Excuse me Faith 21, Call Me, We need to talk |

Excuse me Faith 21, Call Me, We need to talk

Marie Denee | May 2, 2009 - 1:31 AM
Buffer
email

A while back, I posted an article about Forever 21 launching a new concept store called “Faith 21.” I know! I had been touting its revelation of us, the plus size consumer, allowing us the opportunity to mix high and low shopping!

Many of us Curvy.Confident.Chic. fashionistas have long questioned what took them so long. Faith 21 recognized us, an underserved market, who desired clothing just as trendy and stylish as their straight sized friends.

With my last article, I left you with the question “Will Forever 21’s Faith 21 deliver on fashion, fit, and fierceness?”

The verdict is in: They failed.

This morning, I hopped on twitter, and already had two messages to me from my followers sharing their gripes about their offerings. Now I knew that this attempt for plus size fashion would be either a success or huge failure.

Why?

In order to succeed with plus size contemporary fashion, you need both fit and fashion. Faith 21 lost big on both. Before we cover their “interesting” fashion options, we will address their sizing. Miss Jai, twitpic’d me the size chart and her colorful post, and you would not believe this madness. From her blog, The Fat and Skinny on Fashion, Miss Jai shares her rightful indignation over the collection they had the nerve to call “Plus Size.”

“I am so not amused. They still alienated a whole bunch of people, my size 18/20 self included. I can’t wait for Target’s new plus size line to come out. It is supposed to go up to at least a 30. Even Wet Seal’s plus size line goes higher than Phony 21′s. Some shirts go up to a 3X, but the pants go up to a 24. Photo from Fake 21.”

You see, Faith 21 touts that they carry up to a size 3x, but what they do not tell you is that they consider a size 16 a 2X! No, I am not kidding! Here you go!

Faith 21 Size Chart

This led me to really think about their sizing and look to see what their definition of Junior Plus Size is. Over at EBay, the definition of Junior Plus Size is given as such:

The tag sizes of junior plus clothing will often read 1x, 2x, 3x (even 4x-5x) just like that of women’s plus size clothing, but the fit of junior plus is generally smaller. For example, a size 3x dress in women’s plus equals a size 24 whereas a 3x dress in junior plus may equal a size 22 or even smaller. This is because junior plus garments are usually cut slimmer in the bust and hip areas.

So, while junior plus is usually cut smaller, it is not 4 full sizes smaller than traditional Plus Size! What happened Faith (Forever) 21? How did you get this wrong? If you needed reference, you could have peeked at Torrid’s sizing chart! They could have given you a great starting point!

I could go on with their fashion options… but they only have two pages of some unfortunate fits and poses in which the models look stiff, sad, and uncomfortable.

Faith 21Faith 21Fatih 21

Faith 21, you can keep your attempt, I will be over at Target having fun with Pure Energy. Target has consistently delivered in both fashion and most fits. So when it comes to my high and low fits- come June, I will be over at Target.



What do you think? You like, agree, I want to know your thoughts! Share by leaving a comment or stay in touch by subscribing to the The Curvy Fashionista Newsletteror sharing with your fellow Curvy Fashionistas!

About Marie Denee

Marie Denee is owner of the Curvy Fashionista, sharing the latest trends and designers in plus size fashion, beauty, and accessories to keep you Curvy.Confident.Chic.! Have you checked out Curvy.Confident.Chic - the home of the JUST LAUNCHED plus size ebook!? BUY NOW!
Save up to 50% off during the ASOS sale

Related Posts

  • beautifulcurare

    That sizing chart is a hot MESS! Wow….

  • thetrendsetter

    I can’t believe them….. It shouldn’t be on such a small grade and tell us that it’s our size when its not. I really like Targets clothes and cant wait for a new plus size line to come out. Forever21 clothes look like they will fall apart at the seams with 1 wash.

    Great Post!

  • thefatandskinnyonfashion

    I love how you called me Miss Jai. They made me so mad today, and that girl in the floral dress looks so depressed. I don’t understand them. They really screwed up. Nice article.

  • prissi chic

    Thanks for saving me a few keystrokes, I won’t even dare visit the site.

    You know I think there is a bigger issue concerning sizing standards when it comes to plus clothes. I’ve returned countless pieces of merchandise b/c the sizing is off, its like who the heck can i sell this too?

    Thanks, I feel a blog topic coming.

    Prissi Chic

  • jb

    Yes! When I went to the site to look @ their options (happy and elated that I would be able to buy youthful looking plus sized clothing on the cheap), I was slapped in the face with that insult they call a sizing chart. I was baffled, and I think this sends out the wrong message to teenagers and plus women as a whole. That if you are larger than a size 16 you are not worthy of wearing good looking clothes. What kind of mess is that! I hope they realize what a mistake they made and straighten up this madness. I have half a mind to send them a nasty e-mail…lol! Faith21 you got some ‘splaining to do, lol!

