Thursday, November 1, 2012

What Got To Me Today: Forgotten Gams

Petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/forgotten-gams/

Saying this petition is "just about jeans" is like saying we are "just" women in our 40s.

Just when I was beginning to believe the fashion industry was waking up to the fact that fashion is for all shapes and sizes, and that starving models should be allowed to eat so they better represent real women, I find myself, and other women like me, left out of the biggest trend of the season: jeans in bold prints.

I'm a jeans girl.  Let me re-phrase. I'm a 40-something average sized 12-14 jeans woman.  For some reason, fashion designers have marketed the entire selection of printed denim in "skinny" jean or "cigarette" cuts.  The prints this season are awesome There are python and paisley prints, stripes and lacy prints, leopard, cheetah, and plaid, and in every color conceiveable. Slim-cut styles are great if your a size 0-4 and in your teens and twenties.  I'm not. Neither are millions of women like me, who want to look sharp, be on trend, and feel confident. 

Once again, however, we have been left out, wandering around in washed-out hews and drab laps.  
Designers will say, "All of our jeans this season are available in a variety of styles, including plus-sizes."  Well, as fashion designers, you should know that curvy girls in sizes 12-14 and up aren't flattered by your skinny jeans. We prefer to follow the fashion tips of the stylists.  We want lengthening cuts like bootcut, straight leg or slight flair.  We want DENIM, not leggings or jeggings, not elastic-wasted mom-jeans in cotton stretch.  We want stylish, flattering, BOLD prints on denim.

Some will say, "What's the big deal? There are more important causes out there".  To those people I say yes, there are other causes out there and I actively support those too, but this IS a big deal. The way a woman feels in her clothes can make the difference between landing a job or being afraid to ask for it in the first place. In a world where women's opinions are often not respected, where millions of women suffer from low self-esteem and poor self-confidence, what we put on our bodies is how we present ourselves to the world.  Even those of us who do feel empowered want to look great while we're changing the world!  When we like how we look we hold our heads higher, feel youthful, and are energized. Confidence breeds empowerment, and lets us set the right example for those coming behind us.

These aren't just jeans.

Please let the fashion industry know that women in their prime won't be tossed aside.  Please sign this petition.  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/forgotten-gams/