What It Feels Like to Shop for Size 20 While Living Abroad

The sinking reality in women’s fashion is that there are clothing designers that do not provide their wares in sizes beyond a certain range, making shopping a daunting task for some. An expat living in the United Kingdom shared her own struggles with shopping while living abroad and provides tips for other women looking for larger-size items.

Jonatha Kottler penned a revealing piece for the Guardian in which she shared details of her journey in fashion for larger sizes. In 2012, Kottler, her husband, and their 16-year-old son uprooted themselves from Albuquerque and moved to Amsterdam. Kottler was self-aware enough to know that at U.S. size 20 (U.K. size 24), she might find it difficult to shop for comfortable and cute clothes. Kottler discovered in Holland that so-called plus-size fashion is an afterthought in the country, and she even endured ridicule over her weight from some salespeople.

Kottler’s family then moved to Scotland, but they had to return to the U.S. to find suitable clothing to bring to the family’s new home. While Kottler admitted that Scotland was more conducive to a healthier lifestyle, due to the family not owning a car and walking a lot, there was still the pesky need to shop in her size.

Joining a pair of writer friends, Kottler took to the streets of Scotland for an elusive pair of larger-sized jeans. While the jaunt was not hugely successful, Kottler discovered that some clothes in her size could be found, depending on the item, and that shopping online was a better option.

Kottler was candid about her weight loss and gain, and noted that living in Scotland has allowed the family to get their daily 10,000 steps in. Still, Kottler maintained that however difficult the task in finding clothes in larger sizes might be, there is still hope with patience, diligence, and a healthy dose of confidence.

Read Kottler’s story and tips for larger-size shopping.

Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:

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