out of my way to help other people.
So if you want to pour your scorn on me for being fat, go ahead. I know my worth is not determined by my weight. And nor is yours.
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This! One of the best comments I have ever read
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To help others who may have trouble finding plus sized clothes, here are my comments.
For bricks and mortar shops, about the only one I bother with is Myer. It can be hit and miss, but in general I have found that within the range offered by Myer:
- Basque women can be ok for suits/work wear.
- Leona+ by Leona Edminston does great jersey dresses in nice prints. I get tonnes of compliments on my Leona + dresses. I think when they first brought out the range a couple of years ago the sizing was dodgy, but they have fixed that now.
- Estelle sometimes has nice party dresses.
DJ’s plus size range is usually woeful. And don’t even get me started on City Chic (generally trashy and only worth it for jeans) and places like Autograph etc (only ok if you’re “mature”).
Online, I look to the US.
- Igigi has some beautiful clothes that are generally very flattering and of a good quality, and a great range. I rarely go wrong with an Igigi purchase and they make up probably more than 50% of my wardrobe since discovering them 3 years ago.
- Kiyonna is also good for classic dresses.
- Some of the US department stores eg Macy’s, Neiman Marcus etc carry a decent range of plus size clothing, including by designers like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan and Michael Kors.
- Monif C does some interesting stuff (quite bold).
Some of the brands I’ve mentioned above are also available from online retailers in Australia, but the ranges they carry are often more limited and sometimes you have to “pre-order” and it takes around 3 weeks for delivery.
There used to be an awesome Aussie website called Style & Substance that sold Igigi and Kiyonna clothing with very fast shipping, but they seemed to have closed due to health issues. It’s a shame, because it was an awesome site with great service.
I also make a lot of my own clothing. I find a great sense of comfort knowing that if I can’t find what I want, I can make it. It also means that I can get a better fit than I can get in a lot of ready to wear clothing, and I can alter ready to wear clothing to fit better. I get some of my best compliments for the dresses I make myself, particularly for work.
Finally, a request for the Mamamia team – could we occasionally have an article like this where you don’t accept the comments from people who just want to make comments on whether fat people should be able to buy clothes/should just lose weight etc.
I sometimes see these articles and get excited at the prospect of maybe discovering a new great place to shop for plus sized clothes. And then I see that I would need to trawl through dozens (if not hundreds) of negative posts criticising fat people to find one post from a person who is actually talking about where to find plus sized clothes (or clothes to fit other body types not generally catered for).
I don’t want to entirely squash debate, I’d just rather see some posts where we don’t just have the same bloody debate again and again.
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Thank you so much! I am aways desperate to find nice plus size clothing that isn’t just a shorter and wider cut. I am a size 16-18. A classic example of sizing being totally screwed is Katies. I have walked into a Katies store and tried on a size 18 which has been too small – yet walked next door to Autograph (Katies 16+) and a size 16 is too big. Tell me how one company can be so inconsistent?
I have 3 daughters – 11, 12 and 14. My daughters are tall (as I always was) and are a healthy weight (not skinny, and by no means big) – yet I already see inconsistent sizing affect them. I bought my 11 year old a size 16 swing top from Target kids at the same time as my friend buying her son a size 14 boys t-shirt. My daughter was ‘ashamed’ at having a size 16. We held the girls up against the boys. The difference in sizing was absolutely ridiculous. The girls size 16 looked at least 2 sizes smaller than the boys size 14. All I can do is educate my girls the best way I can and that is to not take notice of society, or sizing – dress to flatter – whether that be large, skinny, short, tall, heavy busted or no bust. I try very hard to teach them to love themselves as they are, and accept themselves for the beautiful young women they are soon to become. I would much prefer them concentrate on their health and fitness, rather than be obsessing about which ‘size’ they are.
So again, whether or not you’re a size 6, or size 16 or whatever, it’s just a size. It certainly doesn’t determine the person underneath.
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I should also add, the Vogue forums have a forum specifically for plus sized ladies and it has a list of all the websites that sell pluz sized clothing. I recommend checking that list out.
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Love. Love. Love Leona. Her flattering dresses make me feel fabulous.
Also, love the Little Leona range for little girls.
If only she made matching mother and daughter outfits.
Sometimes the dresses I buy for my daughter I really want them for myself.
If I’m feeling kooky, I guess we could wear the same dress at the same time … everyone calls her my ‘mini-me’ so why not?
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Pingback: Zara Fashion Line: Are Americans Too Fat to Enjoy Popular Brand? | Frugivore Magazine
Last night on TV I watched a documentary on Britain’s Fattest Man (it actually turned out he was the fattest man in the world recorded to date). The population currently residing in the world today is becoming so alarmingly obese it is actually turning into an epidemic that is going to send our health systems broke and ruin our economy. This is real and it is scary.
While a size 16 may be the average size of an Australian woman, it is certainly not healthy (unless you are a good 6 ft.). I commend brands that choose to overlook larger sizes. Perhaps women of larger sizes seeking more options in the fashion department will be inspired to lose weight given their lack of choice.
