Like most New Jersey teens, I spent an inordinate amount of time at the mall. But, for however much it was a place for fun and inspiration, I experienced an equal amount of sadness there. All I wanted was to be able to stroll into Delia's and Contempo Casuals and walk out with armfuls of shopping bags like my slimmer friends. If I was “lucky,” I might find one stretchy, oversized top that yielded to my equally oversized curves, but more often than not, I left empty-handed with a mind full of insecurities. I would have committed unspeakable acts to be able to walk into a store that catered to my thicker teen frame, but every “plus-size” shop in my area was for moms and grannies. Thankfully things have massively improved, and 2016 teens need not settle for matronly muumuus like I once did, especially now that new plus brand Lovesick has launched.
Launched by the same team behind Torrid, Lovesick is the free-spirit little sister of the edgier, older brand. “Lovesick is a ‘pure play’ brand for girls who want the latest trends: bomber jackets, bodysuits, camo-everything, patched denim, chokers, [and] more,” explained VP of Marketing, Lisa Stanley. Although obviously anyone can shop Lovesick, the brand is directed towards curvy teenage girls who want to wear the latest fast-fashion trends their straight-size friends have no problems finding. Although there are several brands that offer a limited selection for plus-size teen girls online and sometimes in-store, there’s never been an entire store devoted to that demographic until now. Not only is Lovesick filling a void for sizes 10-26, it’s doing so in an affordable way, as everything tallies up under $59.
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Such a young, fun brand obviously needs an equally young and fun brand ambassador, so it’s no surprise that they tapped rising plus-size model Jordyn Woods as the face of Lovesick. With 1.5 million followers on Instagram and the title of Kylie Jenner’s BFF, Woods is a body-positive icon to teens around the world, inspiring a new generation to love themselves as they are. “Growing up I wasn’t the most confident person,” Woods exclusively told us. “But over time, I grew to love myself because what I understood was that my individuality and my body was the greatest gift I’m given, so really, it gets better, and never let anyone tell you you can’t do something.”
Woods’ positive mindset and sense of style is what drew Lovesick to the social media favorite, who has been featured on the site and in-store since its first campaign. “I have been with Lovesick since the beginning of my career,” Woods explained. “The first campaign I shot [with them] was actually my first job ever that I booked as a model, and we’ve kind of just grown together...And it’s so awesome to be a brand ambassador for [Lovesick]. They represent me and my brand very well, and just the fact that they provide young and trendy clothes for girls my age. A lot of brands don’t have clothing for that size range [that is] still age appropriate.” Stanley echoed Woods’ sentiments, saying “She's our girl. Young. Curvy. Confident. A Major Influencer. She shot her first photo shoot with us on our first Lovesick shoot and it was the perfect fit. That's why we joined forces with her to tell our story — that girls of all shapes and sizes deserve to wear what they want; to look good and feel good about themselves. That's why we love her. That's who we are.”
If the massive turnout at the store event in the West Covina location was any indication, this match is clearly made in fashion-girl heaven. The line just to enter the official launch stretched outside the mall, with most eager shoppers lining up hours before the opening to secure their spot to meet Woods and shop the new designs. But you don’t need to worry about a mile-long queue, as you can shop Lovesick at any of their 23 locations or online.
My teenage self would be so happy. Indulge your inner teen and click through to see some shots from the launch party and some of our favorite Lovesick designs.