Why Old Navy's New Sizing Has The Internet Buzzing

Old Navy is endeavoring to make shopping experiences for all of their customers better by extending all of their women's lines to cover sizes 0 to 28. In a statement, the brand also revealed that there wouldn't be plus-size sections and they'd introduce mannequins in sizes four, 12, and 18 on August 20. This is a step to make shopping much more inclusive of all bodies.

In a statement, Old Navy president and CEO Nancy Green said, "We saw an opportunity to meaningfully change the women's shopping experience by making it more inclusive regardless of size. BODEQUALITY is not a one-time campaign, but a full transformation of our business in service to our customers based on years of working closely with them to research their needs."

Alongside being more inclusive, extending their size range may pay. CNBC reported that Coresight Research estimated that the value of the women's plus-size market will grow to $32.3 billion this year.

Vogue outlines that Old Navy has been working on BODEQUALITY for three years and that the move means all women's styles will be placed in the same section regardless of size, at the same price. "It's simple, right? If more than half of women in America are plus size, we now have clothes for all of them," Alison Partridge Stickney, Head of Women's and Maternity Merchandising at Old Navy told the publication.

The reaction online has been pretty good

Customers, old and new, have been quick to tell Old Navy exactly what they think about the extension of their women's clothing range on Twitter. One user rejoiced, "This is AMAZING. This means if you lose your luggage, you can buy new pants. This means if you spill coffee on your shirt at work, you can grab a replacement at lunch. Fat people haven't been able to count on being able to do that. EVER."

They added, "Even more importantly, it's going to give millions of people the experience of walking into a store and being able to look at ALL THE CLOTHES. Not two racks in the back corner that have fat lady sizes. Not look at it in the store and order it online. Just walk in, buy clothes."

Some Twitter users saw the story and seemed skeptical about how BODEQUALITY would roll out practically and others asked if Old Navy would consider the same policy with their men's lines. However, people definitely seemed ready to check out the new clothing. "I might even go into an Old Navy for the first time ever. That place was on my "don't even bother" list. Imagine how much new business they're going to get," one person wrote.