It's a bummer when you're shopping for an outfit and find something you absolutely love, only to discover it isn't available in your size. For some people, it's just a matter of luck and what's in stock. Alternatives are easy enough to find for those people. For others, it's an obstacle they run into time and time again.
While the fashion industry has made strides in recent years to provide more inclusive sizing for all bodies, progress has been slow — and we haven't gotten all that far. Katie Sturino is a New York City fashion blogger who runs The 12ish Style, and she's challenging consumers to speak out about noninclusive sizing using the hashtag #MakeMySize.
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In an Instagram caption that started the mission, she explains that "while I applaud brands who are making changes to include more sizes, I’m going to see if we can work together to let other designers know that they have a whole demographic that wants to shop. Please tag a brand you wish made your size below! I’m starting the #MakeMySize Movement!"
This was the post that inspired Katie Sturino to launch the #MakeMySize movement. Katie is known for re-creating celebrity styles in plus sizes on her blog, The 12ish Style.
In the post, she expressed her exasperation at not being able to find a wider variety of fashion available in plus sizes.
In her caption, Katie explained, "I polled you guys and 97% of you felt that there were not enough cute clothes in your size."
She continued to explain how she should, in theory, have it easier than your average plus-sized fashionista on the hunt due to her platform as a style blogger, and the fact that she lives in one of the world's fashion capitals, New York City.
"I can’t tell you the frustration when I’m shopping (and I’m a blogger! In NYC!)," Katie explained. "So while I applaud brands who are making changes to include more sizes, I’m going see if we can work together to let other designers know that they have a whole demographic that wants to shop."
So Katie decided to challenge women to post pictures trying on clothing in stores where even the largest size doesn't accommodate many real shoppers.
Katie has documented looks from brands including Alice and Olivia, Zara, and Frame that boast plus-sized availability. However, their "plus sizes" don't make the cut.
Katie spoke to Health about her blog's role in the fashion blogosphere and how the movement began. Showing women that there were fashion options in their size was very important to Katie. Now she realizes there's more work to do.
Katie explained that the more she recognized her own struggle to find styles she liked in her size, the more she became aware of how difficult it was for the average woman.
Katie doesn't want brands to simply bow to users but rather to understand how many women they're alienating — and to see the consumers whose business they are missing out on.
"I'm hoping that designers will take note and extend their sizes. And if they don't already have plans to introduce extended sizing, I want them to see how many beautiful women they're missing out on," Katie proclaimed.
Katie has inspired many women to share their sizing woes. They've posted pictures like those Katie has posted, illustrating how designers fail to #MakeMySize.
It's heartening to see women banding together to demand change from an industry that often makes women feel that they need to change their bodies to accommodate fashionable clothing.
As more photos pour in, it becomes evident that women of all shapes, sizes, and ages feel that the fashion industry has some major work to do.
We hope this is just the beginning of the #MakeMySize movement. All bodies are beautiful, and women should be able to dress as they please, without unrealistic restrictions about who can wear what.
