Kicking off 2020 with Part and Parcel – A World Where Plus Thrives

As far back as anyone can probably remember, models are supposed to be tall, thin, and flawlessly beautiful. For many years this notion kept the fashion industry made up of a very small circle of people who worked tirelessly to keep the fantasy alive. Becoming a fashion model for many seemed just as far-fetched as becoming the President of the United States. Lucky for us regular people, over the years both have been made more attainable.

When I see phrases like “Fashion is Universal”, I can’t help but think about how long fashion was not talked about with EveryBODY in mind. As many of you, I have always been interested in fashion and feeling beautiful when I step out. I could be going to the grocery store or a party and you might not see too much of a difference in the way you could see me. I believe when you wear clothes that look good on you, you actually feel better inside and out. With fashion over the years being more fantasy focused instead of realistic, many people felt left out and even that they weren’t worthy of feeling beautiful. After years of accepting not being able to fit in the standard of beauty, strong women and men who learned their worth began to speak up and speak out. This change of attitude from all of the women and men that were once ousted from the world of fashion, created a major shift. With the average size women being a size 14 or higher, standing 5’5’ or shorter, the fashion industry started to see a hit, as many started finding alternatives for fashion that actually suited them. A large percentage of consumers finding alternatives to those household brand names in fashion, forced our big brands and designers to make adjustments. Even with major strides being made in the industry, there is still a level of representation missing. From this lack in representation, brands like Part and Parcel emerged.

Part and Parcel was originally a retailer with the mantra and mission to “create a world where plus thrives”, focused on fashion for the everyday woman size 14-36. These are pieces carefully constructed with every part of a woman’s body considered. The Part and Parcel experience is as closed to tailored as you can get without a customized start to finish construction. After having issues time and time again with casting the women that embodied what the brand stands for at every size to fill the range, Lauren Jonas and her team developed Part and Parcel Talent. Part and Parcel talent model community was created to offer “a place where plus thrives”, for models every size of plus. With Part and Parcel, you can be a plus size woman between the Size range 14-36, with a body type that is in or outside of the fashion standard and still be a model with real industry opportunities. You can go to the Part and Parcel board at http://www.partandparcel.com and see so many beautiful strong women of every plus size, who know that they are beautiful and love fashion. I am so grateful to the entire Part and Parcel team for being forward thinking innovators, presenting the next wave for the industry. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to be apart of this amazing community to grow with other like-minded individuals in an industry we all love https://www.partandparcel.com/talent/ashley-walker. If fashion is truly universal, then the industry we know and love should be a place where women and men of all shapes, colors, and sizes can thrive!!