  • masquemagazine.com

    ugh, the blonde model looks so awkward in her pictures…it makes me not want to buy the clothes. welp, macy’s and target, here we come! lol

    do better faith 21. smh.

  • Tamia

    Their clothes are cut small as it is, but that sizing chart is ridiculous! Did they not do their research, or are they *trying* to alienate customers?

  • BetseyJ

    although I’m not a plus size girl, my bestfriend is, and I was so excited for her when they introduced Faith 21. I couldn’t wait to tell her all about it. (shes not very internet saavy)
    Now I’m totally let down by what they’ve done.
    I’ll be reposting this.

  • Lauren

    Some corrections . . .if you’ve only seen the clothes online you really cannot comment on them. You can’t “feel” the quality of the material via your computer screen. I am an 18/20 and fit into Faith 21′s 2x. Like any other store you will have your hits and misses. I have found MANY beautiful pieces from Faith21 that you cannot find anywhere else. The fabrics are TERRIFIC and wash better than other plus size clothing. I hang dry all of my clothing and none of these pieces has ever shrunk, ripped, or needed ironing/steaming. They dry beautifully. I have received many compliments on the items I wear from Faith21 (even comments from Torrid employees). ALSO, as on various sites like Overstock (http://www.overstock.com/sizing.html) a size 18w has a 44in bust, a 35in waist, and a 46 in hip; therefore, Faith 21 DOES in fact go up to an 18 and when they add the 3x will be a 20/22. Another size-chart example on About.com (http://fashion.about.com/blpluschart.htm): an 18w or 2x has a 44.5in bust, 36.5in bust, and 47in waist. These two size charts prove that Faith21s sizing is on-key. When compared to Torrid’s size chart whose clothes DO run large, DO fall apart and DO get holes very easily the measurements for an 18 are a 45in bust (same as Faith21), 38in waist (only 1 inch off) and a 48in hip (again 1in off). Faith 21s clothes are for teen-plus not Women’s Plus. To conclude, its not Faith21s sizing which is off, their clothing is obviously in the realm of being true to size, maybe you aren’t the 18/20 you think you are. If you haven’t been gutsy enough to go into their store and look at the pieces or try them on; please do not comment. The clothes are beautiful, wonderfully priced, and look great after many washes.

  • http://www.mariedenee.com Marie Denee

    Thank you for your comment Lauren.

    This post was written at the very beginning of the line that Faith 21 put out- in MAY, I believe. I have not been back to the site, although I have heard that they have increased their selection immensely.
    At the launch of their line, it was shared that only few stores would carry their line and that the range would be available online. With those limited options, it only left myself, who is in a metro city, to shop online. I only posted what they offered, referenced what they put out, albeit in MAY, and things have vastly changed.
    Gutsy? I shy away from no store. I am a clothes whore and will always venture in and sniff out whatever jewels I can find.
    But I do appreciate your thoughts and your concerns. I wish we were both better timed in our responses…

  • http://www.classic8designs.com Miss Classic8

    The size chart is cool if your a size 12/14 tops not a real 16/18 like me. I could never wear any of those cloths if thats the real size. Not to mention the lining is not flattering to a real plus size woman, that one dress you can see was sown in the front with a big line and miss match pattern mix. It doesn’t really surprise me though, even when I was a size 12 I could never fit into Forever 21 I never once bought clothing from there even at my thinnest just was never made for women with curves. Maybe they can take these comments into consideration, but I think they won’t because they are seeking out a very young consumer.

  • http://fullfigureplus.com Glen L Johnson

    I like some of the other individuals had the same reaction to the Faith21 size chart Marie had back in May. Loreen I must disagree with you on your size chart comparisons. There is no size regulation in the world of fashion therefore every merchants sizes will be different. From a marketing stand point the biggest joke in fashion is to place a label with a smaller size and charge more for the item!

    That is the reason an 18/20 in one store will be something else in another. The only way to truly know what your real size is is to be measured by a seamstress and try on clothes that fit those dimensions.

    For those not lucky to have a Forever/Faith 21 store in our area there is little to go on except what is on the website which leaves any woman over a size 2x out of luck. Additionally, most would prefer to try before they buy but if that is not an option then buying online is all they have.

    Forgive my rambling but there are a lot of deeper issues at hand beyond the Faith21 size chart. There were some excellent points made on the quality of the clothes but if there is doubt as to the sizes and if they run big or small then for some ladies Faith21 clothes are simply not an option.
    .-= Glen L Johnson´s last blog ..Belle Noir Turns 6! =-.