Lizzy Hadfield (Shot from the Street)

[poopettemetis]

It’s besides your point, but I think she has quite big boobs. Especially compared to her body. I actually think they’re a little bit too big to go braless as often as she does.

But yeah, these testing basics have become pointless. They used to be more about materials and composition of fabric and how things wash, or just about how to style things. And quality of stitching, that type of thing.

But I do not agree that they should advocate clothing for different body types, like some say. I think bloggers should stick to themselves, I think it will only become blurry and not trustworthy if they start including things they have no experience with. Like they might know that a brand may go up to a certain size, but they may not know that people with larger thighs may worry about chafing or something. I think it’s up to us to find a blogger with a similar body type to us.

Absolutely re: the thigh chafe. She’ll never know I def don’t expect her to predict how a pair of jeans will wear in the thighs!

I guess, in my mind, if you’re trying to maximize affliate links, you’d want to show brands who appeal to the most people, right? So, with the abrupt wave of social awareness happening, by not showcasing brands with a larger size range or diversity in socials she’s 1) limiting the number of people who might buy (potentially based on a shift in values) and 2) probably assuming that all her followers look like her which makes me think she doesn’t care about diversity at all (intersectionality).

Re: Weekday - that is tit. Your pair must have slipped through quality control because a shortened zipper is def a major issue

I’m “plus sized” and work in fashion, so I guess I just question these things Sorry!

 

[Lucy_B]

Absolutely re: the thigh chafe. She’ll never know I def don’t expect her to predict how a pair of jeans will wear in the thighs!

I guess, in my mind, if you’re trying to maximize affliate links, you’d want to show brands who appeal to the most people, right? So, with the abrupt wave of social awareness happening, by not showcasing brands with a larger size range or diversity in socials she’s 1) limiting the number of people who might buy (potentially based on a shift in values) and 2) probably assuming that all her followers look like her which makes me think she doesn’t care about diversity at all (intersectionality).

Re: Weekday - that is tit. Your pair must have slipped through quality control because a shortened zipper is def a major issue

I’m “plus sized” and work in fashion, so I guess I just question these things Sorry!

I don’t think all influencers are trying to maximise their affiliate links.

 

[ccocopops_16]

Personally I think it's a missed opportunity to show her work.
I'm quite a bit shorter than Lizzy but I have a similar body type, am a size 24 in Weekday jeans so I'm not frustrated by her limited scope on my behalf.
However! We live in a time where inclusivity is increasingly important. I'm not demanding that she be super knowledgeable on clothing for people who are bigger (maybe she could invite someone to talk about it though, it would be a good video), but not even mentioning how a different fit/material would accommodate larger hips/butts for example is a miss imo. Of course, the bigger problem is high street brands unfortunately carry straight sizes only most of the time, so if you're looking for specific brands specialized in plus size, then yes, it would be better to find another blogger.

I've never dealt with chafing but I have friends who are fat who have mentioned this issue so I'm aware of this when I suggest clothing for them. So what, does she only hang around tall, thin white people? Or is she just lazy and prefers to stick to what she knows? Lizzy has the exact body type that is trendy right now. Clothes are made for people like her. Whatever brand "wins" Testing Basics is a matter of personal preference, it's not about technicalities (I mean OK, she mentions washing but that's a little laughable). I've suggested to her before (pre-Covid) how she could maybe do a twist and find the best basic item for different body types. I understand that would be quite a lot of work, but that's exactly my point!

I think that by now it's commonly acknowledged that excluding fat people is dumb, on a human level but also on a business level. That's a huge market that brands are too often still ignoring because producing and storing bigger sizes is considered an economic risk. Same here, it would bring her a wider audience, and if she developed an eye for cuts that are the most versatile whatever size you are, the most inclusive brands and so on, she would gain a valuable expertise and maybe that could translate down the line to jobs in styling and so on.

I'm just saying that influencers could branch out and become less focused on themselves to be more successful.
Unless of course she's content being a Tumblr Manic Pixie Girl forever.

 

[mindlessness]

My expectations are so low I don't even expect or want Lizzy to include extended sizing brands. But different cuts of white jeans, for a testing basics on white jeans? Yeah, I expect that.

(I'm a UK 16/18, for reference)

 

[BadInfluence]

I started watching her, maybe three years ago..four? Not sure, either way, she suddenly became so distractingly thin that I just...golly! I couldn't connect with her anymore because she didn't seem like just an ordinary person trying on and talking about clothes. And how many times a year does this young woman move house? Her mum seems cool though.

 

[alinewyork]

I have no doubt in my mind that Lizzy only hangs out with tall, thin, (rich) white people.

 

[mindlessness]

I started watching her, maybe three years ago..four? Not sure, either way, she suddenly became so distractingly thin that I just...golly! I couldn't connect with her anymore because she didn't seem like just an ordinary person trying on and talking about clothes. And how many times a year does this young woman move house? Her mum seems cool though.

It's an annual thing at this point. I'm thinking maybe she'll try Peckham next?

