the need for plus sized clothing

First of all, I do want to write that I admire all the crafty folks here who do a wonderful job making the clothes that they do! I super admire the amazing knitters (who make considerably nicer things than I do, I envy that you guys can create patterns from memory!) and amazing sewers who make absolutely spiffy clothes!

As much as I adore the things everyone makes, my pickle is that as much as I'd love to buy some of them, they're not made for those of us who happen to be bigger than a size two.

I know that many of you do custom orders, which is stellar, but I did want to post a little request for those who make all those great outfits... get your groovy patterns, and if you can, adjust a couple of those patterns to fit some of us bigger people, and I'm sure that you'll be able to squeeze a couple more sales out of it!

Just a thought!

 

I do most of my clothing to fit larger body types and adjust *down* if need be. I'm a bigger girl myself, so I know what it's like!

 

when i was sewing a lot, that's actually what i focused on for a while. it wasn't even what i could personally wear, but i noticed like you said that there is a need for it, and that stuff always sold so fast.

 

sarahstar, I wouldn't be surprised that it does sell fast. The hard part that I have, because I am bigger, is that I'm usually stuck with either very plain clothes, very ugly printed clothes, or something I make for myself.

Granted I am dieting and loosing weight, but it does take a while and in the meantime it'd be nice to find some of the great groovy clothes posted on here available for us bigger folk

 

after noticing all the grooviest clothes at festival vending booths would fit my 12 year old daughter and not me (I am -gulp-an aging hippie) I have to agree. I've started sewing again and am thinking about making and selling stuff for us bigger mamas. I'm making stuff for me first!

 

My wife specializes in plus size clothing for brothers and sisters. Any design you want she can make, even if we don't have it on the site. We don't charge extra for more material. Give her a shout. www.paisleydays.com

 

I make a lot of bigger mama stuff, too. I'm sick of the BLAH of ready to wear clothes, which is why I started making more. Fat girls need love, too!

 

lol, I've noticed that too! 'Hippie'-ish clothes tend to fit tween-age girls better than adults.... Guess that's where the market is!

 

It really bothers me too, and i'm not even what one would ever even consider big, or overweight, i am normal sized but everything is made for little girls. I shop for things and my size is considered XL by some people??? and sometimes requires extra cost?????? I understand that when things require a SIGNIFICANT amount of extra fabric, but when it's only a few inches and i have to pay a special cost for it? It has stopped me from buying from people several times.

 

That's why we have made that statment about never charging more of plus sized clothes. My wife and I are "plus sized people" by today's fashion standard, but we feel that in our pocket books when we happen to buy clothes. I have a few nice vintage hawaiian shirts I can't wear because XL back then means medium-large to us now. Now a days I just find fabric that I like and have my wife make me a shirt. Cheaper too.

 

see i dig that, but you're one of the few who doesn't charge. i just don't like how everything is like max 24 hips. Who can make babies with a 24 inch hip size? vintage clothing is one thing i've been able to get used to because that's back then, but now when people are catering to a 12 year old girls size i tend to get very turned off by the artist. just my two cents

 

I just wanted to throw in that I agree. I dont know what its like in other countries but in the US, it sucks because you have the choice of shopping Juniors, Misses, Petites or Womens.

Now, womens I can fit into because they make space for HIPS, however, if you live in the US and you seen the womens clothing youd understand that they dont totally fit a 20 year old's style. I dont like dress pants, and I HATE straight legged pants with high fucking waists.

Misses seems to be like womens style clothing with junior sizes, and petites are too short of me, in fact, I often have to get "longs" for pants because Im fairly tall for a girl.

ANOTHER THING THAT BOTHERS ME is that when I do find pants that fit and are cute in Junior sizes, they are usually hip huggers so low that I dont feel comfortable wearing them unless I have an unusually long shirt on because my ass will hang out.

