By
Tembe Denton-Hurst,
a writer at the Strategist covering beauty and books.
She joined the site in 2020. Previously, she wrote about beauty and culture for Nylon and Elle.
I’ve been plus-size my entire life. By the time I was a junior in high school, I was firmly a size 14, and after that I fluctuated between size 18 and 20. This was difficult when I was a teen. I was often frustrated at the mall, where I would flip through racks for hours looking for the sole extra-large. When I got to college, I discovered the world of online shopping, which was a respite from the limits of in-person purchasing. But over the past year or so, I’ve noticed that it’s harder to find clothes in my size, both online and in person. I first noticed this at H&M. For the past few years, the brand has reliably stocked most styles up to an XXL or a size 22. Now, many of the new releases only go up to an L or a size 12–14. I noticed a similar trend at ASOS. The brand has quietly phased XL out of its main line. I’m not the only one. “With Everlane, there used to be a section for curvy jeans. Now there’s nothing curve-related,” says podcast producer and founder of Moyo Media Mbiye Kasonga.
