Contest Entries by Mouse

One Size Fits Most

Contest: Merit Badge Magic
Prompt: One Size Fits All
Word count: 593

One Size Fits Most

I adored it when this size classification first appeared on labels. Before that I would think "One size fits all? Bull Dookey!!" Things with that marking never fit me. I am a big girl with curves and they were always too tight.
Then there are the ones that don't say they were made in Asia on the discount sites like Temu and Wish. They make me feel huge because I have to order at least a 3x for it to fit.
Some men have the same problem. One size fits most doesn't apply to them either. In normal sizes they need a 3x or better. In the Asian sizes that turns out to be a 5x or even a 6x. My nephews are hard to shop for. They are what they call big and tall men. At least they have their own stores. You don't see a shop called heavy and curvy women.
Because of my budget I cannot shop at those kind of outlet stores. I shop at discount and gently used places. There doesn't seem to be too many curvy women like myself donating clothes to the needy. Free stores are definitely a small figured women's shop.
Clothes sizes are a problem for 70% of people. Why the manufacturers insist that the population is full of petite and slim consumers I have no idea. As I said it goes for men as well, unless they want to shell out the dough.
Therapists and others wonder why so many teens suffer from eating disorders. The media and other industries put out there what they think should be the perfect people. These images are not within the accomplishments of the average person. When a child can't make themselves over in this ideal image they are labeled chunky, obese, overweight, and unhealthy.
I was one of those children who were never going to accomplish the ideal figure. I struggled for years with doctors telling me my weight was okay for my height but my peers making fun of how I looked. I got to the point where I hated mirrors and pictures of myself. I thought I was so ugly with my curvy figure and frizzy hair. I still don't like mirrors or pictures.... I don't recognize that person. She does not look the way I feel. That girl in the mirror to me looks like she weighs 400 lbs even though I've gotten myself down from 300 to 170. My skin sags to where my belly touches my upper thighs. I get rashes from sweat settling in my folds. I will never totally shake that ugly feeling.
There is hope for people like me though. I've learned to accept that there is not much I can do about my outer self at my age. I can almost wear those "one size fits most" and that helps. What really helped is taking an honest look at the people around me and realizing that many others suffer as I do. Acceptance is a wonderful thing. I've learned to love the inner person I feel I am that doesn't show in mirrors and pictures.
The old saying "let the buyer beware" definitely holds true when it comes to labels on clothing and the information they convey. Be sure to not only check what the size says but also where it was manufactured. Otherwise you are liable to be throwing your money away on something even the resale store shopper can't wear.




Merry Meet and Blessed Be
then Merry Meet again!