I don't think that that is what the large sizes look like. I think it is another case of not having large mannequins. Often plus size clothes are modeled on skinny people. on mannequins they can just be pinned in the back (which happens with smaller sizes as well.)

This made me wonder if men would face a similar issue at clothing stores for larger gents, so I checked out the site of store from the UK (highandmighty.co.uk). There used to be a shop in Glasgow but I think it moved or closed so I could not say what the mannequins and window display are like, but I thought the site might be worth a look at. The contrast was not quite so stark as with the store in CA: the few male models I could see on the site were naturally far from waifs, but they did not seem like the rotund or gangly fellows who one might think would require a store that sells clothing designed to fit men who are very broad or very tall. They just look like rugby players. They're large, but not really in the same way as the usual consumers of the product.

Is the store FOR "large sized" women or does it INCLUDE "large sizes?" Because the clothes seem to fit the mannequins pretty well (they could be pinned, but I imagine a 1x isn't going to look correct on a size 2 mannequin no matter how you pin it), and I've never seen an exclusively plus-sized store using size-2 mannequins. Most plus sized stores use slightly larger mannequins (probably size 10-12). But a LOT of mall stores that sell the type of clothes pictured (cheaply made trendy party clothes) in a wide range of styles, and will advertise as carrying "juniors, misses, and plus" or something of the sort. Or, if it isn't immediately obvious to the passerby that they sell 1-5X in addition to XS-XL, they might advertise it as shown.

Large size stores seem to use size 12/14-ish mannequins (the smallest size they stock and pin stuff on them to make as sleek a look as possible. Also they have their own way of folding clothes or putting it on hangars on the rack, so that the width of the garment is disguised. They're selling fantasy, like every other clothing retailer.

I remember ranting a few years ago because at Old Navy, anyone over a size 16 (or maybe slightly larger) had to order online. Of course, this wasn't the case for men, all sizes were represented on the shelves. I just went to their website and it seems to still be the case. Women 16-30 exclusively online. Men sizes up to XXXL-not exclusively online.
Furthermore, why do they have to call larger sizes "plus size?" Why can't they just be sizes? I used to hate having to wear "pretty plus." I think that is what it is called. It was hard enough being a fat kid, so I really resented the stores further othering me with my own dorky label.

oh yes, those manequins are so overweight... no wonder we get complexes!

So are the separate stores for extra tall men 'tallist'?

I actually prefer having a specialty store. It avoids the typical problem that normally plagues me--a teensy section of "plus sizes" (half of which is usually stuff I can't or won't wear) in a regular store.

Seems relevant: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanity_sizing

You could always try not bring Fat.

I'm very curious about what the actual breakdown of sizes in the US is. Every time a debate like this shows up online, the impression I get is that there are a great many plus size women, but few non-specialty stores catering to them (or stores that keep the specialty sizes in stores and not just online). Now, it makes sense that a store wouldn't stock say, clothes for the very, very tall or very, very short, since not enough customers would be served, but are they really refusing to stock sizes that would generate lots of business?

Does anyone know of any studies showing the proportions of different sizes in the population? Since 12/14 is often quoted as the average size, I'd assume that there is a large amount of people needing the plus sizes that stores simply aren't interested in keeping in stock.

I'd like to put in a plug for Making it Big (makingitbig.com), which I find to fit my demographic exactly. I'm about a size 4x these days, mid-40s, and dress in a combination of classic/hippie/certainly not trendy. Making It Big (which seems to have renamed itself MIB) has been offering its natural-fiber (mostly), USA-made clothes for at least 20 years, and I've found them to be made of excellent fabric that wears well, and to fit much better than anything I've purchased on the cheap from Woman Within, Lane Bryant, etc. MIB is in northern California, so if you're not there, it's mail order, but they're incredibly helpful on the phone. The catalog has the most gorgeous fat models. What I like especially is that some of the models are in-betweenie, and some are my size. In fact, I remember one catalog that listed the sizes the models were wearing next to their photos! They also rarely describe anything as "slimming" - they are very fat positive.

MIB is a little more trendy these days than they used to be, but I find they have plenty of clothes that are basic enough for me. I absolutely live in their Venus pants (rayon, wide-leg). I wish everything didn't cost $60 or $70, but I understand why it does.

I realize that this doesn't have much to do with a sociological discussion of what large size looks like, but I'm always sad that more people don't know about MIB, because they're not afraid to show beautiful, glowing, confident fat women.

I think it's amazing that those sexy interesting clothes are being made in larger sizes and the store isn't ashamed to say it! Too many stores either don't carry larger sizes or have them pushed in a corner in the back. Also, the styles are old fashioned and ugly. Having cute things an advertising plus sizes is awesome!