These Realistic Try-On Hauls Will Leave You With No Questions About What To Buy
Since 2020 made leaving the house très passé, online shopping has become the ultimate past-time to satiate our shopping addiction. For most, this desire was only further fueled after gaining the COVID-19 (pounds) and outgrowing all our jeans (via Healthline). However, navigating the countless stores who've hopped on the vanity sizing trend (via Forbes) is an impossible task. Try not to have a fashion melt-down after being dubbed both a size four and size 10 by two different brands. The inconsistency is not only annoying, it's impractical. Who wants to make dozens of trips to the post office to return purchased items that may not even be eligible for a refund? Luckily, that's where Remi Bader comes in.
The TikTok star has been doing her "Realistic Try-On Haul" series for about a year, with her first video generating over 25,000 likes (via TikTok.) Bader, also a curve model, has narrowed down her content to mostly e-commerce tragedies, showing hauls from all different styles and brands, including Abercrombie, Eloquii, and H&M. We appreciate Bader's candor (and humor) when trying to squeeze into countless mis-sized items and trends that miss the mark. Hopefully, her videos can save you plenty of trials and errors the next time you swipe your card at these shops.
Size up with H&M
Bader has done a few hauls of Swedish retailer H&M, and one constant in all her videos is their lack of accommodation for plus-sized women. In Bader's most recent H&M haul (via TikTok), she dons a bright orange dress and exclaims, "How dare I think this would look okay on me?" Bader goes on to exaggerate the negative self-talk we give ourselves when an outfit doesn't fit right by chanting, "Shame, shame, shame, Remi. Shame!" All joking aside, Bader gets real when trying to pull down a plaid dress over her chest, to no avail, sighing, "I just want to be a cute girly."
Inaccurate sizing does a number on our psyches (via Psychology Today) and Bader is willing to take the hit to save her followers from making those same mistakes. In a 2021 interview with Vogue, Bader stated, "I've gotten thousands of messages that the hauls are really making people feel more confident and happier, and that's why I continue to make them." And we thank her for doing the Lord's work.
Free People has improved its sizing
Bader's Free People try-on hauls are another staple in her series. The lack of plus-sized options in the bohemian clothing brand's catalogue is evident, and Bader is here to call it out. That's why in her first ever Free People haul (via TikTok), she called out the brand for its ridiculous styling choices. "First of all ... the floral dress with the flannel?" Bader said of the ridiculous fashion faux pas. She then went on to highlight the insane power we allow clothing brands to have over us by joking, "What? They're trendy. Free People told me to."
Bader's satire sadly isn't just a joke. The brand has set unrealistic expectations about what their clothing looks like on models vs. the average body type and her choice to draw attention to it paid off. "My favorite TikTok and the one that went most viral is the Free People haul. I changed this haul up a bit by copying the exact poses of the online photos of each outfit. People really got a kick out of this. Obviously, these videos take longer. They're super fun to make, though!" (via Vogue).
But there is hope. In Bader's most recent Free People haul (via TikTok), she had a far less grueling experience stating, "Much better, Free People. We're getting there."
One size does not fit all
Bader called out clothing brand Brandi Melville for their "one size fits most" approach to fashion (via Glossy). In reality, Brandi Melville only offers sizes 00 to 4, and Bader wasn't going to let them falsely advertise on her watch. According to Bader (via TikTok), the brand has also been lying about its already tiny range of sizing, labeling some items "medium" to "make people happier, but it's really just the same size across the board." In one instance, Bader couldn't even fit both her legs into a plaid skirt. What is this? Clothing for ants?! And Brandi Melville's no-refund policy is just the cherry on top of a sh** sundae.
The unrealistic sizing aimed at Millenials and Gen-Z is damaging, to say the least, but we're grateful that Bader is here to remind us to blame the brands instead of our bodies. "I always want to give brands a chance when their sizing is off, but they still carry larger sizes. At least they're trying. The brands that refuse to even make the effort to make larger sizes are the ones I'm not a fan of" (via Vogue).
Sustainable brands have a wide variety of sizing
Bader has taken on fast-fashion brands like H&M, Urban Outfitters, and Pretty Little Thing, proving time and time again that those brands aren't concerned about inclusivity. For example, in Bader's Forever 21 haul (via TikTok), she tries on a pair of pajama shorts that barely cover her derriere and explains in disbelief that "These are an XL. In the plus-size section of the store." Bader goes on to question the brand's inaccurate sizing stating of a white crop top, "This is a large. Fits like a small."
Bader isn't alone in her struggle with fast-fashion sizing. But, lucky for us, she's also managed to find brands that actually care about keeping their clientele comfortable and stylish. "Some of my go-to places right now that have larger sizes are Fashion Nova, American Eagle, Aerie, Zara, Reformation, Missguided, Good American, and Athleta," Bader stated (via Vogue). While some of those brands, like Fashion Nova and Zara, could be called fast-fashion (via The Pretty Planeteer), there's no denying the cross-over between sustainable brands and actual plus-sized clothing. Reformation, Levis and Sotela are even using more diverse models to showcase their ethical fashions (via The Good Trade). Hopefully, more fast-fashion clothing will look to these brands as examples. And, if not, we can at least look to Bader to call them out.