Naturally, NAAFA has its critics. Time magazine pulls a quote from Walter Willett, chairman of the nutrition department at Harvard's School of Public Health. Recently he told the New York Times: "There's been this misconception, fostered by the weight-is-beautiful groups, that weight doesn't matter. But the data are clear." The thing is, that's not even what NAAFA is about. The group is more into defending overweight Americans on issues like Simon Cowell's fat jokes on American Idol or obese airline passengers who have to pay for a second seat. Willett seems to think NAAFA is promoting fat. But as we've said before: There's a difference between promotion and acceptance. It's ridiculous to think that overweight people are out there pressuring people to gain weight.

NAAFA's public relations director, Peggy Howell, says her group doesn't endorse leading an unhealthy lifestyle: "We don't encourage people to get fat." She's more concerned with weight discrimination, which studies show is now as prevalent as race or gender discrimination. "As a citizen of the U.S., just because I carry more weight on my back doesn't mean I should have any fewer rights than anyone else."

What's interesting is that the fat acceptance movement started in the late '60s, when issues of race, sex, war and feminism were also in flux. Since then, the draft became a contingency plan; the Equal Rights Amendment was passed by the U.S. Senate; we went from getting past segregated lunch counters to a black President. But despite the rash of plus-size TV shows on the air right now, the NAAFA convention today in Washington, D.C. will surely meet with opposition, like the commenters on Marianne Kirby's piece about More To Love, one of whom wrote:

It is time to stop giving people a pass by using politically correct terms such as "plus-size or full-figured."
Enough already.
You are obese. You are fat.
There is NOTHING healthy about " your lifestyle. "
Overeating is NOT a " lifestyle. "
Nobody forces you to enter that fast food restaurant.

That comment was met with a barrage of responses from enraged overweight people swearing that they are vegetarians with low cholesterol who do not overeat, but the attitude of the original poster persists. This is a battle not easily won.

A Brief History Of The Fat Acceptance Movement [Time]
Earlier: On Beth Ditto, "Promoting" Obesity & Fat Shame
More To Love Premieres Tonight; Two "Fat" Writers Weigh In
Related:
Really Big Love [The Daily Beast]

Actually, The Fatchelor was the working title for the show before it hit the air, according to Variety. With that in mind, let's consider the pros and cons of More To Love.
The Pros:

• "With the nation's obesity rate rising and more than half of adults considered overweight, shows about weight loss or with characters closer to the average size may be a reflection of the audiences' own image," writes USA Today's Gary Strauss. It's certainly a pro to have a diversity of body types on television.
• The women are not model/actress wannabes but "more genuine." "They're sincere about finding someone to love because they've had a hard time finding a date," says Mike Darnell from Fox in Strauss' article. Perhaps this makes our reality TV a little more "real."

• The women on More To Love supposedly can't get a date because they're overweight. But, writes Salon's Heather Havrilesky:
  

  If you took a group of medium-size single women in their 20s and asked them the same questions about how successful they've been at finding love, you'd hear variations on the same theme. Average-looking women would claim that their cute friends get all the guys. Women with incredible figures would worry that men only like them for their big racks. Women with advanced degrees would say that men reject them because they're smart and successful. Assertive women would claim that men don't like assertiveness while timid women would say that they're too shy to charm good men.

• On a show about dating, why is there so much talk about weight? According to Havrilesky: "More to Love aims to open our eyes to a glorious alternate reality where everyone focuses on 'what's on the inside,' but instead of actually learning what these women are like on the inside, all we hear about is their outsides — how they feel about their weight, how many disappointments can be linked to their weight, how they're wearing Spanx right now. It's like airing a show about addiction and recovery that features a room full of addicts rhapsodizing over the crazy stuff they did when they were high. What's worse, Luke is greeted as a hero for daring to date women who, on average, weight about 100 pounds less than he does. "
• The inevitable jokes and gags. This USA Today article uses punny phrases like "TV programmers are finding ample reasons to beef up schedules with shows in the heavyweight genre"; the title has a hidden "love handle" twist in it. Last week's CNN piece used the phrase "there is a hunger" for plus-size TV shows. Har har har.
• The entire concept of the show. Can big women only be found attractive by a big man? Writes Havrilesky: "Luke may be a rare creature — we all know big men who refuse to date big women and average-looking men who expect to land total babes. But congratulating Luke for being halfway reasonable and rewarding him with a roomful of fawning women, most of whom will be sent home in tears, isn't exactly progress."
• Luke, the star of the show, is portrayed as a ham (he tells People: "To be voluptuous is scrumptious… I grew up in a family full of plus-size women. It is more about personality and a sense of humor than a dress size. Growing up as a chubby kid and moving around so much, I had to be funny."). But when you watch a promotional video on the show's site, you mostly see clips of overweight women crying. The message? Fat men are jolly; fat women are sad.

