Elegance for All: Can ModCloth Change Plus Size Fashion For Good?

A little over a month ago, I was contacted by the lovely ladies at ModCloth, wondering if I might want to attend a media event centered around the launch of their plus size expansion. Um, duh! Double duh, because they also wanted to send me an awesome outfit to wear that day. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to have something in my closet that I would not normally have taken a risk on. I went with the "Lady Brunch" Dress and the "Heart for the Hills" heels in Curry. It was torture to have that outfit just sitting in my closet for a month and not be able to wear it! The fit on both the dress and the shoes is absolute perfection. The dress is one of the most well-tailored garments I own, and the heels were just the perfect width and height for me. (I HIGHLY recommend that you seek out any dress that is under the "Retrolicious" label on ModCloth. That's their in-house label, designed by their master patternmaker Goretti. But I'll get more into that later.)

L to R: All the World's a Birdcage Dress, Heart and Solar Dress, About the Artist Dress in Lilac


The day began with an invite-only presentation by ModCloth, during which they explained their branding and why it works, their intentions behind expanding their plus line, and where they plan to take it in the future. It's a fact: plus size women hold 28% of the retail buying power in the United States right now, while only about 6% of the market actually caters to them. It might not surprise you to hear that more women in the U.S. wear a size 16 than sizes 0 and 2 combined. So where are all the plus size clothes?

I've ruminated over the facts presented to us that afternoon, and one thing is very clear to me: fat stigma is responsible for not only sizing people over a 14 out of accessible clothing options, but also preventing clothing retailers from making some serious bank. Given that 57% of American women are wearing size 16 and above these days, plus size clothing has the potential to be a multibillion dollar industry. It seems to make nothing but perfect sense that someone should come along and deliver on the demands of this particular community. Defying all logic, chain retailers have made it clear time and time again that they do not want fat folks in their stores. Most plus size retailers, save for a small handful, have either done away with their plus lines (Eloquii), moved them online only (Old Navy), or limit the plus items they carry to very few select stores (H&M). Most of these retailers also do not carry past a size 3x, or 24.

When these retailers are questioned as to why they don't promote their plus lines more, generic answers along the lines of "the market is just not there" are typically given. Um, what?! That seems very unlikely, considering research shows that 1/3 of American women are "inbetweenies," meaning they wear items in both straight and plus sizes. So why wouldn't you just offer every item in every size? Oh yeah, because fat = poor, right? Not so. In fact, plus size women are more likely to shop online, spend 25% more, and buy 17% more items than their straight size counterparts. (Like, we have to, because you price plus items 20% higher for no reason and won't let us in your stores!)

This is where ModCloth comes in.
Karen Walker, eat your heart out: Glasses Half Full Dress
ModCloth, beloved purveyor of all that is delightfully twee and vintage-inspired (and recent recipient of $25M from investors, no big deal or anything), has stepped up to the plate. Accurately described to us as "a brand you could be friends with," they're just the kind of friend you'd want- approachable, unpretentious, and confident enough in themselves to be inclusive, making them the perfect candidate to take the plus size clothing industry by storm.  They've realized the full potential of the plus size market and are doing everything they can to attract those valuable dollars.They've even begun incorporating plus models into their regular editorials and advertisements! This really shouldn't be so revolutionary, but how often do you see thin and fat friends together in a totally non-sensationalized, not exploitative way in the media?

Just have to brag, I received two of these stickers from shoppers at the event.
As we all know, the problem with supply and demand is that they often do not match up. In this case, ModCloth had an overwhelming demand for more plus size clothing, but were dealing with manufacturers being unwilling or "unable" to reliably produce quality plus items. Rather than resting on their laurels, ModCloth chose to be proactive, bringing in master patternmakers to create new patterns for the manufacturers or teach them how to correctly modify their patterns. In order to do so, fit models were hired to try on each piece of new stock that came in. The patternmakers would then deconstruct the garment and figure out how it could be modified to fit a real customer rather than a dress form. Unsurprisingly, they discovered it wasn't as simple as just increasing the measurements from a straight size garment. There is a definite science to this, and ModCloth believes they have now perfected it enough to offer a great fit for every body type. Taking things one step further, they employed people to survey their plus size customers, even going so far as to travel to their homes for closet tours. ModCloth is in tune with their clientele, and they want them to know they're being heard.


