Woman claims fashion made her fat, blames loose tops and stretchy jeans for gaining half stone

I've heard a lot of ridiculous excuses for women gaining weight, but this takes the cake: Francesca Gavin claims that it's fashion that made her gain half a stone. Last time I checked, that was the reason for women to want to lose - not gain - weight, but what do I know. Gavin writes in The Times that it's because of the past seasons trends of "blouson tops, extra-stretch jeans, boyfriend sweaters and dresses that wouldn't look out of place on a maternity rail" that caused her to accidentally pack on a whole half a stone.

However, for those of you who are worried that wearing a light, flowy top is going to make you fat - apparently fashion can help you lose weight, too! In her article Fashion Made Me Fat, Gavin describes that shopping for restrictive -if not too tight - clothing help her shed her access *fat*. Apparently Gavin has never heard of a fucking gym.

Why go to the gym or eat more veg or take responsibility for your weight gain when you can simply blame it on Sienna Miller for making boho-chic trendy! Why purchase a pair of running shoes and some apples when you can just go out and buy the tightest pencil skirt you can find, as Gavin puts it: "Eating is hard if your stomach is bound by fabric."

One of the commenters at The Times Online agrees with Gavin by saying that, "I think it makes sense - if you can't feel your clothes straining and you can't see the extra kilos, no wonder you keep on eating." Hmmm, I don't know. It's called a scale. It's called looking at yourself naked in the mirror. It's called not being such a blind follower of all the latest if not unflattering fashion trends.

For the record, eating too much, (drinking too much) and not exercising enough are the reasons for gaining weight. Not stretchy jeans.

This article irritates me so much because women already have a seriously fucked up view about what healthy really means. We have entire magazines and websites dedicated to ridiculous workout regimes and diet plans, and women writing in national newspapers about how their fucking clothes made them gain weight isn't helping matters. I'm sure Gavin would argue that her article was "tongue in cheek" or to be taken with a "pinch of salt", but I say that we're too far passed that. I mean, come on, Fashion Made Me Fat? Give me a break.

Cate Sevilla is a freelance writer in London and regular contributer to Dollymix.

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