Just because something is average does NOT mean it is healthy, or something we should all aspire to be. I am a slim size 8 and I work very hard to eat healthy and exercise regularly and I consider beautiful clothing to be a reward to myself.
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Actually, the evidence shows that not having any nice clothes to wear or having anything that you feel comfortable in tends to lower self-esteem and can lead to comfort eating/binge-eating for many (not all) women who struggle with their weight. It certainly doesn’t inspire or motivate weight loss. And what do you want overweight women to wear in the meantime? Shall we dress them all in burlap sacks so that you have another reason to single them out and shame them?
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I don’t think brands are trying to single out larger women by not making clothes in larger sizes. You need to look at the TYPE of clothing Zara makes. Would larger sized women want to wear short skirts and skin tight jeans? You would probably find the answer is no. It costs money to alter clothes to suit a larger frame. Zara has chosen to target smaller sized women in their clothing range. They are a private company, its not their job to provide clothes for every size – they have a brand image to create and adhere to, and they do a very good job!
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Well said Emma. I’m a 10 on top and 8 on the bottom. I’m 60. It astonishes me that obese people defend themselves in the face of the fact that a very high proportion of obese people I meet are having hip and knee replacements (which are often not very successful) because their obesity has worn out their joints. Those obese people who keep justifying themselves by stating that they are more than just their bodies will discover at a later stage in life that who they are is indeed largely associated with their bodies. I can only hope they remember the things they say today.
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….I work in a hospital and I could say from experience that the majority of people that come in for joint replacements are not necessarily overweight or obese. Statistically, I bet you will find that an elderly person is probably going to be more prone to things like hip fractures (from falls) leading to hip replacements. Sports people have a high likelihood of knee replacement. I’m not saying that being overweight is healthy and I’m not condoning an unhealthy lifestyle, but I think that your statement is way too broad of a statement. Some of the healthiest people I know are probably classed as overweight or bordering on a BMI that is considered unhealthy. I think in todays society we focus far too much on the size of someones clothes or the number on a scale.
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I 100% know what it feels like to not fit into nice clothes, both personally and from sisters and friends. It doesn’t feel good and you wish there was more choice.
But using the word ‘deserve’ in this context is over the top. When did we all get so entitled? They’re just clothes. I love them, I buy them, but endless choice in them is not a human right.
If I can’t fit into something I buy something else, and I’m glad that’s the biggest problem in my day.
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It’s a huge market opportunity and it’s frustrating not to be catered for when we have money to spend.
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There is certainly a lack of choice when it comes to fashion in general in Australia. It took us that long for the typical giants like Zara and Topshop to arrive. It’s an even bigger shame that there is barely any choice for women sized 16 and above since we all love preaching about loving your body. Yes, no matter what size you are, there will be days when you feel beautiful and days when you just want to stay in bed. It is slightly hypocritical when a brand is proud to say they support “plus sizes” for the fact that we have to use the label “plus size”, when really, they are all just sizes. In saying that, I am a happy size 6 who eats more naugty baked goods than any of my friends and yet I feel a little conscious and to be frank, very offended when descriptions such as “skinny” and phrases such as “that girl needs to eat more” are used on me.
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As another skinny mini, I sympathise. A comment I got just today, with a turned-up lip – “Just look at you – there’s nothing of you.” There is actually, I’m human and it hurts to be spoken to that way. Just love all the PC ‘plus-size’ phrases for larger women – pity there’s none for women of smaller builds.
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Can I ask with all sincerity, do you think it is harder being skinny?
These posts are often filled with people saying that it is not just hard being big, it is also hate being tiny. But what would you choose?
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“Petite”.
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Drinking shots for every ‘real woman’ comment – looking at the amount of comments it’s going to be a blinder!
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there are 243 comments on here…. 95% of them are
1. people saying that fat people don’t deserve clothes / its their fault they are fat and don’t fit into clothes
2. people telling the above group that fat people have money and deserve to wear clothes too
why is there so much repetition here?? this is what the ‘like’ button it for! why do all these people need to proclaim they are a size 10 or 8 like it’s an achievement… ?
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Zara for example is ‘high street fashion ‘ for the young and slim consumer. They don’t claim to be a store catering for hugely overweight women. Its correct that the costs of changing patterns and the need or more fabric is unecomical for most brands of this type. They are a business for goodness sake! If you’re a size 16-20….should you be wearing Zara’s skinny jeans or tight gold lame mini skirts anyway?
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Wow, top points for bit heist comment of the day! A size 16 is not necessarily “hugely overweight”, just being overly wide in te hips or big busted can put you into that range.
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I defy anyone with a bust size bigger than D (in my case, DD on a good day, E or F on a bad) to try and fit into a top smaller than a 16.
It just don’t work….unless you want that slutty, busting out of your top look.
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my mum and I are both 10E’s and all my tops are size 10. It’s only when buying bathersthat I have to scale up to a 14 or 16 to fit the cup.
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Yep – my sister has a DD bust and is a size 6-8. She never has her boobs on display and has no trouble finding clothes that fit her frame but also cover her boobs.
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Surely a great business opportunity. If the current brands don’t want to focus on bigger people, then let someone else do it.
