When Clothing is More than Fashion
What do “size-inclusive” clothing lines offer plus size people?
It was 105 degrees outside — a nightmare for someone like me.
I am 36 years old and 338 pounds, which means strangers regularly comment on my body, my clothing, what I eat. Despite spending the lion’s share of my life on weight loss programs, my body remains stubbornly the same — the same size I was when I graduated from high school. The same size I have always been.
Over time, I have learned to show as little skin as possible, sporting long sleeves through the summer, avoiding swimming pools, hiding my body away — not because I am ashamed of it, but because of the inevitable onslaught of criticism that follows when my body is seen. A roll of flesh or a visible soft upper arm would send strangers and acquaintances alike into outsized performances of their disgust, or lengthy and condescending lectures about diets. Have you tried keto? But did you do it right? I had longsince learned that covering my body was one of few ways to preempt those seemingly endless criticisms.
But on this sweltering day, I took a risk I rarely do: I wore a sleeveless dress. It was simply too hot to do anything else. I took steps to manage the risk, carefully planning the two short walks to and from the office, packing a lunch…
