Friday, September 25, 2020

Athleisure Brands That Actually Have Plus Size in Mind

I'm sure it's no surprise why I'm writing this article. If you've followed me for a while, you know that I've opened up about growing up without popular brands having clothes in my size and how that affected my body image growing up. One brand that sticks out is lululemon. They have always been a brand that I've teetered with but their announcement last week about being size inclusive when they unveiled their "plus sizing" honestly made me roll my eyes.


Lululemon has openly shared before that their clothes are for people of a certain size, and if you weren't that size, then it was too bad. I remember scrimping and saving and using birthday money to get their leggings and always being disappointed. It piled, it tore, it ripped and that was even with handwashing and flat laying to dry. So not only was it insanely expensive, but I was then wasting money because the clothes wouldn't hold up. 


Am I all for people and brands evolving and changing their minds as they learn new information? Of course. However, this is truly too little too late for me. Especially considering that their plus size clothing isn't across the board, its a few items offered in select locations. 


I don't want anyone feeling the way I did with lululemon growing up - I want people to who might not fit. social beauty construct (thin, tall, short, plus size, EVERYTHING) to feel empowered when making a purchase decision. I want women to feel empowered and have choices and be able to make their own decisions about what to wear - not be forced to pick between from a handful of items because that's all that the store carries. 


I am so proud of the brands that have evolved their brands years ago to include women of every size, shape, and color - those are the brands we should be supporting when making purchase decisions about activewear, athleisure and beyond. Below are some of my favorite brands and links to shop them!

Aerie



A no brainer here for me. This brand is not only size-inclusive but has consistently showed up and implemented self-love for their consumers. They use real women to model their clothing and do not retouch their photos. They have so many seasonal patterns, colors and sizes for everyone!


Fabletics


I have worked with Fabletics and continue to work with them because they truly embody the idea of activewear for every size! Their sizing is accurate, inclusive, and still allows women of every size to get their sweat on with any workout. Their sports bras are supportive, their leggings do not pile, and they have every style, color, and size you could be looking for!


Colorful Koala



I found this company through Amazon but love their joggers and leggings. They feel like lululemon but there is minimal pilling if any and they're a fraction of the price!


L&M Company


This company is one of my newer favorites! They are a women-founded business that supports and encourages self-love and movement in every form no matter your size! 


I definitely have more brands than my ongoing favorites to try out and I am going to continue to share them as I learn more about them! Some brands I want to try within the next few months include Girlfriend, GRRRL, AthletaMimikini, Active Truth, Hine Collection, RunFaster, AIM'N, and Running Bare.


Do not feel the need to try and conform with a brand that ignored the plus-size population for 22 years and now decided to throw a few pieces of clothing our way. Your voice, your opinions, and where you spend your dollars matters. Below is my collection of recommendations for activewear from brands that have included women of all sizes for more than one month. 

© Mimosas and Lipstick. Made with love by The Dutch Lady Designs.