Turning the corner of any building on campus, North Shore Hawaii hoodies and baby tees, some of Brandy Melville’s closet staples, are worn daily by teenagers. Despite its current popularity for its Italian clothing and accessories, the speculation behind its “one size fits all” labels has sparked inclusivity issues among young women. Posting various videos such as clothing hauls and store visits have been going viral on TikTok and has been trending all over the platform.
“I think the color scheme and the aesthetic of it attract girls. I just think the very effortless look that comes with wearing it [is nice] because I feel like girls will wear sweats but it just looks so much better or put together than like Nike sweats, and it just has the clean girly aesthetic to it,” Sukhmani Sanghera said.
In addition to its unique style, Brandy Melville has a different approach in their policies compared to other clothing brands that prioritize inclusivity. Unlike fashion brands such as Universal Standard that promote their brand and emphasize size and racial diversity, Brandy Melville makes it clear that their target audience is young, slim and white females.
Strictly following its “one-size” policy, their clothes range from XS-S and a 24-25 inch waist, severely lowering purchases from women who wear medium, large and extra large.
“I think their clothes are cute, and I’d be willing to buy it, but since they’re not my size most of the time, I don’t get them unless they’re sweatshirts because they’re oversized,” Kate Camarillo said. “It makes me feel upset because I feel not included. And it makes me feel bad about the way I look even though I’m not even overweight, but just their standards for sizing [are] just too small and out of reach for most people.”
On their website, all photos of models have the same measurements and look to them. Included in an order is a plethora of photos depicting the lifestyle and appearance of their target audience.
“It makes teen girls believe they should all fit in one box, and it can make them self-conscious and insecure when everyone should feel comfortable in their own skin,” Summer Allison said.
The idolized appearance teenagers desire to obtain has posed even greater issues, such as teens using unhealthy methods to lose weight by not eating, over-exercising, taking diet pills, or taking laxatives. Not only is it the figure, but also the lifestyle that makes the Brandy Melville standard. Young girls tend to post themselves online to create a life that isn’t their own.
“I just feel like it depends person to person,” Sanghera said. “I feel like in some ways it can have an influence, but I think over the years it’s kind of getting better because I feel like their sizing is just getting bigger in general.”
BY LYLA GUNDERSON & SARAH CHOI
