Here in Turkey there are two types of women, actually three types but we will get to that another day so just go with two types. Those who are fashionable and those who are not.
Back in Sydney I had a plethora of choices for shopping. My cup runneth over so to speak. But here in Mersin my cup is so dry it has cracked and turned to dust and I find myself wearing the same jeans day after day. After day. Why? Because I am a Rubenesque beauty. I am of abundance. I have a banging body and can shimmy like a star. Actually the real reason I am wearing the same pair of jeans day after day after day is because I am fat. Overweight. Plus + size and all that. I can say it. I am not proud of it but I will yell it from the roof top because that is me. I have boobs. They are good boobs. I have an ass. It is a fine ass. The Turk loves my fine ass but back to the problem at hand.
In Turkey fashion is designed for those women who are itsy-bitsy teen-weeny stick figurines (which I am not). Daughter can walk into pretty much every trendy shop in Mersin and find herself something amazing to wear. She hits Mavi, Berska, Pull & Bear or Zara with frequency and comes out with bags of items. I can wander around a shopping centre all day and find . . . nothing. It seems that if you are not the aforementioned stick creature then you should not be shopping at all. You should begin to purchase those baggy harem pants that elderly Turkish women wear (yes I own a pair).
Last weekend I went to The Forum with Daughter where I found myself sitting outside in the sunshine while Daughter went from shop to shop looking for the perfect outfit for her birthday party this weekend. Sure I could go with her but frankly it does my head in. I do not love shopping. I go shopping to purchase something and then I leave. The wandering up and down aisles and trying on dozens of items does not thrill me – at all. I am happy to sit outside in my jeans in the sunshine and people watch. Since it is now summer the young women of Mersin have thrown away their dignity and their modesty and are out and about in just about flipping anything. Tight jeans are a thing here now (actually they have always been a thing but I swear they are tighter than before). Denim on denim is a thing. Twinsies is a thing. Oh wait! Side boob is a thing here now. I don’t think side boob should be a thing at any time but nevertheless. Boob tubes, navel rings, inappropriately tight singlets. Boobs! Perky young boobs everywhere. Yikes! I spend all my time trying to teach Daughter that modesty and respecting your body is important and every single teenage girl is dressing like a hooker!
Jeeze I went off on a tangent again didn’t I? OK I am back. After Daughter finished we started to search for a few items for me. Actually just one item. A pair of jeans is all I am after. I am told by helpful skinny people that there are a few shops at The Forum that caters to us plus size beauties including Mango and W.C. Waikiki so Daughter and I visited a few of these shops in the hope of me grabbing a pair of jeans for my return trip Down Under. OMFG! It is obvious that designers in Turkey or perhaps Europe believe that plus size beauties do not deserve to be fashionable or perhaps plus size beauties deserve to pay three times as much as itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny women for the luxury of purchasing their items which are, honestly, less than stellar to begin with. I tried on at least five pairs of jeans in three different shops. Generally the jeans were uglier, baggier, hanging low in the crotch and saggy in the ass. I found a yellow pair that actually fitted me but they were yellow. Yellow! No one should ever wear yellow unless it is a safety vest!
*Sigh*
So I will continue to live with my one pair of jeans for the next two weeks until I get back to Sydney. Once there, I will shop (and eat bacon).
janeyinmersin 
That will make you enjoy Sydney more… and the bacon. I am a size 12 and went into a European boutique I think in France and they just looked at me and said not this store, shaking their heads!!! It was for people size 10 and under. I think it was in Bayeux, so you are right its a European thing!!! I would rather eat 🙂
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The funny thing is Daughter at 12 shops in the stores and is considered a EU small. She is 12! Who are these clothes really designed for?
When you wonder how children and young adults have so many issues with food and size it disturbs me the way the fashion industry encourages this stigma.
But yes I would rather eat – and eat bacon at that!
