Cora The term “plus size” has garnered a lot of controversy over the years, and Kmart has finally decided the term has got to go. Instead of a “plus-size” section at the department store, Kmart will now contain a section of clothing called “Fabulously Sized.” Considering the average American woman is a US size 16 to 18, this re-branding seems much needed.
Typically, clothing that extends past size 14-16 is considered “plus-size,” which draws its fair share of criticism, considering the average size of the modern woman. The move is not altogether surprising, as “body positivity” has been picking up in popularity, with a greater push for more realistic models and more diverse representations of women’s bodies in the media.
“This decision was heavily influenced by the fact that there’s a solid trend on the market around diversity promotion and body positivity,” Kelly Cook, Kmart’s chief marketing officer told Women’s Wear Daily. She has especially noticed this trend in the teen and millennial market.
To help make women feel even more empowered and comfortable, Kmart is also switching up how they will be formatting their stores. Some of the Fabulously Sized items will be available in their own section, but many extended-size items will also be included in the main women’s section. They will also be eliminating the plus-size labeling on swimwear and underwear.
Although Kmart is definitely taking a step in the right direction, some people are still not satisfied with the change, citing the term “Fabulous Size” as just an unwelcome euphemism. One writer from Refinery29 called it “unauthentic, awkward, and even patronizing.” Another writer from People worried that the re-branding creates an “unnecessary dichotomy that suggests a certain category of physiques are somehow more or less phenomenal than others.”
Although Kmart’s plus size set-up may not yet be perfect, it’s still an important move for the retailer and a step in the right direction to making women feel more comfortable (and fabulous!) during their shopping experiences, no matter their body size.
