Those of you who have been following my sidebar know that I've lost twelve pounds since December 15th. (Yay, me!) Even with this loss, I am still a woman of size and probably will be for about another nine to twelve months, depending on what the doctor decides to do with my medications and so forth. I was walking around Walmart yesterday and had my four children with me. We passed the misses's section and I noticed some darling career wear outfits in gray and plum, two of my favorite colors. They had suits, skirts, blouses, shells, jackets - all adorable. I circled the cart around to the plus size department to see what they had that I might be interested in.
Oddly enough, there was no career wear in the plus size department. They had sweats, T-shirts, and jeans. That was it.
Tell me why it is that the smaller-sized women are being offered the career wear, while the larger women are being offered the "stay at home and look schlumpy" wear? I'm a larger woman, and I am a stay at home mom, but I'm also a professional and I need outfits to wear when I go out and meet other authors, editors, or clients. Is Walmart buying in to the fallacy that larger women can't be professionals, or that we should have no desire to wear professional-looking clothing?
Granted, when I want something nice to wear, I head for C.J. Banks in the mall. They're awesome. But I dislike this message Walmart gave me yesterday - that if I'm fat, I should only be wearing sweats.
My children were treated to a verbal diatribe. Good thing they're used to it.
And Walmart's getting a letter from me on Monday.
19 comments:
I'm sorry. I can only find stuff at Lane Bryant, but oddly enough last summer when I went to the Premium outlets in LV, I found nice clothes that fit me at both Tommy H and Banana Republic. You should write to Wal-mart. That is lame!
I find something to be annoyed at every single time I go in there. I hate Walmart.
You go, girl! Let us know if they respond.
Tristi, you are so right!! And congratulations on the 12 lbs. I just bought that book about the diet/exercise plan. Are you still using that eating plan?
Strongly worded letters are the bomb! Go Tristi!
I echo what everyone else has said, Tristi. You go. It really is lame.
AMEN!!!
I don't even bother calling it the 'women's' section, it's "the ugly clothes pit"!
Lane Bryant is decent. I used to work there and loved it. But to get large clothes, you also have to pay large prices.
Oh, and Walmart (according to my husband) is satan and will cause the fall of western civilization as we know it. Just ask him, he'll tell you all about it!
Go, Tristi!! And congrats on the 12 lbs--I'd love to lose 12 lbs (plus another 20 lbs). Woo hoo for you!!
I love CJ Banks and her sister store.
You send that letter. My children get a verbal diatribe every time I go to Wal-Mart as well.
Oh, my daddy calls it "the great and spacious building." ;)
That's weird! Every time I go to the plus size dept (as I am a woman of size as well grin) that's all I find. They don't have a lot of casual or less expensive stuff in our store, it's lots of professional stuff. KMart is the one that kills me!
Wow ... so many voices of dissent toward Walmart. :) I actually like them most of the time - they've saved me a lot of money over the years. It's just this clothes thing, ya know?
I'm tall (5'8") and when I was pregnant with my last child, I was wide (250#). I could find tall maternity clothes or wide maternity clothes. But apparently tall AND wide women do not ever get pregnant and therefore have no need for maternity clothes.
When my daughter could still shop in the little girls' section at Wal-Mart, we went to look for an Easter dress. They had a lot of really pretty dresses - all sleeveless, which I will not buy. I talked to the manager about it and he said that was all they had been sent. Somebody in Wal-Mart merchandising just doesn't get it.
I'll buy the sleeveless dresses, but then I get a pretty sweater to go over the top.
Yahoo! 12 pounds is awesome. And here I was feeling good about my four pounds. You inspire me. As for clothes, I just wish they would make something to fit real people. I get so tired of clothing designed to make stick people look good. And Walmart...my kids always think something is wrong if we start to leave the city and haven't stopped at Walmart yet. Somethings wrong with that!
Way to go Tristi. I have heard about this issue and noticed it myself and it has bothered me a great deal. I'm proud of you for actually doing something about it by writing a letter.
You go girl! I don't think people realize the prejudice that heavy people get.
I feel like I'm in the middle where nothing fits. I'm not a misses nor am I plus size. I guess I'm just supposed to be naked!
That's okay. The hubby would probably prefer that anyway.
Hey Tristi,
It's basically the same thing for guys too. I have to shop at Men's Wearhouse for business clothing. They have a great selection, but it would be nice of Wal-Mart catered to my business needs as well.
Congrats on losing the 12 pounds, that's fantastic.
Hey my friend, Ivy works at Lane Bryant now in the mall! She loves it there and can let you know about sales. Great job on the loss! :)
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