“I never could fit in the 0-14 size range that stores exclusively sell” owner of Wander + Cloth, Laura Graziose, admits. Most stores hide their plus size options on a cluttered rack in the back of the store, if they even have one. Some people are able to pick one or two pieces off the plus size rack, but most of the time they leave without having found an entire outfit.
Laura Graziose is sick and tired of the lack of variety and representation in plus size fashion. She never felt portrayed at the big fashion chains like Forever 21 or Lululemon. She felt embarrassed every time she made her way past the extravagant displays at the frontline, and into the back where the plus sized rack was. It was almost as if these stores are punishing people for being plus sized.
Graziose works in telecommunications as a support supervisor, yet she always had a passion for fashion, having worked at GAP through college. Recently, she decided she had enough of the dirty looks from sales people and spending time in dark dim corners of stores. She was going to open her own plus size online boutique.
Graziose opened Wander + Cloth in December of 2020. She sources all of her own clothes online and makes sure all of her customers are represented on her website. Her site starts at a size 1XL and goes up to 3XL. Even the jewelry on Wander + Cloth has longer chains for those who find a 16” chain too tight. Graziose has thought of the things that major retail brands often forget.
Graziose is excited for the future of Wander + Cloth. She hopes to collaborate with more local shops and businesses in 2021. Reach out to her on her Instagram and she will always help with any styling questions or any other questions about her website that you may have. Like her store mantra says, ‘explore fashion, and find purpose’ and never let size be the reason you cannot express yourself.
Written by Siena Christopherson, March 30, 2021