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hi there! i have nominated you for the very inspiring blogger award and you can find all the details here http://mariabrinkley.com/ congratulations! 🙂 Also well done on your increasing followers! Thanks for your insights on life in Turkey and for your kind words about my painting. it’s always encouraging! 🙂
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That is so frustrating!!! Going home to Sydney will I guess be all the sweeter. I didn’t expect Turkish girls to dress so tightly actually – I learned a few things today.
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All the shops sell midriff or skimpy stuff and Daughter is constantly asking to buy these. If she walked around in the village wearing any of these styles I am quite certain she would be stoned (just jokes).
I explain to her that these girls will grow up with self esteem issues as they feel they have to wear less than appropriate style to get attention.
It is hard to instill values into a stubborn 12 year old!
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It’s the same problem here in the UK. If you’re not a stick insect, you’ve got no chance, and the assistants look at you as if you’re from another planet.
Jeans are a farce. I bought a size 20 and they didn’t meet at the waist by at least four inches (I was actually an 18). It’s soul destroying which is why I too hate shopping for clothes. Also another reason why I bought 2 size 16 pairs last year, which are now too big, but if I go into a Fashion store, even their biggest size won’t fit me (and I’m on the cuddly side too) .
When I commented in one store that I had purchased something from another of their outlets that I was very pleased with, I was told to go back there! Letter of complaint to their head office, naming the individual, and I’ve never set foot in any of their shops since. (sorry for rant, but it’s a red rag to this Taurean!)
I’m a woman, with woman’s curves in most of the right places, but I do like your caption of having a fat heart. That can never be too big imo.
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I am a medium in the UK. In Turkey I range from large to XL depending on brand. I suppose it’s due to the time difference.
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Time difference lol!
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Unfortunately women are now expected to look like adolescent boys. This fashion is created by mostly gay male designers. Even our specialist shops for plus sizes here in Ireland make ugly poorly fitting clothes. I usually buy my clothes on line from ASOS. I have never bought an item of clothing in Turkey in the 13 years I have been travelling there. You can now have a huge splurge in the shops when you get to Oz. Happy days.
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I am the owner of the delightful turkish “Harem Pants” as we had to wear them on a visit to a village in Central Anatolia,(red, patterned, crutchline down to floor) apparently we were not allowed to show our ankles (as our’s did) and so we succumbed out of respect for the family we were staying with, even wore the headscarves on occasions, it was sooooo hot.
I never buy yellow as i have found that it attracts wasps and flies etc. especially in hot countries. so i am with you on that one.
Anyways, back on track. Maybe you could consider opening your own shop, you already have the name ~ ~ PLUS SIZE BEAUTY ~~ Or maybe ~ ~JEANS BY JANEY
Could even go the whole hog with logos on the back (THIS IS A FINE ASS) for the adventurous customers of course. lol.
You could combine it with an eatery and serve your delicious Dolmas and Pide etc.
thanks once again for your very entertaining post. it cheers me up everytime i read them.
Enjoy your trip home
kind regards Jan
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I love Asos, I got the most wonderful black top from there. Don’t buy from them very often though. A little pricey for me but I do let daughter splurge there once a year for her bday. That will no doubt be very shortly.
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Hey, don’t knock the harem pants. They are awesome. Very comfy. Lol. I have 2 pairs. Style seems to be for the young in Turkey. Girls and young women are generally skinny there, but once they pop out a kid or 2 (or 5), they plump out…a lot. Which makes me question where older women buy their clothes. Oh, wait, never mind, harem pants!
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OMG this sounds like me shopping in Italy! I am like the Amazon woman here. I don’t consider myself skinny or fat, however, I have tried on every single pair of jeans I can find in Florence and NONE of them would cover my butt…Oh I have a butt!
In the end my one pair of jeans wasn’t replaced until we went to NY where I bought MEDIUM and now I feel fabulous instead of fat…it’s bullshit!
We have 5 more sleeps- whoop whoop!!
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Firstly, you are tall!
Secondly, as an Italian – we all have big butts! What is going on with those Italian designers??
