FirenzaMonet

My intention was to head to Target and find reasonably-priced workout clothes. I was planning to leave with a few pair of performance leggings, a few tops, a couple of sports bras and maybe a pack of socks (because for some reason mine always disappear after one wear). And I was planning to come home and blog about all the awesome stuff that I got.

Well...

$104 later, I leave with two pair of performance leggings, two sports bras (that I'm hoping ACTUALLY provide support) and two, 3-pair packs of socks. I sifted through a ton of XS, S and M to find an XXL in the pants. I'll admit, this is always a gamble for me when I go to Target. I am pretty bottom heavy - so its hit or miss. I ended up leaving with these and something very similar to these. I got home to try them on and I JUST made it.

Now, I'm no newbie to working out and definitely not to buying work out clothes. In the past, I've purchased some awesome performance leggings from Walmart. Their XXL is perfect for the hippy, jiggly girls like me. However, they only come in black or gray (and honestly the gray isn't too flattering for us women with dimple thighs). The pickings are slim.

If you are fortunate enough to be able to afford (or you're okay with spending money on) top of the line workout clothes, you can check out Macy's, Lane Bryant, LuLu Lemon etc. But for those of you who choose to live on the lower end - like me - its HARD to find plus size workout clothes that are reasonably priced. I'd be remiss not to mention Old Navy's awesome line. Unfortunately, it is only available online.

This isn't news to me. In fact, in a conversation that I had with my best friend - who happens to be into power lifting and is also MUCH smaller than I am - she told me about how AWESOME her new leggings from Forever21 were. She loves the mesh side look. I was excited because I figured Forever21 HAD to have them in a plus size version as well. Well - I was wrong. Very wrong. What I learned is, Forever21 doesn't even have activewear for plus size women. Apparently, fat girls don't work out but "standard" size women do.

Sigh...

Unfortunately, this is common. Doesn't surprise me. There has been this hole in the plus size fashion industry for a while now. My beef isn't that plus size workout clothes don't exist. My beef is that plus size workout clothes aren't as accessible to normal (impatient) people like me who would like to just head to the store down the street, pick up a few quality sports bras and walk out knowing that I can still afford groceries for the week. Why do I have to ONLY purchase my workout clothes online? Why do I have to pay TWICE as much for workout pants as my smaller sisters? Yea, you pay a little extra to make my oversized (*insert side eye emoji*) workout clothes, but I'm sure its not so much that the price should be doubled.

Dear Fashion Industry,

All fat girls aren't self-conscious! All fat girls don't feel uncomfortable asking "do you all have plus size?" All fat girls don't sit around eating donuts and watching The Food Network (I mean, I do sometimes...but I go to the gym most of the time lol). We are people who live normal lives just like everyone else. We shouldn't have to go broke or wait days for something in the mail simply because we carry a little extra meat on our bones. Its ridiculous that in 2015, we STILL have stores that discriminate against fat girls. And those standard size stores who do have plus size are limited or only offered on line. Get it together, Fashion Industry. We are tired of your bullsh*t.

Signed,

A fat girl who works out.

TGwBH