Similar to many other girls, junior Lillieann Hodges walks through a store to try on clothes. Her mom always told her to try them on in store in case they didn’t fit. And while the idea of going to the mall is nostalgic and supposed to be fun, shopping for clothes can be a daunting task for many when trying to find something they like that also fits.
Women’s clothing is even more difficult. Women’s bodies vary greatly in curvuture and height, so finding clothes that fit correctly can seem practically impossible. Hodges often struggles to find stores that offer her size and fit certain parts of her body.
“A lot of stores don’t provide plus size options, and a lot of clothes claim they are plus sized but then don’t fit,” Hodges said. “Most big brands claim to have a plus size section but don’t have sizes over 16.”
Many brands model their clothes to fit “the average woman” when in reality the woman population comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. For some, clothes overall are hard to find, but it is universally agreed that shorts are near impossible to shop for.
“I would say the hardest clothes to find are shorts. They never look flattering and they never stay in the same place when walking around. I have always loved summer but the one thing I truly hate is shorts,” Hodges said.
Sophomore Annette Chinodakufa and senior Sophie Shore also find shorts and pants in general to be hard to shop for. Shorts are difficult for women as we vary in waist and thigh sizes greatly.
“It’s hard to find a waist that fits. Because you have to put them in the dryer and shrink them” Chinodakufa said.
“Jeans are probably the only thing I struggle to find,” Shore said.
Chinodakufa struggles to find pants that fit right because she is 5’2. She has had to shop at brands that offer petite sizes.
“I go to American Eagle and I buy their jeans in short, and they fit me a lot better,” Chinofakufa said.
For Chinodakufa, she found her favorite brands that fit her well and stuck to those when shopping.
“My favorite brand to shop at is Hollister because Hollister has basic, simple clothes that actually fit.” Chinodakufa said.
Shore has also found certain stores that fit her body well. And like Chinodakufa, she sticks to the brands that have worked for her in the past.
“Every time I go to TJ Maxx, they have form fitting jeans that are just perfect,” Shore said.
Women’s clothes have a lot of issues besides not accommodating every woman’s size and body shape. A lot of women struggle to find clothes that fit and match their aesthetic.
“The plus sized brands like torrid or Maurice’s usually have clothes for adults so nothing matches my style,” Hodges said.
Shore also has struggled to find clothes that match the aesthetic she aims for. Women’s sections tailor towards the “girly” aesthetic which is not every woman’s style.
“There’s not really anything masculine, not in a way that’s boyish,” Shore said. “But I feel like a lot of the times when I go shopping, there’s not really any neutral things that I could wear whenever I’m not feeling like wearing a tight top.”
Girls are not alone in the struggle of finding clothes that fit them and that they feel confident in. Shopping can seem like a loss cause and even defeating as one’s sizes change between stores, but women are in it together.
“I think every girl can relate to confusing sizes with any type of clothing,” Hodges said.