The need for larger sizes is obviously very big so go on designers – create some lines with nice cuts and quality and watch the money come in.
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I’m not sure about the logistics and costs of altering patterns to create plus size clothing or what reasons fashion designers really have for not making bigger clothes, but I do agree that there is a market for classy and sophisticated plus sizing and I support the notion that women of all sizes still need clothes and should still be able to feel good regardless of the reason for their weight.
I am a 5ft flea and sometimes find it hard to get small enough clothes these days, but I don’t pretend to understand how it is to be shopping for larger sizing and not ever be able to find stuff. All I know is that if I can have days of feeling flabby and sluggish and lethargic and not liking what I see in the mirror at my size (yes I do and I am entitled to), then I can only imagine it would be much harder for someone 2 or 3 times my weight. Not being able to fit clothes is something that no-one needs to compound the negative feelings about themselves.
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Maybe Zara and other brands don’t want to buy into 16 plus being normal. It might the ‘average’ size of woman, but it certainly isn’t healthy. I applaud labels for sticking to a healthy weight range. More should do it.
We are becoming more obese, unfit and unhealthy everyday. Stop trying to make overweight mainstream.
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Not everyone that is a size 16 is unhealthy. Some women might be TALL. I wonder what size Lauren Jackson is…probably not a 10. Narrow minded….
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If we use that logic, should sizes 4, 6 and 8 go by the wayside too?
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Love your work MM… Not loving the number of predictable negative comments.
Cant we all agree that people of all size numbers need clothes? People with obesity (note that I am a person before I am obese) deserve to feel sassy and stylish and may not feel as such after reading some of the comments here.
There is absolutely a time and place for a ‘fit vs fat’ debate, but I do question why every article involving the term full figure needs to be accompanied by such people bashing? Whatever comments you’ve made here, would you say them directly to your obese Mum, uncle, sister, friend, boss or child?
I enjoy the range of comments here on MM, however I do look forward to the time when comments on plus size related articles are on the whole more positive and encouraging.
You, yes the person reading my rant, you deserve to feel fabulous in fashions that cater for your body type (whatever that type is.)
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Love this comment but especially the final line
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Apologies to all those posters who are ‘horrified’ ‘concerned’ etc by my size 18 bottom half and size 16B top half. I realise clothes, especially professional suits, are not an entitlement. Shelter, food and water are an entitlement.
Consequently, I spend barely anything on clothes. i get my suits from target for $100 instead of $500 at Myer or elsewhere. Mainly cos I can’t find them in the first place and secondly because I don’t want to accidentally end up in the back of a press conference wearing a purple patterned Moo Moo. I’d be lucky to spend $500 a year on clothes, shoes etc. Perhaps, as I understood the point of this article, I could be convinced to be parted with significantly more cash if I could find somewhere to spend it.
but lovely of so many of you to be worried about my health. Like most overweight and/or obese people I’m pretty well aware of it.
Seeing as so many of you are horrified by this raging epidemic of lazy fat people, im sure you wouldn’t prefer I walk around naked, with all my jiggly bits showing
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Good on you Dee. Some of the most talented, capable professional women I’ve worked with in my career are “plus sized”. They have money, taste and a desire to dress as the successful women they are.
If the right clothes were available they’d be snapped up. Retailers are crazy to all compete for the same half of the female market.
Health has nothing to do with it. Are thin smokers deprived of clothing?
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I don’t follow fashion, i’m more than happy with a skirt and tshirt in summer and jeans and jumper in winter. But 5 days a week I’m supposed to look professional. I just want to walk in somewhere and buy tailored black and charcoal suits and shirts. Despite the horror at fat people, I look pretty smokin’ in a tailored, fitted, shirt. Shame i can’t actually buy any of those things with any ease at all
As I understand it i’m supposed to wear box like linen shirts (cos fat chicks like ironing more than skinny chicks, if you didn’t know), long jackets and elastacised waist ‘suit pants’.
None of which is particularly professional in my industry.
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What looks good on a size 16 might not look good on a size 10 and vice-versa. That’s why we have different brands cater for different sizes. Even chain stores like Target and Kmart – take a look, they aren’t producing the same designs from 6 – 26, they are tailoring their designs to best suit the two markets. Let’s not start a rage against the designers who focus on one and not the other. Noone would take a size 10 seriously if she walked into a plus size retailer like City Chic and complained that she really loved one of their dresses but they don’t make it in her size.
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Good point!!
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The difference is that the “size 10″ can walk into 90% of the other shops and find something else.
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Maybe if you’re a cookie cut size 10, but most size 10′s aren’t, trust me. Size 10 doesn’t mean a flat stomach, toned limbs and a tight bum, it just means size 10. Nor does it mean you’re 21 and only wear skinny jeans and short flippy party dresses. I don’t even bother with 90% of the shops in my local mall cause they don’t cater to my shape and age and I’m a size 10. This is why I have a wardrobe full of wrap dresses and capri pants and not much else.
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I agree with you, to an extent.
Which is why being over a size 16 doesn’t necessarily mean:
1. You have boobs
2. you look good in prints
3 You have no waist
4. You are shapeless, or need to hide your shape.
5. You are short
Surprisingly, not all plus sized people fit that criteria.
