We exist in a society that can’t imagine bodies beyond size 24/26 wanting to wear anything other than a burlap sack. To leave the house or DARE to wear something on trend, we’ve had to develop and build it ourselves. The best fitting plus clothing is often by small independent designers, who see the gap in the market and want to advocate for fat shoppers, or by beloved fat designers who exist in fat bodies and create from that experience.

There is no standard size regulation for clothing development, which means that not all size charts are the same. It’s important to check the measurements. A 5x hip should go to 70 inches; if it goes to 55 inches, that is a 3x garment and they are lying to shoppers to gain credibility with fat customers. This alienates and excludes 5X and folks larger from even being able to participate. When you choose to shop at stores that offer true extended plus sizing you are helping move the needle with your dollars.

When inundated in diet culture it’s easy to feel like the number on a scale or the size on your pants means a whole lot. As we unlearn those ideas, we realize fixating on our weight distracts us from thinking critically about the world around us. Or we fixate on trying to fit in a certain size, hoping to gain access to what that level of body privilege will provide.

We lose sight of the reality that you are valuable because you exist.

Your value doesn’t change regardless of what these arbitrary rules say about you and your body. We protect fat bodies because they live within the margins where they are hated for no reason other than they refuse to stay small.

It’s important to explore fabrics, materials, and levels of stretch. If a garment is designed “oversized” it often has room to play for folks in larger sizes. Also, all fat bodies are not the same; we all have unique and special bellies and booties that require all kinds of different fits. When possible, try a few sizes just to see what the best fit might be. You will notice if you have a big belly and butt, the front rise (which is the distance between the mid crotch and your waist line) or for the back rise (mid crotch to the top of the back waist) will always be a bit short, if the brand hasn’t done its full rounds of fit testing on enough body variations.