Annie’s Mailbox: Stores don’t stock her size, shape

Dear Annie: I am a woman, 5-foot-10 and 240 pounds. I wear a size 12E men’s shoe. Why do retail stores discriminate against tall women? They have petites, plus-sizes and juniors, while I am lucky to find a pair of pants anywhere, let alone something stylish. I’m stuck between ugly and uglier. Retailers assume all overweight women are short and round. I’m a size 14, but clothing in that size is never long enough.

All I want is a plain T-shirt or a nice pair of jeans that I can try on in a store. I have to order everything online and pay for shipping. When it arrives, I discover it doesn’t fit, and I have to return it and wait a week to get my money back.

I’m sick of people telling me to buy men’s clothing. It’s degrading and depressing. Shoes are even worse. I had to make my own wedding shoes. I couldn’t even find them on sites for drag queens.

Please let retailers and designers know that women come in all shapes and sizes, and once in a while, they should use a tall woman as a model. – Fed Up

Dear Fed Up: Here’s the problem with catering to every shape and size: Retailers need to make money. They stock what sells. They can sell a great many things for those of average height and average size, and they have discovered a big market for plus-size women. But apparently, there isn’t enough demand for clothes in your size. That is why ordering things online has become such big business, and it’s a blessing for those who don’t fit into standard sizes and cannot afford to have their clothing or shoes custom made. Please don’t give up looking. One of these days you will find an online store where the sizing works for you, and you won’t need to return everything.