One-size-fits-all stores are popping up all over, and one of the most popular of its kind among college-aged girls is Brandy Melville.
With its cheap prices and wide selection of basic tops, graphic t-shirts and casual capris, it’s undeniable that Brandy Melville is a great option for those who want to stay stylish while saving money. Seeing as their clothing comes in a single size only, many teenage girls and young women are becoming discouraged with the lack of regard for all body types.
VALLEY took to campus to interview Penn State’s own to find out their opinions on this recent craze. Each participant was asked to try on a pair of Brandy Melville’s Blue Tilden Pants, which the website claims will fit a size small and medium.
Caroline St. John, junior, journalism major
VALLEY: After trying on the Tilden pants, how well do you think the one-size-fits-all policy tailors to your body?
Caroline: After trying on the Tilden pants, I do not think the one-size-fits-all policy tailors my body well at all. By not offering a bigger size, it made me feel like an outcast to their clothing line and insecure about my current weight.
V: Do you find this policy to be truly fair and convenient to customers of all ages and sizes?
C: I do not find this policy to be fair or convenient to customers of all ages and sizes. Brandy Melville regards a very certain body type in setting this policy—one that is petite and slim and excludes those that are not. It’s almost like ‘if you’re not this thin, you can’t shop here.’ It’s very degrading. ‘One size fits all’ is an impossible claim to make being that us females are made up of very diverse body types. As teenagers and young adults, we are just learning about our body types, sizes and what looks best on us. The last thing we need is a clothing store to determine those standards for us.
V: Do you think you would purchase clothes from Brandy Melville in the future knowing that there is only one size option?
C: I recently went into a Brandy Melville store while on vacation. I looked around, displeased with the fact that none of the items would fit me. I would be Brandy’s biggest customer if they had more size options. The clothes are very trendy and up-to-date but the one-size-fits-all is a huge setback which had my friends and I leave the store. Brandy’s one size does not fit all, and I believe they should come up with a different name to accommodate their particular market.
Rachel Labricciosca, sophomore, hospitality management major
VALLEY: After trying on the Tilden pants, how well do you think the one-size-fits-all policy tailors to your body?
Rachel: After trying on the Tilden Pants, the one-size-fits-all policy surprisingly tailors very well to my body. I had never tried on one-size-fits-all clothing, so I was quite skeptical beforehand. While looking at the pants before trying them on, I genuinely was not sure if they would fit to my body, but they did in fact tailor to my body almost perfectly.
V: Do you find this policy to be truly fair and convenient to customers of all ages and sizes?
R: Personally, I do not find this policy to be truly fair to customers of all ages and sizes. In the grand scheme of things, there are some women who are fairly petite and other woman who struggle with their weight. There is not one specific body type that women share who are all going to fit into this clothing. The clothing deems it unfair to other girls who do not fit. I almost see it as false advertising, being it probably only fits half the women who shop there.
V: Do you think you would purchase clothes from Brandy Melville in the future knowing that there is only one size option?
R: In the future, I would not be opposed to buying clothes from Brandy Melville. With this being said, knowing that there is only one size I would prefer to find a piece of clothing that does tailor perfectly to my body and if that happens to be Brandy Melville, that’s great, but I don’t see myself being an advocate.
Riley Flynn, sophomore, public relations major
VALLEY: After trying on the Tilden pants, how well do you think the one-size-fits-all policy tailors to your body?
Riley: After trying on the Tilden pants, I was surprised at how well they fit my body. I was expecting them to be too small since they were a one-size-fits-all option, and the Brandy Melville line tends to run on the smaller side. Usually, their one-size-fits-all policy does not work in my favor, however this time it did.
V: Do you find this policy to be truly fair and convenient to customers of all ages and sizes?
R: Although the pants fit me, I do not feel the policy is fair or convenient for customers. I find myself to be an average body type, but it is important to recognize that not everyone’s “average” is the same. I think a one-size-fits-all policy can make girls feel extremely insecure, when, in reality, their bodies are of normal size.
V: Do you think you would purchase clothes from Brandy Melville in the future knowing that there is only one size option?
R: I am sure in the future I will purchase Brandy Melville clothing again, however, I am much more conscious of the image the brand tries to portray of itself, and, therefore, it is not my first option for shopping.
Tweet us @VALLEYmag with your opinions on the one-size-fits-all policy!
