As Whispered 2...
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"The Garden"
I was in the 6th grade when I first realized that I was different than most of the girls in my class. This difference
was prevalent in my high school years and even creeps into existence now – and I’m 23 years-old. I have given in
to this demon for years now, but I think that it is finally time to face this evil head on – banishing this fiend from
destroying the social, emotional, and psychological lives, not only of myself, but also of my sisters in this struggle
as well. What is this evil spirit you ask? The culprit that devastates the lives of many teens and young women –
the fashion industry!
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a problem with fashion. It’s not that I can’t dress. Believe you
me, when given the right tools; I can make things happen in the name of style. However, that is where the
problem lies –being equipped with the right tools.
It has always been hard for me being a curvaceous girl in a pint-sized world. Even now, I hate going into the
stores. All of the cute, sexy, and desirable clothes are placed in the front of mall windows to lure in anxious
buyers like myself. Once caught in that trap, we go straight to those cute little outfits displayed in the window only
to find out that those clothes stop in the juniors’ department and possibly the misses’ department. Our
department is a lot further back in the store, with patterns, prints, and styles that wouldn’t even flatter the smallest
frame. Yes ladies, welcome to the plus size department or what I like to call “The Garden” where, for some
reason, there always seems to be an influx of floral prints in loud colors, unflattering styles and cheap material.
The fashion industry, and even plus-sized celebrities, does not realize the influence that they have in a girl’s life –
young and older. Studies have show that the reason there is so many cases of eating disorders, crash diets, and
obesity is because of the forced feelings of falling into that model image of what we should look like and not
embracing and loving what we are already – curvy and beautiful. When I was younger, I didn’t see many (if any)
bodies that looked like mine in the magazines or on television. I’m glad to see that this is not the case now. I
will admit that the fashion industry has started to embrace the fact that not all women wear a size 16 and below.
There are some fashion creations that are not only flattering to a curvy figure but also sexy enough to boost our
sensual side – after decades of taking it away. It seems that when the fashion industry has to use a little more
fabric and imagination to tastefully cover our voluptuous bodies, the prices are often ridiculously unaffordable. It’s
like we have to choose between buying clothes that are affordable but not the least bit sexy nor flattering to our
bodies and negotiate pay dates for bills in order to buy that one perfect dress that we know will make jaws drop
when draped across our curves.
Let’s face it, a $200 dress is not in the monthly budget for most households – especially mine. Neither is a
personal trainer, NutriSystem nor Jenny Craig. And yes, we do know that increasing activity (i.e. walking,
stretching, etc.) and decreasing large caloric meals to become healthier (NOT SKINNIER!) is in most of our
budgets and is accomplishable – with time, constancy and support. Look, if we don’t get to that size 4, then that’s
fine too. For years we have been programmed to believe that anything larger than an XL is not considered sexy.
Well, we’re here to tell you that sexy can be and is found in sizes larger than X-large.
The younger generation now has a greater opportunity to realize that a positive body image starts from within the
individual. However, those in the fashion industry must realize that self-esteem can be easily swayed – often
destroyed – when you are young with a constantly changing body or older with the constantly displayed cookie-
cutter images of beauty pasted everywhere, infecting the minds of all like a plague. That’s why it’s so important
for parents, especially mothers, to start having their own personal conversations with their daughters at an early
age stressing the importance of individuality and their place in the world. I remember well my mother pounding
into me that it was all about me – always “wear what compliments and flatters your body and not what everyone
else thinks is in style. It’s about what you feel comfortable in and what looks good on you”.
Fashion industry, please. Help us out! Stop making clothes with flimsy material, clothes that don’t hug our
bodies the way they should, ugly prints that can make us the punchline for many demeaning and hurtful jokes.
Fashion designers – because you have an enormous effect on what is considered beautiful, you also must
shoulder the responsibility of embracing the beauty of curves and differences in body sizes and promoting this by
creating affordable, flattering and sexy clothing for the vivacious, large-sized woman, too. It's sad to say, but true,
only then will it be a lot easier for everyone else to do the same.
As Whispered To...
