I’m genuinely curious… has “all” always been synonymous with the word “some,” or is that a new development as of this century? Lately, stores like Brandy Melville and American Apparel sell the majority of their clothing as “one-size-fits-all.” However, the tiny clothing would be more accurately tagged with the term “one-size-fits-some.” Or even more realistically, “one-size-fits-most-pre-pubescent-tweens.”
Upon first exploring Brandy Melville’s website (www.brandymelvilleusa.com), I was intrigued. The photographs on the home screen feature chic California-esque skater teens in comfy knit tops paired with flirty and flowy skirts. I loved the over-sized look of the sweaters—how they gave off a sort of relaxed and chill vibe. Therefore, I ordered upwards of 10 items from the site, and the majority of the items were in fact one-size-fits-all, including the skirts and shorts that I bought. Giving Brandy Melville the benefit of the doubt, I assumed that one size would truly fit all. Unfortunately, I was unpleasantly surprised.
The “over-sized” sweaters I mentioned? They fit me like an old Abercrombie cardigan from middle school. And the skirts? I was lucky if I could get them over one leg. I usually wear a medium size in tops and a size 6-8 in bottoms, and yet I did not fall into the “all” category that Brandy Melville was catering to.
Freshman Elizabeth Johnson shared a similar experience upon her first visit to one of the store’s California locations. Though Johnson usually wears a size two (YES, size two!) she explains that when trying on a plaid A-line “one-size-fits-all” skirt, could barely get the zipper halfway up. “With the bust of a zipper, my confidence plummeted. In all seriousness, I found that Brandy’s evident expression of what they thought to be an ideal ‘average’ size was shameful. The average girl does not have a Barbie doll body, and even those with self-confidence about our image can have their self-perception tainted by such unrealistic standards,” she said.
Brandy Melville is not alone in selling clothing at such impractical sizes. American Apparel, for example, sells the majority of its clothing in one size. This store is a college student staple for themed parties and other trendy clothing items. Evanston’s American Apparel sales representative, Silvana Poole, admitted that just the other day a man came in asking for XXL sizes, and complained upon hearing that the store didn’t carry clothes that would fit his girlfriend. She added that working at the store and picking out sizes for people can be “awkward… it’s uncomfortable whether the person is really big or really small.” She elaborated, saying that this is because she has to bring a one-size-fits-all item to the customer knowing that it most likely will not fit. “We live in a world where it’s unacceptable to comment on others’ weight, and here we are selling something that probably doesn’t fit everyone,” Poole said.
Employees and customers alike seem to recognize these stores’ unrealistic sizing plans. And yet, there is no large outcry against these practices. The most confident of people can walk into a store, and when even the “over-sized” items do not seem to fit, their self-esteem can be shattered. This portrayal of “all” is setting unfair standards and contributing to negative body image issues that plague our generation of women. It is also troubling to think that many of these stores provide the trendy fashion targeted at young women, the group most likely to struggle with body image issues. It is extemely disheartening to see “one-size-fits-all” stores sweeping the nation while gearing themselves towards already insecure teens.
Is it just too much of a hassle for stores like Brandy Melville and American Apparel to offer their clothing in, at the least, three sizes instead of just one?