Inclusive fashion is a hot topic, but true representation remains rare. Most mainstream celebrities and influencers wear straight-size clothing, reinforcing an industry standard that sidelines plus size fashion. Aiyana Ishmael, associate editor at Teen Vogue, set out to challenge that narrative with her column CTRL + C—a bold experiment in recreating celebrity outfits on her plus size body to determine whether a look was truly stylish or just flattered by a thin frame.
What began as a tweet evolved into a widely followed column, helping both Teen Vogue and Ishmael gain a loyal readership invested in the conversation around size inclusivity. Now, the column is taking on a fresh new direction—one that could make an even bigger impact.
The Process Behind CTRL + C
Ishmael’s approach to the column was straightforward: choose a celebrity, find comparable clothing in plus sizes, and put the style to the test.
“For the most part, I would just pick a celebrity that was on my list. When I first did Bella [Hadid], they said, ‘Okay, let’s make this a column.’ I ended up basically just creating a list of, honestly, almost 15 different celebrities that I was like, ‘I like their style, I want to wear it, or I hate their style and I want to talk about it.’”
Sourcing the outfits was its own challenge.
“I would just start looking online at a mix of whatever retailers I could find, just literally typing in keywords, ‘strapless dress red plus size,’ or switching it to ‘curve’ because, for some reason, some places refuse to call it plus size,” she said. “Having to search piece by piece, try to find anything remotely similar, and sometimes I don’t find anything, and that’s always part of the story as well.”
The Struggles and Successes of Size-Inclusive Fashion
One of the biggest obstacles Ishmael faced was the lack of availability.
“There are no options, especially since a lot of the celebrities that we choose are wearing things that are on trend or designer. While this designer piece might have replicas at Zara [or] H&M, all these other boutiques or smaller websites don’t have my size. And so while I could find a replica of something that a celebrity wore, it was never something that I could actually fit on my body.”
Despite the difficulties, CTRL + C brought an important message to light.
“Just being vulnerable on the internet. I think vulnerability is a lost art, something I talk about all the time. Gen Z, my generation, we are so afraid of being vulnerable. We’ve gotten into this fear of hiding every part of ourselves because we’re scared of this, we’re scared of that. We don’t want to be perceived. And I feel like being vulnerable online is lacking in a true, genuine way.”
The Future of CTRL + C
While CTRL + C began as a personal endeavor, Ishmael always had a broader vision for it.
“The next version of the series comes out this week, and it’s changing. I’m no longer the face of it, and I’m really excited, because that was the whole goal,” she said.
Rather than keeping the focus solely on herself, she has gathered a diverse list of content creators, including plus-size, mid-size, nonbinary, and hijabi individuals who are often underrepresented in fashion.
“I want them to explore celebrity styles. I’m excited for the first one that’s coming out this week because the first content creator is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to plus-size fashion, inclusivity, and fighting against what people assume fat people should be wearing.”
With CTRL + C, Ishmael has created something bigger than herself—a movement that allows more people to see themselves in fashion.
“In my last iteration of the column, I said, I’ve always wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself, and I do think CTRL + C has become that. And so I think now it’s just about how everyone can see themselves literally in this column.”