 

[ChatNoir]

I screenshotted this a while ago on twitter and i'm pretty sure she does this. She's always been tall and thin and it's true that she's lost a lot of weight during the last couple of years, but lately her instagram pictures are getting ridiculous, to the point that she's started to look a bit deformed, as if her head was too small for her body. She's already like 5,9 and SUPER skinny, is this really necessary.......?

 

[langwidere]

Oof I don’t follow her Instagram so didn’t realise how scary skinny she’s become! The proportions remind me of Slenderman...

 

[Freebies_come2me]

What on earth is this

 

[alinewyork]

It's an annual thing at this point. I'm thinking maybe she'll try Peckham next?

Not gentrified enough yet probably. Certainly on its bleeping way though. I thought about saying this the other day, but in case she reads here I didn’t want to give her any ideas.
This reminded me of when on the podcast they mentioned Lindsay used to live in Deptford and they both laughed their heads off. If Lizzy ever starts spending time in Peckham that really will be a final, painful, nail in the coffin.

 

[Freebies_come2me]

What is wrong in Deptford, is like 5-10 min into London Bridge, I will kill to live there.
Nah, I don't think she will live in Peckham, I think it will be Hackney Wick or Stoke Newington - somewhere very trendy. But I hope she will move to Clapham so she can be the Middle-Class Girl's cliche since she will have Nottinghill, Holland Park, Shoreditch and Clapham under her belt

 

[langwidere]

What on earth is this

Oh, you must’ve never studied ART HISTORY...that’s clearly ~photography~ of a calibre that we regular folks could never hope to appreciate.

 

[Lucy_B]

Personally I think it's a missed opportunity to show her work.
I'm quite a bit shorter than Lizzy but I have a similar body type, am a size 24 in Weekday jeans so I'm not frustrated by her limited scope on my behalf.
However! We live in a time where inclusivity is increasingly important. I'm not demanding that she be super knowledgeable on clothing for people who are bigger (maybe she could invite someone to talk about it though, it would be a good video), but not even mentioning how a different fit/material would accommodate larger hips/butts for example is a miss imo. Of course, the bigger problem is high street brands unfortunately carry straight sizes only most of the time, so if you're looking for specific brands specialized in plus size, then yes, it would be better to find another blogger.

I've never dealt with chafing but I have friends who are fat who have mentioned this issue so I'm aware of this when I suggest clothing for them. So what, does she only hang around tall, thin white people? Or is she just lazy and prefers to stick to what she knows? Lizzy has the exact body type that is trendy right now. Clothes are made for people like her. Whatever brand "wins" Testing Basics is a matter of personal preference, it's not about technicalities (I mean OK, she mentions washing but that's a little laughable). I've suggested to her before (pre-Covid) how she could maybe do a twist and find the best basic item for different body types. I understand that would be quite a lot of work, but that's exactly my point!

I think that by now it's commonly acknowledged that excluding fat people is dumb, on a human level but also on a business level. That's a huge market that brands are too often still ignoring because producing and storing bigger sizes is considered an economic risk. Same here, it would bring her a wider audience, and if she developed an eye for cuts that are the most versatile whatever size you are, the most inclusive brands and so on, she would gain a valuable expertise and maybe that could translate down the line to jobs in styling and so on.

I'm just saying that influencers could branch out and become less focused on themselves to be more successful.
Unless of course she's content being a Tumblr Manic Pixie Girl forever.

Personally, I really think bloggers should only talk about what they like and what works for them. It’s up to companies and brands to make sure we are all included, but I think I would not appreciate a girl like Lizzy talking on behalf of, or for people that are not her size or her skin tone. What would she know about that?

I’m taller than Lizzy I think (I’m 5”10’, but here in the Netherlands that’s not super tall, I’m certainly not the tallest of my friends), and although I’m fairly thin, even I can’t always relate to what she’s wearing. I mean, I have an office job in a formal environment, I cannot wear a white blouse with no bra and nipples shining through they way Lizzy does. But how would she know? She’s never worked in an office like that. I always get annoyed when bloggers talk about office appropriate outfits when it’s a obvious they’ve never been in an office like that. And that goes for other aspects of life too.

I really think bloggers should stay in their lane and talk about their own lives. If not, you can easily find a blogger that does cater to your needs. The way I look at influencers is simply to see things and maybe look for a version that matches you, whether that’s in price, lifestyle or size. None of us follow just one influencer. I am mixed race, but I don’t really look at race when I watch fashion bloggers. I just look if their general style appeals to me.

 

[ccocopops_16]

Well I'm mixed race too and while I don't particularly try to find influencers who look like me or have a similar cultural background, it makes me more attuned to their ignorance lol.

I think she can do better is my point. You're giving her a pass for being lazy imo. Staying in your lane is all good and well until it's a pretext to stay stagnant and not learn anything. There's a line between talking about what you don't know (having a fat body, being a person of colour for example) and being sensitive to what other people can go through and I think that we should all strive to be more cognisant of other people's experiences. It's not very hard to do once you commit to it...

