On Saturday, April 26, dozens of people gathered at the Riverside Urban Ecology Center for a special event: a clothing swap specifically for clothing size 16+/XL+. Organized by the community group Fat Body Hotties, this swap offered more than just new-to-you clothing – it was a well-tailored celebration of accessibility, fat joy and community.
Back in 2023, Sarah Chojnacki had some extra clothes in her apartment she wanted to give to a good home. She made a quick flyer (that coined the name ‘Fat Body Hotties’), passed it around to some friends, and expected just a handful of people to participate. Around 20 people, some strangers, came to their apartment to swap garments. Chojnacki knew it was the start of something special.
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“Doing this event for the first time, I was so overwhelmed with joy and happiness,” says Chojnack. “I was emotional because I was in a space with these folks I met, a whole bunch of people who were very passionate about just body liberation and fat liberation. I was able to see just how much that was needed. The feedback that I received that day was so positive that I was like, ‘okay, this is what I have to do.’”
Ashley Mertes, who participated in the first ever Fat Body Hotties clothing swap, had such an amazing experience at the first event she became an organizer. “When [I saw] Sarah hadn’t had an event for a while, I messaged them and was like, ‘when are we having the next one? Can I please help out?,’” says Mertes.
Saturday was the Fat Body Hotties third ever clothing swap. The word has gotten out and attendance is on the rise. Saturday’s event had almost quadruple the number of attendees of their last swap.
“We started out of my apartment and then, partnered with the LGBTQ community center, and then also for this event, the Urban Ecology Center,” says Chojnacki. “Both of whom have wholeheartedly supported our efforts and our mission. They’ve offered their big spaces for us, because I can’t hold this in my apartment anymore. It’s grown to be much bigger as the community continues to grow here.”
And if you have a knee-jerk reaction to the descriptor “fat,” you’ll hear a lot of it at the Fat Body Hotties events. It’s a word the fat community has reclaimed, and now uses with pride.
“I hate using plus size because I’m not plus size, I’m fat,” says Chojnacki. “I’m using that word, I’m reclaiming that word, because it’s been so used against me and others in our community in such a negative way. I think most people in fat bodies would also agree with that. It’s a part of a bigger conversation about fat liberation.”
Mertes agress. “Community members are comfortable with reclaiming fat,” she says.. “Obviously, don’t try to use it in a demeaning way, but we’re happy with saying fat. You can say fat. Now we’re loud and proud about this, and we’re happy to be loud and proud.”
DESPITE THE NEARLY 70% of American women who wear size 14 and above, according to data found by Credence Research, finding cute and affordable size-inclusive clothing can be difficult.
“Fat Body Hotties was really made due to the lack of inclusive sizing and accessibility,” says Chojnacki. “When I say accessible, I mean affordable. When we’re looking at fat clothing, usually it’s going to [have a significantly higher] price [compared to straight sized] clothing.”
Lauren Downing Peters, Director of the Fashion Study Collection at Columbia College and author of Fashion Before Plus-Size: Bodies, Bias, and the Birth of an Industry calls that extra cost the “fat tax.” It’s an apt term for the companies that charge more for plus sized garments, with some charging up to 25% compared to the standard-size equivalents, according to CNN Style.
“A swapper came up to me and wanted to thank me,” says Chojnacki. “She told me she hadn’t gotten new clothes in 10 years. She found a swimsuit, her first in 15 years. So to be able to provide free clothing through this swap has been really rewarding.”
And though this issue exists in the retail space, it’s also a challenge in the second hand space. Often, thrift or vintage stores have only one rack dedicated to plus-sized clothing. That’s why a clothing swap can be so impactful.
“It’s really hard to go to a [thrift] store and not find your size,” says Nicole Gorlick, a swapper who attended the Fat Body Hotties event on Saturday. “I love the idea that you can walk into a space like this and you’ll find your size no matter what, versus, three or four items hanging down on a rack. So I just think it’s super important to have opportunities like this for people in bigger bodies, because we deserve cute, second hand stuff.”
The event was designed to be incredibly inclusive— a priority for organizers. “We thought very mindfully about making it very inclusive and accessible,” says Mertes. “Sometimes you think that just anyone can enjoy clothing swaps. But really, if you don’t think about specific differences, then not everyone’s going to actually be able to enjoy it.”
The event space included a wheelchair-accessible elevator, an ASL interpreter, outdoor areas for neurodivergent attendees needing a break, and racks of genderless clothing.
No item from the several racks and tables full of clothing will go to waste. What wasn’t swapped, and just donated, will be given to partnering organizations including Planned Parenthood, The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center and Ellingsworth Correctional Center, all of whom are in need of plus-sized clothes.
“It may sound silly to the average person that it’s difficult for some people to find clothes that fit them and help them feel good,” says Mertes. “The average person may not even think of it. But if you don’t have clothes that make you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to stay home, to isolate yourself. It’s so liberating [to have clothes you feel good in] and it makes you feel better about yourself and the world around you.
