Manifesta, an athletic apparel company designed for all shapes, has replaced sizes on its website with flowers in order to encourage the idea that women are more than a number.
SEE ALSO: This workout hijab just made athletic wear more inclusive
It all started in 2011, when Rachel Blumenfeld, Manifesta CEO and founder, noticed that athletic wear was not designed for curvy women. Most of the clothes were created for a very specific slim woman, size 4 or 6. Companies who made athletic clothes were lagging on clothes for diverse proportions.
Blumenfeld started taking body measurements of women of all different sizes and observing what people wanted to change about their athletic clothing.
To stick to their mantra of wanting every woman to feel sexy and look amazing, Manifesta has replaced number sizes with flowers. When purchasing an item, you choose between Poppy (2-4), Lily (6-8), Rose (10-12), Violet (14-16), Iris (18-20), and Daisy (22-24).
After trying all of the products herself and using an assortment of models, Manifesta was born. The 9-item line features fabrics "thick enough to keep you from bouncing, stretchy enough to let you move freely, breathable enough to keep you cool and odor-free, and soft enough to get post-workout coffee in," explains the website.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.
Women often feel their bodies aren't truly their own, constantly scrutinized with everyone from strangers to friends and family regulating how they should look.
For plus-size women, it's especially difficult, as mass media tells them they aren't as beautiful, healthy or vibrant as women with smaller statures. These assertions have very real implications on how this demographic feels about their own self-worth.
When it comes to fashion, plus-size women are often shamed the most.
SEE ALSO: 7 easy ways to champion body positivity
The industry is intent on telling plus-size women what they should and should not wear. Many retailers subject these women to wear all black, or don't carry plus-size clothes at all — as if saying the latest trends are not for them.
As a result, there's an unspoken plus-size fashion rulebook that women have had to adhere to, minimizing their beautiful, full figures.
More than the obvious hate this perpetuates, notions that voluptuous women are anything less than sexy is just plain wrong.
We've compiled nine fashion rules plus-size women should completely break this summer. Practice body-positive activism through fashion — you can pull off these trends, too.
1. Wear shorts, no matter your thigh size.
Shorts are classic summer attire that fuller women are told to avoid. But you shouldn't suffocate your legs in denim skinny jeans all summer long.
Bare your legs in a pretty pair of shorts, but do so with caution. "Chub rub," or the unpleasant chafing caused by rubbing thighs, is a real problem for many women. Remedy this with some tips here.
2. Exercise your right to bare arms.
Bare arms help make the sweltering summer somewhat bearable, but plus-size women are constantly told to keep their arms hidden to conceal any hint of fat.
Forget that rule and let your arms enjoy a bit of a breeze. In the heat of the summer, you definitely need it.
3. Don’t sweat your summer away in all-black everything.
The absence of color is supposed to have all plus-size girls captivated by its slimming properties. But dressing in all-black everything in the middle of August will have you keeling over with heatstroke if you aren't careful.
Summer is all about bright colors that mimic the vibrancy of the season. You can give your wardrobe that extra pop, even if you are over a size 12.
4. The latest trends aren’t just for skinny ladies.
A bogus plus-size fashion rule is to always stick to the basics. Some people apparently believe your body is only safe with tried-and-true styles, meaning you should steer clear of any passing trends.
But trends aren't only for runway models and the women who share their measurements. You can look flawless in sheer styles, gingham and even in all white this season.
5. Crop tops aren't only made for thin women.
Having a flat stomach like Britney Spears circa her "I'm A Slave 4 U" days isn't a requirement for wearing a crop top — you can show your belly, too. Ignore the summer fashion rule that says crop tops are off-limits.
6. Get loud with your prints.
Plus-size women are told to avoid patterns in order to appear slimmer, but banning patterns can make your wardrobe terribly bland. What's summer (or any season) without a good pattern thrown in?
7. Don't let clingy fabrics scare you.
Apparently, plus-size women should only wear ill-fitting black mumus 365 days a year.
If that sounds unappealing — and it probably should — don't feel like you need to buy into this rule. If you're into that form-fitting jersey dress, you should feel no shame in wearing it.
8. Forget shapewear forever.
Full-figured women are taught to suck in their stomachs to mimic thinness. When holding your breath fails, nylon shapewear is supposed to smooth rolls and dimples to make plus-size forms more "aesthetically pleasing."
But shapewear won't do much more than inhibit your breathing and your self-esteem. Skip the heat-holding body-shapers this summer. You don’t deserve to feel like a sausage.
9. Rock that bikini on your ready-made beach bod.
Grab that bikini — or #fatkini, if hashtag activism is more your speed.
Bikinis have always been reserved for those with flat stomachs and high confidence. But there's no reason a confident plus-size woman can't slay in the sand while wearing a two-piece. Fashion rules were meant to be broken, and beach fashion is no exception.
TL;DR: Wear whatever you want, no matter your size.
Bathing suit shopping shouldn't be so difficult, at least according to Target.
The company has launched a new body-positive campaign, “Target Loves Every Body,” to encourage women to embrace their bodies and bring the fun back into finding the perfect suit.
SEE ALSO: Lilly Pulitzer for Target items are sold out everywhere and people are pissed
The campaign's promotional video features stylist Zanna Roberts Rassi and four bloggers of all different shapes and sizes discussing their favorite parts of their body while also admitting their problem areas.
“By partnering with real women that represent a range of body types and working with someone with a deep knowledge of styling and fashion like Zanna, we wanted to inspire women to discover that Target has a suit for every body type, every style, and every size, and you won’t need to pay a lot for it," said a Target spokesperson.
Nashelly Messina is the blogger behind Fabulatina.
IMAGE: TARGET
In the campaign, Rassi helps the bloggers find a suit that worked best for their shape, because, as the video states, "there is a perfect suit to suit every body."
Chante Burkett is the blogger behind Everything and Chic.
IMAGE: TARGET
Sarah Boyd writes for Simply Digital Network’s Simply Stylist.
IMAGE: TARGET
It seems as if Target may be making up for the fact that they disappointed many of their shoppers by offering their plus-sizes for Lilly Pulitzer for Target availableonline only.