Earlier: Do Plus-Size TV Shows Inspire Or Disgust?
More To Love: Rooting For Plus-Size Singles "Like A Sporting Event"

This year television has seen an increase in shows featuring participants and stars who look more like the viewing public […] Amy Introcaso-Davis, senior vice president of original programming and development at Oxygen, said dance and diet are two areas of interest for younger viewers of the channel, so combining the two made sense.

For a nation grappling with obesity, Introcaso-Davis said, there is a hunger for such shows.

Get it? A hunger?

Introcaso-Davis also says: "If you have five pounds to lose or you have 150 pounds to lose, it's something you think about all day long," she said. "You take a bite of cheesecake and you think 'Should I be doing this?'" First: Not every every person with five or 150 pounds to lose is sitting around eating cheesecake. Medication, genetics, thyroid issues, metabolism… there are so many reasons a person may be overweight, and it may not have anything to do with cheesecake.

In any case, France also spoke with Esther Rothblum, a professor of women's studies at San Diego State University and co-editor of the forthcoming anthology The Fat Studies Reader. She says: "Most people feel too fat in this country and are made to feel very unhappy with their bodies. So by portraying somebody who weighs so much more than they do, it's almost a way to make the audience feel like 'I could look worse' or 'At least I'm not them.' "

But Introcaso-Davis claims that people find the DYAO contestants "relatable." So which is it: Do audiences look at overweight people on TV and think, "That could be me"? Or do they think, "I'm glad I'm not that bad." Does plus-size TV inspire or disgust? The answer may be: Both. In the "Sound Off" section of this CNN story, there are two comments. The first, from "Tamara":

I think these shows are great....I actually would like to go on Dance your Fat A off[sic] or the biggest loser.....

The second, from "Matt"

Yes, lets make it socailly[sic] acceptable to be obese. That will be good for our society! (rolls eyes)

They can air all the shows they want on obese people, I still won't date one.

Plus-Sized TV Shows Find Big Audience [CNN]

Harding is enraged by items like acid-washed denim, shapeless sweater dresses and an oversized cat T-shirt. She argues that if you remember the 80s, like she does, then you'll recall:

For decades, the plus-size fashion desert was one more inescapable message to larger women that we were other, less than, undeserving of the nice things made widely available to women who were closer to the cultural beauty standard — that we were supposed to shut up and take whatever they gave us, because it wasn't like we could ever look pretty anyway…

That's why that stupid cat T-shirt (and related atrocities) feels like such a slap in the face to many of us, after we dared to hope for something different and better. Meet the new fat clothes, same as the old fat clothes.

But the thing is, at least Harding has something to critique. In a time when Ann Taylor has stopped carrying size 16 in its stores and Old Navy has phased out its plus-size section except online, plus-sized shoppers need choices. Maybe Beth Ditto's splangled, '80s leggings aren't for everyone, but for those desiring a cat T-shirt need not feel left out. Harding does concede that it's all about options: "Having real choices when it comes to expressing ourselves through clothing does feel a bit luxurious, even if domino-print leggings don't."

A Slap In The Face To Fat Girls [Salon]
Earlier: Beth Ditto Makes Plus-Size Clothing Fun, Sequined, 80s

The NY Times has a piece about plus-size clothing with the subhead, "Fashion Reaches Out to Heavier Young Women." Haha! Really? No, not really. But the story touches on Beth Ditto's line for Evans, as well as Faith21 and Torrid.

The Wall Street Journal's got an article by Christina Binkley — who previously wrote about being overlooked by fashion because of her age — in which she discusses clothes for "curvy" women. Binkley writes:

By curvy, I do not mean obese, unless you think Marilyn Monroe was fat. Women of a certain shape, it seems, have been forgotten.

Binkley talks to Michael Glasser, founder of Seven For All Mankind, Citizens of Humanity, and Rich & Skinny jeans. She asks the burning question: Why does he (and so many other designers) create clothing to fit young, thin women? Glasser "threw back his head and guffawed": "Because they're hot!"

