One Model Tried On 10 Different Pairs Of Size 16 Jeans. Here's Why They All Fit Differently.

Buzzfeed recently published an article called One Model Tried On 10 Different Pairs Of Size 16 Jeans And This Is What They Looked Like. In summary, the same girl could fit into a size 10 in one brand and a size 16 in another. I'm not surprised -- for two reasons:

1. The same is true for smaller sizes -- I can wear a size 0 and a size 6, depending on the brand. Off the rack clothing is made to fit many body types, as long as certain dimensions match. It's always been weird to me that my friend who's 5'0 and I can wear the same clothes -- even though I'm a full foot taller than she is. (And this actually could be one reason girls tend to have less self-esteem than they used to. Back when people made their own clothes, their clothes were made for their specific body type and dimensions. Now... not so much.)
2. Plus sizes are usually less tailored than smaller sizes -- even though larger women are the ones who benefit most from well-fitted clothing. This means there's a lot of room for variation. 

The second point it really interesting. It doesn't have anything to do with playfulness, really, but let's go ahead and talk about it!

Why would plus size clothing be less tailored than regular sizes? Let's take a look at the distribution of women's weight.

Basically, this shows that, while there is a lower limit to how small a woman can be... there's really no upper limit. As a result, many retailers make their plus size to accommodate a larger range of bodies per size. In other words, a size 16 is usually more like a size XXL than an actual size 16. 

But, as I mentioned, plus sized women look a lot better in tailored clothing, despite the misconception that they should wear big, baggy tents. Case in point: compare these women

to this woman:

Bodies come in all shapes and sizes. And it's a pretty daunting task for one brand to make clothes that look good on all of them. Lane Bryant specializes in plus size clothing. They carry sizes 14-28. Which means that they specialize in making larger women look amazing -- and have the shelf space to carry more (and, therefore, more tailored) sizes, in a way that brands like, say, Ann Taylor (which mainly sell sizes 0-10, but also offers plus sizes), do not. 

I think part of being happy is embracing who you are. If you're a woman with curves, OWN them! Wear flattering clothes that fit you well and make you feel awesome. Because you are awesome. I wrote a while back that I was attending a local community theater production of one of my favorite musicals,A Chorus Line. It's a show about people trying out for a Broadway show. In the original production, everyone in the line had a lean dancer's body. But this production featured women of all sizes -- and I actually thought it was really beautiful (and no, not just because everything is beautiful at the ballet). I'm not usually a sucker for "every body is beautiful" campaigns, but it really was awesome to see all those women up, live, there dancing around in spandex and leotards like they just totally loved what they could do with their bodies. 

Last point: sure, "every body is beautiful," and if you're a curvy woman, you should own it. But don't be a hater. Don't judge and objectify other women, just because their bodies are different from yours. I love the sentiment behind Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass." But, seriously?

Go ahead and tell them skinny bitches Hey
No, I'm just playing I know you think you're fat,

First, I hate the stereotype that all women think they're fat and all women hate jeans shopping and all women feel self-conscious in swimsuits. I'm a woman, and -- surprise! -- I don't think I'm fat. In fact, it's insulting that you would suggest that I have inherent self-esteem issues, just because of my gender. I mean, it's sometimes annoying that the waists of most dresses hit me in the middle of my ribcage and most pants don't come down past my ankles (all part of 8 inches taller than the average woman). And it's annoying that most swimsuits seem to have been designed for Barbie dolls -- by which I mean, inanimate objects, rather than wave riding, volleyball playing, mischief-making humans. But I love shopping and I love swimsuits. 

And also, just because I'm skinny, doesn't mean I'm a somehow a "bitch." And it doesn't mean I always eat salads instead of hamburgers. I freaking love hamburgers. Almost as much as burritos and Chinese food. 

I think the following cat meme says it better than I can: