Pinstripes and loud prints galore!
What do you see? Besides the obvious answer of a whole lot of ugly.
No offense to anyone who might like these shirts but we have to admit that these are not exactly the most fashion forward pieces. I'm not trying to pick on LB since they are not the only ones guilty of this sort of thing but sometimes I find myself shocked by the sheer amount of ugly clothes that are pitched at plus sized women. Go into any plus sized chain or the plus department in almost any store and you will find a wide array of loud prints and muumuu shapes. Things that aren't only unhip and unflattering but are just plain garish. Either that or the most dull assortment vertical striped button downs you've ever seen in your life. Granted some stores claim they're trying appeal to an older consumer within their plus sized departments but is the older consumer really looking to wear something made out of disco era curtains? I doubt it.
There are a always a few treasures amidst the trash but sometimes its like searching for a speck of gold in a landfill. I know we've talked about designers and stores that don't carry plus sized clothes but why are the offerings so very limited within stores that are meant to cater to plus clientele? Do the powers that be just not care or is there the idea that if you're plus sized you just don't have a clue about fashion anyway?
I would love to hear opinions about this since on the whole I just don't get it.
53 comments:
That is pretty bad. I'm confounded.
Those are pretty gross. Lane Bryant is just garbage but its the biggest company. I think that maybe that has something to do with their selection. In a lot of places Lane Bryant is the only option for plus sized shopping outside of online retailers. Thats why it sucks that a place like Old Navy that used to have some pretty decent stuff no longer sells plus sizes in the stores.
It's really sad, because they could really be fashion-forward, if they chose to be. Instead, they give the world smocked blouses? Horrible.
There's that deal about "the bigger the woman, the bigger the print she can get away with." Probably true...petite little whisps get swallowed up in huge florals, and a bigger gal may look lost in a dainty floral print...so maybe LB is taking that too far and saying, "Our customers want HUGE prints and HUGE tops!" The irony is, we ALL look better in fitted clothing--does anyone watch What Not to Wear?? Every non-tiny woman on there gets fitted clothing and looks awesome! No mumus!! Weird.
LB makes me crazy. I go there because they have 1 pair of pants (in only one color; apparently when you go from black to grey the fabric changes and they don't fit right anymore) that fit perfectly. But I always look and rarely buy anything else.
I don't mind the occasional bold print - I have something like the middle shirt in the top row - by pulling in under the bust it gives me shape. But the print is so out there (it was on sale) that I usually wear it with a cardigan or a jacket.
Seriously. We have some of the same type of shit over here too. I don't get it, and have often lamented it.
Things seem to be shapeless and sloppy, there's no darting or stretch in business shirts, t-shirts look like too big 'bumming around the house' clothes, and denim is bedazzled? What the hell?! The kicker to all of this? Way overpriced for the quality of the clothing. Ugh.
(ps. for some reason this form isn't letting me sign in with my nomoremumus id? Odd)
It's all Made In China, and relabelled with someone else's brand. What else could account for such global ugliness - because this crap is all over the UK, UK, Canada and Oz simultaneously...low cost, high margin, crap fabric, fugly fugly fugly. Kimono sleeves? Check. Collared shirt? Check. Smock top? Check. Hoodie with ridiculous amount of overprinting? Check. Seriously, these are just clothes, not fashion
ARGHHHHHHHHHH Where is the cute??
Lane Bryant is one of the reasons I went to fashion school. It gave me a reason to design fashionable clothes for real people. What they offer to plus size women is unacceptable. I don't understand how anyone can wear those items and feel attractive. Everyone deserves to look and feel amazing.
I think part of the problem with Lane Bryant these days is that they were bought out by Charming Shoppes -- the same folks that bring you Fashion Bug, Catherine's and other fascinating catalogs. They are very successful in their low-end, inexpensive market, especially amongst smaller town America.
When LB was owned by Limited Brands, I feel there was more of a push to keep up with trends. Not so much any more.
Which is probably why my volume purchasing at LB has dropped dramatically.
i dont think its just lane bryant, its alot of stores (both plus size and not) that are like that when they cater to what stacey described as "low-end, inexpensive market, especially amongst smaller town America". what i dont understand though, is why stores that cater to that assume people want to wear ugly clothes. just because u dont want to pay high high prices to find nice plus size clothes doesnt mean u want hideous prints.
Yup, that's the problem with fat lady fashion. Ugly. Ugly. Ugly. Or worse, they take skinny girl fashion and bump it up to fat lady sizes. (Sorry, but I just hate the look rolls hanging out of a belly shirt.) OK, that's it! I hereby demand that somebody come up with a better line of fat lady clothes. (I wish I were crafty enough with the sewing machine for that person to be me.)
Happy day everyone!
Kristen
http://www.kristensguide.com
at least this gave me a good laugh!
