Why I no longer shop at Dorothy Perkins

For those of you who don't know, Dorothy Perkins is a British online and brick and mortar store selling womens clothing in sizes UK 6-22 (EU 34-50, US 4-20). With this, it is not exactly what I call a "fatty store", but people wearing up to inbetweenie+ sizes can shop there. I myself have bought from them a couple of times, and was planning on buying from them again when I browsed my way into their active wear section. If you are a fatty who has tried to buy workout gear you will know how difficult it is to find, so I was immediately pleased. And then I saw their selection, and the clothes were cute! Cute workout clothes in my size was something I had quite given up on seeing, so now I was getting really excited. (I wonder if you see where this is headed?) I click on a couple of items, and what do I find? Their active wear line only extends to size 18. Because obviously we actual fatties don't exercise.
My dream of cute workout clothes dashed, what is an unashamed fatty like myself to do? I write them an email:

Hello,


I have a question regarding your Active Wear line. I had found a couple of tops I want to buy, and I was browsing your active wear section for some new workout gear to ad to my purchase, when I discovered that the sizes only go up to 18 on these items. Since your clothing is usually available up to a size 22, I am very much wonering why it isn't the same with your active wear? I really hope there's a good reason for this, since right now it looks like you have made the assumption that none of us fatties ever work out. Finding workout gear that fits larer sizes is generally very difficult, and to have you add to that would make this customer very unhappy.

Looking foreward to your reply!


Best wishes
Veronica [last name removed]

Quite reigned in I thought (if not exactly typo free). It has been over a month without a reply, which has made this decision all the more easy: If Dorothy Perkins thinks it is alright to be so obviously prejudiced towards fatties, I will no longer shop there.

In the words of Cee-Lo Green:

Fuck you!

Oo, oo, ooo

I guess the change in my pocket

Wasn't enough, I'm like

Fuck you!

For de av dere som ikke vet det, er Dorothy Perkins en britisk kleskjede (inkludert en nettbutikk) som selger kvinneklær i størrelsene UK6-22 (34-50 i norske størrelser). Dette utvalget gjør dem ikke akkurat til det jeg kaller en "tjukk butikk", men folk som bruker små til mellomstore "tjukke størrelser" kan handle der. Jeg har selv kjøpt fra dem et par ganger, og planen var å kjøpe fra dem igjen da jeg en dag surfet meg inn i seksjonen for treningsklær. Om du er en tjukk person som har forsøkt å kjøpe deg treningsklær, vet du hvor vanskelig dette kan være å finne. P.g.a. dette hadde jeg ikke en gang sett klærne og jeg var allikevel fornøyd. Og så så jeg klærne, og de var fine! Ordentlig fine treningsklær i min størrelse var noe jeg hadde helt gitt opp å finne, så på dette tidspunktet begynte jeg å bli ordentlig opprømt. (Jeg lurer på om dere ser hvor dette kommer til å ende?) Jeg klikker på et par ting, og hva oppdager jeg? At treningsklærne ikke går høyere opp enn til str 18 (46). For vi ordentlige tjukkaser trener selvfølgelig ikke.

Min drøm om stilige treningsklær er nå knust, så hva skal en selverklært tjukkas som meg gjøre? Jeg skriver en e-post til dem:

Hello,

I have a question regarding your Active Wear line. I had found a couple of tops I want to buy, and I was browsing your active wear section for some new workout gear to ad to my purchase, when I discovered that the sizes only go up to 18 on these items. Since your clothing is usually available up to a size 22, I am very much wonering why it isn't the same with your active wear? I really hope there's a good reason for this, since right now it looks like you have made the assumption that none of us fatties ever work out. Finding workout gear that fits larer sizes is generally very difficult, and to have you add to that would make this customer very unhappy.

Looking foreward to your reply!


Best wishes
Veronica [last name removed]

(Du kan gå hit for å få det oversatt.) Ganske fattet og kontrollert syntes jeg selv (om ikke akkurat uten stavefeil). Det er over en måned siden jeg skrev til dem, og jeg har ikke fått noe svar, noe som har gjort denne avgjørelsen desto enklere å fatte: Hvis Dorothy Perkins synes det er helt ok å være så åpenbart fordomsfulle mot tjukkaser, har jeg handlet der for siste gang.

For å sitere Cee-Lo Green:

Fuck you!

Oo, oo, ooo

I guess the change in my pocket

Wasn't enough, I'm like

Fuck you!

ETA: Since writing this I wrote them a new email telling them their lack of response confirmed my beliefs around their active wear sizing, and that I would no longer be shopping at DP. I received no respons to that email either. // Jeg har senere sendt Dorothy Perkins en ny e-post hvor jeg skrev at deres manglende tilbakemelding bekreftet min mistanke rundt treningsklærne deres, og at jeg ikke lenger kom til å handle hos dem. Jeg har ikke mottatt noe svar på den e-posten heller.