However, wanted to air a pet plus-size fashion peeve and I figured, who else would understand like the fatosphere?
Here's plus-sized fashion pet peeve #547:
Granted, I hate crew neck shirts because they feel too snug around my neck, and we probably do generally want a little more room in the neck than thinner folk.
Why oh WHY do they cut plus-sized necklines so wide?
Granted, I hate crew neck shirts because they feel too snug around my neck, and we probably do generally want a little more room in the neck than thinner folk.
But do they always have to cut plus-sized shirt necklines so wide? Isn't there a happy medium somewhere?
Ugh, I can't tell you how many great shirts I've gotten rid of because the neckline is cut just a tad too wide and my bra strap ends up showing during normal activities.
Obviously if it shows my bra straps a lot when I try it on, I don't buy it. But what looks fine in the store often slips and slides around at home during normal wearing and I find my bra straps are often exposed.
I'm not a prude. I don't get shocked or offended if someone's bra straps show for a bit. And some shirts are designed to show bra straps...that's okay too.
But I do think it's tacky when a shirt that's not designed to show bra straps does. And especially in those of us with a rack who have to wear industrial-strength bras that don't have pretty, delicate little bra straps to show. It just looks tacky, nothing more.
Also, I work with kids a lot and it's just distracting and inappropriate to have your bra straps hanging out all the time. So I want a shirt where I don't have to constantly monitor what my neckline is doing or whether my straps are showing. Is that so much to ask?
I was trying to find a shirt this weekend for various activities, and I was just struck by how many shirts I have in my closet that I don't wear except around the house because of the neckline/bra strap issue.
AUGH!! So much wasted money, so much wasted cute clothing....all because someone doesn't take the time to understand REAL plus-sized women's proper fit.
And don't even get me started on how all the shirts are either too short or too long!
I usually end up layering them over tank tops, to hide the bra straps and raise the neckline a little. Not the greatest fix in the world, but it also helps cover the "gap" if they're too short, which most tops are on me.
ReplyDeleteSo true! Especially when you have little kids climbing in your lap, shirts that barely cover the straps just don't work. My sister just wears tank tops under every piece of clothing, but I want to be able to stick a shirt on in the morning and forget about it!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you 100% on this one and at least for me it is semi-pregnancy related. During and after my pregnancy I went from a 36 DDD to a 38/40 G/H. As a result almost none of my shirts fit and so I spent a lot of time this summer trying on shirts. After the second time I brought home a shirt only to realize that when I moved around my bra showed I stopped buying shirts that were even borderline in this regard. End result, no more shirts for me. Three outlet malls in three states, at least 40 shirts tried on and not one would work.
ReplyDeleteOh AMEN to this one! And may I add "short skirts" to the pet peeve list?
ReplyDeleteWHY, exactly, do they think I want to display a lot of leg when I'm wearing this size? LONG skirts guys ... LONG.
I'm 5 feet tall, and they are STILL too short on me.
Fabric. I want fabric covering all my parts ... thanks.
I hear you on so many fronts.
ReplyDeleteMy mom is large and I have watched her go through that neck thing and the length problem. Plus since she is short, ALL dresses and pants are way too long. They seem to think anyone who is large is also six and a half feet tall!
I am large, too (though not as large as my mom) but with a different problem. Designers seem to think all women with bigger than a peach bellies (I have had eight babies! give me a break!) have Dolly Parton breasts. I do not take after mom in this area (we're talking A to be generous). So anything big enough for the belly, well, I could use the top half for a baby sling if it wasn't for that extra generous clevage. sigh.
I think that in general, the answer to "Why oh WHY do they [insert fit problem here]?" is "because it looks good on someone else". For every 5 foot tall woman who complains about the lack of petite plus sizes, there's a 6 foot tall woman complaining that it has apparently never occurred to clothing designers that some women are big AND TALL. My best friend gets annoyed that even plus sized pants are made for women with hardly any hips; I get annoyed that all the plus sized pants seem to be made for women with huge hips. Probably there's someone out there with wide shoulders who wishes they'd stop cutting plus-sized necklines so darn small.
ReplyDeleteKnowing that doesn't make it any less annoying though.
I am with you on this one! I also hate how the wide neckline ends up showing the "girls" more. I am not a prude either, but appreciate appropriate coverage when desired!
ReplyDeleteYes! Yes! A million times yes!
ReplyDeleteI actually thought I was the only one that found this obscenely annoying! I spend a lot of time having to play 'hide the strap' until I give up and finally throw the damn blouse away.
OMG, I thought it was just me! I know that some people work around this by wearing a pin/brooch on each shoulder, attaching the shirt to the bra strap. That might work with some tops.
ReplyDeleteIf you knit, you could "Pick up" stitches around the neckline and knit a few rows of neckline.
Hahaha! I feel you there. It seems that everything is slipping and sliding some days. And speaking of bra straps, don't even get me started on bras...why is it that the Lane Bryant saleswoman told me I was a 34F, but when I found a 36F, it was far too small? Argh, matey.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you! Necklines on plus size shirts should be the same as on normal size shirts, just size-adjusted! How often do you find plus size tops or shirts with a nice medium length, medium width V-neck on them that fit in the shoulders like normal size shirts do? Have the designers never considered that a real, constructed V-neck is SO much more flattering than those butt-ugly way-deep and incredibly wide U-scoop neck shirts are? Ugh, this is a pet peeve of mine, too! lol I am on the small side of plus size clothes (14, sometimes a small 16) but I have big boobs (38D) and a wide expanse of chest - you know, that area between collar bones and cleavage, it's really wide on me. I don't need that wiiiiide expanse to be showing, it certainly isn't flattering! Thanks for the chance for the rant! lol
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way.
ReplyDeleteIt has to do with the "sloper" (template) used to create the same thing in different sizes. As the sloper is sized upward to accommodate wider waist, hip, and bust measurements, everything else is sized up proportionately. That means enormous armholes (I've tried on shirts/tanks/dresses in my size where the armhole was nearly down to my waist) and necklines. What gets forgotten is that on most women who wear plus sizes, the circumference of their necks and arms are often not as large proportionately (when sizing up from a smaller size) as the circumference around the trunk of the body.
ReplyDeleteI agree completely! Having a bigger belly or butt doesn't mean your collar bone gets wider. I wear a lot of undershirt-type things to keep me covered, but it would be nice if the shirts would just fit right to begin with.
ReplyDeleteArgh! I am dealing with this today!
ReplyDeleteI already have a safety pin closing the neck line a little (which is so fashionable and not the least bit conspicuous - ha!).
And, I have a substantial rack, so I am always afraid people are thinking I am putting my cleavage "in the window" on purpose. I am just dealing with my limited cut options. Scoop necks and wrap - style criss-cross stuff looks better on me, but they always tend towards the overly exposing.
Hi! I just wanted to say I share your frustration and have one to add - sleeves! The cute plus-sized clothes I can find at Target stores and such often are a great fit everywhere for me except the sleeves! They are too tight! It makes me look WAY out of proportion. I want to shout - I'm fat - that means my arms are too LOL!
ReplyDeleteI'm a big girl trying to find a formal dress to wear to my husband's military ball. So far I've found grandma and rockabilly style. I want to look 30, not 50 and not 16.
ReplyDeleteWhy does it seem that all designers think fat women want to wear the standard mother of the bride dress of a sheath dress with a jacket over.
That's all.
YES!!! i know what you mean...grr!
ReplyDelete-amanda m. from ican :)
(love u and ur blog :)