Fashion Influences!

I find it frustrating when considering the variety of clothing for the generously endowed woman compared to the trends that appear at almost every showing of fashion for the woman of typical/acceptable size.   There's no comparison in many instances.   Designers of clothing for the slimmer woman allow their imagination to stretch and reach far beyond that which is seen as being the limit.   In fact they don't set any limit and are never constrained or restrained in their designs.

While clothing for the more curvaceous woman undergoes constant (if only slow) improvements, it does strive to present us with choices and varieties beyond that which we've been previously offered.  But that's not to say that there isn't room for a lot of improvement or improvisation.   I'm one of many who believe our fashion scene has a long way to go, and for those designers and providers who do go out on a limb and experiment and create new ways of effecting the use of fabric around the generously curved body, then we must support and patronise them in their endeavours.  Otherwise we'll be constantly left behind.

I visited the Burda Style blog earlier today and just couldn't resist in showing some of the beautiful designs presently attracting young women.  Admittedly for slimmer women, but why can't many of these designs be contoured to the fuller figure?

The two trends that come through (as below) are "folklore" and "Russian/Ukraine".   Don't you agree with me that both these trends allow for interpretation for the more generously endowed woman?  At whatever age?   It seems obvious to me, because neither "folk"/peasant clothing and ethnic clothing was ever designed or worn only by women of slim or petite builds.   It was made and worn by women of all sizes.

Can't our present day designers see that fashion should be available to ALL women, of all ages, sizes and shapes.   And that fashion should incorporate and include fabric choices, colour choices and style choices, rather than bright colourful flattering wear for the young and slim and more conservative - sometimes dull and boring - for the plus-size.   Can you honestly say that the racks of clothing in your favourite store or boutique for the sizes 0 through 14 are repeated in the racks for sizes 16 through 32 and beyond?   Same fabrics/colours/designs?   Stores in my city certainly don't.

I'm encouraged by the fact that many more women are asking the same questions.   Hopefully we'll get through to the designers as well as the retailers that we'd like more options and choices.   It's difficult to get through to the retailers however, as their Buyers are very restricted and they don't have much say in the matter anyway.  It comes down to the retailer's bottom line, which is "have something made as cheap as possible and sell it for as much as possible" as far as the plus-size market is concerned.  And this includes the colour range - don't offer pastels, florals, differing textures that will flatter, but stick with black, navy, brown and sometimes grey!   I'm not cynical, I just face hard facts.  Built on experience - a lot of it.

......© 2011 Rosemary

 (All the photos are copyright to the Burda Style blog.)