Thrift-loving sisters Sharalee, Melissa, and Shantini have noticed a glaring gap in the market, and a new venture they've launched aims to fill that void. The sibs are behind Generous Clothing, a pop-up shop offering carefully curated vintage plus-sized clothing.
Making shopping trips around the region, from Portland to Vancouver and in their native Fraser Valley, the sisters have grown their collection of pieces from the 1950s to more current pieces.
Photo courtesy Generous Clothing
Spokes-sister Shantini Klaassen says that Generous Clothing will have sizes from 10 to 24 on hand, however they have come up with a way to account for the swings in sizing across the decades and brands.
"We're creating our own sizing system by measuring each garment to take the inconsistencies and guesswork out of sizing. That means we have clothing that measures up to a 54 inch waist and a 60 inch bust," explains Klaassen.
"Beautiful details are what makes the hours of sifting through dusty back rooms and questionably smelling warehouses totally worthwhile," attests sister Sharalee.
Photo courtesy Generous Clothing
For these inspired and inspiring sisters, moving away from "fast fashion" is another motivator for embracing thrift, at any size.
"We care about buying clothes that are both ethically made and eco-friendly, and used really is the best way to do that. We have a huge range of styles, from some beautiful, Canadian-made dresses from the 50s and 60s, to more 'modern vintage' of the 80s, and some more current, well-made styles. We tried to focus on clothing that will last and natural fabrics, like cotton, linen and wool," notes Klaassen.
"This pop-up will be a comfortable, fun place to celebrate bodies that are often excluded from fashion” she adds.
The Generous Clothing pop-up shop takes place in Abbotsford on Saturday, March 16. You can follow them on Instagram @generous.clothing to see some of the pieces in their collection.
Generous Clothing Pop-Up
When: Saturday, March 16, 2019 from 9 am to 4 pm
Where: 33771 George Ferguson Way, Abbotsford
