Wednesday, November 1, 2017

The Pomegranate Boutique - It's About FIT Not Size

Hi friends!  Today, I want to tell you about a shopping experience I recently had.  My friend and fellow blogger Racquel referred me to a brand new store in Sacramento called The Pomegranate Boutique (they also have an online shop).  Being a plus sized woman, I always ask if the store caters to people of my size.  The owner of the shop says "we cater to all sizes" but I was skeptical since online they only show that their clothes come in S, M, or L.  However, since my friend Racquel referred me and I think she's pretty familiar with my size, I went ahead and went in.

*This post is a collaboration with The Pomegranate Boutique.  As always, all the opinions are my own.*

I talked to one of the co-owners Araxia through The Pomegranate Boutique's Instagram and set up a time to come in.  She was so friendly!  Their pop-up shop is located in the Curtis Park area of Sacramento inside Shortkutz for Kidz.  When I came in, I was greeted by Araxia and she told me she had picked out some items for me to try on based on photos from my AshleyNewellPlus Instagram account.  I was pleasantly surprised!  I'd never had someone in a shop pull a rack of clothes for me before.  I felt very fancy!

When I went into the dressing room, I went to try on one of the dresses she picked out and the tag said "medium."  Well, this was awkward.  I've very visibly plus sized.  I went to the next thing she picked out and it was the same dress in a "large."  I took a look at the dress and it was the Harem for All style.  It looked like a tent-y trapeze style dress so I went ahead and tried it on in the large.  To my shock and awe, it fit just fine.  I came out of the dressing room to take a picture and Araxia asked me what size I was wearing.  I told her I went right for the large.  She told me that some ladies my size prefer the medium since it hugs the bust more so I went ahead and tried it on.  It FIT!  Can you believe it?  I fit into a medium!

I went on to try on the rest of the items she pulled for me.  There was only one item that was actual "plus sized" and she told me to take the 1XL because the dress looked big to her.  Most of the items fit in the medium and the large.  Some of the items didn't.  These were items in non-stretchy materials.  Most of the items wouldn't fit because of my bust so if you were a 3xl or 22 with a small bust, you might fit.

This leads me to something my friend Heather always says "it's about FIT, not size."  If we are honest, that is usually said to someone that is told to put on a bigger size than the normally wear because something runs small.  But I think that it gets ingrained in Plus/Curve girls like myself that we NEED to seek out plus clothes.  That straight sizes aren't for us.  That it would be RIDICULOUS to put on a size small even if it's a shawl.   We need to stop this.  We need to be ok looking at something with our eyes and using our brains to decide if it will fit rather than letting a little tag tell us what we can and cannot wear!

These numbers do not define you!  If next season the maker of your favorite jeans decides to change the sizing (which totally happens!), that's them, it's not you.  Do you know what I mean?  It doesn't matter what the number on your clothing says, what matters is how the clothes make you feel.  This goes either way.  If I fit into a "small" but I feel uncomfortable, I'm not going to buy it just because it fits.  Likewise if I fit into a size 26 in a certain brand, that doesn't mean I shouldn't or won't buy it because I'm normally a 22.  All that matters is that the clothes fit your body the way you want them to and that you feel good in what you're wearing.

Here are some pictures of the clothes and I'll indicate the sizes in caption if I know it in case you have a body similar to mine and need to know what size to buy.  I have no shape wear on in these photos.  (I wish I did but what can you do?)

Harem for All - Large

Harem for All - Medium

T-shirt Maxi Dress - Medium

Bubble Trouble - 1XL
Sage Butterfly - Large 
Ruffled Belle - Large


The Pomegranate Boutique also has shoes, purses, jewelry, and hair accessories.  I also got to meet the other owner, Stella who was also lovely!  The clothes are picked out from showrooms in Los Angeles and they get different items all the time.  They have a shopping team made up of ladies in different shapes and sizes to try out the clothes before they bring them into the shop.  The Pomegranate Sisters's goal is get to know their customers so well that shopping with them is like going to your sister's closet where you can find just what you need for any occasion.  I'm excited to go back to The Pomegranate Boutique and see what they bring in next!




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7 comments:

  1. All of the dresses look great on you! I think the blue/teal one is really a great color! I completely agree with you - it's about FIT, not size! It drives me crazy when people focus so much on the size on a tag rather than what actually fits great! And "sizes" are so variable between brands. I've always been mostly between S/M, but there are things in my closet (that all fit) that range between at least 4 different sizes. So what size am I really? Doesn't matter. Keep rocking it! You look beautiful!

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  2. I love the bubble trouble on you. Looks very cute. Macy's does free personal shopping too, for future reference. Glad you're having fun😍

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  3. I loves bubble trouble too! Looks like an awesome boutique!

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  4. You look so great Ashley, and I so agree, it's about how something fits your body so much more than size!

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  5. Oh my goodness! You look soo good in all the dresses! I love that ruffed belle! So cute!

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  6. These dresses are great! They all look so comfy and very flattering.

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  7. LOVE the dresses that have pockets! I totally agree on the fit aspect too. We are all SO many sizes. It is crazy to shop for size over fit.

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