For the first time in my adult life, my closet is fun and ethically-minded.
The Future of Plus Size Sustainable Fashion Is Bright
Just a few years ago, a woman in a monochromatic linen ensemble staring at a blank wall was the epitome of ethical fashion. Who was she? How did she end up there? What about the nothingness of a beige wall captivated her attention, or was it merely the perfect foil to her impossibly crease-free linens? I didn’t overthink it, I was too busy desperately wanting to be her. I longed to feel a sense of belonging in the ethical fashion sphere, to be a monochromatic angel with unkempt curls and that Glossier glow.
But in reality, I was the fat girl emailing designers to ask them why their sizing all stopped at an XXL when they insisted their sustainably designed garments were here to save the planet. I wanted to save the planet too. I wanted to wear clothing that was consciously made. I wanted to stare blankly at an empty wall knowing deep in my heart how effortlessly cool I looked.
Fat people have always wanted sustainable fashion too.
Being plus size means so much of your experience in fashion is being firmly told how not to dress. Don’t wear horizontal lines, things that are too tight, things that are too loose. Think of clothing more as fashion-adjacent camouflage. Sometimes I wonder if a lifetime of being told how not to dress made me the perfect candidate for minimalist fashion. There was no way to do it incorrectly—just make sure you match your bone, sand, and muted olive-toned linens together.
In hindsight I wonder if I ever truly wanted to be the aforementioned minimalist dream girl, or if she was just the most obtainable fashion icon. When there is no other option, when you exist in the niche of sustainable fashion for plus size bodies, it’s hard to distinguish between what is a style choice, and what is your only option. But in 2020, a new wave of bright, ethical fashion answered that question for me, and spoiler alert, my closet now has a neon, floral silk dress hanging in it.
Somewhere between Lizzo twerking to herald in the new year in a multi-color bikini and Barbie Ferreira’s character on Eurphoria unequivocally declaring that “there’s nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn’t give a fuck”, the “fashion rules” prescribed to plus size customers, which almost always existed to shame our bodies, have been drowned out. As this new era of fat positive fashion dawns, there’s been a shift among sustainable brands. Not only are they extending their size ranges, but they’re also employing prints and patterns with abandon. In the span of two years, I went from begging brands to make minimalist capsule pieces in plus sizes, to choosing which checkerboard loungeset best fit my closet color story. After years of monochromatic linen, it’s a welcome change.
This story originally appeared on: Vogue - Author:Marielle Elizabeth
