‘Would My Life Be Better if I Were Thinner?’ Powerful Plus-Size Women Inspire in Viral Video
“Would my life be better if I were thinner?” Jes Baker wonders aloud in a now-viral video. “No. But it would be better if I wasn’t treated so poorly because I’m not.” The fierce body advocate and bestselling author of Things No One Will Tell Fat Girls is one of five outspoken, plus-size women who appear in the video “Here I Am,” produced by JCPenney.
“I’ve spent so many years being uncomfortable in my own skin. It’s time for me to be happy,” says a glowing Ashley Nell Tipton, a designer and Project Runway winner who’s collaborating with JCPenney on the company’s new plus-size fashion brand, Boutique+™.
The women are joined by other accomplished women: the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mary Lambert — who was once told she wouldn’t succeed as an artist because of her size — as well as yogi Valerie Sagun of Big Gal Yoga (“You can’t love your body for what you hope it turns into without actively loving it for what it is today”) and popular style blogger Gabi Fresh, who empowers heavier women to embrace their curves, saying, “We can walk runways, we can be on the covers of magazines. Wear stripes, bright colors…” The others chime in, “Fat girls can run. Fat girls can dance. Fat girls can have amazing jobs!”
Though Boutique+™ is JCPenney’s first line devoted entirely to plus-size women, the retailer does dedicate an entire section of its website to plus-size clothing — and for good reason: According to Business Insider, “The average American woman is a size 14 and 65% of US women are considered plus size.” JCPenney spokesperson Christina Voss says, “JCPenney introduced Boutique+™ to address the needs of women who weren’t finding contemporary fashion in their size that made them feel confident. We wanted to provide fashion that didn’t hide their curves but celebrated them.”
The market for plus-size women has been exploding in the past few years, with major retailers responding to increased demand with fashion-forward lines that prove women can be stylish at any size. In January, Forever 21 debuted an active-wear line targeted toward plus-size millennials. Target followed, launching its first all-plus-size brand, Ava & Viv, the following month.
And other companies are recognizing the power of ad campaigns that embrace body positivity. Lingerie brand Aerie, whose parent company is American Eagle Outfitters, saw sales spike when it launched its body-positive “Aerie Real” campaign earlier this year. And plus-size pioneer Lane Bryant had success “redefining sexy” with its #ImNoAngel campaign.
Even celebrities are supporting the movement, with actress Melissa McCarthy leading the charge. After a few high-end designers refused to make the star a dress for the Academy Awards in 2012, she launched Melissa McCarthy Seven7. The inclusive line sells clothing in sizes 4 through 28, and is sold in Macy’s and Nordstrom and on the Home Shopping Network.
Mariah Chase, CEO of the coveted plus-size brand Eloquii, told CNBC that despite all these breakthroughs, the American retail industry still has a long way to go. Though the plus-size market represents 65 percent of women, it represents only about 17 to 18 percent of apparel sales. “There is more production expertise and fit expertise that is required and they don’t teach it in school. The whole industry learns one shape, and fits on one, much smaller, straighter shape,” Chase said.
In the meantime, JCPenney’s Boutique+™ is doing its best to address that shortcoming, with everything from trendy off-the-shoulder blouses and rompers to more evergreen denim shorts and leggings and more — all up to size 34. “As a follow-up to the launch of Boutique+™, Ashley Nell Tipton will launch an exclusive capsule collection, “Ashley Nell Tipton for Boutique+™” this fall and holiday sold exclusively at JCPenney,” says Voss. “It will mark the first time that her designs have been made available by a national retailer.”
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