As for the future, ModCloth has two upcoming plus collections that they're very excited about. One is a "Retro Game Night" themed collection, which takes its inspiration from the mid-century design of board games such as Life and Operation. The other, of which there were no items available to be shown yet, is a "Swiss Miss" themed collaboration with blogger Mandy Ferrugia of Miss Indie. They hope to be able to offer more sizes and more styles (without going off-brand, obviously) in the coming years. They are also planning to expand the amount of production they can do under their in-house labels (such as the aforementioned Retrolicious), which would provide more opportunity to expand and perfect their sizing.


If the largest problem with plus size fashion is lack of supply to meet the demand, then ModCloth's method of forcing the manufacturers to keep up (politely, of course) is pretty revolutionary for the plus industry. We've never really had an advocate with such buying power so willing to go the extra mile for us. If this expansion is successful, I believe other retailers will pretty much have to take note and follow suit. I also hope this means good things for my employer and many other independent plus size shops, as we source many of our items from the same manufacturers as ModCloth but don't have the money or influence to pull off a maneuver such as this. Congrats to you, ModCloth. Thank you for actually listening to your customers, and I think you'll find being tuned in pays off.

After the presentation, the venue was opened up to the public for a pop-up shop. More photos after the jump!

GIVEAWAY: Win a bag from Yak Pak!

"Life's A Grave, Dig It" tee - BITNB/ Jeans - Forever 21+/Shoes - Nike Free/Bag - c/o Yak Pak
I have teamed up with Yak Pak to give one lucky reader one Yak Pak item of their choosing! Details below.

Nevermind the Sporty Spice outfit guys, I'm just keeping it hella casual while I'm on staycation this week. I've been searching high and low for months for a sturdy messenger bag that I could turn into a camera bag, but I haven't been able to find one that could withstand my clumsiness while also not costing a gazillion dollars. So really, it was serendipitous when Yak Pak contacted me to host a giveaway. My camera bag insert fit perfectly into the Yak Pak messenger bag I chose, and I really couldn't be more delighted with the price and quality! (If you are entering this contest and you want to make a camera bag too, I highly recommend this Timbuk2 insert!)

So, what do you have to do to enter? It's so simple!
  1. Check out YakPak.com, and leave a comment telling me your favorite item below.
  2. Follow Yak Pak on Facebook
  3. Follow Zero Style on Facebook
  4. Bonus points if you follow Yak Pak and Zero Style on Twitter, or tweet about the contest!
Contest ends 6/21 at 12:00 am. Open to U.S. and Canada mailing addresses only. Winner will be contacted Friday, June 21st with instructions on how to claim their prize. Good luck!
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DEALS OF THE WEEK 6/11/13


Clockwise: Garnier Oil-Free BB Cream, Maybelline Mega Plush Mascara, Revlon Lipstick in Va Va Voom, Maybelline Color Show in Mint Mist, Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer, Conair You Curl Curling Wand

I'm on staycation this week, and one of my goals was to pull off my greatest haul yet. I pooled together all of my coupons, I checked the CVS sales, and I did some math in my head. When the cashier finished ringing everything up, the register read $81.07. Had I done my math wrong? I got really nervous and broke a little bit of a sweat. Then I handed over my (admittedly huge) stack of coupons. The cashier blew through them, and I watched gleefully as my total just kept going down. It was amazing. It was a rush. Who needs drugs when there are coupons? I mean, just look at these savings. I feel like a proud mother. This may have been my finest hour.


On top of all that, I got back $4 in extrabucks, meaning I SPENT $5 FOR ALL OF THIS. Five bucks, dudes. That's a savings of 95%. I am officially an extreme couponer, everyone. Feel free to call TLC now.

PS- Have you shopped my closet yet? My stuff is going quick!

