Have you seen โShrillโ yet? The Hulu original stars Saturday Night Liveย actress and comedienne Aidy Bryant as she navigates the world as a fat woman. Can we first applaud Hulu for having so many woman-led originals (Shrill, The Handmaiden, The Mindy Project, etc.)?
And a second round of applause for Hulu airing this show, where the main character is fat and NOT trying to lose weight; in fact, Bryantโs character, Annie Easton, is described as a woman who wants to change everything except her weight.ย
Ok, so weโve praised the show enough, and we love it, right? Itโs a groundbreaking piece of entertainment in an era of body positivity and acceptance.
Not so fast.
In an interview, Amanda Needham, Shrillโs costume designer, bemoaned theย lack of plus size optionsย available for Annieโs bright and bubbly on-air personality and look.
Now, I donโt know about you, but my closetย (and wallet)ย will attest to the exact opposite of that sentiment!
Over the last ten years, the plus fashion market has exploded and there are a ton of plus size brands and indie plus size designers to choose from that could have helped achieve the look Shrill was going for.
It would have also been an amazing opportunity to share some of these brands with a larger audience; because believe it or not, there are still plus women out there who arenโt aware of all of the great options available to them.ย
So where should Shrillโs Annie shop next season? To keep it short and sweet AND along the vibe and styling of the show, we have rounded up only FIVE plus size brands that would have wowed in Shrill.
And now that Shrill has been renewed for a season 2, there is NO REASON, why the costume designers, stylists, and producers cannot reach into the plus size fashion community to give the support and love backโฆย
NONE.ย
5 Plus Size Brands That Shrill Could Have Used to Make a Statement
ModCloth
The Fabulous Fit and Flare Dress with Pockets is available up through a US 28 at Modcloth.com.
I love Modcloth, and honestly, the vintage-and indie-inspired designs would have fit in perfectly with Annieโs fun, playful look.
With sizing from 00-28/XXS-4X, every sized fan of Annieโs would have been able to get in on her on-screen look.
Courtney Noelle
The Nicole Skater Dress is available through size 4X (26-28) atย ShopCourtneyNoelle.com.
Equal parts bright, sexy and slay, Courtney Noelle would have had JUST the right pieces for Annieโs dating adventures.
Founded in 2004, the line is independently-owned and has some seriously amazing pieces that I could see Annie rocking all over Portland.
Unique Vintage
The Mint Swiss Dotted Sleeveless Georgia Swing Dress is available in sizes through 5X (26) atย Unique-Vintage.com.
On the show, Annie is outfitted in a variety of dresses and Burbank-California based store, Unique Vintage, is THE shop for the dress lover in all of us, so Annie would have no trouble finding something.
Bonus: the waist-defining silhouettes of their 50โs and 60โs plus dresses would look stunning on her (and all of us!) AND their plus range goes up to size 26.
Jibri
The Jibriย White Shirt Dress is available in sizes through 4 (26-28) atย Jibri.com.
Jibriโs Jasmine Elder was making fierce plus fashion LONG before many other brands showed up to the plus fashion party.
With ten years in the game she is still pulling off some of the best, most original plus fashion out there. Jibriโs pieces are fierce and fashion-forward, perfect for the plus woman on a journey to love herself and look amazing while doing it!
Like Annie.ย
Altar PDX
Artemis Jumper in Dusty Sage from AltarPDX.com
Portland cult favorite Altar PDX sells their own in-house label, as well as other plus labels in their popular brick-and-mortar and online store. The store is VERY Portland; owners and designers Amy Fox and Cassie Ridgwayโs handmade clothing and accessories are inspired by the Pacific Northwest.
Very artsy, very cool kid, very chic. Annie could have definitely rocked some of their flowy frocks and vintage-inspired trousers easily.
No doubt Amanda and co. did a great job custom-designing a great wardrobe for Annie, but it wasnโt necessary. They seriously did the plus size industry a huge disservice by not doing their research.
There are tons of brands out there these days creating fun and gorgeous plus size fashion.
Commentary across social media already thought that many of the pieces were fashioned from Modcloth and Eloquii!
These are only five plus size brands and retailers, but there could have easily been looks fashioned by Anthropologie, as we just mentioned, Eloquii, eShakti, Copper Union, and so many more!
BUT!
If that is a challenge, then the team should consider any of the various plus size stylists (who specialize in this market) who will be able to help respectfully navigate the space.
Because telling everyone on every platform that you could NOT find anything cute in plus size fashion?ย
Is NOT a good lookโฆย
What other brands do you think Annie would look good in? Weโd love to hear your thoughts! Comment below!
1. WHY ARE YOU SHAMING THEM, THIS IS NOT THAT KIND OF PLATFORM.
2. Wearing everything from a 14 to an 18 I can say that it hard to roam all their sites and find cloths that look interesting enough to even order. Most are meh, expensive, or really donโt work for the average jane lifestyle.
If I had the option I would much rather make my own cloths like they did. Even though there are options not all of them go with my style or color/patter preference. Which was their same issue.
Noooo, not shaming but when they are on mainstream sites and then the conversation shifted to Plus Size in a Dead ZOne, it is concerningโฆ also more concerning when this is a groundbreaking show for plus size women, the resources are thereโฆ
Weโre definitely NOT shaming the show, or itโs amazingly talented costume design team. However, there are simply way too many options available to make those types of claims and as Marie said, this was a hug missed opportunity.
Plus fashion is booming right now and we have OPTIONS. For the first time in forever, we have options, and I think we can all explore them.
Would love to see her in a Monif C wrap dress!
I thought the same way when I heard the costume designer couldnโt find any plus size options for the main character. There are so many companies (indie designers especially) that couldโve really gave Anne her look.
Hell, I dug her roommates style than Anne tbh (no shade. It was just more of my personal style). I wonder if the costume designer also made her roommateโs clothes, since she was a plus size girl as well.
Iโm so grateful for the amount of plus size options there are right now.
You also got Ashley Nell Tipton, Zelie for She, and Premme.
YESSSSSSSSSSS Ashley Nell Tipton would have been right up their alley with the style of Annie and the vibe of the city!!!!
Yes, there are soooo many options out thereโฆ such a missed opportunity!
Agreed! There are so many options. And GIRL, I would have jumped for joy if she graced my screen in a Zelie for She look, honey!
A few of these are relatively new brands and fast fashion is not a good look on anyone.
Hey girl! What do you mean by relatively new?
Fast fashion? None of these are fast fashion- along the lines of Pretty little things or Forever 21
Jibri been around 10 years and is one of the top contemporary indie plus brands.
Courtney Noelle, since our 2012 and is an indie designer as wellโฆ
Eloquii since 2012 and is a retailerโฆ
Modcloth and Unique Vintage have been int he game for yearsโฆ
Which brands are you referring to?
Amanda is absolutely correct in taking issue with the lack of good fabrics in plus sizes. It is very hard to find good fabrics and cool clothes above a 14. Even when designers release a capsule collection, like Rodarte and Universal Standard, the fabric is polyester. Ugh.
Unfortunately, that is the standard for a LOT of fashion these days. And just to note, the designer never mentioned the quality of fabrics available (unless I missed something), she said the lack of options which is a very big difference. Additionally, many of the designers and stores we highlighted here make clothing in both man-made and natural fabrics. Modcloth, for example, had more than a few pieces in cotton and linen, and we didnโt even touch on others, like the new Anthropologie A+ line or many of the smaller designers out there.