What is a Pear to Wear?

What is a pear to wear? This has been a question I have had most of my adult life, and I’m sure it’s one you’ve had as well.

 As a girl coming from a fashion background, I sadly know firsthand how the fashion industry does not cater to all body types. Yes, fashion goes along with the trending body type of the time, but it continuously reverts back to the stereotypical “ideal” body type, which, for many women, sadly does not include.

I’m sure my story is similar to many of those out there, but I’ll tell it anyway.

Since a young age, I, like many girls, loved watching Disney Princess movies, playing with Barbies and idealising female movie stars. By the time puberty came around, I was so excited to get the Disney Princess/Barbie body type that it never occurred to me that not everyone looked that way. Well, sure enough, I did not get a Barbie body type, and very quickly, I became self-conscious and self-loathing of my body.

Even comparing myself to my friends, I knew my body type was a bit different from theirs. Group shopping trips became painful and embarrassing because I knew I wouldn’t be able to fit into all the clothes the same way my friends did. It got to the point where I hated shopping and, even at age 24, had to be forced by my sister to go jean shopping (an event that ended in tears, of course).

Why was shopping such a horrible experience for me? Was I interested in fashion, right? Loved designing, right? Why wouldn’t I love shopping?

The answer is simple. From a young age, I realised clothes didn’t fit my body.

Although I am a petite pear, my body proportions are still different to the fashion industry standard. I have short, heavyset legs, wide, curvaceous hips, a small waist, and a petite chest and ribcage. What does this mean for fitting clothes, you ask? Well, the top half of my body is typically a size 4 to 6 (with proper bust support), while my bottom half is more around an 8 to 12 (depending on the brand). This means buying pants is nearly impossible, as I have to buy a larger size to fit around my hips, which results in massive gaping at the waist. I also have a large issue in finding dresses that fit my body due to the size difference.

I am now 29 years old, and it took a shopping trip to buy new work pants to knock some sense into me.

After picking out 20 pairs of black pants, I found one that looked… okay. Frustrated and upset with my body, I had a mini breakdown in the fitting room in front of my supportive partner.

As always, he reminded me how much he loved my curves and how often he catches strangers loving the look of my body as well. Still frustrated, I didn’t listen to him and continued to vent, complaining how the fashion industry doesn’t agree, and that’s why they don’t make clothes that fit me.

It was at this point that my entrepreneur-minded partner looked me straight in the eye and said, “Then do something about it!”

So here I am, doing something about it and no longer blaming my body. Ladies, we are all beautiful and deserve positive shopping experiences.

Join me in taking a stand and loving your curves. Together, we will create a brand that caters to you.