As my two-year-old would say when she drops something, “OH NO!” I don’t understand why Old Navy would make this decision considering that more than half of the women in the United States are a size 14 and up (a.k.a plus-size). They have plus-size dress slacks with a short/petite inseam and a bit of stretch that fit me like a dream. It is so difficult for me to find plus-size petite pants that don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Do you ever get the feeling that us plus-sized women are being punished for being big?

you gotta be kidding me!  this is awful.  i know a lot of women who depend on their plus sizes for decent, affordable work clothes.  why are stores doing this?

I’m not “plus size” but I know many women that swear by Old Navy Plus Size. In upstate NY where I went to college the only shopping haven for my curvy friends that had cute going out shirts in their size was Old Navy and Deb Shops. I also relyed on Old Navy for my gift giving as well.

I do have to give props to NY and Company. a group of us went shopping and my one friend who is curvy was getting bummed b.c she couldnt fit into WetSeal Forever 21 type clothing. I brought here into a NY & Co. She found several tops and was so happy she didnt have to buy “plus size”

Beyond plus-size discrimination, I have “digital divide” issues about this. If someone comes into your store, you shouldn’t send them home to buy your clothes. Have a terminal there they can use to buy the things you don’t have in-house; provide free shipping for the things you don’t have in-house (I think Gap does this); and take returns for online orders as easily as you do everything else (American Eagle Outfitters does this).

The plus size line has already been discontinued at my local Old Navy. I went in one day a couple of months ago and it was replaced by the maternity line.

You would think, given the trouble that this company is already having with GAP stores, that they would realize driving away customers is a bad idea. I can only guess that the reasoning is a continued bias against plus sizes, and this disappoints me a great deal.

And they wonder why their sales continue to fall…

The Old Navy near me removed their plus size line late in the fall but continued carrying their maternity line in the store.  When a manager told me what the new policy was I told her that might be a bad marketing move.  She asked why and I said that those women are only fat for nine months but I’ll be fat for the rest of my life.  She didn’t even crack a smile.

I know I was excited on principle that they were carrying the line but I’m not surprised. There wasn’t much marketing money put into letting plus size women know about the extended sizes. And with so many specialty stores and online shops popping up it’s probably harder to compete.

that kinda sucks seeing as how i live in arizona and the only store that carries the line is 40 miles from my house. they need to put it in higher volume stores and then it would flourish. i know i would buy constantly.

I agree with the article.The plus size area is always in the back with the clearance. It is always a mess. The sizes are never where they should be. I am a 12. They keep making the sizes smaller so I have had to go to the plus 14s. I have not found to much with sucess.

They are even stopping carrying 20s and XXLs in the regular line, which is infuriating.  Why are they trying to drive away business?

The commenter is right that they didn’t promote the +sized line, which is a real pity.

This is not a good thing one of my best girl friends is a plus size and I know she shops at Old Navy.She is a very stylish lady and loves to shop and clothes make her feel good, the option for great places for plus size women to shop is not really avaible or I should say that has nice stylish clothing.I think that stores who like to add and take need to really LISTEN & consider what there customers needs and wants are.

I went to my Old Navy in Harlem last night. And everything was already gone. I was beyond sad. I had no idea it would be leaving so quickly and with no warning.

That’s too bad.  I never liked their plus sizes at all…..torsos, legs, and arms always WAY too short and snug.  But It’s too bad for women who could wear them.  We Big Chicks have A LOT of money to spend, if only someone would give us something to BUY.

Great post by Kelly.  It is really a bad move to turn to maternity clothing. They will lose huge and potential marketing share on plus size community.

PLEASE don’t discontinue the plus sizes do you know how hard it is to find great plus size clothes that are actually instyle and dont look like your grandma used to wear. well I love old navy plus sizes and I wish there were more things at the store.

There will be a need for fast food as long as there is fast food in the world so You should think twice and expand to some rural parts of the US where not everyone looks like a model.

The reason why they are taking these clothes out of the store is because the designs are so plain jane, that they are not selling. This is such a pet peeve of mine. I think there should be a separate designer for the plus size clothing in these chain stores.

The same thing happened with banana republic. They don’t carry the size 16 in the store anymore. Which sucks.

How can a store make such cute items for Misses and a limited quantity for the plus size. I have to say I wont really miss it, because I could never find anything to flatter my shape in the pluse size section. I could not buy pants because I am tall and they only carried petite and regular in pant lengths. Also, it seemed as if everything were just t-shirts.

What people need to realize is that there is a market for trendy plus size fashions. I will also be glad when I can get plus size items without stretch or polyester in it. This has to stop.

Dahling -

Even as someone who would never deign to shop in Old Navy (although my personal assistant does), I am shocked by this decision.  We beautiful full-figured women deserve the same selection of fashions as those underfed youngsters running amok throughout New York City.  For instance, why not start a trendy plus size store called “Forever 210”?  With the sizes starting at a real 18, not the horror called a “Junior Plus.”  Another excellent post.

I went to my Old Navy store this weekend and was disappointed to see they are moving the plus size line to online only.  I want to be able to go into a store and try the clothes on, not take the chance that they might fit and if not have to send them back.  I’ve been a size 8 and now over an 18 and I find it insulting.  I just want good clothes at a reasonable price.

I wrote them a personal email stating how I am outrage by them removing the line from the stores. They don’t care!! If they can offer all of the teenie weenie stuff which is majority of the store, who care about the curvy girls. Let them be at home looking at the stuff online. That truely sucks. Watch it when the decline of the online stuff. Lane Bryant, Torrid, and Fashion Bug get ready for the goldrush. Keep us inform of any plus-size offerings, BF!!

wow are they seriously doing this? do you know how hard it is to find a size 16 short petite curvy boot but pair of pants except for old navy??? actually i went in there the other day and they dient have the pants,i was so dissapointed. but as long as they sell it online

Too bad that larger girls and women are not been considered a good investmentfor fashion. You are missing a huge nitch in the market.  However, the designs do have to be stylish and not all horizontal strippes.

  Canada

In Canada, Old Navy doesn’t even carry the Plus Size line.  I find that with some of the size 20 regular sizes fit me in some styles, and honestly most of my clothing is from Old Navy.  Recently however, it’s becomming increasingly harder to find size 20 anything in Canadian Old Navy stores anymore.  I think they may be discontinuing this size.  I find this strange however, because previously you would have to beat other women off a good pair of size 20 jeans when shopping there.  It was like you found a pair, you didn’t take your hands off them.

I don’t believe it’s lack of sales. Clearly, there are PLENTY of plus size women who buy their stuff. I think it’s because they don’t want you shopping in their store unless you look like you came from one of thier ads.

Cute,
Young,
and THIN.