Actually, big prints are very in this spring. And while I haven't seen many pinstripes on the runways, pattern mixing is also very hot, and stripes are simple way to start with that.
I think prints are in, they're definitely on the runways right now. However I feel like the prints offered by LB are horrific. There are good prints and bad ones and I'd rank the Lane Bryant offerings in the bad category.
Pinstripes are fine but I always find it ridiculous how any store devoted to plus sized women is choc full of "slimming" vertical stripes.
You're right. Pretty ugly. I'm actually a fan of LB but sometimes they use poor judgment. These designs actually look very similar to a lot I've seen at Penningtons over the last year. Am I the only one sick of large pattern polyester?
I have to say the current assortment at LB is particularly painful to look at. I was in the store yesterday where they are having a massive clearance sale, and there wasn't a single thing I wanted to buy.
I do love their right fit jeans though. They come in a nice dark wash, but I wish they had other styles besides boot cut.
I've always had beef with the "plus sized" clothing field. They assume that, if you're not a size 4, you must not have decent taste in clothing, right?
And you must want to conceal your body, because you simply MUST think you're fat (and therefore you're embarrassed), right?
So we can use crappy fabrics that are loud and horrid because you won't know the difference, and they'll distract from your highly embarrassing weight issues, right?
WRONG!
I am a size 14-ish, and I know more designer biographies and have memorized MORE fashion rules and tips than I can count. I don't want to wear a set of curtains - I want to wear something that will make me feel great! Unfortunately, that's not a tunic, bell-sleeved shirt with hot pink sleeves.
Ugh. This is such a horrible issue - that what I love that designers are starting to stretch out their size lines to include non-size 4 people, too! Because, honestly, there are more size 12 millionaires than size 4... I'd put money on it.
xoxo!
...why are the offerings so very limited within stores that are meant to cater to plus clientele?
Because larger body types defy standard measurments, things can't be too fitted or too tricky in design or it won't work for the greatest number of consumers. The selection method of buyers seems to be 'stick with whatever most of the customers are buying and do not try anything different for at least 4 seasons'. AKA: If it ain't broke, don't fit it.
Do the powers that be just not care or is there the idea that if you're plus sized you just don't have a clue about fashion anyway?
Yup to both.
As for us not having a clue about fashion, where on earth did they get that idea? Certainly it couldn't be from the vastly-popular TV shows and books showing us our faults in detail and telling us how to correct them? *cough* What Not to Wear, etc *cough* And yet...we look badly dressed in the first place (to them, anyway) because the styles of what is widely available, and the access to better options, are so incredibly limited. It's quite a nice little sitch to have created: create the problem, make money anyway. Create ideas for solution of problem (if not actual solution), make money anyway.
I thought it was just me! When my mom and I went out for the after Christmas sales, I assumed that all the nice things in Lane Bryant were already purchased and those tops are just what is left. But when I browsed the online website and went to a few LB stores when I returned home from the holidays, I realized those tops are indeed serious. (and not the joke I take them for)
CHRS has no real wide competition, hence they feel they can get away with this. When Limited had LB, I did see less junky stuff, and the sizing was better.
And I know that it's conservative and not to the taste of many, but I'm thankful for Talbots Woman for basic, classic wool crepe and other natural fiber items.
The problem is that people assume that if you are plus size than you must not care about how you look and therefore don't care about how you dress. Its truly sad.
I work hard to look good and original. I don't shop at LB because I don't want wear the same fugly pint wrap top as every other girl walking around the streets. I'd much rather hunt for hours than
FYI, just heard that Lane Bryant did a casting recently looking for 30+ year old, size 18-22 models, realized that there weren't any to be found at the agencies, so dropped it to 30ish-looking models. It would appear that CS are really targeting an older consumer for LB...but I somehow can't quite see the boomers loving these prints; wouldn't it be a case of 'been there, done that already' in the 70s?
I have to pick and choose carefully with them. I swear by their pants, and loved their little velvet empire waist dresses this season, but I passed up on about 500 other not so great things.
It really goes in cycles with them. I also think they are trying to hit the trendy, crazy side of the juniors market too oftem.
So what's the alternative? Haven't found any options in line with the styles and quality available at say, Anthropologie or Club Monaco. And forget about the established designers. If anyone has alternatives to the endless bedazzled denim, cheap polyester kimono sleeve tops, boxy striped collared shirts, palazzo pants, and matronly mid-calf length sack dresses that dominate plus sized "fashion" LET ME KNOW!!!
Yeah, gross. I think fashion schools should start requiring plus size design as part of the curriculum, seriously.
a) so glad i just happened upon your site!
b) totally concur on the LB front
c) what is with the long shirt/belted or empire waste everything there?! not all bigger women are amazons. these things look ridiculous on me (not to mention they are usually made of crap fabric).
