Obstacles to Finding the Right “Fit” – A Conversation in Finding Fay Joy
Have you ever struggled to find the right outfit? If you’re a fat person, chances are the answer is yes.
The issue isn’t the bodies wearing the clothes—it’s access. Yet for many fat people, limited options and exclusion in the marketplace can send a different message, one that’s easy to internalize: that their bodies are the problem.
For many, shopping is routine—even enjoyable. But for fat folks, it often involves barriers that extend far beyond the fitting room. These aren’t just isolated inconveniences; they point to a broader, deeply embedded systemic issue.
Modern retail spaces are highly intentional environments.
Limited access is in the architecture from product placement to size distribution. Every element is designed to
reflect and reinforce a particular standard consumer. In most cases, that “standard”
body is narrow in both literal and cultural terms.
Size ranges don’t accommodate a large portion of the population. When extended
sizing is offered, it is placed in separate sections, limited in style, or only available
online. These decisions are not neutral. They create a hierarchy where some bodies are
centered and others are marginalized.
Clothing stores may be selling a style, but they also regulate who can wear it.
Clothing made for fat bodies is often built to conceal and suppress personal expression.
Dark colors, loose silhouettes, cut-outs in “acceptable” places (hello cold shoulders!).
The designs communicate an assumption that these bodies should be hidden, and
diversity should not be celebrated.
This philosophy reflects longstanding cultural biases about fatness and caters to the thin
“ideal”. When these biases are embedded into everyday products, they become
normalized, making exclusion appear practical rather than ideological.
The fashion industry often defends limited sizing as reflecting market demand. But that argument ignores how demand is shaped—and restricted—by what’s actually available. When people can’t find clothing that fits their bodies and their style, their choices narrow, and their presence in the market becomes less visible. That lack of visibility is then used to justify continued exclusion, creating a self-reinforcing cycle.
Meanwhile, diet and wellness culture profits from this pressure to conform, shifting responsibility back onto individuals rather than the systems that limit their options.
The system does not simply fail to serve fat bodies, it actively benefits from
their marginalization.
Repeated exclusion in everyday environments reinforces internalized stigma, deepens isolation, and erodes self-worth. When something as fundamental as clothing becomes inaccessible, it sends a clear message: participation in public life is conditional. Access to something as basic as a winter jacket that fits and zips shouldn’t be a privilege.
Bodies are diverse, dynamic, and natural—not something to be solved. The issue arises when systems fail or refuse to accommodate that diversity.
It’s important to challenge the dominant narrative that places the burden of change on
the individual. Examining the role of industries, designers, and cultural norms
that promote exclusion is one place to start. For example, simply extending size ranges isn’t enough if brands continue to design from a smaller-body template and scale up. If brands don’t rethink how they construct garments, who they design for, and how they represent and sell them, “expanded sizing” simply reinforces the same hierarchy—just under the appearance of inclusion. Meaningful change involves integrating diverse body sizes into every stage of production and presentation. This begins with the initial design concepts and extends to in-store displays.
People often frame the struggle to find clothing as a personal inconvenience for fat individuals, but it actually reflects a much larger systemic issue—one that shapes who society sees, serves, and allows to belong. Recognizing this shifts the conversation from individual responsibility to collective accountability. It makes clear that the solution isn’t a smaller body, but larger systems capable of accommodating the full range of human experience. Until that happens, the gaps on the rack will continue to say far more about society than about the people searching through them.
In the Finding Fat Joy group, we challenge the dominant narrative and explore clothing that “fits” your style through all seasons and activities. Some of our favorite local retailers include “The Thicket” (size L and up) in Worcester, “Modern Millie” (up to 3X) in Salem, “Botticelli” (size 10-24) in Smithfield, RI and “Torrid” (sizes 10-30) in Peabody and Braintree. If you would like to continue this conversation, fill out this form and join us for the next Finding Fat Joy starting on 4/29. We hope to see you there!
