As I was scrolling through social media, a conversation about Gabourey Sidibe’s first look photo of the new season came up. American Horror Story: Coven stopped me in my tracks. The thousands of comments did not discuss the show’s return or analyze Queenie’s storyline. They were all asking the same question.
Why does Gabourey look like he was styled by a completely different team?
The more I read, the more I realized that this isn’t really about one cape, one hat, or one promotional image. It was about something plus size women have been aware of for years. Too often, plus size women are given something that simply fits when others get their fashion moments.
Plus size actresses need better styleAnd this latest conversation is a reminder that Hollywood still has work to do.
Let’s start with images. Because the image tells the story before the caption.
and, Gabourey Sidibewill return as Queenie in the new season of American Horror Story: Covenstands between them.
The differences in style are difficult to ignore.
While the rest of the cast seems to have been styled with purpose, Queenie’s appearance feels noticeably less considered. There is no same drama in the works. The presence of the silhouette is unparalleled. It feels more like people are given costumes to complete the lineup than characters.
After all, this isn’t just about one outfit. Plus size actresses deserve better styling, not because they need special treatment, but because they deserve the same creative consideration given to every performer standing in the frame.
Costumes also tell a story
Wardrobes have always been about more than just dressing someone. Costume design is storytelling. Before a character ever speaks, their clothing tells us something about who they are, how they move through the world and how the audience is meant to perceive them.
The best costume design doesn’t just fit the actor. It supports the character.
So when one performer appears to be receiving significantly less creative attention than the others in the frame, the viewer notices. Not because every outfit has to match, but because intentional styling and overlooked styling convey two very different things.
And there, the conversation becomes bigger than one costume.
“I couldn’t find anything” is no longer an excuse
Because we’ve had this conversation before.
But this argument doesn’t carry the weight it once did.
The landscape of plus size fashion has changed. Brands like Eloquii, universal standard
The resource exists.
The question, then, is why plus-size actresses are still often treated like an afterthought. If someone scrolling on their phone can quickly pull together a dramatic, editorial-worthy look from brands designed specifically for plus size shoppers, it raises an important question: why are major television productions still struggling to do the same?
The real problem isn’t access. It’s perspective.
Because the problem is never just access. It was also a perspective.
An award-winning actress and singer, amber rileyrecently spoke about a reality many plus size performers have experienced: the styling industry is still largely shaped by people who have not been trained to approach plus size bodies as a creative opportunity. Instead of “How should we celebrate?”
That difference changes everything.
Language gives you that.
“Slimming”.
“That’s a compliment.”
“I forgive you.”
Although these words sound innocuous, they often reveal an underlying belief that the body is its own problem to solve.
Award-winning activist, author, and comedian Loni Loves The comment stuck with me because it highlighted how long this problem has been around. The fact that plus size actresses have had to bring their own clothing to set because wardrobe departments failed to provide viable options shows that this issue has never been about a lack of resources alone.
Two decades of fatphobia were disguised as “budget constraints” or “size limitations.”
The plus size fashion industry didn’t emerge overnight to solve this problem. It’s been building brand after brand for over a decade, especially because mainstream fashion and mainstream production rejected it. The infrastructure to do this properly has existed for a long time.
What is missing is the will to use it.
However, fashion is never just about hiding your body shape. Fashion is a story. It’s silhouette, proportion, movement and identity. Everyone has the right to access such creative expression.
Why speaking up isn’t always easy
There is another layer to this conversation that is worth noting.
Looking in from the outside, it’s easy to demand better. It is much harder when you are the person sitting in the fitting room, negotiating your next opportunity or trying to maintain a relationship with a team that ultimately influences whether you work again.
That silence is not always acceptable.
Sometimes it’s survival.
Plus-size performers are often forced to make calculations that straight-size performers rarely have to consider.
If I speak up, do I risk being labeled as difficult?
Do you accept what is given because you don’t want to lose the opportunity?
Do I fight this battle today, knowing that tomorrow there could be another battle?
Emotional labor is also part of the problem.
Hollywood has everything you need to get better.
Because this conversation isn’t really about one hat, one cape, or one promotional image. It is about what happens when an industry claims it wants inclusion, but continues to treat plus size talent as an exception rather than an equal part of the creative process.
Brands exist.
Designers exist.
The resource exists.
Excuses are overdue.
Now, the industry must decide whether it is finally ready to cross that threshold.
Source: The Curvy Fashionista – thecurvyfashionista.com
