Parenting

Oprah Magazine Fat-Shames Readers With Bad Fashion Advice

by Maria Guido
Updated: 
Originally Published: 

The latest issue of O Magazine hit the stands July 8, and readers are understandably pissed about some of the publication’s fashion advice. In the section of the mag that has a fashion Q and A, a reader asked, “Can I pull off a crop top?” The magazine answered, “If (and only if!) you have a flat stomach, feel free to try one.”

Say what?

Isn’t this the magazine started by a woman who has notoriously and publicly struggled with her weight her entire life? Isn’t this also the magazine that uses catch-phrases like “your best life” and throws around words like “empowering” and “inspiration” constantly? Whoever is responsible for that answer is green. Very green.

Plus size blogger, model, and fierce human Tess Holliday responded to the “advice” with this Instagram post:

She told Us Weekly, “I’ve been wearing crop tops for about three years now, and I felt like I had to say something. Mostly because, [the Oprah Magazine note] went against everything I advocate for.” She inspired the hashtag #rockthecrop, and tons of women have been using it to show off how amazing they look in crop tops.

Anytime the issue of body-shaming or policing what women wear comes up, there are a fair amount of people who say things like, “Well, it’s not healthy to be FAT.” Blah, blah, blah. It’s also not healthy to be crippled by body image issues and have poor self esteem; ask anyone whose suffered from an eating disorder.

There are big, beautiful women like Tess Holiday that own their shape. I have always been in awe of these women. When I see someone walking down the street in a crop top or tight clothing when they carry more than what society deems as and acceptable amount of weight around, I want to give them a high five. Because I know that when they got dressed that morning, their brain wasn’t doing the thing that mine does, that has crippled me my entire life. Their reflection isn’t saying,

You’re too fat to wear that.

You look terrible.

When people who aren’t deemed “thin enough” to wear certain things thumb their nose at society and say, “Fuck you, I’m wearing this anyway” – it’s inspirational. It’s empowering. Those people are living their best lives.

So Oprah Magazine — you got it wrong. The answer to “can I pull off a crop top” is “Yes. A thousand times yes. And screw anyone who thinks that you can’t.”

This article was originally published on