MANI MONDAY// Sally Hansen Sugar Coat in Lick-o-Rich

Sally Hansen Sugar Coat in Lick-o-Rich
I'm generally pretty anti-textured polishes, but when I saw this one on Plump & Polished recently, I felt like I needed it in my life. The new Sally Hansen textured polishes are hard to come by in my area, and I just happened to find this while I was grocery shopping the other day. It was the last one left. Serendipitous! This polish reached full opacity in two coats. I used no top coat. The wear time is amazing, and it was surprisingly easy to clean up my cuticles. I highly recommend! Target has these on sale on their website right now, and if you buy three, you get free shipping. I like this one so much I think I'm going to pick up the purple, pink, and mint green.

How do you feel about the whole textured polish thing? Would ya? Could ya?

Paisley 4 Ever

Dress - ASOS/Moto Vest - Thrifted/Bag - Marc by Marc Jacobs/Flats - Target
A plus size dress... with sleeves... that aren't batwing?! Whaaa? I never thought I'd see the day. On top of that, it's really comfy and easy to wear. It is a swing dress though, so it's basically a tent, hence the belt. And as much as I love paisley, this dress needed something to break up the pattern a bit, so I threw on my moto vest for added toughness.

I now realize that I really need to step my shoe game up for summer. These flats are basic as hell, and I'd like to think I'm better than that, dammit. I'm on staycation this week and I'm making it my mission to carefully curate my wardrobe while I have time. If you're interested, here are some things I'm getting rid of. Keep checking back all week, because I'll be adding more items every day!

My Essential Skincare Products

Skincare Routine
I posted a few weeks ago about how I was finally getting my skin to clear up and balance out, and I thought I would let you in on how I've been making that happen. (Please keep in mind that I am NOT a skincare expert, and these products might not have the same effect for you.) I have discovered these products through a lot of trial and error (and generous samples from Sephora).

First off, let me tell you a little about my skin. These products more or less fall under two categories: anti-aging and acne control. I am 28, and although everyone in my family looks much younger than they really are, keeping my skin youthful is a concern for me. Call me superficial if you will, but my hair is going very gray very quickly so I need something to balance it out! Also, even at 28, my skin is very blemish prone. I struggle with almost constant activity on my jawline (hormones!), so fending that off is a huge priority.

You're probably thinking that this is an odd mix of products, and you're right. You might think this is too many chemicals for one face, and you might be right about that, too. Like I said, I'm no expert, but I do know what keeps my face glowing. Read on to find out why these products work for me. (Yay Science!)

Battle of the BBs: Which BB Cream is best for me?

I've been working on this post for like, ever! I've been collecting and testing (American, drugstore brand) BB creams over the past few months whenever I could find a way to get them free, or at least close to it. The only "real" (Korean) BB cream I have tried is Dr. Jart, and I can say that I'm definitely open to trying more now that I've finally written this post!

WTF is a BB Cream anyway? Though BB cream is one of the trendiest fads in the beauty industry right now, it's actually been around for about 50 years. It did not originate in Korea as most assume, but rather in a hospital in Germany. It was originally used to protect the skin of patients who'd undergone facial surgeries.

Why are people so nuts about it? It's a multi-tasking product that can replace a lot of the items in your makeup bag, if you choose wisely. It moisturizes, it primes, it covers, it perfects, it brightens, it even has SPF! It can provide as little or as much coverage as you wish, as it is highly buildable.

What's the difference between American and Korean BB Cream? The biggest one seems to be that certain American brands' BBs are no more than their tinted moisturizers rebranded with a new trendy name (ahem, COVERGIRL), therefore they lack the skincare benefits of a Korean BB.

Isn't BB Cream kinda... problematic? In a nutshell, yes. BB cream tends to not be readily available in darker colors, making it nearly impossible for a POC to find a shade that's right for them. Also, Korean (and some American) BB creams sometimes contain skin whiteners.

How are BB Creams different from CC or DD Creams? They're really not. That's called marketing, folks!

My reviews and swatches are after the jump!