Monday, December 15, 2008

i DO exist

I confess...that not long ago I would have hated anyone who voiced my recent shopping-related complaint.

I'm at the smallest I've been as an adult. I'll admit, I'm small...which says a lot if you know me well since I'm not so good at seeing myself. But I'm not minuscule or unhealthy, not the kind of thin that makes strangers want to come up to you and feed you a cookie. I run into plenty of women everyday who are my size. And plenty who are smaller (and still healthy).

So, when did stores decide that I don't exist. I was in a department store suit department this weekend and they have maybe four or five pantsuits (ummm...are people really buying skirtsuits in Boston in December??) total available in my size. In other sizes, they had dozens of options. Not long ago, I tried to find a reasonably priced pair of jeans and didn't find a single pair in my size in a given department store.

Then there are the "name" stores. Not the fancy schmancy ones...that's not me...just typical non-department stores for women. I swear my clothing size would change even if my physical size didn't because they just keep vanity sizing more and more. And they are pushing me down and down. I'm a Small. I'm not an XS....or even XXS. I'll be blunt...in most stores, I'm a 2....in one store in particular, 0s can be loose. That just doesn't make sense to me. I'm healthy. I deserve to be able to get dressed!

Where are the women smaller than me shopping? The kids' department?? The irony on that thought is that kids seem to be getting bigger and bigger...I'd wager there are kids growing out of the children's lines (earlier than they should) just as women are being pushed back into them.

It isn't the worst problem in the world. I would have wanted to slap anyone with my complaint...until I became the one complaining. I know plenty of people would trade places (though I've worked DARN HARD at getting to a size that I think is right for me). Nonetheless, its my rant for today.

3 comments:

Lauren Starks said...

i have not one clue to tell you where to shop. i just want to say i love you're self-acceptance. you've come a long way!!!

Peaches said...

Hi hon! Yep, the tiny women shop in the kids department. When I was little, I bought half my clothes from Macys kids. I agree with Lauren, I'm loving the self acceptance thing you've got going on. Yay Cheryl!

The Rambling Blogger said...

i still have no REAL concept of my body....i couldn't pick out a woman with the same dimensions. but i do know that i'm on the smaller side and do feel some pride in that since i worked really hard to get here...and also in the fact that i've kept muscle tone in the process..

i do have one tee i run in that might have been kids...it was from theever fancy walgreens (hey, they have cheap tees for workouts that don't call for a tech tee!)