It wasn’t too long ago that I was lamenting to my gal pal, Miss Malaprop about how, not only does the plus-sized girl not have the options of her smaller friend, but finding eco-friendly options for the curvy fashionista is near impossible.
While there are great sites making efforts to creating more fashionable alternatives for women over a size 12/14, I spend a lot of my time questioning the quality and style of those pieces– let’s not get started on the ethics behind their creation! Sometimes I just can’t think about it because it’s not an option available for me. If I need new black work pants because mine have holes, I have to buy what I can, where I can.
I was pleased that Miss M gave me a pre-post head’s up about Mewv, a site that creates both women’s and women’s plus sized dresses. The styles are cute and flattering for a night out on the town.
But unfortunately, they’re not what I’d call affordable or wearable for my lifestyle. While I have no problems spending $200 on a dress, I have a hard time spending $200 on a t-shirt cotton dress that I wouldn’t even be able to wear to the office. Organic and eco-friendly or not, my budget simply can’t afford that.
My thoughts on the eco-friendly/sustainable market aren’t entirely formed. While I recognize that it is a growing industry and a great one that should grow, I feel there’s many big gaps in the market when it comes to finding stylish separates, sizes, and affordability. More and more I see great, innovative, independent designers creating things out of organic fabrics and textiles, but like most of the fashion industry, it seems to be limited to those under a size 10.
If I could create a clothing line that catered to what I wanted to wear and in sizes I could wear, while managing to be cover the “basics” of my life, it’d probably consist of:
♥ Short-sleeved shirts with princess sleeves: a mixture of turtlenecks, boatnecks, and ruffled necks.
♥ Long-sleeved turtlenecks (with princess sleeves, what can I say? I think the gathering at the shoulder is the perfect detail) and cardigans.
♥ Bias cut skirts, circle skirts. Skirts with tiers and bustles (to make my booty look awesome!).
♥ Cute, fitted bloomers for bed wear.
♥ Razorback tank tops with lace around the bust.
♥ “Tunic” length shirts (ie. things that would hit at the widest point on my hip, instead of at my belly button). Just basic shirts at this point– your t-shirt, v-neck, boatneck, etc.
I have many demands, and they are great.
For now, it may not be that I will find entirely what I want– I’ve seen a few other places that carry a small amount of eco-friendly clothes in plus-sizes, but for the majority, they are matronly and unstylish. I’m hoping that as the industry grows, both in sustainable clothing and in plus-sized clothing, that this can be remedied.
(As an aside, if you are ARE a plus-sized gal wanting fashionable, eco-friendly clothes, start poking at Choose Spun (or @ChooseSpun on Twitter). I have heard her state that if the demand is great enough, she will move in to carrying plus-sizes as well, and she has many cute styles!)
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thanks for writing this… i think it’s only a matter of time… heck a few years ago you couldn’t find organic t shirts at all under the $100 range.
I so want to make this a reality. And the pieces you described are very similar to what I was already thinking of. Especially the tunic length tees! Who wants to walk around with their belly hanging out, really?
I’m so with you on the t-shirt length.
Thanks so much for the shoutout! I’ve actually had a few conversations with Grechen (grechenscloset.com) regarding our decision to carry XL instead of XS since last year. When I started SPUN, and as a mother, it was already important for me to create tops that are longer in the torso that would cover my mommy belly. Since my mission is to create pieces that are not only organic and made in the US, but also affordable and wearable…it’s only natural that we offer sizes that are accessible to all women! This was all in the plans, unfortunately once I got going, I realized the costs associated with making just 4 sizes, let alone branching out to more! Now I’m rambling on…but basically, as soon as I can afford it, we are going to offer more sizes! Simple as that! :)
oh, you should definitely check out etsy for eco-friendly plus-size!! there are a TON of options, some of my favorites are listed in this post (along with other designers/boutiques who offer XL and true plus-sizes): http://www.greengrechen.com/2008/09/29/plus-size/plus-size-fashion-organic-cotton/
selenaeon is also a very cool etsy seller – love her woven hoodies: http://www.greengrechen.com/2009/04/01/plus-size/plussize-ecofashion/
there are way more options out there than you’d think…you just have to know where to find them :-)
[rq=939,0,blog][/rq]Must Have: Organic Yoga Pants
There is obviously a lot to know about this. I think you made some good points in this subject. So, just want to say great job!
I am Lane Bryant Blue 1 Tall, or a 14 top and 16/18 tall bottom, depending on the cut–I am very curvy on bottom. I want clothes made of substantial weight knits, not the flimsy eco stuff I have come across so far, so they skim instead of cling. I want tailoring–real shoulders, darts, waists. I am not a boho or a nymph.I do not want shapeless Eileen Fisher sacks or pants that are way too short–I need a 35 inch inseam. I want stylish classics with a twist.I will pay Eileen Fisher prices for them if need be. Why is this so hard?
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