MANHATTAN'S DIRTY little SECRET

I've lost a lot of weight.  We're talking size 24/26 to a size 14!  At 5'10" after having 2 babies in 14 months (did I mention both were emergency c-sections) that's not too shabby.  So here I am 6 months post-partum and celebrating that I no longer am a slave to whatever Lane Bryant constitutes as "high fashion". 

I've saved some money and am ready to splurge on something fabulous.  I'm walking, head held high, full of confidence into a chic shop in Manhattan's Time Warner Center.  I check out some cute tops, casually look at prices, find a couple things I would love to try on.  PROBLEM.  I can't seem to find any XL.  Ok, let's switch gears, how about size 14.  Um, no.  Ok, let's expand the search--nadda.  Nothing in the store is over a size 10--a size TEN!  What?! 

Okay, maybe it's a fluke, I try another store, then another, I even go to J Crew--they carry size 12--wow!  But not 14, boo.  One last store, same thing...I look around and approach the size-2 19-year-old saleswoman who's been making eyes with my 2 babies in their funky double-stroller (It's called a Phil & Ted's E-3 sport double).  I sheepishly ask, and ever-so-sweetly, with batting eye lashes, she gives me the closed-lip, head to one side feigned smile..."oh no, none of our Manhattan stores carry a size 14" and then says "bye-bye" to my girls and turns on a cheap heal after dropping Manhattan's Dirty little Secret ever so sweetly on me. 

So--I ask, when did a size 14 get ostracized from misses fashion & what are your thoughts?

Comments

[Danielle, CBB Publisher]

I don't think 14 was ostracized from misses clothing. I think it's more that these stores are carrying junior sizing and styles and perhaps they don't include 14.

[cara]

Jennifer - your mom said that you switched your website. what's your new one?

[Gina]

Didn't you know? The new Size 0 is the old size 2, and now size 2 is the old size 4 and so on so you're probably a size 12 in most of those stores. There was a huge hoopla about it at the beginning of the year. Try it out and see if it's true.

[Abbey]

I lost a ton of weight, too (from 320lbs to 160lbs) and, yeah, trying to find clothes that are your size in a "normal" store , especially when you are in between sizes, sucks.

i remember feeling so liberate when I could fit into sizes 12-14, but I was limited to Lane Bryant, Old Navy, and the rare shop that had those clothes that fit well :P luckily, i lived in a pretty hick town where 90% of the population is overweight, so there was a little more empathy within stores and, therefore, a little more choice. I can imagine that living in trendy Manhattan would be quite difficult in finding "plus sized" clothes (although statistically, the majority of women across the world are between a 12-14, so I don't know how that became "plus").

[jaQ]

abbey~ i'm with you~ statistics DO say that 12-12 is average, so how it's "plus" is totally beyond me!!

i'm so sorry you couldn't get your size. :( the world is one size fits all in some places, and not in others, and it just isn't right. hypocrisy runs wild.

[Lisa]

How did you lose all your weight? I have 3 kids and after my second I lost a ton, and then number 3 came along and while I am thrilled, I have become a slave to chocolate and well..ya know. Ugh

[Katrina]

I understand! I've just lost 60+ pounds (working on the rest, slowly but surely) but have an additional problem...I'm short.

When I do find a 12/14 that fits my birthing hips, they are about 6 inches too long! Seems to be some industry sizing standard that says the more you weigh, the taller you are. Arrrggghhh! I think for the larger sizes I was once in, I had to be about 7 feet tall.