Really?!? American Apparel Searches for "Plus Size Model”

Updated on August 26, 2011, 4:13 pm ET

By Evette Brown Find in Style+Beauty Related videos | articles | comments | share it

American Apparel

As a proud member of the Curvy Girls Club, I can literally feel my blood pressure boiling as I’m writing this. You see, when I was less curvy and had narrower hips, I used to be a frequent shopper at American Apparel. I had a brief love affair with the retailer for about six months. Then, my scale numbers tipped from the 100’s to the low 200’s, and my beloved boy jeans had to be placed in the donation pile along with my Charlotte Russe leggings and my Aeropostale hoodies.

For years, I pined for American Apparel to follow in the fashion footsteps of other retailers and create a collection of clothes strictly for the ladies with a little extra everything. So imagine my surprise when the clothing brand did just that a few weeks ago. Excitement set in! I couldn’t wait to browse their racks again and not be depressed as I attempted to button the jeans in the fitting room. That enthusiasm immediately turned to disappointment when I discovered that their “plus-size” collection only extends to an XL, or a size 14, which is a normal size in most stores.

To add salt, alcohol, and vinegar into an already sore wound, the “made-in-America” company has launched a ridiculous campaign, “The Next Big Thing,” to hunt for the next face of their plus-sized division. If you’re not as offended and embarrassed as I am yet, read their website’s model search description:

"Calling curvy ladies everywhere! Our best-selling Disco Pant (and around 10 other sexy styles) are now available in size XL, for those of us who need a little extra wiggle room where it counts. We’re looking for fresh faces (and curvaceous bods) to fill these babies out. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be the next XLent model, send us photos of you and your junk to back it up.

Read Big Sexy's Leslie Medlik: "I Decided To Love Myself as I Am"

Just send us two recent photographs of yourself, one that clearly shows your face and one of your body. We’ll select a winner to be flown out to our Los Angeles headquarters to star in your own bootylicious photoshoot. Runners up will win an enviable assortment of our favorite new styles in XL!

Show us what you’re workin’ with!"

A “bootylicious photoshoot?” A “little extra wiggle room where it counts?” "Your junk to back it up?” My stomach is suddenly queasy. A search awash in endless slimy “fat girl” puns is not appealing, American Apparel! Yes, curvy girls are proudly bootylicious. We do need a little extra wiggle room in our jeans because we do have junk to back it up, but using cliché lines that are offensive and classless will not bring all these curvy girls to the yard.

So next time, American Apparel, have a little class and sensitivity. Or just don’t extend into “plus sizes” at all.

Oh, and curvy ladies, do me a favor. Boycott!

Evette Brown is a regular contributor to BettyConfidential.

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2 comment(s) on this article...

#1. cantpleaseeveryone on 08/28/2011 - 11:05 pm (EDT)

What did you expect from a company that uses porn style advertising to sell clothes?
In my view,their ad description sounded cheesy but not offensive.
Also "bootylicious" sound cheap.
I would never want to model for American Apparel anyway.Its great if companies started using models of a variety of shapes however,but to be a plus size model at any cost/for any company isn't worth it.
IE:if it means you'd be posing porno style for American Apparel that would be weird because it would be like the company saying "we promote acceptance of all body types but we also promote exploiting women"

On the otherhand,i dont want to upset you,but however 'larger' women have to take responsibilty for their feelings and can't get offended at every word if there is no bad intention behind it.
If someone is sensitive about something-eg:their weight-then they need to fix that sensitivity within themselves and not expect everyone else to tiptoe around words and know the exact words to use which woulnd offend you.
People arn't going to know if someone prefers the word "curvy" or "plussize" or "larger" (or whatever) or which of these words would offend a larger woman and also which word offend you may not offend another.
So unless someone is being outright cruel,you need to take responbility for oversensitivities and not expect others to become political correct/oversensitive too to accomodate to your oversensitivities.
Im not suggesting that its ok for people to be cruel and hurtful and unfortunately there many people that can be like that in American society,but at the same time getting offended at every word or reading too much into words and then expecting people to be super duper careful with words isn'rt fair either as its not anothers fault if someone is sensitive regarding their weight.
Unless they were intentionally being cruel of course then thats a different story.

#2. lyrad on 08/30/2011 - 5:56 pm (EDT)

here's the real deal. this is the worst company in the industry. they use illegal aliens in a sweat shop environment and have been shut down for it. the fabric is not domestic, they have been in bankruptcy many times due to the owner's lack of integrity. he has been slapped with multiple sexual harrassment suits. the owner himself i have meet and is a total dirt bag and his catalog of crack whores personifies that fact. so, this is far from an american company. the only thing american is the fact they are based out of california, and i even question that. here's how you fix it......stop buying their junk and they will go away.

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