Are You Settling for Second Best

I'm seeing a trend, my fellow Fashionistas. Scattered out and around the internet universe, circling like malevolent meteorites (meteoroids?) and seemingly incapable of coalescing to a coherent shout.

Many of us complain about not being able to find plus size apparel, fashionable or otherwise. Many rant, many rave, many pose the problem, many propose solutions - goodness knows there are dozens of sites that position plus size retailers within easy view (mine included).

We plus size people (also known as New Normals) are in the majority. As much as 60% or more of clothes-wearing humans fit into our demographic. Why, then, are we New Normals being treated like a minority?

I think the answer is: We act like it. We act like we are the exception, not the rule. We are, as a whole, too quick to accept the mundane instead of expecting the marvelous.

Why? We're not easily clad. We're not size 2. Sadly, too often, we act as if we are not entitled to the finest apparel money can buy. We do not expect the finest of fashion. We walk away, quiet in our disappointment. We settle.

It's time to stop settling for second-class anything.

It is time to let retailers know, politely of course, but in no uncertain terms, that we will patronize shops that have invested the time, energy, planning, design effort, priorities, and results - bringing plus size fashion into an equitable state of quality on par with non-plus size fashion.

The flip side of that message should be evident. We will not patronize shops that hide plus size sections, that provide sub-standard quality plus size apparel, that bury plus size garments only in maternity aisles, that model plus size garments on size 2 mannequins.

I could go on.. but it's your turn.