@CURVYRAVEBABES IS BRINGING SOME MUCH NEEDED INCLUSIVITY TO RAVE FASHION

Despite the accepting and open nature of the rave community at large, it would be impossible to say that when it comes to size inclusivity in festival fashion, there isn’t any work that needs to be done. Though plus size ravers may not face active attacks online or at events, where festival fashion is concerned they are consistently ignored, and occasionally dismissed. With three thousand plus followers and counting, “Curvy Rave Babes” is attempting to right some of these wrongs.

Founded by twenty-two-year-old, Washington, DC-based raver Kylie, the account is a bastion of positivity in a social media space that is notorious for body shaming, provoking eating disorders, and a lack of body representation. Curvy Rave Babes highlights ravers size fourteen and up, giving them a platform that they have yet to find on major accounts that feature female ravers. “The response has been so positive,” Kylie said, “ I’ve had a lot of girls confide in me about how my page has helped them with their self-esteem.”

Kylie first began the page in 2017 after a series of earth-shattering events in her personal life left her craving a positive outlet. Though previously she had toyed with the idea of creating a platform for other curvy ravers, it took her reaching her lowest point to make the dream a reality. “In 2016 I found out that I was pregnant and in February of 2017 I had my daughter,” Kylie said. “Shortly after that her dad up and abandoned us and I was all alone. To make matters worse, I suffered severely from postpartum depression and often contemplated committing suicide.” The loss of freedom that came with being a new mom, coupled with the intense personal pressure she was feeling left her in a state of depression. Despite help and support from her friends and family, Kylie was left feeling Insecure about the state of her own life. She turned to social media, where she lived vicariously through her friends' posts. The feelings of inadequacy soon proved too much, and eventually, she was forced to make a difficult decision. After much deliberation, Kylie put her daughter up for adoption. “I found someone who was ready to have a baby, and he gave her a life I couldn’t,” she said. Though confident she had made the right decision, Kylie entered the new year in need of something positive. “As cliche as it sounds, I told myself I needed to do something in the new year that made me happy and gave my life new meaning, so I started CurvyRaveBabes.” Though she had no expectations for the account, it has gone on to exceed even her wildest dreams. CurvyRaveBabes…[has] opened up doors to so many awesome opportunities and friendships. There’s no greater feeling than knowing you’ve helped someone. As much as my followers thank me, I am forever indebted and filled with gratitude for them.” Kylie has gone on to be the much-needed voice of positivity and inclusivity that she wished she had heard in 2017.

The fashion industry as a whole has long had a precarious relationship with plus size women, however as the national average size has gone up, many have been forced to buckle and expand their size ranges. However, this change seems to have taken a little longer to take hold where rave wear is concerned.

The majority of rave wear brands stop at a large (US 10-12), and even these tend to run smaller than advertised. When asked about the lack of size inclusivity, Kylie had this to say, “To be honest, I feel very left out and quite frankly, offended. I know I’m just as beautiful as these women with slimmer figures and I find myself wondering why these companies only use one size for the most part or a model that isn’t truly plus sized. It’s infuriating. They are missing out on such a huge demographic. The average female is a size 14-16 so why isn’t this ever depicted in fashion?…”

The limited size ranges tend to become more overt when you delve into more unique and ‘trendy’ festival brands. In order to shop at smaller brands, plus size ravers often need to make custom requests for sizes over XL. While she says that the majority of such companies have been willing to work with her, Kylie has also experienced rejection. “usually the worst thing that happens to me is people telling me they can’t make my size. However, there was this one time where this one shop [that] completely ignored all of my messages and then proceeded to block me,” Kylie said.

This is not to say that some brands are not stepping up to the plate and taking on the challenge of expanding their size range. Though she notes it may be a little easier and more comfortable for plus size ravers to lean on bodysuits and other apparel from larger plus-size brands like Torrid or Gabi Fresh, there is something to be said for supporting smaller brands. Kylie went on to point out that making an investment in the small business that produce rave fashion is might act as a catalyst for the change we all wish to see when it comes to size inclusivity. “I think it’s so important for these ladies to understand that the money they are dishing out to these large companies could easily be used to support a smaller rave business [that] put love into their work to make sure you look magical on rave day.” The, unfortunately, the reality is that the majority of rave wear brands are small business that are only able to carry things which have a proven history of profitability. If curvy ravers don’t assert themselves in the marketplace, there is likely to be any change. “We need to be the change we want to see in the community. If we want brands to carry plus size [clothing] we need to buy it and wear it,” she said.

Ever one to become the change she wishes to see, Kylie recently participated in a photoshoot she organized with festival fashion brand “Rolita Couture” featuring all plus-size models. A longtime admirer of the brand Kylie reached out to founder Rosa Garcia about a few custom orders for her. “She typically makes clothing up to a size 2XL, but I am a size 3XL,” said Kylie. “She even went out of her way to give me a coupon code to save me money since I was making a big purchase. Just the fact that she was trying to save me money said a lot about her character. Following that purchase, she gave me a discount code for my followers and [me] to use.” The shoot came together quite quickly, but the connections she made and the experience of getting to model for her favorite brand had a huge impact on Kylie.

Kylie went on to highlight a few of the plus size ravers we should all be following on Instagram. “I love @misshalycon441 we talk all the time. She’s the sweetest person one could ever know. She always looks good and is on point with her fashion. I find myself trying not to repost all of her pics on Instagram or else she would be my entire feed.” Another front-runner was @lilravebae. “She slays every festival she goes to,” Kylie said of the festival fashionista. “We’re in talks about doing a shoot in January 2019, so keep your eyes peeled for that. She just recently started a business for rave wear accessories called Lethal Spice... And I can't forget about her partner in crime @niasmilez.”

When asked what advice she would give to any non-sample size ravers when they face the task of shopping for their first rave outfit she had this to say, “at some point, you have to love yourself and come to terms with who you are, [and] then work with what you got. Make a daring purchase because I can guarantee you won’t regret it. Challenge yourself to show off [your] curves and be you.”

Kylie is one of the many people who is actively working to make the occasionally dark place that is the internet a positive one for those who don’t conform to the traditional ‘beauty standards’ of the fashion industry as a whole. Though Curvy Rave Babes started as a way to bring herself back from a deep-seated depression it has grown into something much more. Kylie continuously mentioned how much it means to her when followers and people who have newly discovered her account will reach out to her to tell her that she has given them the confidence to enter the world of rave fashion without feeling self-conscious or alone. It was her last piece of advice that was the most impactful of all. All you have to do is take that first step and put yourself out there. You never know, you could be out, and someone may come up to YOU and tell you how much they appreciate you for shamelessly being you just because you are wearing what you want. It’s a beautiful cycle.”

Be sure to follow Kylie on her account @curvyravebabes on Instagram.

Be sure to follow Kylie on her account @curvyravebabes on instagram.