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I have boobs, and I don’t wear prints, but the rest – when my old housemate worked at CityChic, she used to see stuff there that she thought I might like. I am an XS or S in their tight tops (like cami tops) which accommodate my boobs and don’t ride up like a regular sized top would, but their pants and dresses?? The small sizes were like sacks, and the pants were on my shins. I have a nice shape, it’s just taller and bigger than average.
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I genuinely want to see the clothes modelled by average sized women as its really hard to understand or envisage an item of clothing when it’s only ever modelled by a size 8. Keep the size 8′s, gorgeous comes in many sizes and shapes, but mix it up with other sizes. I’m a 12 with saddle bags (oh genetics) so I’m not big but seeing clothes on curvy women would genuinely sell them to me because I can see how they sit. I think brands like Country Road could benefit from this approach – mix it up people!
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Really?? People are complaining because clothing retailers don’t stock clothing that fits them? I’m a 12-14 (although sometimes a 10 and sometimes an XL depending on the retailer) and guess what? Sometimes clothing in the shops doesn’t fit me either.
So one clothing retailer doesn’t sell clothes in larger sizes? Have you heard, there is more to clothing and fashion than one brand.
Four words: suck it up princess(es).
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I have always been a size 12, and then, overnight, I became a size 10.
Suddenly, size 12 means having a size 73 – 76cm waist, instead of the
69-72 it used to be.
If this is any indication of how sizing is going, then I think it’s really sad that the national average is 16 – because it means that size 16 women are even bigger than they were 5 years ago.
A size 16 of today would be equivalent to a size 22 of the 1960s. I don’t think this is something to be proud of at all.
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I know exactly what you mean. 30 years ago I weighed 40 kilos, I was a size 8-10, now I weigh 50 kilos & am a size 6-8. I used to wear a 10 from Katies, now they’d have to make a 4 to fit me on their current sizings.
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Zara has fantastic kids clothes and shoes, but I have never, ever bothered to look at clothing for myself there. I’m not so naive as to think that I might be able to squeeze into anything.
However, I just nipped over to Damn You Alexis for a look and saw that a basic tank top was $50! How on earth can a label justify selling a basic singlet for that price? Talk about cashing in on the plus size market.
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I find it depends a lot on the cut. I’m 6 months pregnant and bought some great tops and maxi dresses from Zara. Pants forget it.
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“They simply don’t think plus size women want fashionable clothes. There is a mentality that if you really wanted to wear fashion, you would lose weight.”
This pretty much sums it up for me, I eat healthy and exercise regularly but I’m never going to be a size 8 so I shop online for nice clothes to suit my figure. Anyone who starts a chain here with nice clothes for the average sized woman will make a killing!
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Meh, I just shop at target
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In (continental) Europe, size 12 is considered overweight, if not obese. Here I’m considered fairly slim, but I struggled to find clothes to fit there and was given no sympathy for it: “it’s because you’re fat”. I was ashamed of our nation that we have come to accept that fat and unhealthy is becoming normal.
These brands come from Europe where women take pride in their appearance. Funnily, no one over there mentioned thyroids, medical conditions etc – you just look after yourself, use more energy than you ingest and don’t get fat. And then you could fit into whatever clothes you wanted to.
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It’s an interesting argument isn’t it, that because you are overweight, you are not deserving of good quality, fashionable clothes like the rest of the population. The other name for that argument is fat hatred.
If you re-frame the discussion as though we are discussing shoes sizes for example, it would be easier to see the blatant discrimination and hatred in the basic sentiment. No one would think it was appropriate to say that a women with a size 11 foot is less deserving of shoes that fit than a woman with a size 7 foot.
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Ever shopped in Asia? In Australia I’m a size 8-10, whilst in Indonesia I’m a ‘large’. It cracks me up! And forget finding shoes for my thunderous 8.5 sized feet!!
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Susan, great point. I used to live in Europe for a long time and used to love seeing new mothers who are slim everywhere, which is a pretty rare sight here. I used to love that women take care of their appearance, something which has always been seen in a positive light over there, whereas here in Australia, it’s somehow negative to want to take care of yourself. It’s as though women here are proud to be overweight and not care about what they look like, like it’s some kind of a badge of honour. Very strange.
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I know what you mean. I live in Europe and recently lost about 12 kilos. I lost the weight after numerous comments from doctors and colleagues about being overweight (I was an Australian size 12). I can now fit into size 8-10 clothes but it was only on a trip to Australia earlier this year that I felt surprisingly slim. Here, in France, I am average sized now.
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I can still fit into Zara.
I’ve been average weight all my life. Then I started taking antidepressants. Couldn’t deny the problem any longer and the weight stacked on almost immediately.
I don’t know why, you don’t seem to eat any more but I was putting on a kilo a week. When you’re depressed it takes a while to realise what is happening. Suddenly you’re 10 kilos heavier and growing.
I often wonder if this is part of a lot of other women’s weight problems too.
