American Apparel At It Again

By Emily Mathis

Last year I wrote a blog about American Apparel and how they are over sexed and overly thin. Well, this year it seems somebody over there heard what the plus size community was saying. (Though they are just as overly sexed as ever.)

 According to reports, American Apparel will start carrying some of their styles in XL.  How did the company announce this? With a semi-offensive modeling ad:

Think you are the Next BIG Thing?
Calling curvy ladies everywhere! Our best-selling Disco Pant (and around 10 other sexy styles) are now available in size XL, for those of us who need a little extra wiggle room where it counts. We’re looking for fresh faces (and curvaceous bods) to fill these babies out. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next XLent model, send us photos of you and your junk to back it up.

Just send us two recent photographs of yourself, one that clearly shows your face and one of your body. We’ll select a winner to be flown out to our Los Angeles headquarters to star in your own bootylicious photoshoot. Runners up will win an enviable assortment of our favorite new styles in XL!

Show us what you’re workin’ with!

 Now I think that I have a sense of humor but that’s just tacky.

 The problem I have with this new line of “XLent” clothes is that they still aren’t catering to actual plus size women. A size 12/14 is average and it’s about time they started carrying the average for America. In my opinion, if you want to really open up your business for new customers that are plus size then you have to actually carry plus size clothing. I mean with all my curves I would be lucky if I fit into their XL.

 Plus size clothing is a vastly under tapped market.  If clothing designers and stores would open their eyes and start catering to most of America you could bet that they would make some serious money. Every plus size women I know, myself included, would like just as much variety as the thin girls get. Because thin doesn’t always mean healthier or better and shouldn’t be treated as such. Lots of my friends are average size and they still wouldn’t fit into American Apparel’s clothes. 

So it’s about time the fashion world caught up to us.