Torrid’s Y2K Line Criticized for Not Using Bigger Plus Size Models

Not the rebrand we were asking for
By Liza Bautista
Photo: Torrid

Torrid’s new Y2K line called “Festi” is embracing a lot of the styles of the early 2000s like lace camisoles and flared pants. But all the models seemed to be in the range of size 10 to 12. The Internet took immediate notice.

Torrid is a plus-size clothing company that carries sizes ranging from size 10 to 30. It’s one of the few mainstream US stores to carry sizes above 20. Torrid has been criticized in the past by its customer base, feeling like the clothes styles are less on-trend. There are only so many skull prints and Disney t-shirts a plus-size woman can take.

@_queerauntie

#greenscreen I am not arguing with anyone. I said what I said. #plussizeedition #plussize #plussizefashion #torrid #torridfashion #torridfuckedup

♬ Mii Music but It Makes You Uncomfortable – lukeitslukas

Torrid announced the new line with a campaign all across their socials. The campaign drew fiery criticism from fat influencers on TikTok to customer reviews on the Torrid website. TikTok user @_queerauntie made a video baffled by the campaign.

@megsforfun

#greenscreen Y’all, I can’t. 🤣🤣🤣 What was #torrid thinking? #plussize #plussizefashion #bodypositivity #normalizenormalbodies #fattok #curvytiktok #thicktok

♬ original sound – Megan

Another TikTok user going by @megsforfun noticed that the other clothes used to style the new collection are oversized Torrid clothes pinned to the smaller models.

One photo adverstising a corset tank top had the model wear a pair of Torrid pants 3 sizes too big and belted the pants to give a pleated waist look. A consumer on the bigger end to Torrid’s sizing would not be able to achieve the “oversized” pant look.

“Not only is this just embarrassing and disrespectful—cause it’s not even models who wear a size 10, but it’s lazy and embarrassing for them,” she states in the video.

With this new collection and the trend cycle embracing early 2000s styles, some online have feared that the dieting and “thin is in” culture of the early 2000s will come back. Plus-sized content creator, @fatfabfeminist brought up this in their video about the Torrid controversy.

They are concerned that Torrid “abandoning their consumer base” and “pandering to thin people” is a bad sign for fat acceptance. As the culture shifts to early 2000s body ideals, where does that leave plus sized people?

 

@amakaylasmith

Replying to @makingitmckayla RE: Torrid Festi campaign updated photos. Watch to the end for a positive note. #torridfashion #torridhaul #y2kfashion #pluseizey2k #greenscreen

♬ Bo Burnham Joe Biden song – brad

Torrid following the controversy has now included more visibly plus-sized models for the Festi collection. They have added new pieces to the collection along with 2 new models.