Turns out, Cookie Johnson, wife of basketball legend Magic Johnson is starting a line of jeans for "curvy" women, CJ by Cookie. As a size 8, she can't fit into most mainstream denim lines, which use thin fit models. Guess who Ms. Johnson's business partner is? Michael Glasser.

Then there's the always-classy Daily Fail, with the headline: "Fashion's Big Fat Lie About Kate Moss's Big Fat Friend: Size Zero Brigade Embrace A Token Chubby-Chops."

But while it's great that plus-sized fashion is getting attention, let's hope reporting about Beth Ditto isn't just a trend; here today, gone tomorrow. Because what really matters is whether the women who want — need — the clothes feel as though they're being included.

This from the Times:

"I've noticed lately that they are trying to make big sizes more into style," said Kathy Salinas, as she considered a zebra-striped Piper & Blue tunic at a Kmart in downtown Manhattan this week. "You see that at regular stores, not just the plus-size stores, and that's a good thing."

Fashion First, Whatever The Size [NY Times]
Making Fashion Fit The Form, For A Change [WSJ]
Fashion's Big Fat Lie About Kate Moss's Big Fat Friend: Size Zero Brigade Embrace A Token Chubby-Chops [Daily Mail]

Earlier: Beth Ditto Makes Plus-Size Clothing Fun, Sequined, 80s
On Beth Ditto, "Promoting" Obesity & Fat Shame
Are Older Women Ignored By Fashion?
Fashion Designers Are Small Minded About Plus Sizes

"In case you were wondering, these are real," she says, cupping her boobs. "But this," she continues, grabbing a shelf of tummy flab, "is implants." She honks with laughter and pulls her top back on.

Hattersley is clearly impressed by Ditto, calling her "fabulous" and writing of when she hugs him: "The chalky white arms squeezing my back are as delicious and comforting as slabs of freshly baked ciabatta." When Hattersley sees Ditto with her top off, he writes:

Rolls and folds topped with an adorable heart-shaped face. Having never had the least desire to paint, I'm suddenly overcome with an urge to take up oils and have a bash at capturing the play of light across her love handles. No wonder she's a muse to just about every designer going.

Ditto has designed a plus-size collection for UK chain store Evans, but she doesn't feel it's impossible to find anything to wear if you're over a size 16.

"I don't understand all these women who say they feel betrayed by fashion. A piece of clothing can't talk - it can't tell you that you can't have it - so really, you're just telling yourself that. You make yourself the victim, because if you want clothes that bad, then make them yourself. You have to get creative if you're fat. I'm really good at turning a belt into a necklace, and I can always find a nice pair of earrings."

And when it comes to the fashion industry insiders, Ditto knows they're fickle: "One year Karl Lagerfeld was refusing to make clothes for women of a certain size, and the next year he was asking me to play the Fendi party," she says.

But Ditto also knows that being fat means certain things: "Fat people shouldn't do drugs," she says. "Fat people should certainly not do cocaine. It's not that they're all unhealthy, but it can be hard on your body, on your heart, so you have to accept you can't do certain things. I don't want to die when I'm 38. It's not worth it. Plus, can you imagine if I was on coke? I mean, how much faster can one girl talk?"

While Ditto seems fully self-aware — and aware of her novelty in the fashion world (of visiting the runway collections in Paris, she says: "I'm the only one there who looks like me. Everyone else just looks the same, so think about the joy of that.") — there are those who just won't let her be.

Over the weekend, we got an email from a reader who accused us of "promoting" obesity. Actually, she wrote:

I am stumped and confused as to why you continually promote morbid obesity as a healthy way to live, or a responsible role model… While I support your position on body-snarking, the issue of Ms. Ditto's obesity is relevant and deserves attention.

Ugh. The woman is a creative, fashionable lesbian and singer with lots of things to say — but all anyone ever talks about is her weight. Is it, in fact, "relevant"? Doesn't it get enough attention already?