I fucking hate womens clothing. They are never suitable for an average woman. You either have to be waifer thin with no hips, or quite large, to get something that fits. Or incredibly fashion-challenged. Whatever.

 

^^^^ Apples, AMEN to that, sister!!! i couldnt agree more. and what is with the fact that girls don't have a choice on the inseam length like men?? thats such bullshit. 'causr they think girls are all supposed to have the same exact "perfect" bodies. meh. lame.

 

pink i agree. Once i have earned my fashion design degree i will purpose a line that is similar to mens in which it has
different inseam lengths
as well as rise lengths
also the shirts and dresses will be similar to bras where it has a band measurment and a cup size
this just means women are going to have to take responsibility and know ALL of their measurments...

the world is full of inifinite possibilities of which my idea is one! hopefully I can achieve my goal of a funky, functional clothing line! Rayn Tree Threads!

 

The jeans thing drives me crazy too. I absolutely live in my jeans, and right now I am down to one pair b/c it's such a friggin pain to buy jeans. Any that fit my butt & hips could fit nearly 2 of my legs in each pant leg. It's a nightmare shoppin for jeans. My poor DH gets so tired of hearin me complain that he's like, "Here's my wallet, please just go buy some damn jeans!!!" Poor guy doesn't get what a pain it is. He's stick thin with no butt to speak of. Buyin jeans for him takes all of 5 minutes.

 

I'm a big girl too and I hate seeing all those nice clothes and thinking "if only.."


But I also sew myself.. I posted a thread with pictures, and the shirt is a size 20.

 

Well, I feel for everyone who is plus size. I'm not a small woman either. I wear from 28-32 (size) and can't find anything. If I find something, it looks like it should be on my grandmother. The other problem... I have absolutely no money. None. I'm so broke and my clothing is wearing out. So I'm kinda stuck with the thought of toilet paper, food, bills, or clothing... So far, everything has won out over clothing and everything is wearing really thin on me. Like threadbare. And don't even think about going to a thrift store or Salvation Army. Plus sizes don't exist in these places. I'm thinking of sewing, but I've never done it before, and I worry of costs. *sigh* Life really sucks right now. No money, no clothes...

I take my hat off to the people who are sewing clothing for larger gals. I know I have a hip measurement of 65" and can never find anything to fit (either in stores or online) and if I do, it's just not me, or I can't afford it. Frustrated......

 

That's horrible, and I totally know that no thrift stores carry anything decent for plus sizes.. and let me tell you - plus size stores like penningtons and addition elle have nice clothes, but they're three times as expensive as a regular sized person store. i know because my mom shops there and my friend shops there and if i gain any more weight, i'll be shopping there too (only i won't, because I'm poor). Lucky for me, I work for a charity that does business with Value Village and get 50% off there. Not that anything really fits me.. but that's where sewing comes in. I do sew, but it does cost money. However, I minimize costs by shopping in the bargain section and reusing patterns. I also get to wear something I like, and not something that drapes over me like I'm trying to be a ghost for halloween.

 

I agree. I'm on the smaller side but I realize that women come in all sizes and I don't make my clothes for just the itty-bitty mamas. Most of the clothes I make are adjustable. Like Unkle John, I won't charge extra because I feel that will just piss off the person buying it and they won't want to come back (not good for a small business) and that it's not fair to the person buying.

BTW ~ Unkle John ~ your wife is very talented, she makes beautiful pieces.

 

I am NOT plus-sized, and it's still aggravating that the clothes I really like generally run way too small for me. Who in the world has a 32-inch chest? My ribcage measures 34, and that's without boobs (I happen to measure 45 around the boobs, which puts me into having to get plus-sized clothes and altering them myself to fit correctly, or just get something really stretchy and hope it doesn't break). And a 24-inch waist? Yeah, maybe when I was 19 and didn't even weigh 100 pounds.:H And where are the cool clothes for breastfeeding hippie moms, anyway? Even if I could find something to fit my chest, I wouldn't be able to nurse in it.