Introducing Sophie, a regular Plus Swap attendee, with her view on our Plus Swaps...
Two weekends ago, I attended the Plus Size Clothes Swap. It was the third time I have attended this and every single time, I have picked up a veritable hoard or awesome clothes and come away feeling a million dollars! At the most recent one, I gathered a collection of fun clothes including t shirts, jeans and a beautiful dress (see photo's below). But the one before I basically got a full work wardrobe without spending a penny.
Two weekends ago, I attended the Plus Size Clothes Swap. It was the third time I have attended this and every single time, I have picked up a veritable hoard or awesome clothes and come away feeling a million dollars! At the most recent one, I gathered a collection of fun clothes including t shirts, jeans and a beautiful dress (see photo's below). But the one before I basically got a full work wardrobe without spending a penny.
Before I go on about why I think the Plus Size
Clothes Swap is amazing, I want to tell you about why I hate clothes
shopping. Because for me at least, the two are intricately linked.
I despise clothes shopping. I know I just said
that, but I really want to impress upon you how much I dislike the
process. Given the fact that I have had a bit of a body image revolution
over the past couple of years and feel extremely
happy with my body these days, nothing is more likely to send me into a
spiral of self-loathing as quickly a having to go and buy clothes from a
shop.
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| Sophie at the October Swap |
The whole process from start to end is
depressing. Firstly, I wander from shop to shop where I have something
in mind which I need/ want. Then comes the filtering process where I
look for my size. Often to find that they don't go up to
my size, often stopping several sizes lower. I then dejectedly stop
looking for clothes I like, things I think look good in or would suit
me. I go doggedly back through the stores I just visited desperately
looking anything that is made in my dress size. Finding
woefully limited options, I already feel tired and heart broken that it
seems to me that pretty things are reserved for thin people - or at
least, for people who are not fat.
With a heavy heart I select a range of what look like giant mis-shapen carrier bags on hangers (I am stunned at how few mainstream plus size clothes have absolutely no shape or style) and try them on, trying to convince myself that they might 'look good once they're on'. It is this part of the process that upsets me the most and has on many occasions pushed me to tears in various changing rooms across the high street. These clothes are all too often horribly tailored, with no account for different body shapes with no space for boobs, hips or belly. Or with the assumption that all Size 20 women are 6ft 4inch tall Amazons. If I can even do the things up they often look gastly, looking like the aforementioned giant carrier bags. But before I even get to put the clothes on, there is taking my own clothes off.
Standing in a cramped changing room, surrounded by mirrors in harsh light, on my own I catch sight of myself and after a day of misery my low self esteem takes the opportunity to make pot-shots at myself. It's just awful and I often finish a day like this not buying anything at all and wanting nothing more than to hide in a cupboard for several years. Of course there are nice things out there, but I struggle to find the will to find them.
With a heavy heart I select a range of what look like giant mis-shapen carrier bags on hangers (I am stunned at how few mainstream plus size clothes have absolutely no shape or style) and try them on, trying to convince myself that they might 'look good once they're on'. It is this part of the process that upsets me the most and has on many occasions pushed me to tears in various changing rooms across the high street. These clothes are all too often horribly tailored, with no account for different body shapes with no space for boobs, hips or belly. Or with the assumption that all Size 20 women are 6ft 4inch tall Amazons. If I can even do the things up they often look gastly, looking like the aforementioned giant carrier bags. But before I even get to put the clothes on, there is taking my own clothes off.
Standing in a cramped changing room, surrounded by mirrors in harsh light, on my own I catch sight of myself and after a day of misery my low self esteem takes the opportunity to make pot-shots at myself. It's just awful and I often finish a day like this not buying anything at all and wanting nothing more than to hide in a cupboard for several years. Of course there are nice things out there, but I struggle to find the will to find them.
I am convinced that this of course is kinda the
point of shopping. The process is designed to make anyone, of any shape
and size, feel horrible. And in turn buy more things to try and make
themselves feel better. The angles of mirrors in
fitting rooms combined with the horrible lighting and cramped
conditions would make anyone hate their body, obviously with a mind to
make you feel better when you put on what ever item you are thinking of
buying.
So imagine my elation when I attend an event,
where this filtering process has already taken place? Where you are
presented with a range of fabulous finds which suit all kinds of body
shapes and types. Where you can try on a couple of pairs
of trousers and they actually fit and look great! Where there is
natural light and a proper full length mirror, with a bunch or lovely
ladies who give honest, fair and very often extremely flattering
feedback on how you look. Not only that, but everyone there
is in the same boat, where you can see how gorgeous each and every one
of the wonderful women (and even a couple of men) standing around you
look and realise you are the same. Where being fat is not a crime or
something to be ashamed of. Where we order cake
and coffee and chat about nothing while rummaging through clothes. Safe
in the knowledge you are not only being eco friendly by recycling but
that this is all FREE.
As I said at the start, I leave the Plus Size
Clothes swap with a huge haul, where I am excited to wear all the
clothes I got and I feel amazing! I also love seeing the stuff I never
wore of my own getting tried on by others and feeling
pleased that those things look good on someone else. It's an awesome
circle of fabulous fatties and I am proud to count myself as one of
them!
Here's the clothes I picked up at February's swap :
Here's the clothes I picked up at February's swap :
Hope to see you at the next one!
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