And let's be honest: Isn't there some inherent sexism in focusing on the weight of a woman who is making a living because of her singing and songwriting skills? Does every Jack Black interview have to include "relevant" information about his weight? Seth Rogen became a star without a svelte physique. No one cared if we posted about those guys without mentioning their weight, but women must be small and tiny and delicate and therefore feminine, right? And let's not pretend this is a health issue: We see images of stars smoking and drinking and frighteningly thin, and never get emails about how we're "promoting" those unhealthy lifestyles. But when it comes to Beth Ditto's weight, this reader seem to think it's her business, her prerogative, to make sure we know that Ditto is "unhealthy" and not fit to be a role model. May we remind you that it's impossible to look at someone and determine how healthy — or unhealthy — he or she is ? You can't see genetic material (fat mom/fat dad), lungs, cardio-pulmonary system, decaying liver or gingivitis in a photograph. Even Steven N. Blair, one of the nation's leading experts on the health benefits of exercise, is short and fat; he runs every day. Unlike a decaying liver or tar-filled lungs, you can see Beth Ditto's fat — which makes it easy for this reader — and others like her — to suggest that she feel ashamed. In any case, there's "promotion," and there's a feeling of relief that a talented, outspoken woman with an under-represented, often overlooked body type is in the media. Can you spot the difference?

The Brilliance Of Beth Ditto [Times Of London]
Related: Kate Harding Takes On The Body Mass Index
Losing Patience, Not Weight [NY Times]

Retailers, see, aren't dumping plus ranges because they don't want sweet ca$h money from fatsos — they're ditching them because of contracting consumer spending, patternmaking costs and production expenses. But how well do these excuses hold up?

As you might have heard, plus-size clothing has been one of the early casualties of the recession-plagued American fashion industry. Ellen Tracy has gotten rid of its plus-size division, and Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft have joined retailers like the Gap and Banana Republic in only selling sizes 16 and up online. The ostensible reason? Lack of demand and higher costs. This is despite the fact that the "average" U.S. woman is a size 14, and the fact that an interest in fashion knows no size. With each new move to take plus-size clothing off the shop floor — or out of production altogether — we are told that designing and manufacturing plus-size clothes is simply too costly in current market conditions.

One good way to test just how much of these moves are motivated by sizeism, and how much by economics, is by considering another kind of size range that departs from the standard: Petites.

What petite and plus size ranges share is that neither is merely a scale version of standard size clothing. Instead, they are each specialized creations, made using different pattern blocks and different fit models. Petite clothing isn't just regular-size clothing with shorter hems and sleeves, and plus clothing isn't just a bigger cut of a standard size. In both cases, potentially fit-wrecking pattern details like the knee break, the armscye, pocket placement, torso length, waist-hip ratio, and shoulder breadth have to be re-examined. Buttons, belts, pockets, and any other final touches should be sized proportionally. The gauge of the prints on the fabrics used should be adapted, so that petite women aren't swimming in giant florals, and those of us who are heavier aren't swathed in dinky blooms. Petite women, it bears pointing out, face a lot of the same issues as plus-size women do when shopping for clothes. I winced when I watched this video of Lisa Taylor, a 4'9" woman from the UK, trying to shop. Although Taylor is extremely polite about the "petite" offerings from Selfridges department store, when she steps out of the dressing room in a wide belt practically the size of her own ribcage, it's clear that something's not right. Half the so-called "petite" pants have to be pinned at the waist; none of them look particularly flattering in the butt.

For a dress to look the same on a petite woman, a standard size woman and a plus woman — for the hem to hit at the same place on each woman's leg, for the waist to sit at the appropriate height, for the neckline to flatter but not overexpose, for the pockets to be useful, easily reached, and neither too small nor too big — requires, in effect, three totally different paper patterns, each with a separate, and expensive, development process.

The argument that this intellectual property takes time and money to develop is not a wholly disingenuous one, especially in an economic climate where apparel sales are falling across the board (and faster among plus-sizes).

For mass market retailers, whose main manufacturing costs are for raw materials, not labor, fabric-use-intensive plus sizes can be seen as more expensive for this additional reason. But the thing is, the fashion industry tolerates so much ambient waste at all levels that highlighting fabric expenses is more than a little off. A factory running at maximum efficiency would in any case make up this cost when it produced petite sizes, which use less fabric.

Complicating all this is the fact that there is no single plus-size woman. People of the same weight can and do have radically divergent body shapes, and at the upper reaches of the size range, these differences are magnified. A size 16 cut for a body with average bust-waist-hip proportions won't fit a size 16 woman who is significantly bustier than the fit model, or one who has heavier hips and thighs. Retailers see a point of diminishing returns in plus sizes — each new size is a separate set of investments in fit and pattern development, and the number of women the product might reach does get smaller and smaller. Banging out a few more size 4 and 6 tops, on the other hand, is simple. What's worse, to reduce these costs, retailers rely disproportionately on stretch fabrics and looser cuts for what plus ranges they do offer — and these can often be unflattering. It's a lose-lose.

