How Fashion Fails Real Women (legs, smell, razor, cheap)
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All of us are subjected to "fake" women in print ads. I know for a fact that if you see a woman on the cover of a Cosmo, Redbook, etc her image is going to be photoshopped and airbrushed to the point where she is no longer natural. Nevermind the hours of makeup and styling that goes in to one of those shoots, I'll not bother debating the "real-ness" of that, but no professionally done print is representative of any model's true appearance. Any blemishes are smoothed out, skin tones get altered and even unwanted inches in certain areas can get removed.
Actually, I think she IS implying that. What a moron.
Actually, I don't think she is either.
She starts by stating "the average American woman is size 14 and the average bra size is 38 DD".
Then goes on to say she had to find a dress for her mother, in NYC and states "I myself am not a large size, but I have a mother who is".
After looking at designers such as Michael Kors, Dian von Furstenburg, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren she could not find anything in a size 16.
She even tried designers who dress larger women such as Queen Latifah.
She even tried a personal shopper! and was told as its a popular size (read: common/average) it sells out quickly.
She then plugs her book "How to never look fat again" with the idea that if you can dress for your shape & size you can look good. But how to do that when you can't buy clothes that fit or that are "cool"
Finishing with: "When the hottest designers don't cut clothes in a size 14, they're saying they don't want to see the average American woman walking around in their clothes"
So really, there is nothing in the article that states a "real woman" is only above size 14. Using the term "real" instead of "average" or "common".
People seem to be quite sensitive about their weight it seems, whatever end of the spectrum they might be.
Finishing with: "When the hottest designers don't cut clothes in a size 14, they're saying they don't want to see the average American woman walking around in their clothes"
Perhaps a large factor is that whether a retailer sells a garment in a size 4 and a size 22, they are priced the same. The big-time designers are using high quality, expensive fabrics and design garments for fit models (size 6 I think??). We are talking about quadrupling the fabric here... would the size 22 woman feel ok about paying twice the price for a dress on the same rack, or more? I think not. The designers manufacturing costs are a lot higher for larger sizes, why should they become unprofitable just to make overweight and obese women happy?
Finishing with: "When the hottest designers don't cut clothes in a size 14, they're saying they don't want to see the average American woman walking around in their clothes"
Perhaps a large factor is that whether a retailer sells a garment in a size 4 and a size 22, they are priced the same. The big-time designers are using high quality, expensive fabrics and design garments for fit models (size 6 I think??). We are talking about quadrupling the fabric here... would the size 22 woman feel ok about paying twice the price for a dress on the same rack, or more? I think not. The designers manufacturing costs are a lot higher for larger sizes, why should they become unprofitable just to make overweight and obese women happy?
Actually if you read the whole article the writer thinks that yes, women will spend whatever to look good.
Is it good business practice to not allow your product to be available to the majority of the American market?
Actually if you read the whole article the writer thinks that yes, women will spend whatever to look good.
Is it good business practice to not allow your product to be available to the majority of the American market?
She "thinks" that, but why should a business owner start manufacturing and sink major money on an endeavor based on what some woman "thinks"? I work in the consumer products industry, and people are HIGHLY price sensitive now. The price of cotton is trending upward to a major degree, and consumer don't want to pay the difference.
Why should an apparel manufacturer believe that overweight women will pay more in clothing, when clearly they won't pay more in food, which clearly is more important? If the majority of the American market will not pay for quality meats and vegetables - a necessary function of life - how can you convince a designer that the majority will pay for qulaity fabrics? Come on, be realistic. It isn't going to happen. That's why Wal mart does so well.
She "thinks" that, but why should a business owner start manufacturing and sink major money on an endeavor based on what some woman "thinks"?
Women can now not have thoughts be taken seriously? Interesting.
No one suggested anything about price - simply availability. But, I guess, the answer is that anyone over a certain size should only be able to shop at WalMart? That'll teach them I guess.
She "thinks" that, but why should a business owner start manufacturing and sink major money on an endeavor based on what some woman "thinks"? I work in the consumer products industry, and people are HIGHLY price sensitive now. The price of cotton is trending upward to a major degree, and consumer don't want to pay the difference.
Why should an apparel manufacturer believe that overweight women will pay more in clothing, when clearly they won't pay more in food, which clearly is more important? If the majority of the American market will not pay for quality meats and vegetables - a necessary function of life - how can you convince a designer that the majority will pay for qulaity fabrics? Come on, be realistic. It isn't going to happen. That's why Wal mart does so well.
Has the fashion industry conducted studies on whether women will pay more?
I'm a consumer & I pay more for fashion.. I'm not shopping at walmart - I have the option though.
shame, if you're overweight you have to dress like a frump.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maciesmom
Women can now not have thoughts be taken seriously? Interesting.
No one suggested anything about price - simply availability. But, I guess, the answer is that anyone over a certain size should only be able to shop at WalMart? That'll teach them I guess.
It seems so.
At least the discussion is around the intent of the article and not the use of a word
Why should an apparel manufacturer believe that overweight women will pay more in clothing, when clearly they won't pay more in food, which clearly is more important? If the majority of the American market will not pay for quality meats and vegetables - a necessary function of life - how can you convince a designer that the majority will pay for qulaity fabrics? Come on, be realistic. It isn't going to happen. That's why Wal mart does so well.
I have no idea how stores like Lane Bryant stay in business when, according to this theory, they must be losing money hand over fist since they can't even offset their huge financial losses caused by fabric usage against the savings that manufacturing clothing for smaller women would afford them...Same with stores for taller people. Can you imagine how much they are losing with all those extra inches of denim on the jean length?
Women can now not have thoughts be taken seriously? Interesting.
No one suggested anything about price - simply availability. But, I guess, the answer is that anyone over a certain size should only be able to shop at WalMart? That'll teach them I guess.
Clothing is a BUSINESS. Asking for availability without demonstrating a viable market is childishly naive.
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It seems so. 
