This past week, it was announced that Old Navy was making some changes. They launched their BODEQUALITY “fashion revolution,” that promises to have sizes 0-28 in-stores: “Now in all stores, online, wherever you find us, you’ll find all styles, all sizes, same price.” They also claimed to have the plus sizes in with the other sizes. There would be no designated plus size section in the stores.

In the fine print of the announcement, it states that their largest size, a 30, will only be sold online. And the traditional “subject to availability” clause is featured under the advertisements.

This new campaign was paired with some great marketing shots featuring a bunch of amazing women, including Kelly Augustine and Charlotte Zoller. (Kelly is in the middle with wire rim glasses on and Charlotte is on the far right.)

The internet was buzzing about this news and many plus size influencers that I follow were sharing and celebrating the good news.

Here are my thoughts on the campaign:

  • Are these sizes actually going to be in EVERY store?
  • How true to size are they going to be?
  • Why leave out a size 30? That’s rude.
  • Progress is progress, so this is positive news, but let’s not claim that inclusivity is now alive and well and everywhere.
  • Old Navy still needs to address how they treat their workers in third world countries and pay them fair living wages. They also need to work on their sustainability efforts. They are still very much so a fast fashion company.

Even with all of these thoughts in mind, I wanted to see for myself just how inclusive their new in-store offerings were because I still doubted that this was going to be as good as they were making it out to be. I wasn’t trying to be a negative Nancy, I just have been let down before. (Looking at you, Anthropologie, who only has plus sizes in ten out of 200+ stores. Also, looking at you, LOFT, who added plus sizes and then took them away. Looking at you all the other stores that have whack sizing. )

I went to the Old Navy in South Windsor, Connecticut at The Promenade Shops at Evergreen Walk; the store was lovely and the staff was cheerful, which seems to be the case in most Old Navy stores I’ve been to. (Pictured below is my girl, Kelly, in the window of the Old Navy I was in. It’s not lost on me how cool it is to see plus size women and Black people represented at big retailers like this. Oh, and there’s me in the dressing room.)

If you want to check-out what I tried on the last time I went into Old Navy, please click here. In my first try-on at Old Navy, I discuss more of my history and issues with the company.

I want to start off by saying this frankly and honestly: my sizing was all over the map during this try-on. There was little to no size consistency from what I could see from the seven items that I tried on at Old Navy. I typically can fit into an XXL on top at Old Navy and I had no clue what size bottoms I would need.

After my visit, I looked at the Old Navy size chart, which I advise you do before you go shopping and I was very surprised at what size I was according to my measurements because it was not consistent with the sizes that I typically wear. (You can find the size guide for Old Navy on every item listing on their website.) There were also times that the size chart says I wouldn’t be able to fit into something and I clearly could.

I’m going to start including my measurements in every try-on post I do so that you can shop better and you can see how confusing and inconsistent most sizing is. (P.S. Any hateful comments or judgements made about my measurements will get the commenter ex-communicated from this blog and will miss out on seeing how amazingly funny and gorgeous I am. Your loss.)

My measurements are as follows: Bust 55″, Waist 51″ and Hips 60″.

It’s not triggering or embarrassing for me to go into a dressing room and have a negative experience, but I’ve worked on accepting my body for years now. I feel for any folks who try things on at Old Navy (or anywhere) and don’t have a good time.

A reminder: your body is never the problem. It is the clothes that are the problem. If you try on something that doesn’t fit and you think it should, don’t worry about it. Your body was not made to fit into clothes. Clothes were made to fit on your body.

Item #1: Oversized Short-Sleeve Ruffled Dobby Gingham Blouse for Women; Size 2X

I wanted to try this top on because it looked like a nice blouse to throw on with jeans. I like the fall color palette and I was okay with the prairie-inspired frilly collar.

I grabbed the 2X and it fit really nicely everywhere, but the sleeves. The elastic band on the sleeves was tight on my arms, but sizing up would have made it super oversized at the waist on me. The size chart says I need a 3X according to my chest and a 4X according to my waist. Maybe this top just isn’t for me?

The fabric was nice and I can see this looking good on darker skin tones.

Item #2: Lightweight Shaker-Stitch Short-Sleeve Sweater for Women; Size XXL

I have been on the hunt for a sweater like this to wear over long sleeve tees in the winter time. Imagine this sweater, a long sleeve tee and a long skirt with boots in the winter time. To die for.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of this color, but this was the only color they had available at the location I was at and the XXL was the highest size available in this style. I think this was an item that came into the store before the new size policy, so I will forgive them for that.