And when it comes to the designer market, which is the sector of the apparel industry that should have the money and the attention to detail to really create properly tailored plus-size pieces, there is genuine fat phobia at play. With a high-fashion example set by the likes of Anna "little houses" Wintour, it's not hard to wonder why. I've heard designers sneer at the thought of making a U.S. size 8. It's depressing as hell to watch the wave of standard capitalist interest break against a rock of pure sizism, and roll away. Pricier brands that do offer larger sizes, like Eileen Fisher, have managed to do so for years without harming their brand image.

The truth is, that if the cost of garment development were the only reason that plus-size ranges are making a hasty exit from shop shelves, we would be seeing the discontinuation of petite lines, too, because they face all of the same expenses. And that hasn't been happening. Moreover, the excuse about cost boils down to complaining that making clothes that fit most women is really hard — and that doesn't sound quite right coming from companies who are in the business of clothing women. Given the market share at stake, how is it that nobody is willing to step up and do cute, well-fitting clothes in larger sizes?

The Real Reason That Ann Taylor Hates Plus Sizes — It Has Nothing To Do With Fat-Phobia [Double X]
Petite Fashion [YouTube]
Plus Sizes A Fashion Victim [Crain's]

Earlier: Big Problems Arise With Plus-Size Clothing For Teens
Stylish Doesn't Mean Skinny: Meet The Fatshionistas
Plus-Size Clothing Production Is Downsized

This clip features Ebony, 22, who is a 36 FF. Her issues with her breasts seemed the most serious of any of the featured women, having little to do with clothing or a desired appearance. She says that her breasts—and the attention from men they can bring—have negative connotations for her, because, having developed early and quickly, she believes that they contributed to her molestation at a young age. During the hour-long documentary, she begins to see a therapist to work on how her past experience is affecting her daily life.

Shannon, 22, who wears a 38 G, was also profiled. Growing up as a tomboy who played a lot of sports, she became inactive when she developed breasts, because they made her uncomfortable. The inactivity caused her to gain weight, thus increased her breast size. During the show, she made the decision to become active again, and began working out and riding her bike in an effort to reduce her breast size and increase her self-esteem.

Then there was 24-year-old Rebecca. By most accounts, her breast size seems fairly normal (34 D or 36 C, depending on the bra). She decided to take the most drastic step of all, and went for a breast reduction surgery consultation. Working in the fashion industry, she's unhappy that her breasts are beginning to "droop," and she says that seeing thin models wearing whatever they want has an affect on her psyche. In the end, she decided that she would not work out, or get the surgery, but instead buy clothes tailored to her breast size.

Earlier: Mom Pressures Teen Daughter To Get Implants

Companies like Ellen Tracy have eliminated plus sizes, while Bloomingdale's has either reduced or dropped the lines altogether. Appealing to 56% of all women is apparently not cost effective.

Additionally, Ann Taylor — and its Loft division — is now selling size 16 and up online only. According to reps from the company, this is due to "low demand," despite the fact that the majority of women are sizes 14 and up, and they, too, want stylish clothes. Indeed, sales are down 8% in the last 12 months for plus sizes compared to the 2% drop in sales for standard sizes, but the real issue is the bottom line: On average, it costs 10% more to make plus-size clothes, due to special patterns and more fabric.

Plus Sizes A Fashion Victim [Crain's NY]
Earlier: Stylish Doesn't Mean Skinny: Meet The Fatshionistas
How Do We Solve The Plus-Sized Clothing Crisis?
Fashion Designers Are Small Minded About Plus Sizes
Big Problems Arise With Plus-Size Clothing For Teens

The question is: Why? According to Time magazine, organizations Libera and the Foundation for the Adoption, Sponsorship and Defense of Animals (FAADA) believe Susi needs to be out of the zoo, and in a safari-type situation where she would have more space and would be able to join a herd. José Saramago, the Nobel Prize–winning Portuguese novelist, wrote that Susi needs a "dignified" life, because she is "dying of sorrow."

But the director of the Barcelona Zoo, Miquel Trepat, says: "If you're a patient, the person whose diagnosis you're going to trust is the doctor treating you. And in this case, our veterinarians and technicians - the people who deal with Susi every day — say that she's in a perfect state of health." But he adds: "Susi's behavior hasn't changed since Alicia died."

