Pat Taub
GUEST POST by CATHIE WHITTENBURG
The minute the dress code was done away with at school my fashion immediately became hippie casual. It’s basically stayed that way over the last fifty plus years. And while I have moved on from work boots and overalls, I still cling to comfort with the occasional splash of color. But here’s the thing, I really like fashion and given the opportunity would wear completely different clothes. But designers tend to ignore plus sizes.
Comedian Erin Hattamer put it this way:
I officially think there’s a conspiracy to get fat people naked. I just went to the mall because I’m looking for a fancy outfit and only one store had plus sizes and at all the other stores the highest size they had was a 14. I personally wear clothes every day. I give money in return for fabric that protects me from the elements and also provides fashion. So why don’t you make it for fat and plus size people? Do you know how many fat and plus size people I know that wear clothes? All of them. I walk by stores and I’m like. “That’s cute, that’s cute, that’s cute.” It doesn’t fit me. Do you know how much of my money you would have if it did fit me?
Erin Hattamer performing stand-up
I totally identify with that woman, as do the 60,000 other people who liked her video.
My husband’s brother and his wife ran a clothing manufacturing company. It was high end stuff that sold to places like Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. When NAFTA impacted their business Murray suggested they expand into plus sizes. He recognized it was an untapped market. Ayako adamantly disagreed. As she so elegantly put it, “I don’t want to see some fat slob wearing my design.”
I don’t buy a lot of clothes anymore. I’m tired of walking into Macy’s, walking past department after department of interesting fashions, making my way to the top floor and walking to the back corner where they hide the plus size clothes. All they have there anyway is boxy, drab outfits.
Target’s plus size clothing, like Macy’s, has been criticized for being boring
It’s sad, because I really do like fashion. I watched Project Runway for years. I loved seeing the designers experiment with color and fabric. I especially liked the unconventional material challenges, to see art and creativity folded into clothing. I watch all the Red Carpet events and peruse the Best and Worst dress lists. Although I don’t always agree with the rankings.
A Project Runway episode featuring unconventional materials, which appears to feature paper.
Personally, I thought Lizzy Gardner’s gold American Express card dress at the 95 Oscars was brilliant. I expected nothing less from the costume designer for Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. And let me tell you, if you want to see some spectacular fashion, watch that movie! I also thought Bjork’s swan dress at the 2001 Oscars was fabulous, although that dress is frequently put at the top of the Worst Oscar dresses of all times.
Bjork in her infamous swan dress, Oscars, 2001
I do like the elegant, traditional looks from Dior and Armani, but it is the designers who push the boundaries that draw my biggest interest. Which is why I love, love, love the Met Gala. I mean, come on, how can you not have been swept away by Lady Gaga’s transformation at the 2019 event? And I enjoy watching the MTV Awards Red Carpet.
Lady Gaga, Met Gala, 2019
But I draw the line at the outfits where the girls up top are flipping and falling all over the place and the muff downstairs is highlighted. Apparently even I have my fashion limits.
