Beth Ditto's Got a Collection!
We love Beth Ditto. We love her when she’s totally naked. We have loved her since she was first totally naked. And we love her when she’s wearing clothes, too. One of my favorite quotes, to this day, is from her interview in BUST–“This is the number one thing: just because something makes you look thinner, that doesn’t mean it’s a good outfit.” Beth Ditto dresses like a rock star, is covered in sequins and glitter and general all-around awesomeness, and she knows from good outfits. She is a gorgeous, crazy bird of paradise, and when we heard last year that that she was coming out with her own line of plus size clothing, there was rejoicing in the land. Because dude, who doesn’t want to be Beth Ditto when they grow up?
The clothing line is finally out, and Fab Sugar’s got a preview of the collection. And my first, gut, basic reaction is that as a fashion designer, Beth Ditto is a very good singer.
I want to love this collection. I want to love the sparkles and the craziness and fun, but–WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? And WHY DOES THIS DRESS HAVE AN ELASTICIZED HEM? And for the love of god, just…WHY? This dress, though? Freaking hot. Though I’m not sure that anyone but Beth Ditto could pull it off with the matching leggings.
So. For me, a little disappointing. Especially that goddamn jumpsuit which just bites off the current weird, awful trend and–does nothing with it except make it plus size. What it boils down to for me is that I can’t actually imagine Beth Ditto wearing most of these, I think. I’m disappointed, too, because this is a high-profile plus-size collection, and I want it to be spectacular and perfect and garner nothing but positive attention, and I don’t think this will.
This is, however, just a tiny preview–it is possible that the full collection has more fabulous sequins and colors, that it is more imaginative, and fun, and lovely, and all around fabulously Beth Ditto.
What do you guys think? How did she do? Would you buy her clothes? Would you wear them? Are you disappointed, or am I crazy and should be totally enthused?
Posted by jenfu
Filed under: Beth Ditto, Celebrities, Fashion, Fat Positive, Gossip, International, Media, Music, Question
Email us
I like the domino dress and leggings, but as you say, perhaps not together (on anyone but B.D.). The other stuff I feel supremely “eh” about. What really irks me, though, is why the hell are they not being modeled by a fat girl?
Why on earth aren’t they being modeled by someone “plus sized”??
She is gorgeous, and totally stylin’ with the hair and makeup, but OMG what an awful outfit. The cut of the dress is great and flattering to just about any figure, and thought it’s not my cup of tea I could see the busy print on someone young, rockin’, and fun. But with the matching leggings? No, no, no. Now we’re in frumpville.
And I have to agree with you about the awful jumpsuit. Everything else looks sort of cheap and 80’s. Sigh. Too bad.
I love that blue jump suit….
What in the hell is going on with the models? You’d tihnk that, of all companies, Evans would be able to find some plus sized models to put it’s clothes on. Le sigh.
I kind of like the first dress though not with those leggings. The jumpsuit is terrible, who on earth would wear that?
I’ve been alternating between excited and nervous about this collection, though it is the first time in my life I’ve been aware enough of fat fashion to be anything about any collection.
That jumpsuit is just… no.
I would like to see her try to jazz up office separates for fatties without taking them too far. Like, maybe some classy separates that bring her daring color and geometric touches together.
I really would like to begin dressing more fabulously for the office. I have the same fleshy middle and simliar legs as ditto.
As much as I love Beth Ditto, she can’t even pull of the neck to ankle domino print, one or the other, not together.
Though there is this adorable hoodie dress/top thing that I am madly in love with from her Evans collection, that you didn’t mention in your post.
If that beautiful model is even SLIGHTLY supposed to be “plus-sized,” I seriously might have to off myself.
I love you, Beth. Your collection (thus far)? Not so much.
http://www.bethdittoatevans.co.uk/
You can see a few more of them, modelled by Beth herself, at that website. I LOVE the stained glass dress. LOVE LOVE LOVE.
She so, totally, pulls off the head-to-toe dominoes. But, I agree with most of you…my first thought is “why the heck aren’t they using plus-size models for a plus-size clothing line?” Ridiiculousness. And, besides the dominoes gear, the clothes look really cheap. Life Forevery 21 with sparkly crap.
Agreed: why not a plus-sized model?
My first response is, “Oh, honey. NO.”
It’s also my last response. I hope the rest of the collection is better.
Actually, Beth was a very big part in designing this collection and it’s pretty awesome.
I don’t understand all the hate. I mean it fits her aesthetic very much so. Sure, it’s not what people would wear on a regular basis, but finally there is clothing that can be funky and fashionable for us fat chicks too.