Alica, an elephant a few years older than Susi, died in February 2008. Alicia and Susi shared space at the zoo for years. Was Alicia's death a blow that Susi is still dealing with? Does Susi just need more time to grieve? Is she pondering her own mortality?

Or, as Time's Lisa Abend asks: "Is Susi a pawn in a larger war?" Barcelona is currently renovating its 117-year-old zoo. Trepat says: "We're transforming ourselves from the traditional, cage-based zoo to a modern conservation center that teaches respect for biodiversity." But that still means animals living in captivity. Does Susi represent the dangers of unnatural habitats? Or would she be mourning her friend, even in the wild?

While Barcelona deals with the two sides of Susi's story, there are two differing views on the treatment of elephants here in the U.S. — regarding the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The company has been accused of abusing elephants, and a ruling in that lawsuit is expected soon. Kenneth Feld, producer of the circus, claims that all of the animals are "in really great health." But Tom Rider, who worked as an elephant barn man for Ringling Bros. from 1997 to 1999, says: "I call it daily, systematic abuse." He adds: "It wasn't just one or two people. It was every handler at Ringling that held a bull hook."

If You Knew Susi: Barcelona's 'Sad Elephant' Flap [Time]
Circus Elephants In The Legal Spotlight [Today Show]
Related: Circus Captivity Is Beastly For Wild Animals

First, a woman named Linda writes:

My company, Makeover Media, always recommends branching into plus sizes when manufacturers or retailers complain of slow sales, sluggish business . . . and they always refuse. One company, a swimsuit retailer, has spent ridiculous amounts of time and money "chasing new customers." But when I broached the subject of adding plus size swimwear to the website store only, the company refused.

Cynthia notes:

Many real women are not curvy and hourglass-figured, like most plus-sized models I see. We have thicker waistlines in relation to our hips… Most clothing designers have designed on the (sexist?) assumption that women have tiny waists no matter their size.

Ariene says:

The first national designer/retailer combo brave enough to make and stock real fashion sized for the average American woman is going to make a fortune, and then hopefully the rest will begin to follow.

But: The announcement that Forever 21 will offer "extended sizes" — in a line called (ugh) Faith 21 — is not welcome news for everyone. The dresses and separates sizing will only "extend" from size 12 to size 18, and the denim? Only a 34 (14/16). Since the "average" American woman is a size 14, this means that the store will still mostly offer clothing for smaller-than-average ladies.

While Gap often stocks up to size 20, is the brand still relevant (is there anything you'd want to buy)? Teen brands Alloy and Torrid offer plus sized clothes, but in hyper-trendy styles that may not be appropriate for the "average" woman. Lane Bryant? Expensive, and not enough variety. The truth is, plus-sized women shouldn't have to rely on one single retailer to fulfill their fashion needs. Judging by the response on the LA Times story and various plus size posts around here, you get the feeling that there are quite a few women all looking for the same thing: Affordable and stylish clothes that come in sizes larger than 12. But if designers don't care — and manufacturers would rather lose business than be known as something fat people wear — what can consumers do? Maybe it would help if we started counting ourselves? Surely there is strength in numbers.

Your Turn: A Call For Plus-Size, Forever 21 To Extend Sizes With New Line [LA Times]
Earlier: Designers Refuse To Cater To The Average American Woman
Fashion Designers Are Small Minded About Plus Sizes
Alloy: The Secret Weapon Of The Broke & Plus-Sized

Of course, there are the few, the savvy — who know that there is money to be made in larger sizes. Tadashi, Elie Tahari, Paige Premium Denim. But even then, the designers find that the industry around them is not exactly large-size-friendly. One "plus size" model Ms. Binkley communicated with while working on this piece wears size 8 pants. Size 8 is plus in fashionland! Tadashi Shoji, designer of Tadashi, had trouble finding a "queen size" fit model with curves in Shanghai, where his clothes are cut and sewn. He had to buy hip and breast pads at Frederick's of Hollywood and ship them to Asia.

Listen, I get that as a creative person, a designer may not want their slinky vision to be on a size 16. But fashion, after all, is a business. And this country, quite frankly, is not getting any thinner. There's "exclusive," and then there's "unsuccessful." Is having a full-figured woman touch your "art" really such a terrible thing?

Dressing Women Of A Certain Size [Wall Street Journal]