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It’s the antidepressants – I put on 12 kilos in 2 years due to them, luckily I lost 9 of them within the first few months after my dr and I decided it was time for me to stop taking them. He confirmed the weight gain was down to the medication and that it was virtually impossible for me to lose the weight while continuing to take them. If it’s contributing to your depression and making you unhappy it is definately worth talking to your dr about maybe changing medication.
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I’m glad to hear you lost most of the weight and don’t need the meds anymore. Unfortunately I really need to keep taking them. I’m just trying to manage the weight gain as best I can. They make you so tired too. Exercising becomes that bit harder. It’s an awful problem really because as you say, weight gain can make your depression worse.
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I think Zara probably looks at their healthy profit margin, and thinks, well we’re doing okay without working to woo the plus size market, so it doesn’t hurt us to ignore them. Plus, the clothing is generally very angular, which tends to suit smaller women. (It doesn’t even suit me; I’m a short-torsoed, curvy size 10.) Zara doesn’t “have” to do anything. It has its business strategy in place and is happy with it.
And I too think it’s a disgrace that our average size is a 16. THAT’s what needs examining, not Zara’s business decisions.
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I find it incredibly sad that those people who are overweight feel they then need to follow that up with justification…so as to soften the flogging they will get from others.
So sad that this is what people feel they need to do.
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I don’t quite get the original ABC News article on which this piece is based. They say there are only a “few dozen” Zara stores in the US. And yet in a country of 330 million this is the brand being attacked. A country that has access to every clothing line possible, usually with free shipping and often with a discount code attached.
If a place doesn’t offer something for you, go elsewhere. Surely that’s common sense? With all of the choice available to us these days, especially now that so many overseas companies are making it easier for Australians to shop online, I truly don’t see the point of complaining about the choices Zara makes. Yes their sizing runs small. Despite buying their pieces for several years I still made the mistake of ordering a leather jacket recently from ebay in small. I’m a size 6-8 most other places but the bloody thing makes me look like I’m Joan Jett in a marching band. Not their fault obviously. And I won’t make that mistake again.
I think what we *should* be focusing on – maybe in another article – why do Europeans have such a lower rate of obesity than their N. American and Australian counterparts? It’s not a matter of Australians being ‘built big’… after living in Norway for a few years I can safely say there were many times I felt teeny tiny at 5’8, something I don’t experience here. Why isn’t their obesity rate skyrocketing if we’re all being born larger, have more health issues that require weight-increasing medications, etc? Instead of complaining about a company’s sizing decisions maybe we should be wondering wtf is going wrong in our society that we expect them to offer increasingly larger sizes in the first place.
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Two things: sugar and no smoking
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I think I’d add things like less prevalence of and reliance on fast food and takeaway joints, more people cycling and walking places instead of driving 3 minutes, smaller portion sizes and a culture that doesn’t continually make excuses for what’s a very obvious and serious problem. I didn’t notice an overabundance of smokers in Northern Europe… especially when smoking is banned inside and it’s freezing outside. I however did notice how active people were…and they were doing so in weather environments that are much less hospitable than ours. When a hot dog from 7/11 is the equivalent of $22 AUD in Norway, it’s not hard to understand why people choose to eat at home. This stuff isn’t rocket science and yet somehow we (including myself) are failing miserably.
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“a culture that doesn’t continually make excuses for what’s a very obvious and serious problem.”
Why are you being so meeeeeeeeeeeeeeean???? It’s the medical issues, I tell you! Nothing to do at all with eating too much and doing bugger all exercise.
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They walk everywhere.
I ate like a demon the last time I was in Europe – far more than I eat at home – but I walked everywhere and didn’t put weight on.
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He he he “Joan Jett in a marching band”.
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Sad part is I’m not even exaggerating. Two of my friends who I guess believe they’re comedians make trumpet noises when I wear it. And I do look like a fool I’m quite sure but of course I’m going to try to get some use out of it! Took the tags off right away like the fool that I always am (see previous comment about Target coloured jeans coming in different lengths) so there was no point in trying to resell it back on ebay. I just take solace in the fact that it’s Jamila’s fault… if I hadn’t have seen her wear the damn thing on here I never would’ve bought it.
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I went to Zara and tried a few things on and the proportions were really odd – I’m a regulation size 10 – 12 (at 173 cms and in my forties I don’t think that’s particularly off the charts in any direction) and tried a pair of trousers in a size 14 – bagged at the front, skimped on the leg length, and I could hardly get into them because the calves were made for a person of pogo stick proportions.
I did what I should have done in the first place, got out of there and stuck to labels I know that fit my shape in a realistic sizing. (Dangerfield, Ojay, Veronika Maine, Mavi for my jeans …)
So until the garment industry gets itself into order with universal sizing, I guess I have to do what most of us have to do no matter what shape we are – try, try again …
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Universal sizing? There isn’t a universal shoe size, bra size, height, so why should there be universal sizing?
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I live in hope
I’d like universal sizings in shoes, bras etc. , too!
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Am I the only plus sized woman who doesn’t particularly want to wear brands like Forever New and Zara? Even if they came in my size (18), the cut would be rather unflattering, particularly the super short skirts resembling those of bathing suits. I wouldn’t want to wear them any more than a small framed woman would want to wear clothes from the children’s dept.
