I just wanted to write a quick post and just check in with you all again. I feel like I've disconnected a little bit over the last few weeks and lost that personal touch.
I don't know whether its because I haven't really been up to anything exciting to tell you about or life has just been a bit vanilla (you know what I mean, when its just ok, you probably wouldn't choose it, but if its the only thing available you will fill the void with it, ya know?)
I have been stuck in my little bubble of get up, go to work, go home, go to bed and repeat cycle and this makes me very disappointed with myself! I can't even say I have been particularly dressed up at any point either to be able to give you a decent outfit post! I'm stuck in that weird limbo of 'summer has blatantly ended, the autumn is kinda coming, but WTF do I wear?' I dunno, I just can't get it down. I am, again, totally uninspired with my wardrobe (I get like this being a typical Libra!) and as you will have noticed from my recent eBay sale post, am in the process of having a bit of a clear out.
Talking bout having a clear out, have you checked out the Fat Swap Shop put together by A Monkey Fatshionista? This is gonna be a great way to update your wardrobe on the cheap! As they say, one woman's junk is anothers treasure! Even Simply Be have been kind enough to donate some end of line stock to the event so it'd definitely be worth a nosey!
Hmmmmmm any other business....
Well, I recently had a rant on Twitter about Next reducing the sizing of their online plus size range, I would usually link to any plus retailers but I am rather angered by this. It seems just as the plus size world is making some very small leaps and bounds (and when I say very small leaps and bounds boy do I mean it!) they cut back in places that I just cannot understand! Next's online plus range used to cater up to a UK size 28, after going over to their page recently for a nosey for an outfit for my birthday weekend I noticed that every item I clicked on seemed to stop at a size 26. I just couldn't understand where all the size 28 stuff had gone. I took to twitter to ask around, the response confirmed my fears. Yes, indeed, Next had reduced their plus range and knocked offering a size 28 on the head, well thanks Next, just thanks!
I have been meaning to contact Next and ask what they're reasoning was behind this decision, I am yet to get on it, but no doubt it will consist of the usual 'Well, it just doesnt sell....etc, etc, blah blah blah.' Now, I have to say, I, probably like so many other plus sizers for a very long time never had any idea that Next even stocked up to a size 28! It was just one of those miraculous things I discovered one day whilst on the off chance browsing their website. Why did I not know they used to stock to a size 28? Well, d'uh, it was never advertised! Now Next, tell me why your plus size stuff didn't/doesn't sell?! Why do these retailers never put it out there? Encourage us to go and buy their wares? Is it because they are worried about being tarred with that oh so terrible 'But you are promoting obesity!!' label? I dunno, I have absolutely no idea, but other retailers whom also stock an extended plus line are Florence & Fred at Tesco, again one which is pretty much NEVER advertised! Now I may be totally off the mark here, but when I put clothes on eBay, I can guarantee stuff in larger sizes sell like hot cakes! Is it because of the more affordable price range? Or is it because clothing at the higher end of plus size is just so damned hard to get? From my own personal experience of scouring eBay for clothes in larger plus size, I am doing it because my options are so limited that I am forced to go to these other avenues to try and find stuff that is gonna fit.
I honestly have no resolution to this rant, I just don't know where the failings are, if it is with the consumers or if it is with the retailers? But unfortunately I do not see it getting any better in the near future. With the knowledge that a certain major UK high street plus retailer will be honing their market to an older, more mature audience who have no plans in the near future of looking to extend the sizing range on their younger, focused online store(whom stop at a size 26), it seems to be pretty much the sign of things to come. I really do hope that someone, somewhere starts instilling my confidence in the plus size clothing market because right now I am so bummed out by it.
So this is my plea....
Make a fat girl happy and make me some threads!!!!!!!!