When you walk into a clothing store, what is the first thing you notice? Is it the female clothing section with its crop tops and skinny jeans? Is it the male clothing section with the t-shirts, flannels and jeans? Or is it the accessories and trinkets in the middle? Well, I can at least guarantee it is not the plus-sized women’s clothing hidden in the very back of the store. 

Shopping for clothes can be tough. Hiding the plus-sized clothing as if the store is ashamed of even selling such things makes it so much worse. 

I have had to shop in either the largest ‘regular fit’ clothes or the plus-sized clothes for most of my life. Throughout this time, I have noticed a distinct difference between the clothing options. In ‘regular fit’ clothing, you find actual cute clothes. But as soon as you enter the plus-sized section, everything turns very oldy-lady-ish or matronly. And I am 18, I do not want to be dressed like my grandma or my mother. 

And don’t even get me started on skirts. I have yet to find a cute skirt that rests above the knee and is actually long enough for me. 

It is not even a body image thing (though that is another thing entirely, especially with how plus-sized modeling works). It is simply the want for better clothing. There are so many young girls who are plus-sized and want to wear something cute but are stuck with old-lady clothes or even men’s clothing. 

Speaking of men’s clothing, there is no plus-sized section for men. Men get all their clothing together. Sizes range high enough pretty much everywhere you go, so men never have to worry about going to a store and not finding their size. And this is not to say that men can have a tough time finding clothing too. I am in no way trying to say that they have it exponentially easier when it comes to clothing. 

However, it is a point that needs to be made. There have been times when I have had to go to multiple stores just for one article of clothing. And it sucks. 

It should not be so hard for me to find a simple pair of jeans. It should not be hard for me to find a skirt. It should be just as easy for me as it is for every other woman in the world. They’re just clothes. How hard can it really be?