It can be difficult to love your body when the media is telling you that you shouldn’t. Magazine covers tell us to lose weight, drop dress sizes, and diet. I’m sure most of us have experienced a clothes shopping nightmare where our size isn’t even recognized by the store (or the sizes are wacky and store specific so you have no idea what size to try on). Dressing rooms are already daunting with their harsh, unforgiving lighting, but too tight clothes or ones that sag in weird places are also disheartening to say the least. That’s where size inclusive shopping comes in.
What does size inclusive mean?
Size inclusive means that, no matter how you look – short, tall, big, small, athletic, curvy, flat, plus size – you will not be discriminated against based on your size. When it comes to clothes, it means a brand is trying to cover as many different sizes as possible, and doesn’t just cater to one figure. That means no body shaming. Or only having “cute” designs in the petite sizes. Or only carrying the supposed “average size” (which makes bra shopping an absolute nightmare).
Why is size inclusive important?
Size inclusive means that my short, gorgeously curvy friend and I can shop in the same place, and both of us will have options and a positive shopping experience. Body positivity starts with each individual person learning to love the body they are in, but it definitely helps if the clothes that are available make them feel comfortable, sexy, athletic, etc. (and not claustrophobic, uncomfortable, or like they’re wearing a tent).
By Jenna Allen