Here's What I Would've Spent

Okay so here's the second Here's What I Would have spent challenge put together by Debz. Now this time we're focussing on something a bit different - we're looking at Simply Be. Now Simply Be is one of the stalwarts of the plus size shopping scene in Britain and I mostly really like it, even though the sizing is sometimes screwy and the pricing sometimes obscene (I usually wait for sales, to be honest). Simply Be's sizing has always been advertised as "from a 12 to 32" and all sizes have always been the same price. In practice, they have always had a few bits past a size 32, too, up to (currently) a size 38. In all my time buying at Simply Be, it has never been somewhere that my size 12-16 friends would shop.

However, it was recently brought to my attention that at the moment there are more items available in a size 12 than there are in a size 26. Look below:

SIZE

• 8 (44)
• 24 (1,989)
• 10 (118)
• 26 (1,715)
• 12 (1,781)
• 28 (1,396)
• 14 (2,064)
• 30 (1,244)
• 16 (2,398)
• 32 (1,116)
• 18 (2,333)
• 34 (233)
• 20 (2,212)
• 36 (137)
• 22 (2,126)
• 38 (24)

You'll notice that the most popular sizes are 14-22, which all have over 2000 items available. But my argument is that if you're up to a size 22, you can shop lots more places than I can. If you're a size 12, you can shop literally anywhere in the country.

In Meadowhall, I can shop in Evans, New Look, Yours, and the Simply Be pop up shop. New Look and Yours have only been there a couple of years. Simply Be was only there for Christmas and I'm not sure if it's staying. I have to say, too, that when I went in, the selection on the rails tailed off drastically after a size 24. That really disappointed me.

If I was a size 22 other shops like Dorothy Perkins and River Island would open up to me. If I was a size 12, I could choose literally any shop in Meadowhall and stand a reasonable chance of finding things I liked, that fit me and were affordable. So why would I particularly choose Simply Be, apart from anything else? Especially when their pricing and quality can be shocking?

I understand that having around 1500 items to choose from is not by any means a small number. But it isn't inclusive, and that's what annoys me. There are 500 items on that website - which, let's recall, markets itself as "Size 12-32" and which has used the tagline "fashion without limits" (hah!) - that are not available to me, and that makes me sad.

The main culprits seem to be the branded items, so I had a quick look to see what I particularly liked.

Kelly Brook lace sleeve blouse - I love the lace here

This Alice and You top isn't available in a 28, and nothing in the whole collection goes above a size 28. That is shocking. 

This Koko gold dress is gorgeous, but it's a 26 and I don't think it would fit me. There are 117 items available in Koko at a size 26. There are just 18 available in a size 28. 

Please, Simply Be, think about cutting off some of the smaller sizes and extending the upper ones. Us fatties will thank you for it.


Here are the other bloggers taking part in the challenge

Debz - http://www.wannabeprincess.co.uk

Vicky - http://therandomnessoftwee.blogspot.co.uk/  

Sarah - http://plussizeproud.wordpress.com

Katt - http://www.acurvycupcake.com/

Mookie - http://www.mookieslife.com/  

Steph - http://www.seeingspots.co.uk/

Kelly - http://misskittykaos.blogspot.co.uk

Louise - http://mrshappyisalmost50.blogspot.co.uk/