Judith Steinhart

I wrote but didn't post this before Crains article came out....
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20090531/FREE/305319991

Then I found this:  The New York Post had a summary of this article

http://www.nypost.com/seven/06012009/news/nationalnews/stores_ditch_big_size_duds_171902.htm with a terrible first sentence and some terrific comments by readers.

The New York Times will have a similar article with a different perspective this week.  So my thoughts, and my expereinces, are timely!

Here it is: 

How can women be expected to celebrate their body when there are so many barriers?
70% of American women are size 12 or above.

Where do they shop? Where and how do they find fab styles and terrific looks?
Where are the stores with a large, huge, generous, ample, broad selection of fashionable, fitted, stylish clothing made with natural fibers that don't shrink, and fit big, curvy women?

Clothes for big women are often whimpy pastels, baby pink, baby blue, super large patterns, with large ruffles, unflattering short sleeve lengths, made the way maternity clothes were made in the '50s.

Clothing stores are no longer carrying larger sizes. The famous Loehman 's opened their NYC Upper West Side store with no larger sizes. I was told that only their 7th Avenue location in NYC carried larger sizes. When I went in last week, I learned from a salesperson that Loehman's 7th Avenue location no longer carries larger sizes, and hasn't for months.

The Gap and Banana Republic no longer carry size 16 in the stores. Only online.
Ann Taylor no longer makes size 16 available in the stores. Only on-line.

Are these merchants ashamed that or embarrassed about larger women frequenting their stores?  Do they think larger women stay at home hiding behind their computers, and order clothing online, with money to burn for mail order and returns?
 
Even in specialty stores, (Lane Bryant, Avenue), larger size outfits are cut in boxy shapes, as if women were shaped without curves, or as though the curves needed to be covered up.  These hide-your-body clothes, similar to muumuus, masses of shapeless fabric, render women shapeless, curveless or blob-like, rather than marvelous, sexy, elegant, professional, or hip.

And don't even get me started about bras! There's plenty of material for another blog....

Ok, The Good News!

Recently, I did find and fit into terrific pants in brown, on sale at Talbots, (http://www.talbots.com) in the misses, not women's, sale rack.
I also found perfect linen and also denim capris on sale at Lane Bryant, and some cotton tops (a bit too boxy, but they'll do).

Now, The GREAT News!!!!

And while visiting San Francisco, Randi, my good friend, fellow shopper, (Randi has STYLE), and generous hostess, and I stopped into a hidden gem! Go Figure (http://www.gofigure.com) in the Richmond.  Great selection gawjus clothes, sensuous fabrics. Yes, the prices are a bit higher, but the selection was broad and varied, full of natural fibers, fitted and not so fitted styles, with a warm, smiling, curvy woman with style and a smile, ready to pitch in a get to work with me.  For the icing on the cake, they had a terrific sale rack. I bought a reversible burgundy to black, solid color, down-like jacket, with a hood, that looks and fastens like a short kimono.  It comes with a matching carry-on bag.  I'll see if I can take a photo to add to this blog. Randi also tried on tops and jackets that rocked the house!

I wish I lived closer, or that they had an east coast branch.  But you can buy through the mail.

In the meantime, if you need help, I would suggest contacting two NYC based stylists:

• The beautiful, kind, resourceful, put together Silfath Pinto at Sense Your Style, http://www.senseyourstyle.com/about_silfath (see her before and after shots of clients, consentually taken, of course.)  and/or

• The seasoned, smart, stylish, and accessible, Catherine Schuller, http://www.facebook.com/people/Catherine-Schuller/701802325, who also has an organization for women with diabetes, called, Divabetic. 

I feel privileged, and lucky, to have found them both, and I personally guarantee your wardrobe and attitude will be in good shape and in good hands, when working with them.

Let me know what you learn and find, and where you find it!
Thinking of you, all of you, bigger you are, the more there is to rock,
Jud
(check out, http://www.heyjud.com, my relationship and sexuality Q&A blog)