Of course it's annoying when bloggers try and put together office appropriate outfits when they've never set foot in an office. But guess what? It's not that hard to think about it for a minute before figuring out what would be appropriate. And like I said, if she were smarter about her job, she could maybe go into consulting and styling one day. But if, as you say, she were to merely stay in her lane, that would just limit her career.

 

[meowmeowbeans]

I think she can do better is my point. You're giving her a pass for being lazy imo. Staying in your lane is all good and well until it's a pretext to stay stagnant and not learn anything. There's a line between talking about what you don't know (having a fat body, being a person of colour for example) and being sensitive to what other people can go through and I think that we should all strive to be more cognisant of other people's experiences. It's not very hard to do once you commit to it...

Exactly. It's called checking your privilege. There are tons of folks of all shapes, sizes and colors trying to cultivate their little corner of the internet, but almost all the biggest names happen to be thin, affluent, white women. They have the widest reach and the potential to start a trend or movement toward greater visibility, sustainability, inclusivity, whatever. Of course, we can't expect someone like Lizzy to speak with any authority on what it's like to be black, fat, or poor, just like I'm not going to go to Vogue for how to pick car insurance. But she CAN recognize her position of power and try to use it to demand brands be more size inclusive, push for more diverse models, or a more equitable workplace. Look at how everyone recently turned their backs on Everlane. These influencers have exactly that: influence. They can and need to work harder.

 

[Lucy_B]

The reason thin, white and privileged bloggers are most successful is because we, the audience, want that.

On ASOS, the clothes that are modelled on thin models sell much better, also in the plus sizes, than those exact same clothes on plus size models.

Well I'm mixed race too and while I don't particularly try to find influencers who look like me or have a similar cultural background, it makes me more attuned to their ignorance lol.

I think she can do better is my point. You're giving her a pass for being lazy imo. Staying in your lane is all good and well until it's a pretext to stay stagnant and not learn anything. There's a line between talking about what you don't know (having a fat body, being a person of colour for example) and being sensitive to what other people can go through and I think that we should all strive to be more cognisant of other people's experiences. It's not very hard to do once you commit to it...

Of course it's annoying when bloggers try and put together office appropriate outfits when they've never set foot in an office. But guess what? It's not that hard to think about it for a minute before figuring out what would be appropriate. And like I said, if she were smarter about her job, she could maybe go into consulting and styling one day. But if, as you say, she were to merely stay in her lane, that would just limit her career.

I think you’re giving bloggers far too much responsibility. They’re just bloggers. They’re not there to improve society.

 

[poopettemetis]

The reason thin, white and privileged bloggers are most successful is because we, the audience, want that.

On ASOS, the clothes that are modelled on thin models sell much better, also in the plus sizes, than those exact same clothes on plus size models.



I think you’re giving bloggers far too much responsibility. They’re just bloggers. They’re not there to improve society.

I, personally, am kind of over thin, white, privileged bloggers and I think a lot of others are too. The fact that most of the rant threads on Tattle are for thin, white, privileged bloggers definitely says something. I’m here for some diversity, different viewpoints and styles. The bloggers who don’t show that or elevate it or amplify it will be left behind.

 

[meowmeowbeans]

I think you’re giving bloggers far too much responsibility. They’re just bloggers. They’re not there to improve society.

I'm not going to get into your statement about what "we the audience" want, because that is whole other discussion. But I can categorically refute what you said here. Lizzy, like so many others, went through the trouble of posting a black square months ago, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.


Those black squares that folks were so hasty to throw up to show their allyship are a bookmark of accountability now: they said it, so are they going to put their money where their mouth is or what? Or, once again, are they going to just settle back to their old ways? Lizzy talked about it in her vlog, she posted books and resources, so yes, we expect her to take responsibility. Regardless of our expectations of "just bloggers" as a whole, she claimed to give a tit. And while it may seem like a stretch to equate this to a review about white jeans, the point I'm trying to make is that if she's not looking outside of herself and her narrow social circle, what was any of that "listening and learning" for?

 

[langwidere]

I hold influencers and bloggers accountable for their behaviour in the same way I’d hold my friends and family accountable. Doesn’t matter if you have a following of 5 or 50,000–if you are going to virtue signal and then follow through with the same uninspired, same-y skinny white girl bikini content then I think it’s fair enough for her viewers to be critical. It may not be her ‘job’ as an influencer to be more diverse and representative, but surely it’s her job as a human being.

I agree that I would hate to see her pretending to give styling advice to people with a different body type from her; she can barely style herself after all! But that doesn’t mean she can’t do things like refuse to work on brand deals that aren’t inclusive, or speak out on the pay gap in the industry.

I remember Patricia Bright did a jeans video where she invited a bunch of her friends with different body types to try on the jeans. It was such a joyful and useful video because all the women were beautiful and you could tell she surrounded herself on the daily with people who embody beauty in so many different ways.

Imagine if Lizzy invited her friends to do her testing basics videos! White jeans on a tall skinny white girl with no ass or hips...white jeans on a shorter skinny white girl with no ass or hips...bloody embarrassing to be honest.