A. Farr
I was in the 6th grade when I first realized that I was different than most of the girls in my class. This difference
was prevalent in my high school years and even creeps into existence now – and I’m 23 years-old. I have given in
to this demon for years now, but I think that it is finally time to face this evil head on – banishing this fiend from
destroying the social, emotional, and psychological lives, not only of myself, but also of my sisters in this struggle
as well. What is this evil spirit you ask? The culprit that devastates the lives of many teens and young women –
the fashion industry!
For as long as I can remember, I have always had a problem with fashion. It’s not that I can’t dress. Believe you
me, when given the right tools; I can make things happen in the name of style. However, that is where the
problem lies –being equipped with the right tools.
It has always been hard for me being a curvaceous girl in a pint-sized world. Even now, I hate going into the
stores. All of the cute, sexy, and desirable clothes are placed in the front of mall windows to lure in anxious
buyers like myself. Once caught in that trap, we go straight to those cute little outfits displayed in the window only
to find out that those clothes stop in the juniors’ department and possibly the misses’ department. Our
department is a lot further back in the store, with patterns, prints, and styles that wouldn’t even flatter the smallest
frame. Yes ladies, welcome to the plus size department or what I like to call “The Garden” where, for some
reason, there always seems to be an influx of floral prints in loud colors, unflattering styles and cheap material.
The fashion industry, and even plus-sized celebrities, does not realize the influence that they have in a girl’s life –
young and older. Studies have show that the reason there is so many cases of eating disorders, crash diets, and
obesity is because of the forced feelings of falling into that model image of what we should look like and not
embracing and loving what we are already – curvy and beautiful. When I was younger, I didn’t see many (if any)
bodies that looked like mine in the magazines or on television. I’m glad to see that this is not the case now. I
will admit that the fashion industry has started to embrace the fact that not all women wear a size 16 and below.
There are some fashion creations that are not only flattering to a curvy figure but also sexy enough to boost our
sensual side – after decades of taking it away. It seems that when the fashion industry has to use a little more
fabric and imagination to tastefully cover our voluptuous bodies, the prices are often ridiculously unaffordable. It’s
like we have to choose between buying clothes that are affordable but not the least bit sexy nor flattering to our
bodies and negotiate pay dates for bills in order to buy that one perfect dress that we know will make jaws drop
when draped across our curves.
Let’s face it, a $200 dress is not in the monthly budget for most households – especially mine. Neither is a
personal trainer, NutriSystem nor Jenny Craig. And yes, we do know that increasing activity (i.e. walking,
stretching, etc.) and decreasing large caloric meals to become healthier (NOT SKINNIER!) is in most of our
budgets and is accomplishable – with time, constancy and support. Look, if we don’t get to that size 4, then that’s
fine too. For years we have been programmed to believe that anything larger than an XL is not considered sexy.
Well, we’re here to tell you that sexy can be and is found in sizes larger than X-large.
The younger generation now has a greater opportunity to realize that a positive body image starts from within the
individual. However, those in the fashion industry must realize that self-esteem can be easily swayed – often
destroyed – when you are young with a constantly changing body or older with the constantly displayed cookie-
cutter images of beauty pasted everywhere, infecting the minds of all like a plague. That’s why it’s so important
for parents, especially mothers, to start having their own personal conversations with their daughters at an early
age stressing the importance of individuality and their place in the world. I remember well my mother pounding
into me that it was all about me – always “wear what compliments and flatters your body and not what everyone
else thinks is in style. It’s about what you feel comfortable in and what looks good on you”.
Fashion industry, please. Help us out! Stop making clothes with flimsy material, clothes that don’t hug our
bodies the way they should, ugly prints that can make us the punchline for many demeaning and hurtful jokes.
Fashion designers – because you have an enormous effect on what is considered beautiful, you also must
shoulder the responsibility of embracing the beauty of curves and differences in body sizes and promoting this by
creating affordable, flattering and sexy clothing for the vivacious, large-sized woman, too. It's sad to say, but true,
only then will it be a lot easier for everyone else to do the same.
As Whispered To...
A. Farr
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