I was shopping with a friend the other day. She’s super skinny, like a size 4, but I go shopping with her often because we have the same sense of style, so we like the same shops. Also it’s nice to have some company, and usually we have a good time. The other day we were browsing clothes and I found a really cute top. It was black with some interesting patterns in it that totally would have matched a skirt that I already have, and I was super excited. But when I asked about it the salesperson told me that it wasn’t available in my size (I’m a size 18-20). Usually this shop sells clothes in my size, but apparently they had sold out the biggest sizes. Obviously I was very disappointed, because I don’t usually find clothes that fit both me and my style. I went to check out the other racks when my friend came to me to show what she had found:

”Look at this really cute top that I found!”

I was shocked when I saw that she held the very same top that I had been admiring! Also the top she was holding was obviously too big for her. But I wanted to be a good friend and decided to just shrug it off, maybe she just wanted to show it to me so I could buy it.

”I was looking at that top too but they don’t have it in my size anymore,” I told her.

But then her answer really ruined my day.

”They didn’t have my size, either, but then I thought it was too cute so I’ll just take the biggest size and make it into a dress!”

I was so devastated. No wonder there were no bigger sizes left! Thin people already have shitloads of stores that cater to their body type and we voluptous, curvy women have to settle for only few stores. And then people like this ”friend” of mine come and steal our small opportunities to be stylish. I tried to explain to her why this was very problematic behaviour but she just babbled something about supply and demand like it was no big deal!

Thin privilege is buying clothes in any size you want because you can fit them all. Thin privilege is bying the only options that are available for us women of size.