I am so THROUGH with the high street. I am OVER kimono style tops and abstract style/ floral prints. What is wrong with these people? It makes me so frustrated. Thankfully I can sew and I make a lot of my own clothes but that still doesn't fix the issue. These big companies have the money to create fashion forward lines in plus sizes but just have NO INTEREST. Makes me want to scream!
Still, whenever I see Elena Miró's stores' windows they always have really pretty outfits, so at least not all is lost.
I just want to say I love what your doing! The fashion industry has contorted the image of what females should look like to a pathetic extreme and I'm glad some people are finally coming to their senses. Keep up the good work!!
p.s. Those clothes are horrible. you could probably find better at JCPenny.
I loathe and detest Lane Bryant. When I was a kid LB mail order was the only source of clothing but there are so many alternatives now (especially online), I refuse to give LB my time or my dime.
And I love fashion blogs like this because they steer me to what is available and desirable in my size range.
Ugh, Horrid
So as a three year employee of LB, I completely agree with a lot of comments people have already said. It's frustrating to me because I want to reccomend flattering and fashion-forward items to people but a lot of times it's completely hit or miss. The big prints don't make us look any smaller. I pretty much stick to the basics whenever I buy stuff there, and go to TORRID when i'm looking for trendier items.
LB has become Romans, only in a mall. Many of the clothes designed for plus size women are things even your blind grandmother wouldn't wear.
The clothes are great if you sew and want to make doilies, retro lampshade covers, or give them as gifts to people you don't like. Mean thought, I'm not going to DO it!
OK, really! For me my weight gain was simultaneous with my increasing clothing budget. What's left to buy??? Not much. Talbots is nice but too expensive for everyday. Old Navy on line has nice stuff, not horrid like FB, LB, Catherines(eeewwww), and some of the others, But you never really know sizing until it arrives.
Tip: Fashion Barn actually has some nice things in plus sizes.
PS Love the blog-just found it
I've often found that of LB's shirts. And it's sad because I like the cut of most of their tops, but I don't want to walk around looking like retro threw up on me.
I find plenty of cute, appropriate stuff at LB! You just have to search like hell and try everything you find on. The stuff isn't bad, it's just the PRINTS on a lot of their tops that are bothersome. But don't knock the retro. I by far get the most compliments about the 70s inspired peasant top I bought from LB.
I just stumbled upon your blog..love it!! And so interesting that I was just on LB's site the other day and had the exact same reaction to their tops. Although, I do still occassionally find things I like there. LB's pants fit me pretty well except for the rise. All of their pants are so high waisted...makes me crazy!
Ugh, I hate the plus size clothes. I always say, "I want to wear the same styles and fashions as everyone else, just in a bigger size." I don't want big, bold, graphic patterns, flowers or stripes. Talk about making you stand out even more!
ugh, i could not agree with this post any more. I even notice this at stores that are aimed at a younger client like Torrid.
for example
http://www.torrid.com/torrid/store/product.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030166&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442170106&bmUID=1200857873079
http://www.torrid.com/torrid/store/product.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302030166&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442169439&bmUID=1200857905248
I just hate it. Plus sized women want to be fashionable, but the options are so sparse. Thank god for stores like the gap which offer XL.
Not only are these tops ugly as hell, but they're also not long enough. Aren't we told not to wear clothes that cut us off at the hip, as they make us look wider? I'm a US size 10/12 Brit in London, and I find it amazing that it seems that in the UK, we have more fashionable large sized clothes in mainstream stores than you do in the US. But why can't designers design proper clothes? Is it because bigger women don't boycott crappy clothes shops, and accept what they're given?
We just discovered your site and kudos! We're Canadian and not familiar with LB but are all too familiar with mall manufactured norms of made in china fashion. Most of the stores have the same looks and prints regardless of sizes, and are probably made in the same factories -just slap a logo/brand tag on and boom. We avoid malls like the plague for this very reason-mass production of bland, land filled induced, low quality, template products.
We agree with Norfolk Craft Mafia regarding making plus size design a requirement in fashion schools. It would shape a future landscape of fashion for plus sizes. When Project Runway Canada was given the task of creating plus size outfits, most of the designers didn't know how
to approach it, confessing that they had never tackled larger size designs.
And Clair, it is a sad day indeed when a 10/12 size is considered plus. Were we sleeping? When did someone come in and declare nothing under an 8 (and that seems to stretch it) is plus size?
We have fallen prey to a manufactured norm that does not represent the true norm.
Those LB tops-where is the good stuff? Where are the bustlines and detail? Why not focus on textured fabrics instead of printed fabrics, instead of poly stretch blends?
Our suggestion: Incorporate second-hand. Look for unique/vintage if you can find/alter sizes. Move away from malls (make a statement with your dollar). Find independant shops that fit your lifestyle and budgets, have pieces altered or custom made (ie. etsy designers) and decide not to sacrifice quality for cost -have less that works than more that confines. It may seem like more work but it can be just as cost effective and more rewarding.
