The Struggle for Size Inclusivity See

Illustration by Faith Okoli/The Runner

Nov. 3, 2021 The Runner

The struggle for size inclusivity

By Lilliawna Shaffer Staff Writer

Finding clothes that fit comfortably is already a challenge, and when clothing brands have limited options and a small range of sizes to pick from, shopping for clothes can become a very frustrating and upsetting process. One company that does an amazing job of advertising and promoting size inclusivity and diversity is American Eagle Outfitters. It is a trendy and popular company that sells jeans and other clothing items, but is known for its size-inclusive jeans that comes in a wide array of styles to better fit different body types. They offer 14 different styles of jeans, ranging from ‘Mom jeans’ to ‘Curvy jeans’ to ‘Cropped jeans,’ and these jeans are offered in sizes 000 through 24. In addition to this, they offer a variety of jean length options ranging from X-short to X-long. Their tops are sold in sizes XS through XXL which is still more inclusive than other brands who only sell XS through XL, but not as inclusive as they could be if they were to offer more plus-size options for tops. “One inclusive size range: 000 through 24. Because no two people are the same, and no two people wear their #AEJeans the same way,” states the American Eagle website.

Another size-inclusive company that has recently regained popularity because of TikTok is Old Navy. The company embodies body equality by promoting size inclusivity through its use of diverse models who are different sizes and ethnicities. With five different types of straight-leg jeans, three types of skinny jeans, and five other types of jeans Old Navy offers a total of 13 different jean styles. Their sizes not only range from regular, tall, and petite, but they also offer sizes 00 through 30 in their regular-sized jeans. My all-time favorite thing about this company is that for each clothing item there are three different sized models wearing it, allowing shoppers to get a better idea of how the item will look depending on their body type. In addition, they have a large selection of plus-sized clothing. Their regular tops range from size XS through 4X, which is more ideal for plus-sized people, rather than struggling at many stores that only offer a size XL. Another amazing thing about this company is that their plussized items are the same price as the regular-sized items. Oftentimes, companies will charge more for plus-sized items, which is completely unfair to the shopper who is considering spending their money at that store. “Dear women everywhere, Let’s start a fashion revolution. Now in all stores, online, wherever you find us, you’ll find all styles, all sizes, same price. (That’s right — the same style is the same price, no matter the size!) Because you deserve it, and your friends do too,” states the Old Navy website. On the other hand, one company that is lacking in the size-inclusive department is Urban Outfitters. All of the models that represent the company, while ethnically diverse, are very similar to the ideal vision of what fashion models should look like: skinny. Of course, there is nothing wrong with being skinny, but skinny people are not the only people who shop for clothes. Companies’ models need to show a diverse range of sizes so that more people feel comfortable shopping there. Urban Outfitters jean sizes are available in size 24 through 34,which is equivalent to a size 0 through 12 and 14. Its tops are offered in size XS through XL with no option of plus sizing. As someone who finds the clothes from Urban Outfitters trendy and cute, I rarely buy things from this company because I typically have a hard time finding my size. A Huffington Post article describes an incident that took place in 2017 when Urban Outfitters hired a plus-sized model but did not sell clothes that fit her. The model was Barbie Ferreira and she had a 33.5-inch waist at the time, which is .5-inches larger than the size recommendation for an XL. This is extremely disappointing for the company to single out this model just to attempt to promote their failed diverse agenda. What is even more disappointing is that this incident happened nearly four years ago, and their sizes have not changed. After the incident got media attention the company released a statement saying they were working on extending sizing, however, there has been no evidence proving whether any action is being carried out as promised. Shopping for clothes can be hard enough as people’s sizes vary from store to store, but having a limited option of sizing can make matters depressing and can have a huge impact on one’s self-esteem. Body image issues are a growing epidemic, so supporting brands that are more size-inclusive and representative of different body types is important to our mental health. Most importantly, remember that clothes are meant to fit you, not the other way around.