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Is Target Phasing Out It's Plus Size Line?

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Mar 26, 2009 in Fashion

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Earlier this week, I went to Target on a search for some yoga pants and to check out the new spring fashions. I was shocked to find that the Women's/Plus section had now been squeezed into 3 racks and a shelf, and the Young Men's swimwear and tee's had taken over the remaining space of what used to be. I have always been suspicious of Target's sizing (their plus size line is cut way too small and have always had a rule of thumb to size 2 sizes up up to get a good fit.) and that they don't seem to think that we bigger gals would possibly want to wear something as fashionable as our single digit size friends. I get that it's not cost effective to resize thing in anything bigger than a 14/16. But, downsizing the whole section isn't a very good option.
Now, I love my Tar-get. And I have been a loyal shopper for years. But, I really have to put my foot down and demand a little respect here. It's bad enough that we have to shop in the very back of the store, but downsizing our selection so drastically is just plain ridiculous.
How many times are we going to be crowded out of lower cost retailers or be forced to wear Kathy Lee pull-on pants because we can't afford to get truly chic and young clothes on the market for more than a blink fo the eye. Do we need to talk about the H&M/Karl Lagerfeld debacle?
If Target truly wants to make money in these harsh times, embrace your shoppers. All of them. Lord knows we, as fluffy fashinoistas, are an incredibly underserved market. And we want frugal fashionista options, just like our skinny sisters.
I have written an email to Target voicing my concerns and will let you know what they say.

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Comments (9)

It would be great to get a response from them - good luck! I've been up and down the size scale my adult life. The plus-size section of most department/discount stores don't seem to be very big and do not offer very fashionable options. And when you do find something cute, you look at the label and realize you're looking at something on the maternity rack. That's also annoying - putting the plus sizes and maternity together. But that would be another blog... Report Spam Posted by vntgbabe at 6:48 PM on 03/26/09
I like your term "fluffy fashionistas" :)I hope you get a good response from them! Report Spam Posted by weslee at 6:51 PM on 03/26/09
I hope this isn't the case! The Target I go to combines the plus-size section with the maternity section which drives me crazy!! They really have no respect for the plus-size gals... Report Spam Posted by hirschfelder at 8:07 PM on 03/26/09
Great idea... *high fives* Report Spam Posted by snowymountain at 2:36 PM on 03/27/09
Hmm. I read on the Budget Babe blog that Target was coming out with a new plus size line. You can read about it and get a sneak peak here. Report Spam Posted by gregsgal at 2:44 PM on 03/27/09
So far, the only thing I can say about said line is that the few photos I've seen look like trends from several seasons ago. Lots of flowy, handkerchief hemlines. Is this still in and I'm missing it when I go shopping? Report Spam Posted by gregsgal at 2:47 PM on 03/27/09
I heard back from Target. And I got pretty much what I expected:Dear Layla W******,I'm sorry to hear you're disappointed with the current availability of plus-size clothing at our Hillsboro Target store.Your comments are important because they help us learn more about what you're looking for at Target. We've partnered with many different designers so we can bring you the latest styles. To help us serve you better in this area, I've shared your comments with our buyers for further review with our design teams.We appreciate the time you've taken to share your thoughts and feelings with us.Sincerely,AngelaTarget Guest Relationswww.target.com[THREAD ID:1-68EJBY]I really would encourage everyone to write and complain to Target as well. Maybe we can get something done. Report Spam Posted by psychobombshell at 5:33 PM on 03/27/09
I think that response from Target is actually pretty positive. It means that if enough people send them concerned letters, they're likely to take action. If you want to get other people involved, it might help if you post a general form letter that people could just personalize and send. Good luck! And I wouldn't necessarily be offended that the plus size section is in the back. I personally shop around the food/home goods/electronics U and only make my way to the clothing if I happen to see something that piques my interest so, from my point of view, the plus size clothing IS right in front. Report Spam Posted by alicatstrut at 5:06 AM on 03/31/09
I'm glad I'm not the only Tar-get shopper/fluffy fashionista having this problem. I like that their Massimo line carries some 2x things. Cato's, a clothing store chain in the South has some good cheap options as well. They have some misses, but you can find a few hits as well for not a lot of buck. Report Spam Posted by perseveress at 8:29 AM on 03/31/09