Tim Gunn Stands Up for Plus-Size Women Everywhere

on January 6, 2012 at 1:41 PM

Looking at Tim Gunn makes me smile. The "make it work" design mentor from Project Runway always has such a great goofy-looking grin on his face, I just can't help it. Off the runway, Gunn's speaking up for plus-size women in a new interview with Marie Claire, saying that when it comes to shopping, they deserve better options:

"Have you seen most of the plus-size sections out there? It's horrifying," said Gunn. "Whoever's designing for plus-size doesn't get it. The entire garment needs to be reconceived. You can't just take a size 8 and make it larger."

Tim's right. When bigger girls head to the mall, they are pretty much limited to two mainstream stores: Torrid and Lane Bryant. Two stores. I don't know about you, but I can't imagine any fashionable "normal" sized girl being confined to two stores and being OK with it.

From a girl who's been there, trust me -- it really stinks.

Over the last few years, I've lost give or take 60 pounds. I'm happy and blessed to be where I am now, but I'll never forget how hard it was to be "fashionable" before I dropped the weight. When I had an event coming up, I would start shopping for it weeks if not months before. I knew that finding an outfit wouldn't be a one-trip sort of thing.

When you're bigger, you pray that a store will still have something in your size when you get there. You feel defeated when you can't find something, which used to just make me eat, and if you're like me, you end up finding a "little black dress" that you wear to everything fancy.

Tim's right, clothes from a lot of mainstream stores can't just be "made larger" to accommodate the plus-size market. When you're bigger, everything's bigger. From the girls to your hips and thighs, the clothes you wear need to accommodate that. There's a whole slew of women in the world shopping for a larger size, and in my mind, there's no reason why more brands aren't trying to take advantage of the shoppers.

In the Marie Claire interview, Tim says he's thinking about designing for the larger market. There's no doubt in my mind that if he does, he'll have an instantaneous fan base.

Are you a plus-size? Do you find it hard to find "trendy" clothes?

Image via Lifetime

About the author Emily Abbate

is a blogger and Editorial Assistant here at The Stir.

Filed Under: clothes, plus size

Comments (13)

billsfan1104

on Jan 6, 2012 at 1:48 PM

I am between what they consider plus-sized and just woman. I am a size 14. I have lost almost 30lbs and I remember shopping in the plus-sized sections, and Tim is right, its horrifying. Why do they always have the plaid, scenic scenes across my tits, and just plain oversized clothes. I dont ask for tight clothes or the same thing that my size 5 daughter wears. But something in the same fashion vacinity.

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Stasiaandkksmom

on Jan 6, 2012 at 1:56 PM

Bravo its about time somebody realizes this!

sunmoonandstar

on Jan 6, 2012 at 1:57 PM

Women's clothes are always too short for me, pants, torso and sleeves. The chest is also too big, I have little boobs despite being fat and the neckline often hangs way past my bra. In fact I can't even find a bra that fits, I would need a 42aa or something. It doesn't exist. I wear men's clothes because they fit better but I wish I could find some cute camis and sweaters to wear too. Also stores like Old Navy should sell their plus size clothes in the stores again. Hell, if skinny people are so offended by fat clothes in thirty store sell them in a separate location I don't care. I want to be able to try on clothes and not go through the hassle of buying multiple sizes because not all 22's are nearly the same size.

stacey541

on Jan 6, 2012 at 2:28 PM

I'm plus size right now and HATE it! Shopping for this size is a bitch. I'm like you sunmoon-I am a 22 but have no boobs so the shirts hang off the top half of me and look ridiculous. (you may want to go online to Lane bryant for bras-I managed to find one that fits beautifully) and pants also suck to locate-in most stores it is just the same size 8 clothes bigger-who the H would want to see someone my size wear low rise jeans? The thought makes me sick! I would love to look put together and cute, but its so dang hard, so I will just keep trying to get this damn weight off and look cute when I'm skinnier.

RhondaVeggie

on Jan 6, 2012 at 2:48 PM

There are far more than two stores that sell clothes for fat women. Every department store from sears to Macy's to kohls has a plus size department as do stores like target and stand alone clothes store like fashion bug. The only time I ever set foot in lane Bryant was when I was looking for Spanx because that store is just full of ugly polyester clothes that make my skin crawl. Unless you are really very morbidly obese, say you can't walk around a store solely because of your excess weight, then it really is not that hard to find clothes that fit. It's only going to seem hard if you restrict yourself to stores like Betsy Johnson and other frou frou boutiques.

starrsitter

on Jan 6, 2012 at 2:58 PM

I came home in tears the other day due to this very thing. My husband encourages me all the time to go buy clothes. He doesn't care how much I spend. I simply can't find anything that fits. Three and a half hours rendered a hoodie.

I can't remember being smaller than a 10 in the last 15 years, even at my most athletic. After two kids (coupled with some stress-induced weight gain) I'm somewhere around a 16 which puts me in the purgatory between "normal" and "plus" clothes. Plus sized clothing is often cut too wide through the hips and legs, but regular women's sizes are too tight in the waist and bust. It's not simply about being "big" or whatever you want to call it for me. It's about nothing fitting properly at any size.

phoenixmom2011

on Jan 6, 2012 at 3:05 PM

Fashion bug and lane bryant are one in the same. Tim Gunn is talking there are only two stores that speaciLize in larger womens clothes. The problem is the buyers. Most large women realize that what looks good on a size eight does not mean it looks good on them. Lame giant and I have a love hate relationship, just because you are not a size 8 it does not mean you should look like you are wearing curtains, the eighties were never a good look for large women ect. That said there are plenty of cute things if you are willing to look. I am 5'11" and wear a size 18 for most of my life.

Procrastamom

on Jan 6, 2012 at 3:06 PM

I hate the fact that, if stats are correct (because OMGObesityCrisis!!!), we're more than half the population, but our choices are confined to a small percentage of the market. Hey Capitalists, look at the numbers. It stands to reason that if we're half of the population, you're missing out on half of the money. If you want our dollars why aren't you making product for us?

And I heard that Melissa McCarthy (of Mike & Molly and Bridesmaids) is working on a line of clothing. Can't wait to see what she comes up with, because I love her style.

OkieGirl74

on Jan 6, 2012 at 3:25 PM

I was a plus size for 20+ years and the options are horrible. I never understood why everything in the plus-size was double knit, polyester or horizontal stripes. Now that I can shop in the regular ladies section I find myself overwhelmed by the choices

Nonmember comment from Kelly

on Jan 6, 2012 at 4:14 PM

Due to the broad definition of 'plus size' I can walk into a Lane Bryant store with my mother, who is a good 130 lbs lighter than I am, and we can both shop. That's more depressing than it is amusing. I tend to shop online via Lane Bryant's family of stores (avoiding LB since they're so expensive, I prefer Fashion Bug), since I have to make an hour round trip to get to any of the LB or Torrid locations where I live. I'd love to just go to the mall closest to me and buy clothes!