I'm small by most measures. I stand only 4 feet 11 inches tall and weigh a little over 120lbs. Still, I've always hated clothes shopping because my size makes finding well-fitting, grown-up clothing hard to find. And anymore, I'm too old and too busty to shop in the 'misses' section.
Because fashion has always seemed to exclude me (and everyone else who isn't tall and wispy), I've spent decades happily ignoring every message flung at me from that industry. I don't care if 'orange is the new pink' or whether my shoes are chic. After a lifetime spent way out past the fringe of mainstream fashion, the only criteria for clothes shopping I have left are these: If it's comfortable and won't get me into trouble at work, I'll wear it.
But I have it easy. I'm a size 4. Worst case scenario, I need to roll up my sleeves and have new pants hemmed a few inches before I can wear them without tripping over the excess. For many women, going well-dressed into the world isn't that simple. Particularly not if they'd like to move freely and comfortably while they're out and about.
In my opinion, the entire fashion industry needs to take a hint from Flying Pig Apparel, a women-owned company founded with the important goal of creating well-fitting, affordable active wear for plus-size women. They think - and I agree - that flattering, unrestrictive clothing should be available to women of all sizes.
Flying Pig Apparel is running a Kickstarter project to raise the funds to produce their first batch of made-to-order garments. I like the look of what they're offering, and I hope their launch is a success. If, like me, you've ever had a hard time finding something to wear that fits right and looks good, you may want to their Kickstarter or share it with your friends.
