If the clothes don't fit, the clothes are wrong.
You're not wrong.
Your body is never wrong.
When folks are shopping here at Cake,
I want everyone to feel as safe as possible.
This is a place where you can be yourself.
To not have a scarcity mindset, to know
that there are things here that are going to work for you.
I want folks here to have fun, because of what's
available to them here.
And also just because of our vibe.
Growing up as a plus size person,
it was really tough for me to find
clothes that worked for me.
In 2014 I had clothes to sell and I
thought, before I sell these online,
let me just see if anyone I'm connected to in my social media
networks is interested in these items.
And in a weekend, I made $300.
And even more importantly, got to connect with lots
of people around clothes.
But really, that moved into more conversations
about body positivity and fat liberation.
And I thought, I am onto something.
I went from a little Facebook page, to a website,
to a better website, and then doing pop ups.
And in fall 2017, Cake Plus Size Resale as we know it opened.
And I'm looking forward to growing.
When you come to Cake, you'll find lots of plus size
clothing, accessories too.
Here, all of the clothing starts at size extra large.
We go from XL to 4XL, and then sometimes 5-6 XL,
if we can find it.
We also have styles for all genders here.
And in terms of accessories, wide with shoes
are one of the most exciting.
The space itself is really set up to just--
for folks to be comfortable here.
Things aren't so close together, as to be difficult to shop.
Really roomy, wonderful fitting rooms that are comfortable.
I just really have created a space with plus size people
in mind.
I think so often we're an afterthought.
And it's really nice to be able to have
a space dedicated to those of us living in larger bodies.
In a world where plus size folks are often
forced to go online to find things,
Cake is really the antidote to that.
We have so much stuff here from so many different brands
represented.
And allow folks the opportunity to really try things on.
If I could have been shopping here when I was younger,
oh my gosh.
How more full my life would have been as a young person.
What I've really loved about having a brick and mortar shop
is the ability to connect with people even deeper.
But there's something special about being in the store,
being able to have those conversations with folks.
It's also just a joy to hear people in the fitting rooms,
trying stuff on and finding stuff that works for them.
And it's just so cool to be able to hear
people experiencing Cake for exactly what I
wanted to create here.
Something I didn't really expect about being a shop owner
is just the ability to be present in people's lives.
When someone comes in looking for an outfit for an interview,
and then they come back a couple of weeks later
and they're like, "I got the job.
I need more clothes."
It's just the very, very greatest feeling.
To me inclusive design is everybody
getting what they need.
If the most marginalized, the folks
who are most often left out, if they're prioritized, then
by default, everyone gets what they need.
What I've really enjoyed seeing from Target in the recent years
is the plus sized sections have had
more prominence in the store.
And not only sometimes where they're
situated in the store, but also the displays.
And especially the mannequins.
And I will talk forever about this.
I love the plus size mannequins at Target.
They've gotten bigger and bigger over the years.
To the point where I'm like, shopping, looking, like,
what size is that mannequin?
And truly, recently I saw a mannequin.
And I was like, this mannequin looks like my size.
Their mannequins lately are much bigger.
And I just--
Oh my gosh.
I could not--
I can't get enough of it.
It's one of my very favorite things.
I want everyone to remember that you
don't need to change yourself or change your body
to get access to what you need.
You have the right to be able to shop somewhere
where you feel seen.
You have the right to be able to wear great clothes
and feel good about what you're wearing.
That's something that everyone deserves.