Size "Diversity" and Why Most of You Still Don't Get It

So...what I have to say is NOT going to be popular. At all. In fact, a lot of the associates that I have within the plus size community will not like what I have to say. But, it must be said.

For as many plus size fashionista bloggers that there are in the blogsphere, it is a shame that most of you are missing the point. And quite frankly still don't get it.

I have read quite a few reviews of the new fashion line Miss Tina by Tina Knowles (aka Beyonce's Mom) has debuted at Walmart. One thing that I have noticed is that many bloggers have praised Ms. Knowles for her "size diversity" in that her line starts at a size 2 and goes up to a size 20.

*insert record skipping scratch here*

I'm sorry, but for a clothing line to go up to a size 20 does NOT show size diversity. As is usually the case with fashion, it shows that unless you are smaller than a 24, you are not going to get affordable and stylish clothing. When I first checked out the line, I was so excited about several of the pieces. Until I saw that the line stopped at a size 20. Now, Walmart does have a plus size line--it carries Just My Size up to a size 30/32. However, Just My Size is considerably more casual pieces. Why can't a woman size 24 and up get something that is sassy, affordable, and--dare I say it--on trend? And when we CAN get something absolutely lovely and stylish, why does a simple dress have to be $100+ dollars?

*sighs*
I am not a fashionista. So maybe I just don't get it. I am just someone who wishes that all of these celebrities--and even some of the plus size designers that I truly adore and have featured on Belle-Noir in the past--would create their designs in a size above a 24. Is it that designers don't think that women who are a size 24 or above care about how we look? Do you think that we don't care about what we wear because we are larger than what society might consider acceptable even as a plus size woman? Is it just discrimination? Is it a financial issue? I really do want to know. I have seen a lot of petitions going around to convince retail chains to include plus size designers in their stores. I must say that if they listen, but only carry up to a size 20, I will severely regret signing that petition. 

Maybe it is a plus community vs. size acceptance community issue. In a world where the plus community is a movement, I would see bloggers critiquing these new fashion lines, but wondering why the lines stop at a 20. Even most department stores carry up to a 24 (we will discusss where the plus size clothing sections are in relation to other departments in another post, but you get the point). Instead, I find that since most plus fashionistas fall within the size ranges of all of these new fashion lines, they don't see the problem with a jeans line that goes up to only an 18 but is calling itself a plus size line (waving at Cookie Johnson). They don't speak up when an affordable and pretty stylish line only goes up to a 20. They just applaud that a line that is largely straight sizes has thrown a bone at some plus size gals by fitting at least SOME of us.

Meanwhile, the size acceptance movement is seemginly more worried about other issues and could care less about fashion (more about that in another post too).

Either way, I intend to try and do something about it. I just have to rally the troops! In the meantime, I need to know...are there more of you out there feeling the frustration? I'm not trying to start any beefs. I applaud all of my plus fashionistas because you have all made the fashion world and media take notice! And I get and respect that the plus modeling industry has its own set of standards and rules. But as for the everyday plus size woman?  Let us be careful about praising designers who throw the plus community scraps. Inclusion should include ALL plus size women, not just some.