Things stay the same because we as a mass collective allow it to. Time to break the cycle. Commenters are right when they say these large retail corporations cater to the popular buys-unfortunately a lot of us buy in a numbing state. We buy what's provided. And the cycle continues.
Yes, exactly. *Why* do people continue to buy this crap? All businesses are market-driven. If we boycott them, they will be forced to go out of business or change.
I have a love/hate affair with Lane Bryant my whole life. Either they produce hoodies, or crew neck t-shirts, or bad kimono tops. I don't know why their designers don't take cues from their sister companies like the Limited or Express, and make stylish clothes for the masses along those lines.
I used to be a Manager for LB when they were owned by the Limited. We got browbeaten by older women who didn't want the more fashion forward items for sale, and some were offended by our models and pictures in the window. When it was sold to the Charming shoppes the younger clients left because of the ugly clothes. I couldn't work there anymore because I couldn't recommend anything to my clients. Stretch Poly? Ick in ANY pattern or color. It's all crap.
By the way- LOVE your site!
Whoa lorijo, they were offended by the pictures in the windows? O_O Which pictures were these? I would love to know. I can't recall anything even remotely salacious even being in a Lane Bryant window and I love salacious!
Why did they cut off the models' heads? It's the Headless Fatty Syndrome seen so often on TV!
I completely agree. It has always been a mystery to me as to why clothing manufacturers can't simply make the same items for all sizes. Why stop at 12 or 14?
And moreover, why would any store in its right mind intentionally shut out potential customers? I don't buy ANYTHING at Macy's or Nordstrom or a gazillion other stores simply because I can't find clothes that fit me there. If Macy had clothes in my style, who knows? I might spend retail prices to buy their housewares. Doesn't make much business sense to me.
Oh goodness, I completely agree.
I am currently an employee with LB, and I'm only 21 years old. There are some things I can pull off, but there are some things that are just atrocious and I don't think I would even wear at 70. I don't know what to say to you guys, except that I agree with everything you've said. I was furious at Old Navy for getting rid of plus-sizes... and we don't even have a Torrid around here. All the department stores cater more towards older women... gaaah. I could go on and on. It's time for us bigger women to take a stand - I think that if the demand for younger plus-size fashion was expressed to the company, it could certainly make a difference.
I'm glad I found this site and I will be checking it more often. Make the big girls proud, TFFF! :D
Lane Bryant is a travesty. I feel that at the age of 25 I should be able to go in and find 7 outfits that I can wear to a board meeting at a moments notice. I should be able to find taylored blouses and suiting separtates, classic dresses, beautiful cotton skirts, decent semi-formal attire, chic pumps and a tailor on site to conform that crap to fit a woman who isn't shaped liked humpty dumpty (who seems to be the fitting model of late). So it's off to Nordstrom's I go!
PS: I noticed that "What Not to Wear" loves to take plus size women and toss all of their LB wear in the trash can, only to take them right back there the next day to pick up more tacky stuff.
Fug.
Fug.
My question is why don't they use really plus size models (not just a size 14) in ads so a person who's really plus size (like a 2x) can see how the clothing really looks on the body that will wear them?
not to mention the LB clothing/material quality is horrible!!!!!!!!!!!!
macys in the US in new york and philadelphia is great.....
old navy still sells full figure on the east coast...but did y'all know H&M used to do full figure and they stopped it? WHY? If they opened a full figure store, they'd make $$$$$$$$$$$$$
i want to be a designer just so i can find what i want. i don't know what makes people think full figured women want prints! I didn't wear prints when i was think, why would i want to start now that i'm a full figure...however i have been forced to wear more color/print and it's not all bad...but some stuff is just horrible!!!
Oh yes, I agree that these are ugly. LB used to have nice clothes for casual and for career. Not anymore! The plus size clothes everywhere I look are hideous, which is why I'm still wearing 5 & 6 year old stuff from Fashion Bug (their stuff is ugly now too.) I can't wear those tops with the tiny cap sleeves with my big arms; can't wear tunics that were designed for 7' tall women; and won't wear the current trend of tops that look like maternity clothes - yuk. Yikes, I don't know what I'm going to do for clothes anymore.
HERE HERE!!! I TOTALLLY agree-- I've noticed in the past 2 years (I think since Lane Bryant was bought out) that the clothes have been not only uglier but also cheaper quality. I will say this though-- bring in Seven7 jeans was genius-- and then they took them AWAY?!?
I always try to be fashionable but more and more that is becoming an incredibly difficult task! This is a big reason for me wanting to lose weight-- so I have more options!
I wish I could sit in on the design board-- I think stores like Lane Bryant should listen to their customers-- especially when it comes to dress selection and bathing suits!
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