Yes, I am fat, and yes, I’ve been fat for a few years (compounded by meds and dodgy thyroid). Since I put on 30 kilos over 6 months a few years ago, I buy almost all my clothes online or overseas. Most plus sized Aus clothes are:
-too ruffly, sequined, beaded, hot pink
-lacking in skirts ( I don’t wear trousers)
-favouring sleeveless tops (resumably so you’ll buy a cover up)
-of the assumption that plus sized women are 6ft tall with hulking shoulders
I like shirts and skirts and dresses and cardis. Not ‘after 8′ sequinned clubbing wear.
And yes, I would like to be thin again, but I do need to be clothed in the interim.
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Interesting, my friend who is a size 18-20 complains that she can’t buy sleeveless tops! (she doesn’t mind her arms).
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tell her to look at forever 21. cheap shipping!
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I love how they also assume that if you are over size 16 you have boobs…i’m an 18 at the moment at the bottom but still a 14/16 B cup up top.
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Some predictably sad & judgmental comments on here today.
“It’s not our fault. Some people are fat because of medical conditions.”
“Oh no they’re not. They’re just lazy. And fat. And I know what I’m talking about.”
“Beth Ditto is fat. Obese. ZOMG, she should be ashamed of herself for being so fat.”
Mmm hmm. I can’t think what makes you think it’s appropriate to come to a thread that doesn’t address an issue that affects you but hey, you all thought it would be nice to come and point at the fatties and tell them what you think of them. Thanks for that. Now go away and be perfect somewhere else.
So, on topic. I’m a size 12 on top, 10 on the bottom and I can’t get my boobs in many Zara dresses. We pay way more in Oz than in the UK for the same stuff. It’s cheap and poorly stitched. I say you women who can’t get into Zara clothes aren’t missing much.
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well i for one am embarrassed that our average size is a 16. cant hide it.
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I’m just wondering why you and others are embarrassed that the average size is 16? How does it actually affect your life? So what if some people eat too much – everyone has their problems. Rather than being embarrassed why not trying to be compassionate and non judgemental. Most importantly why not focus on your own problems and let overweight people focus on theirs.
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When you have overweight or obese people in your life it very much affects you. Knowing their health problems and health risks and the link with obesity and shortened life span, that affects me.
Being on a wait list to visit a specialist about a problem that is genetic for me while people who got the problem due to their lifestyle are ahead of me also kinda annoys me too.
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I agree that the retailers need to change to meet the market but why is the debate always centred around their reluctance to stock larger sizes? I can’t buy clothes in most retail shops because the clothes are all too big.
I’m not skinny, but I am 5’1 and of a slight build, meaning now that the sizes seem to have grown (I believe this is called vanity sizing, but I could be wrong), a size 8 is often too baggy as well as too long.
I’d really like it if the debate included those of us who are at the end of the spectrum but if I mention the problem, I nearly always get howled down.
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lets try this again: My list, as follows
boden dot co dot uk
Kiyonna dot com
queengrace dot com
torrid dot com
landsend dot com
eddiebauer dot com
lucielu dot com
dominodollhouse dot com
myhabit dot com – not just clothing…but lots of things to blow your dough on……..
asos dot com
eloquii dot com – doesn’t ship to Oz at the moment but I use a mail forwarding co called priceusa dot com dot au
igigi dot com
redressnyc dot com
pinupgirlclothing dot com
boutiquelarrieux dot com
shoptranslated dot com
and these guys for shoes/boots:
duo dot com
widewidths dot com
endless dot com
Im sure there is more – will update when I remember them
Have fun
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Thanks so much for this Anon1. I used to love Virtu but suddenly all their clothes are for girls who are really tall, i bought a pair of three quarter exercise pants there and they are past my ankles.
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Sounds like that’s where I should be heading!
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A few more:
Macys dot com
jcpenney dot com
nordstrom dot com
debenhams dot com
marksandspencer dot com
The great thing about the above sites – is the combined shipping is (usually) ridiculously cheap – so you could buy a wardrobe full of stuff, plus toys, kitchen gear, manchester….anything and have it sent for a flat fee.
Also:
softsurroundings dot com – for great LONG robes (nightwear) this one also doesn’t ship to Oz at the moment – but the above forwarding company does good prices for when you really HAVE to have something you find.
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Sorry but I really don’t see the problem here. If the average size is size 16 then THAT should be targeted, not a brand that has smaller sizes than average.
As a nation we’re getting fatter and fatter, WAY more so than European countries – this is a European brand and I think it’s more than acceptable that they’re not changing their sizing designs based on our obesity epidemic.
I mean no offence to anyone of a larger size, but I just think this sends the wrong message.
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Agree.
And it doesnt have to be a fat vs skinny debate. I prefer fat vs fit.
its incremental but I have slowly noticed a trend towards focusing on womens fitness. There are a few facebook groups which actively enourage women to exercise, to be proud of their fitness and muscules and I think its fabulous.
*Yes, I am aware some larger women are also very fit. No issue with that, I’m just yet to be convinced its the majority.
