The Controversy Over Size

I was drawn to an article in Forbes yesterday because it tackled a topic I'd always struggled to understand: why is clothing size such a touchy subject in the western world? Perhaps it's because I grew up in Kenya where I can't recall me or anyone else I knew thinking about it, or perhaps it's because I was a die hard tomboy until my mid twenties.

Regardless, once I started paying attention to fashion, it didn't take long for me to realize it was a big issue. Whether it's the difficulty of finding clothes that fit your style, never mind flattering your figure, or finding something, anything, that could actually fit all the unique nooks and crannies of your body, it seems that many women really struggle when buying clothes despite the plethora of options available. I empathize with the struggle. However, what I wish would change is the narrative seems to assume that the only women to have this problem are those that are not tall and slim.

While I've never been overweight, I towered over my peers (male and female) and was called names like giraffe, chicken legs etc. when I was growing up. I always struggled to find clothing that fit my long arms and legs and had to result men's clothing to help alleviate this problem. This continued even when I moved to the US, and I eventually accepted the fact that I was doomed to a future of wearing sleeves that were too short and pants that looked like I had stolen them from my younger sibling. It wasn't until I discovered the brand BCBG that I finally found clothing that fit me properly, for the most part anyway.

Over time, I've discovered a few other brands that work (J.Crew and Adriano Goldschmied are my go to's) but it's still trial and error, just like anyone else. With all the different styles in clothing, and the endless variations in body shape from one person to the next, it's simply unrealistic to expect everything to work for you, even for brands that seem to have a fit model that is your doppelganger.

That's one of the reasons why I love jewelry. It's the only part of the fashion industry where size is not that big of an issue.