Honestly guys..? I like the jumpsuit. I like the dress with the elastic bottom. The domino bottoms are made of awesome. Maybe it’s because I’m 23, or maybe it’s because I’ve always had an eye for funky, different pieces.
Sadly that is indeed technically a plus-size model. She’ll probably be a size 16 (US 12) which is the smallest size the clothes are made in, but she’ll be very tall, which of course means she’s still very slender in proportion to her height. Evans occasionally have competitions for new models, and stipulate a height of at least 5’8″. Mostly they tend to use people at least a *bit* less skinny than that particular model though. And they fit all their clothes to a size 16 and a 26 (US 22) I think.
Hmm, except it looks like this collection goes down a size smaller than usual to a 14, which I definitely wouldn’t think of as plus size really, so maybe the model’s actually even more slim than I suppose above. *sigh*
You can see the full collection (with no models at all, which always annoys me about their webpage) by visiting http://www.evans.co.uk/ and clicking on Beth Ditto At Evans at the top left. I’m not sure what the cat print tshirt is meant to be saying, given that sort of thing has been around for years now.
I kind of like it and wrote about it here
http://sheffieldfems.wordpress.com/2009/07/06/beth-ditto-and-that-collection/
Was Beth Ditto originally a model? I think that fashion isn’t necessarily about wearability, it’s about art and making bold statements. It’s awesome that Ditto can bust on the scene and show she’s just as crazy as Betsy Johnson. I mean, most other stars’ clothing lines aren’t much more “normal” than that anyway.
I must say that I love Beth Ditto. LOVE.
But, 90% of what makes her cutting edge and fashionable and what makes me love her is her ATTITUDE. I was really looking forward to this line, but the look is so specific that I think you really have to just be able to rock it. Unfortunatley for me, I think the only thing that if I wore a 100% sequin top and leggings I would have to pair it with a hot pink scrunchie, side pony tail and slap bracelets.
I covet that hoodie dress!
I like the geo sequin prom dress and the face knit dress a lot. And as much as I’d like to see things on models my size, there has been a lot of research that shows that sales are lower when plus size models are used. Sad, but true.
Things I want:
–the purple sequined top
–the purple hoodie dress
–the black corset dress
–the stained glass prom dress
That’s pretty much it. I don’t need leggings, and even if I did, the conversion rate plus shipping and customs fees would make it way too expensive.
I have to admit I was a tad late on the uptake with this one, due to sunning myself in hot countries but i have to agree that the disappointment is abject. As both a fat girl and a degree level fashion student this collection brings a tear to my eye.
Part of me knew what was coming when the whole Evans thing started, Kate Moss suggested that Beth should make a collection for Evans after she refused to do a show at Top Shop on Oxford Street, “Why should i play music at a place where i can’t even buy the clothes” and a part of me cried out HURRAH, make a stand, maybe someone will sit up and take note that plus size people want to be able to buy decent, interesting clothes, we are bored of long skirts and over sized t-shirts, we don’t want shapeless sacks, we want well cut, we want someone to make clothes with us in mind, but when i saw this all that went through my head
is this is Top Shop clothes sized up, you can imagine some skinny waif in any of those garments which isn’t an issue, but i guess my point is that if this is all a plus size collection is going to be why can’t they just size up in the first place.
Now from a fashion perspective again i find it painful, I guess first and foremost, its obvious in so many ways. After 3 years of education and many more of practice as pattern cutter i know that you can make nice clothes for fat people with a little creative thinking and a tunic dress just aint that, this is basically everything i hate about plus size shopping with a few sequins stuck on the front. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for the quirks, I love weird, I love wacky and I love dangerous but this has missed every boat it attempted to catch. Its not innovative, its the same old stuff with different spin and so I think to myself just for once I would like a plus size collection with some depth.
Ugh, I find the whole collection disgusting. None of the clothes look flattering at all, and they make me want to poke my eyes out.
The ’80s died for a reason. They should not be resurrected.
I am really disappointed in this. I couldn’t buy it anyway due to locale, but even if I could I would avoid it like the plague.
I don’t think this line will do very well. Beth has a unique style that is all her own but let’s face it: it probably won’t work for anyone else, especially a fat girl. Anyone want to take bets on how long this crap sticks around for? I give it a year, tops.
For as much as I love the idea of a larger gal designing some clothes for other larger gals, I don’t love those outfits. Ok, I didn’t like any of them at all.
A cat-print T-shirt is supposed to be new? Seriously? I get something similar from the Humane Society every year when I donate. Every year, it goes to Goodwill.
I like the hoodie dress thingy — everything else is either outright awful, way too ’80s or already available elsewhere. Disappointing.
Anyone know who made the pink dress she had on at the Brit Awards?