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I agree… I feel quite awful saying that but I don’t think we should gear our clothes toward the latest crisis. Sure, some people are overweight naturally but the stats that more than half of us are overweight is outrageous. We don’t all have a thyroid problem etc. Fix the obesity crisis, not the pants.
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‘Anonymous’, the issue here is that people of all sizes still want to wear nice clothes. There is so much attention given to the ‘obesity crisis’ with plenty of people/governments all over the world trying to find the solution but unfortunately this doesn’t just disappear in an instant, and in the mean time, I’m sure people who are size 16 and above still want to be clothed!
Also, starting a sentence with “I mean no offence…but” is usually quite offensive.
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Yes, and there are plenty of shops for these women, Zara is just not one of them as it doesn’t cater to women of a certain weight/shape – that should really be the end of the argument.
Why should they have to cater to an overweight clientele, that’s really the crux of that.
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I’m so over the comments that start “well, I’m a size 10..” and go on to criticise larger sized people, or anything that is in support of them.
Facts:
1. I’m tall. I’m not a size 10. I’m a healthy BMI but I’m tall. A lot of Australian women are tall these days. I don’t know of any brands that offer longer waistlines for us so a lot of styles don’t work on us purely cause of the standardised patterns that grow wider but not longer.
2. Why do you just assume that because you are a size 10, that everyone can be? There are a lot of health conditions and medications that result in weight gain and/or difficulty in reducing weight.
Furthermore, depending on the age and circumstances underwhich a person came to be obese, though they may be able to reduce weight, it might be impossible to maintain a lower weight- even with increased diet and exercise.
3. What encouragement is there to go to the gym when it is full of judgemental people like you who will more than likely ridicule larger sized people who attend, even though you say they should.
4. Why shouldn’t the marketplace meet the needs of the consumer? The consumer is the source of the retailers’ wealth. It doesn’t matter if Zara is from Europe, if you want to be a global company you should cater to local markets, not just send your left-overs out across the globe.
5. If you are size 10, what difference will it make to you if Zara stocks up to size 16? are you scared of seeing a larger person in the same outfit? Will it change the way you look in Zara clothes?
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“There are a lot of health conditions and medications that result in weight gain and/or difficulty in reducing weight.”
No, there really aren’t. Considering the amount of times this argument is brought up, you’d think every second overweight person is on medication that is making them fat when in reality, they are only a small minority. The vast majority of overweight people are overweight because of lifestyle choices. And yes, I am a health professional.
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What sort of health professional are you, Jess? I mean, if you’re going to make a comment like that it’d be good to have some more info. Are you a doctor? Nurse? How many years experience? Dietician?
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I’m not Jess and I’m not a health professional but I think her comment is stating the blindingly obvious. I am overweight and so is my husband. Many of our friends are overweight. One of my friends has a medical condition that has lead to a significant weight gain. The rest of us spend a lot of time sitting around drinking beer and eating junk food. None of us are very sporty, we don’t get much exercise. That’s why we’re fat.
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The commonsense isn’t popular, Anon. I don’t see why what Jess actually does has any relevance (apart from her feeling the need to qualify her statement with it, which I kind of get). There aren’t that many people with PCOS/thyroid/whatever. There just aren’t. And I’ll put money on it that the vast majority of people who say “Oh but medical issues!!!” don’t actually have them either. They just eat too much and move too little.
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I asked her to qualify her statement about being a health professional because I wanted to know more about her experiences of overweight people & the underlying issues. Pathophysiology, the effects of medications, underlying issues, you know. Health professional could be anything. Stil, you have your common sense, dont you?
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It has relevance becasue she decided to bring it up in her comment. I assume that is why it is relevant. If it wasn’t why did she need to qualify her whole statement by adding that at the end!
I understand that not everyone who is overweight has become that way from medication etc. However, to say that there aren’t that many people with PCOS/thyroid/whatever, what info are you basing that on!!
I had an aunty who had a sever respiratory syndrome and had to go on a myriad of medication (including steroidal drugs which can stack on weight) and she gained a lot of weight. Going from being a fit and healthy and slim lady to someone who could not exercise to lose the weight that the drugs had helped her pile on because of exacerbating the disease. So please don’t try and generalise the ‘vast majority’ by saying you’d put money on peoples personal issues!
I can name 3 people in my circle of friends/colleagues who have PCOS and a close family member and a work mate who have thyroid issues. So, wherever you are getting your generalisations from, I’m not sure that they would statistically be correct!
Yes, we have an issue of obesity in the western world, but it doesn’t help people to hear comments like this. Especially when there may be a medical reason for what is happening.
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Yes, it is commonsense because not everyone is an exception. Chelli, your Aunt is an exception. Your friends are exceptions. If all the “medical Issues” were the real reasons for people being overweight and obese, everyone would have them.
Are you people seriously suggesting that if you were put in a situation where your food is controlled and you did more exercise, you wouldn’t lose weight? I’m not even talking about Biggest Loser type stuff. I’m thinking about something like recruit training for the defence force or police – where you walk or run everywhere, only eat at set times and don’t have access to other stuff, and do PT sessions a couple of times a week.
