Why Size Inclusive Dress Stores Matter

A few years ago, I entered a store in Pacific Mall where I wanted to try on a pair of pants. The store owner told me that I was a size large in Hong Kong sizes. She searched through her stack of pants to find the largest size and as she handed me the pants, I looked at her in disbelief. Size large? I have always been skinny, and I had always worn a size small – or medium if I wanted a comfortable fit. The only time I thought I could pass for a “large” was in kid’s sizes. I tried the pants on, and they fit. I ended up buying the pants.

When I was in university and looking to purchase a varsity sweater, a student who was watching me make my purchase insisted that I purchase an extra small size. I was hesitant but he told me that it was the size he got. Against my better judgement, I purchased the sweater with that size. When I got the sweater, it ended up being too tight when I zipped it up. I never purchased an extra small size of clothing for myself again.

Size perception varies around the world

What these two situations have in common are the quick assessment of my size based on how I looked to strangers and the my own self-image was questioned based on what was considered to be extra small, small, medium and large sizing in retail. It’s true that different countries, and even different stores in a single country, size clothing differently. I might be considered a size large in China and a size small in the United States, but I’ve never suffered from not finding clothing available in my size.

In the Pacific Mall store I went to, the pants I purchased were the largest size they had. So, if anyone who weighed more than 105 lbs tried looking for pants in that store, they would be out of luck. And that’s sad. I take for granted the fact that I can go to Asian clothing stores and find fashionable clothing that fits. Size inclusive clothing matters because we have a diverse population in Canada who come in different shapes and sizes. Even if they may be considered a size extra extra small or extra extra large, they should be able to find beautiful clothing that they can wear.

Dresses for everyone!

Inclusive sizing is especially important when it comes to dress stores for prom. Prom is the night that a young woman wants to look her best. If she goes to a school where she has to wear a uniform, being able to show her creativity and individuality through a prom dress is even more important. If a girl sees her dream dress and goes in the store and realizes that they don’t carry her size, it could be heartbreaking. A girl shouldn’t have to settle for a dress that she doesn’t like just because it’s the only one available in her size. She should be able to see a selection of dresses and have all of them available in her size. Below is a list of dress stores that are size inclusive or specialized for those with curvier body types.

Size inclusive stores:

• Suzy Shier
• Reitmans
• Le Château
• Anthropologie
• Nordstrom
• Rosie The Rebel
• H&M
• Laura (including Laura Petite and Laura Plus).

Plus size stores:

• Your Big Sister’s Closet
• Addition Elle
• Pennington’s
• Torrid
• Gussied Up 

Written by: Maria Montemayor

Featured image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-a-woman-wearing-green-dress-985635/