This knit was nice, not itchy and a good length. The arm holes were large and accommodating. It was loose on me, but I liked the oversized fit. In a different color (even in the burnt orange online), I would have bought it.

If the sizing notes on this item are accurate, the XXL would be the equivalent of a size 16, which is not my size and was oversized on me.

Item #3: UltraLite All-Day Performance Crop Tee for Women; Size XXL

There was an abundance of activewear in the location that I went to and, I’ll be honest, I didn’t feel like trying on sports bras, so I went with a flowy t-shirt and later biker shorts.

This flowy tee, which awkwardly reads “Move With Love,” was an amazing fit for me at the largest size available, an XXL. The t-shirt was soft and had longer sleeves. I think it would have looked great with high-waisted leggings.

Upon further inspection, there were many more colors of this shirt online, which I would have preferred and, once again, the size chart says I should be in a 3X or a 4X in this top.

Also, from what I can see the size XXL is no longer on the size chart for the items that have plus sizes. I guess they are going straight from an XL to a 2X or they are using an XXL and a 2X interchangeably. Interesting choice considering I found the the same items in an XXL in stores, but only in a 2X online.

Consistency, folks. That’s all I’m asking for.

Item #4: Fit & Flare Gingham Midi Cami Dress for Women; Size 2X

As for the worst item of the day, I tried on this super cute checked dress in yellow, orange and brown. Hello fall vibes, right?

As evidenced by the above photos, this dress did not fit over my chest and shoulders and I cannot find the dress online. The closest option is in a different print and according to that size chart, I should be in a size 3X or 4X, which seems like it would be accurate.

Item #5: High-Waisted Twill Jogger Pants for Women; Size 3X

At the location that I went to, there was a large professional wear section, which I was happy to see. I saw these pants and thought, “yeah, that’s me.” They were buttery soft, a neutral color and comfy as hell.

I went for a 3X because they had absolutely no stretch except for in the waist band and at the ankle. I made the right choice and I would have bought these.

The size chart would have suggested that I go up to a size 4X.

Item #6: Extra High-Waisted PowerChill Hidden-Pocket Biker Shorts for Women — 6-inch inseam; Size 3X

I love a biker short. They are the best type of short, in my opinion, and I wear them under all of my dresses and skirts.

I have heard good things about their active wear, so I gave these maroon shorts a try. They were comfortable and soft, but I would have liked for them to be a bit longer on the leg and for the inseam to be shorter. I felt like these were made for someone with a longer torso because there was a lot of extra fabric in my crotch area. I could see myself lounging in this size, but definitely not working out in them. They would be falling down constantly and pissing me off.

The size chart thinks I should have gone up to a 4X on these ones.

Item #7: Extra High-Waisted Sky Hi Straight Button-Fly Jeans for Women; Size 22

Yeah, I tried on a dreaded pair of jeans for y’all because I love y’all.

It was hard to find any plus sizes in jeans that weren’t skinny jeans at the location I visited. I’m just not into skinny jeans and I haven’t been for awhile, so I when I finally found a sturdy pair of straight leg jeans I decided to try them on.

They sadly didn’t zip up although they fit nicely in the leg. A 24 would have probably fit me like a glove, but after being hot in the dressing room for 20 minutes, I was done. The size chart would have told me to go back for a size 28.

When I walked out of the Old Navy, I let out an audible sigh of relief and then called my mom to complain about the inconsistency in sizing and how hot I was coming out of the dressing room. Here’s what I told her, with cursing excluded:

  • There is no consistency in sizing across Old Navy clothes and certainly no universal sizing compared to other stores like Target.
  • I liked all of the marketing for the BODEQUALITY campaign. It was nice seeing so many models that looked like me and that didn’t look like me.
  • I was disappointed in the lack of non-skinny jean options.
  • I didn’t see any size 26 or 28 in the store, which doesn’t mean there wasn’t any, but there certainly wasn’t an abundance. I did see a decent amount of 3X and 4X options.
  • There were still items in the store that only went up to a size XXL. Were they leftovers from before the campaign started? Are there only certain styles that are going to be available in plus sizes?

Old Navy definitely has room to improve. A lot of room. But, like I said, progress has occurred.

I wanted to be very transparent about what sizes I tried on, what worked and what didn’t work. I also wanted to be able to show you the comparison between what actually fit my body and what the size chart says should fit my body.

I hope this post serves as an example of how much effort folks have to put in to figure out out what their freakin’ size is in when they walk into a store. It should also make it crystal clear that there is nothing wrong with your body! Your size is just a number.

Let me know if you head to an Old Navy and have notes to compare with me and if there is another store/brand you’d like me to try out.