Should clothes in larger sizes cost more?
By Fleur
@Fleura (29129)
United Kingdom
November 23, 2017 5:43am CST
Every now and then this subject hits the headlines and retailers are accused of ‘sizism’ and discrimination against fat people.
So should clothes for larger people be more expensive? If so how would this work – would each size larger be slightly more expensive than the next one down, or should there be a sort of banding of sizes?
Or should all clothes of the same style be the same price? Presumably for this to work the price of the smaller ones must include a premium to subsidize the larger sizes, since larger clothes obviously require more materials to make.
Anyone who has ever sewn or knitted knows that you need more fabric, thread or yarn to make a larger garment. As far as I know, no-one yet has complained that they shouldn’t have to pay extra for a couple more balls of wool or metres of fabric than would be needed by a smaller person.
Having said that I have never noticed different prices on the same garment in different sizes.
Have you noticed different prices? Should all sizes be the same price?
All rights reserved. © Text and image copyright Fleur 2017.
15 people like this
18 responses
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
23 Nov 17
Cost prizes are based on bulk producing not on per piece materials 
4 people like this
@m_audrey6788 (58485)
• Germany
23 Nov 17
@Fleura Yes because cost are not only based on material costs but electricity, manpower, machine breakdowns cost etc.. a lot to be considered and giving extra charge to big sizes is not reasonable enough to satisfy good comfort
2 people like this
@ElusiveButterfly (45940)
• United States
23 Nov 17
I see prices that are $2 more for plus sizes. However, when they go to extreme pricing and the cost is nearly double, I shake my head and try to find a more reasonably priced item.
Often times you'll find clothing in a catalog that are double the price of what you'd pay in a store. That is ridiculous!
3 people like this
@jobelbojel (34729)
• Philippines
23 Nov 17
I wonder they cost more that the other sizes. The last shirt I bought was the same price of that small ones.
2 people like this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
23 Nov 17
In my own opinion, it should be. Business wise, bigger size need larger parts of clothes to make and thus it should cost more, but of course the little size should cost less.
But then again, sometimes its on the brand.
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
23 Nov 17
they are priced differently here. and rightly so. but then baby clothes are ridiculous these days. priced quite high. no wonder folks try to stretch them out for wear and hand them down
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
25 Nov 17
yes sizes should be of an even price. True, extra large costs more than medium size but that is balanced out by smaller sizes with some people being below average height and weight too - extra charges for being overweight amounts to literally being a fat tax for many many clothes are actually machine cut rather than hand tailored, sewn, knitted or crocheted
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
25 Nov 17
It does seem a bit odd if clothes are the same price when the very large ones can be literally twice the size of small ones, but as others have pointed out the cost of the materials is only a small part of the cost to the retailer. And if that was the case then baby clothes should be really cheap, which of course they are not. I have mixed feelings on this really. Shoes for example are the same price for all sizes. On the other hand if you make your own clothes you pay more if you need more fabric.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
25 Nov 17
@Fleura a lot of it is profitability - people will have to pay more if cheaper alternatives are kept off the market
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
23 Nov 17
Many years ago, when I lived in France, you paid different prices according the size of the clothes. I still remember there were 3 different prices. Later it was said it was a discrimination toward the obese people, so they discriminated the thin people making them pay more and make all the prices the same. Who gained in this discrimination game? Surely not the customers.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458006)
• Switzerland
24 Nov 17
@Fleura Shoes are the same price and it has always been the case. Fabric anyway makes the difference, my mother was a seamstress and I remember she explained me from which size you have to waste a lot more fabric. For shoes is finally a matter of only a few cm., but a dress for an obese woman takes the double of fabric than a dress for a thin woman. My sister in law was obese and I could have easily made two dresses for me from one of hers.
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
23 Nov 17
Here I thought it was usual for all of one style to be the same price no matter what size, but I have read about places charging more for large sizes. As has been pointed out, for a bulk order from a retailer the cost of the fabric is only a small part, so maybe it makes little difference.
What about shoes, they are usually the same price for all sizes, aren't they?
1 person likes this
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
24 Nov 17
I have never noticed, but then I tend to only look at my size anyway. As I tend to limit my clothes purchases to charity shops and sales, I wouldn't notice anyway!
1 person likes this
@acelawrites (19273)
• Philippines
24 Nov 17
It should be priced more because like you said, more materials are needed in making it.
1 person likes this
@sw8sincere (5204)
• Philippines
23 Nov 17
First of all, I want to comment on what you tagged in your post. Being fat or overweight isn't body shaming. We have to realize that we are created perfectly in the image of God and that we are all beautiful no matter what size we have and that being sexy and beautiful does not count on the outside but on the inside.
As for your question, I don't think shirt who does have different sizes differ in prices too. I love shopping clothes and so far I have never encountered to see any shirts who differ in sizes differs in its prices too. :)
1 person likes this
@Fleura (29129)
• United Kingdom
23 Nov 17
Thank you for your comment. I agree that beauty is within; I put those tags because I have read about people complaining that they were being 'body shamed' by being charged more for larger clothes. Personally I have never noticed this - but then I rarely shop for clothes anyway.
1 person likes this
