Evolution of Plus Size Fashion
Total Disclosure before we dive into the topic. I fall on the opposite spectrum of the size compared to plus size i.e. the negative size — what I would like to call it (I hope it catches on) — and hence most of the things that I am mentioning here are either based on research or information I have got from friends who falls into the spectrum of Plus Size.
I have found that Plus Size Fashion has always been controversial in one way or the other, and it has always fascinated me. Plus Size has been controversial because of the shortage in Plus Size Clothing sections and it has fascinated me because of our mindset. We as humans have evolved significantly in terms of everything, but most of us just left out the part where mindset should have evolved to respect fellow humans with no discrimination. The other day I was shown an ad on YouTube where the person was saying “I would feel ashamed to ask for XXL or XXXL clothes” and it was the ad for a weight loss company; Such is our mindset. We are making people feel insecure about their bodies for making money. This shows what our society’s mindset is about people with plus sizes. Anyway, this is not a rant post, so I will stop with that.
I believe Plus Size Fashion or Plus Size Clothing issue began with the dawn of Technology, industries that promote weight loss, and to some extent our Indian Cinema industry. It is a broad topic to cover, and we will talk about just the evolution of Plus Size Fashion, and maybe I will try to cover other subtopics in a series of other blog posts. So, let us get started, shall we?
Before the Whole Plus Size Fraught:
The first thing that came to mind when I thought of this topic was where and how did it begin and what was there before “Plus Size Fashion or Clothing” became a thing (which it was not expected to be; it was supposed to be as normal as every other size, sadly it is not).
There was a time when stout fashion was famous. At least in India and other Asian countries. During my research for this post, I came across an amazing essay about Learning Body Positivity From a 700-Year-Old Hindu Statue. You must give it a read, it is beautifully written, positive, and educational. In this essay, the author quotes a note written below the statue of Parvati in a museum that says, “Parvati is shown with the large eyes, round breasts, narrow waist, and broad hips that were elements of ideal beauty for a woman in ancient India.”
There was a time when the body shapes did not matter; No discriminations whatsoever, and that existed until the end of the 1800s.
History of Plus Size Fashion–How and where it began?
In the 1900s, Technological advancements led to mass production of clothes; Made to order clothing diminished, which was the inception of discrimination. Factories, to cut costs, started making clothes with a lesser variety of sizes and started promoting those. This is when the problem started. It became harder for men and women with bigger sizes to find their clothes.
Lena Bryant a famous fashion designer at that time recognized this problem and started the first-ever Plus Size store in New York. Lena Bryant was skilled at altering mass-produced clothes, and it helped in the success of her store. Many Top Fashion Designers and Fashion Brands observed this. By the end of the 1900s, there were a lot more plus-size stores that sprung up. This is the story of the west. In India, something opposite was happening. In India, it was the era of slim-fit clothing and all thanks to Bollywood’s obsession with it.
Conclusion:
When we look at the history of Plus Size Fashion or Plus Size Clothing from a high level, it looks plain and simple. Only after digging deep do we realize the other side of technological advancements and the vulnerabilities in our collective mindset. While we are seeing that there is a change in the mindsets of people, we still have a long way to go. We have seen a lot of online plus-size fashion brands and stores in the past decade, which is a good sign. But I would love to see the day when Plus Size Clothing is treated just as normal as any other sized clothing.
If you are Fashion Designer or a Fashion Blogger, I would love to know your views on the topic. Hit me up in the comment if you like to discuss any aspect of it. If you are someone who wants to become a Fashion Designer, I have listed some of the best fashion designing courses from one of the best fashion designing colleges in Bangalore. You can check them out and see if any of the courses resonate with your passion.
Note to readers: I have written this post keeping the educational aspects in mind. If any part of the post or even a word has hurt you or anyone, I am really sorry about it. Hurting someone’s feeling was never the intention of this post. The facts mentioned in this are completely based on the research. In case you find any discrepancies in the facts, please let me know and I will be happy to correct them.
This article is inspired by a blog post by the Indian Institute of Fashion Technology named Evolution of Plus Size Fashion — Why, How, When & Where of Plus Size Fashion Clothing Through Years