Thirdly, only 5 more sleeps??!!! I can’t believe a year has gone by. I just can’t believe it! Have a safe trip back. Enjoy Tassie and see you soon.
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It’s funny….I had a hard time buying clothes in Mexico.! I too am rubenesque 🙂 I think I purchased a skirt. Once. Otherwise I shopped at home. Good luck.!!
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That just crazy!
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Yes, the contrast here in Istanbul is either çok seksi or traditional Muslim trenchcoat. My wife and I love to see the contrast here between young women in tights/leggings/jeggings (that don’t leave much to the imagination) walking side by side with older women in long trenchcoats and say a leopard-print or Burberry-print headscarf and purple or blue New Balance gym shoes.
My wife, who is tall, and has a (I think) nice amount of junk in her trunk, has some difficulty finding jeans that fit. But one thing she has not been able to find in her size anywhere in Turkey is shoes. She wears a 41. She goes into a shoe store and when she asks for a size bigger than 40 they all say, “yok yok.”
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Hehe shoes are another story in itself.
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Hi, I have been reading your blog with interest and this one really resonated with me. I spent a couple of years in Turkey and I too am considered to be “Rubenesque”, I think the only item of clothing (and I’m not sure it can be considered clothing) I ever bought in Turkey was a sarong!!
The thing that baffled me though was although I was never going to meet the young female standard, I was never ever short of Turkish gentleman admirers. I am not sure if it was because I was so different from Turkish girls but I was always being approached, romanced, asked out, stalked, etc. And not only Turkish men, lots of older ladies would continuously chooch my chubby cheeks as well. Of course this is a generalisation and I am not saying that all men in Turkey like a bit of meat on their gals, but it is food …(mmm food!)… for thought 😉
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A bit of junk in the trunk.
A little meat on her bones.
A little cushion for the pushin’.
I can go on.
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I have yet to see any display of boobage around here, but I have seen more than my share of belly buttons and buttcheeks from girls as young as 12. I’ve noticed that few stores cater to curvy women. Finding flattering shirts is nearly impossible here. Have you tried to buy a swimsuit here? I couldn’t even type that without giggling. My Turkish bathing suit experience was humbling, to say the least lol. The woman who was “helping” me find a bathing suit looked at me with big bug eyes when I told her I needed a size 40. I just nodded, like, “Yeah, your country’s sizes are completely bogus and they would give a lesser woman major self-esteem issues. But I’m not that woman, so give me the 40!” Stock up in Australia while you can!
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Lol I had to laugh, nearly dropped my cay! Yes the sizing is unfortunate isn’t it? I should have incorporated that in my post (as a size 42 girl).
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I sure understand your frustration! And add to that Rubenesque physique: the different sizes and styles in our new countries. No thanks!! I take an extra suitcase when I travel to visit family in the States and buy the stuff I KNOW fits while there. Hope you enjoy your shopping in the familiar shops of Sydney! 🙂
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Daughter and I are taking empty suitcases, literally empty except for gifts for friends and family. Everything including undies and bras will be purchased in Sydney! I hope we don’t need a third suitcase but if we do, well so be it lol!!
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Perfect solution, and probably one that only other expats would really understand.
(Even with an extra suitcase, I usually end up shipping a box back too — cheaper than paying an airline for an overweight suitcase!)
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Smart, yes i will need to look at posting or cargo.
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Do you have Marks&Spensers? That’s where I shop. I find their sizes generous. We have a big one here in Kayseri Forum.
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There is one. I’ve never gone in to be honest. Will check it out!
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hi Jane, this made me laugh! sometimes i feel like this when I shop in sydney..!
Mid driffs and cut out dresses are in… oh, and side boob should never be a thing!!
The shops I missed the most when I was away were simple Big W/Target/and Westfield shops.. Hope you enjoy your trip back home!
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Target – you know you are going to get a pair of jeans that fit you and Big W – I love their $5 t-shirts!
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