Do you seriously think you wouldn’t lose weight and get healthier and fitter in that scenario???
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I’ve watched embarrassing (fat) bodies of late. Oh let’s face it, I watch the embarrassing bodies series anyway.
They have had a family of overweight mum and sons appear and undergo a number of tests to try to explain why they’re overweight. Eg: slow metabolism, hereditary factors, muscle usage while exercising etc and none of them have applied to this family which has shocked them. I wonder what a food diary would reveal for them.
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I love Embarrassing Bodies. I haven’t watched the “fat” version though!
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Also: “What encouragement is there to go to the gym when it is full of judgemental people like you who will more than likely ridicule larger sized people who attend, even though you say they should.”
I’ve never seen anyone who is obese or even vaguely overweight (or well, anything really) cop shit from anyone at the gym. Ever. Most people are concentrating on what they’re doing. If fit people are at the gym, that gives you a hint as to HOW they are the way they look – from working bloody hard to get there and maintain it! And when fitter people see those trying to lose weight, it’s always a positive reaction. And I’m in the overweight category at the moment.
How can anyone know the attitudes of people in a place if you never actually go there????
So over the excuses and blaming others. I’m overweight, it’s because I’ve eaten too much crap and cut back my activity over the years. Rather than whinge and blame others, I’m working on losing that weight.
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Well said Kris.
I’m a gym goer and I used to be an aerobics instructor (through uni) and I’ve not once in my life scoffed at an overweight person at the gym.
As you say, everyone is focused on themselves – you’d be wasting your time if you went to the gym to judge and not work out.
Plus I go in the mornings sans make up, sleep in the eyes – I couldn’t give a shit
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Exactly – you’re there to work out and sweat!
The only time I can think of anyone having a go at anyone in the gym was, er, me a while ago. One of the high schools has gym as one of their sports, and the girls were all being so half arsed and just sitting around chatting everywhere (on the rowers, bikes, weight machines, in the fitness on request room) I walked up to one group and asked them how much they paid to do it. They said $6, so I said why do you pay $6 to do something you could do in the playground at school, and it seemed like a waste of money. No-one would have an issue if they were actually doing something, but sitting around on equipment that people (and not a gym bunny in sight either) who do want to work out on and basically taking up space? Not cool. I like going to the gym but it’s not to hang around and shoot the breeze!
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When I was overweight years ago I didn’t go to the gym, instead I walked part of the way up Mt Coot-tha (in Brisbane) every day. I felt very self conscious, especially because a lot of super-fit people cycle and run up there. As it turned out I didn’t get a single mean comment but a few lovely people stopped to share encouraging comments.
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Great story! I actually find people are at their most friendly during/just after exercise – it makes you feel GOOD!
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My SiL was morbidly obese and was too afraid to go the gym because the one time she did go people WERE staring at her. Sniggered, too.
She stayed home & got on the Wii Fit instead.
It does happen, Kris. You can’t speak for everyone in the gym any more than I could suggest that every gym goer stares at larger people.
Jess, I’d also like to know what sort of health professional you are. You might have given us some more information into your insights rather than just ‘I’m a health professional.’
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No I can’t, any more than your SIL’s experience is everyone’s either. But the original post purports to know that this is what is happening, and in a long time of different gyms I have never seen it. It’s a cop-out.
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this kind of ridicule has never happened at my gym, everyone just gets on with their workout basically. totally agree with kris2040
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hmm what about hormone problems? PCOS? thyroid?
i can’t fit into normal sizes purely because of my boobs- is that my fault too?
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you can work through PCOS if you go hard enough!!!
Weight training, high intensity cardio, good food and patience is the key
I’ve done it, and now I have abs
Thyroid issues seem to make things more difficult, however while not knowing exact stats, I don’t think that there is a massive prevalence, well not enough to explain the high Obesity rates
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Really Jess? one of my friends had a life threatening disease that required a lot of medication to beat, she gained 30 kilos while she was on the meds and it made her infertile. She did not change her eating habits while receiving treatment if anything she ate less because it made her feel nauseous most of the time. She is now struggling to lose the weight she gained while sick, so yes, some medications change your body.
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Yes, but your friend is the exception, Of course some people are on meds that make them gain, but that doesn’t explain the percentage of people being over weight being greater than 50%
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Really Red Queen? Did someone say that medication NEVER causes anyone to gain weight or did they say that it’s nowhere near as common as people make it out to be? Your friend is the exception, of course it happens, it just doesn’t happen very often. Most people are fat through their own choices.
I also don’t see how Jess’ qualifications are relevant here. She is stating something which I assumed most people with commons sense should know. But as they say, it looks like common sense isn’t very common.
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being someone who is involved with health clubs and bootcamps, I find it offence that you say its FULL of judgemental people.
That is untrue. I know where I go we encourage these people and I personally find them inspiring that they are attempting to make their lives better.
Some times they work harder than I do!
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Being someone who is involved with health clubs and bootcamps, I find it offensive that you say its FULL of judgemental people.
That is untrue. I know where I go we encourage these people and I personally find them inspiring that they are attempting to make their lives better.
Some times they work harder than I do!
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