Beth Ditto S/S 2016

"Where are the fashionable clothes for fat girls that aren’t designer one-offs? Where are the subtle and chic wardrobe staples, where are the crazy statement pieces?"

And so the Beth Ditto collection began. Beth has been saying "fuck you, this is who I am" for a good ten years before I even thought of loving my body, so I was pretty excited to see what was coming from somebody who knew how to dress a fat body. I was not disappointed.

The Looks

I think the first thing I noticed was the diversity of styles, shapes, colours. There were figure hugging dresses, there were slouchy, loose tops, there was everything. I think what is really important about this range is that it is telling fat people they don't have to dress a certain way because of their size. They don't need to be wrapped in loose-fitting sheets (as Beth says she was on designer photoshoots!), but they similarly don't have to be loud-proud-figure-hugging to be body positive. You can be demure if that's your jam (I hate a certain brand owner for ruining that word for me. Anybody else cringing?) or you can be a beacon of light. Beth's range says it's okay to be the centre of attention when you're fat. And that is pretty important. 

Oversized shirt: $120.00, Leggings: $115.00

The Prices

Damn, this is a topic of contention. I have seen a lot of people talking about this - from tweets to Beth herself, to bloggers, to 'the woman on the street' who sees this collection as totally pie in the sky. Firstly, Beth has handled responses graciously: she has explained that this range is ethically sourced and made to last, so prices are a bit high, but she's looking at making some lower-cost contributions as soon as she can. Honestly, I think that's great. But can I just take a moment to appreciate the prices? I'm not saying I'll be buying the whole collection (in fact, even getting one piece is unrealistic for me right now) but what I'm saying is that I like that there is a designer product that fat people can buy. Designers of straight-sized clothes aren't asked to lower their costs, because it is appreciated that the clothes are designer pieces of high quality and style. Why should fat people be excluded from that? I feel like making a truly designer range is incredibly inclusive, and also it gives fat customers value. We don't just need cheap shit! We are worthy of designer luxury too! 

T-Shirt: $65.00, Leggings: $115.00

The Sizing

This is what got me most excited about the range when I found out about its collection. I had initially heard that it was a 14-28 range and I'll be honest, I rolled my eyes. "Great", I thought, "another cut-off points that makes superfats feel less worthy of good fashion". And then it hit me. These were American sizes. You guys, the range is 18 - 32!!! How amazing is that? This is a line dedicated to fitting big bodies. This isn't a straight-sized line with a few token XXLs thrown in for diversity, this is a designer telling us we are worthy of a line being dedicated solely to our bodies. This is amazing. Other designers, take note: there is no excuse not to dress big bodies. Beth Ditto has proved it.

Lola Dress: $245.00

The Models

In complete honesty, this was where I erred slightly on the side of disappointment. The models are diverse, yes. And we can't have all fat, all the time. But the only stomach that wasn't flat was Beth's herself. I have spoken to some friends about this and it definitely seems that I am in a minority of one so far in terms of my expectations of the models, but I think I was hoping for more "unapologetically body positive" models, rather than flat stomachs and wide hips. Maybe this is something that'll happen as the range progresses; I appreciate that many customers won't be body positive and may be put off by a body that isn't dressed in a classically flattering way. I think in my mind I just thought "Beth Ditto = Grunge as fuck and flashing all-sorts" and I pictured her models being the same way.

Jumpsuit: $395.00

The Ethos

Yes, yes, yes and yes. I am completely in favour of this range. Beth wanted to create something that was inclusive, made fat people feel equal and worthy of high-end fashion, and was ethically sourced and well made. She's ticked all the boxes. Sure, it's expensive, but that's what you get when your clothes aren't made in a sweatshop. I think Beth sums this up better than I could: 

“I wanted to make pieces to last years. Beyond trends, beyond chain stores. I wanted to create something all its own, something just for us, made with love and consideration. Made ethically in the USA as a small company with no corporate input. Uncompromising, unapologetic, humane, and timeless. Go-to pieces designed to last.”- Beth Ditto

Denim Jacket: $245.00