canadian fashion in xxl: body positivity for all sizes
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inclusivity in fashion helps people living with obesity go through the world in a confident way so that they’re not accepting that discrimination.
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what if every time you walked into a clothing store, you couldn’t find anything in your size that was trendy or fashionable? maybe a salesperson would shoo you over to the “plus-size” section with basic black pants and boxy sweaters that are designed to hide larger shapes.
women often feel less deserving of self-love and self-care—and a closet with clothing they love to wear—just because they live with overweight or obesity.
“not everyone wants to wear the comfortable black pair of slacks that are slimming, thinking that if i make myself disappear, people aren’t going to realize that i’m a person in a larger body. they’re still going to see it and you’re just going to make yourself wall dressing,” says christina ballhorn of flock boutique in ottawa. she’s been in business with co-owner bridget remai for almost 20 years, supporting canadian clothing designers and offering people a place to shop and feel great in what they wear, no matter their shape or size.
“it’s kind of radical to be like, ‘no, i’m going to wear the loud pants because i love those pants, and i’m going to wear them with this because this is what i like,’” she says of customers who may have fluctuating weight or live with obesity.
“some people think, ‘how dare they have the audacity to wear something that isn’t blending into the background’ like you’re part of the furniture. but you need to be able to express yourself in what you wear regardless of the size.”
ballhorn says she and remai are not “teeny tiny ladies” and their staff members are all different sizes because fashion should celebrate self-expression and body positivity for everybody. ballhorn herself has fluctuated over the years from size 12 to 20 and wants clothing to be a pleasure to try on in a store that is warm and welcoming. no one should have to go through the exasperation of “there’s nothing here for me and nothing fits” just because they’re not a petite size two.
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canadian-made clothing includes people with extra weight
fortunately, in the past five years in particular, she’s seen a shift in attitudes and sizing from canadian designers to extend lines to xl, xxl and larger because there’s a market for these sizes. the feel-good styles from quebec’s melissa bolduc at melow in montreal and cherry bobin in vieux-longueuil are great examples.
“there used to be a sense that people [in larger bodies] don’t want fashionable clothes, or they don’t shop or whatever,” she says of misperceptions. “now there’s been more of a push to just put on a bikini. dress for what you feel good in.”
contrary to popular belief, fashion isn’t necessarily about following trends, it’s about finding things that make you feel like the best version of yourself, she explains. the aim is to feel comfortable and ready to face the day and take on whatever you want, whether you’re studying at college, running after toddlers or going into a boardroom. “this is the way you’re presenting yourself to the world and that’s important. we don’t want to have limits on a specific age or size.”
she says the best reward as a retailer is to see people step out of their comfort zone in a way that is comfortable for them, and feel beautiful in gorgeous patterns, prints and colours.
but is this a superficial win for people in larger bodies to now have fashion choices and be included as important consumers for clothing designers and manufacturers? is clothing really all that important?
it’s human nature to react to appearances first
“we live in a world where people are judged by their appearances, so we can make use of that by using clothing as a way of expressing ourselves and our personalities,” says dayna lee-baggley, a health psychologist in halifax, nova scotia who has worked with people with chronic disease including obesity. she’s also worked with obesity canada and presented webinars for obesity matters on the psychology of emotional eating and other behaviours.
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“women will say, ‘i’m always being judged by my body.’ and it’s true, women are judged on their bodies. men are judged on whether they’re a good provider or not far more than women are,” she says.
“now there’s the thinking that we shouldn’t talk about what women are wearing because we don’t talk to men about what they’re wearing, but actually for women, you have a whole option of expressing yourself through clothing in a way that men don’t. one of my favourites is a pink jacket that expresses my personality to people really quickly and men don’t get that option. and i wear it all the time.”
while not all women gravitate to clothing as a way of expressing themselves, it’s important to have options to invest in feeling good. she echoes ballhorn’s sentiments on clothing as a part of how you’re presenting yourself that can affect self-confidence and how you move through the world.
“if you’re wearing a power outfit, whatever that looks like for you, you will walk through the world with your head a bit higher. and that’s true at any size, but it is more difficult if you have a larger body,” lee-baggley says, adding that body positivity doesn’t mean you have to be ecstatic about every part of your body (she’s not keen on her thighs!) but appreciate the parts you really like and love yourself for who you are.
she’s often heard people with larger bodies talk about going to stores and finding that nothing fits, or they’ve gone into stores where they feel they’re looked down on because of their size. the message people living with obesity need to hear is that they are facing discrimination which is unfair. “it’s absolutely wrong in the same way that racism, sexism, all those things are. they’re totally wrong. they shouldn’t be happening.”
inclusivity in fashion helps people living with obesity go through the world in a confident way so that they’re not accepting that discrimination.
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dressing with confidence is part of standing up against weight discrimination
lee-baggley points to models of different sizes now and different advertising approaches as a way of addressing weight bias, promoting the right to say these are all normal sizes. “this is something that the industry can own and champion and totally has under their control to do. so that’s a very positive way to address weight bias. they’re making these clothes accessible for all kinds of bodies and making styles that fit all kinds of bodies. so not just sizes but styles that look good on different kinds of bodies.”
society’s obsession with the perfect body isn’t positive anyway you look at it. it brings emotional turmoil, eating disorders, low self-esteem and the need for women to hold onto small-sized clothing they used to wear just in case they can get back to a slimmer version of themselves. (she counsels women to edit their closet and make sure they have clothes that fit them well at their current size and shape.)
“we get this promise that if you’re just this size, then all your problems will disappear. and they don’t. there’s lots of skinny people with lots of big problems in the world,” lee-baggley adds. she wants to help people make healthy choices that help their bodies be healthier and may also help them lose weight. but more importantly, allow them to do stuff that matters to them.
“the ultimate goal is, can you live a vibrant, meaningful life? when people have to live with discrimination and shame then they don’t live big lives. you try to be small metaphorically and try not to be noticed and not do bold things.”
fashion can play a role in breaking down stigma and weight bias in a good way, so let’s celebrate it. try on some loud pants and a bright jacket and see how they feel.
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