Sam van Zweden

Australia needs a more size-inclusive fashion industry. Despite the stereotyped idea that those who wear plus-size are outliers, the average Australian woman is plus-size. For brands, being inclusive doesn’t just mean stocking larger sizes, but creating a welcoming and safe shopping experience for plus-size shoppers.

I’m the owner of A Plus Market, we throw in-person events for plus-size people to buy and sell pre-loved clothes and shop from inclusive fashion labels, artists and makers.  

We exist as a space for people in bigger bodies to shop for fashion without feeling self-conscious. This dedicated space shouldn’t be necessary – but it is, because much of the fashion industry either ignores the existence of plus-size shoppers or actively discourages their participation. 

At each A Plus event, I have the privilege of seeing someone enter the space for the first time. There’s a visible relief and release that comes with being in a space full of people whose bodies look similar; who have all, in some way, experienced something of the anti-fat bias that permeates our society. Sometimes that moment of arrival looks euphoric, and sometimes it’s more emotionally overwhelming. Either way, it makes plain what I already know from personal experience – that shopping as a plus-size person can be difficult; vulnerable, even humiliating. 

Out of self-protection, many shoppers like me have developed a keen eye for green flags that let us know somewhere (whether bricks-and-mortar or online) is a fat-friendly place to shop. If you live in a bigger body, maybe you’ll recognise these – or maybe you’ll start to look out for them, too.

Plus-size visibility

Remember a few years ago, at the height of the mainstream embrace of body positivity, when a handful of brands extended their size ranges? It felt like a momentous shift. After a little while, though, extended-size ranges were largely pulled due to lack of sales and quietly disappeared. 

The missing puzzle piece? Representation in marketing. The extended sizes weren’t shown on larger bodies. The brands hoped to cash in on the plus-size dollar without telling anyone it was happening. 

The easiest way to spot a brand making plus sizes is to see those pieces in action. Walking past Rebel Sport and spotting noticeably bigger mannequins for Nike and Adidas lets me know that those brands offer larger sizes. Moreover, it’s a sign that I’m welcome in that store, because I can see a body that looks like mine. 

The most effortlessly normalised curve-friendly size ranges are those that include plus-size models (and not just the hourglass-shaped ones) as part of their everyday marketing. Sanct’s warm and welcoming photo shoots show their garments on diverse bodies. Likewise, Fayt the Label’s side-by-side varied models give a true read on how their pieces fit and move for different sizes.

Clear signage

More recently, some bricks-and-mortar brands have been pulling the “secret plus sizes” nonsense again. They create garments in plus sizes, and marketing them, but they’re not actually stocking the extended range in stores. Most confusing are those who put stickers in their windows advertising the size expansion, only to shake their heads when plus-size customers walk in to browse, and point them online instead.

The simple fix is clear signage that says if, and where, plus sizes exist in-store. Whether it’s a continuous range that sits alongside the other sizes or a separate “curve” range, just make it obvious. When shopping online, size filters make browsing easier.

Variety Hour’s 3XL sits alongside the rest of the collection, and its staff understand how these garments sit, move and feel on different bodies. The brand has invested in plus-size models, includes plus-size bodies in photoshoots, and encourages staff awareness from those with lived experience. 

Spacious, supportive change rooms

Change rooms are vulnerable spaces. You get your kit off, become very aware of your body in a public space, and pull on something new that may or may not fit. I’ve picked items off a rack and bought them without trying on simply to avoid the whole claustrophobic, exposing scenario.

Plus-size green flags for change rooms include having room to move, a sturdy chair or stool for balancing on and putting stuff down, and mirrors inside. Fashion boutique Oh Ramona in Hawthorn has dreamy change rooms. They’re roomy, have mirrors inside and out, and include seating in each. 

Transparent and accurate sizing and measurements

Sizing varies significantly between brands and nowhere is that clearer than in the plus-size section. Grading – the process that makes garments bigger or smaller based on a common pattern – requires expertise and nuance, and that takes consultation, time and care. Unclear or inconsistent sizing is a quick way to break the trust between a brand and consumer. 

If a tiny start-up brand like Light Reflections Apparel can create a size comparator for its shirts, surely bigger and more established brands can put some thought and effort into consulting, comparing and clearly communicating how their sizing works. 

Sometimes expanding a range takes time, and that’s fine. Kuwaii is working to expand its size range – the plus options are currently limited, but its sizing chart is clear, as is its online browsing option that shows what sizes are available in different garments.

Meanwhile, Hope and Harvest stocks a great range, ensures that it models on diverse bodies, and its size chart provides measurements in Australian sizing (centimetres and inches) and international equivalents.

Listening to feedback

This last green flag is short and sweet: brands, please listen to feedback from plus-size shoppers. Openness and warmth toward that feedback help to grow a trusting and loyal relationship. And that’s the biggest green flag of all.

The next A Plus Market is on Sunday 9 November at Coburg Town Hall.