Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Gone Is The Flaming Heart And With It Torrid's Soul

I knew Torrid was making changes. The Torrid nearest to me recently moved from the Arlington Parks Mall to the Arlington Highlands shopping center, but it wasn't just the location that changed. Gone were the sensuous purple walls and boudoir lighting, gone were the gothic black decorations that brought it all together, even after the product went through a drastic change years ago. At least it was still Torrid, and to all the plus-size alternative girls, Torrid represented the hope that we were visible long before blogs and selfies.



I remember the first time I stepped foot into the Torrid at the Parks Mall: I wanted the store to be my room. I wanted ever piece to be part of my wardrobe, and because the sizes started at 12 rather than going up to 12, it was a very plausible desire. Sadly, I only had enough money for one thing so I was content to buy these platform Mary Janes that I've kept to this day.

platform Mary Janes

But the stark white walls and boutique-style decorations told me that there just weren't enough of us. Plus-Size & Alternative is just too small a niche - but Plus-Size & Fashionable, that's where the money lies. At my local store, I see it in the way the majority of the merchandise now represents Forever 21 rather than Hot Topic. I see it in the way the store clerks are more fashion-hipster than goth-alt (though there's still this one girl who looks like a rock star).

The rebranding actually started about a year ago, so why talk about it now? First, my girlfriend noted the surprising lack of goth-y clothing when she shopped during Black Friday. Maybe they hadn't restocked for Black Friday, maybe my girlfriend got there a little late, but honestly we noticed the change in merchandise and have been mourning since Torrid changed its logo. The old burning heart was, in my opinion, a direct reference to tattoos which, in turn, were an acknowledgement to the edgy, alternative girls that made up Torrid's core market.


Second, this Bitchtopia article popped up on my Tumblr which helped justify my resentful feelings towards the retailer: "Torrid Has Rebranded to Be Just Another Plus Size Store That Sucks". The author recently went for an interview at her local Torrid store and was informed by the manager that they "want someone to walk into our store and see what they see on the cover magazines." I share her reaction in that there's already stores like that with same sexy, fashion aesthetic:



I concede there's not many retailers that solely cater to plus-size girls, and of these retailers, only about half are fashion forward. There's a need for what Torrid is doing. I still like a lot of what they have (for instance the sequin jacket above or my girlfriend's lovers tarot tee), but in "growing up with their costumers," they kind of lost their soul.

Torrid store image via aredesignawards.com, it's not my old store but pretty damn close. Fashion images via Torrid.com.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

I agree :-)

Unknown said...

tác hại của lá vối tươi
Hạt đình lịch mua ở đâu
Cây tầm gửi trên cây gạo có tác dụng gì
Bị chim ỉa vào người là điềm gì
Sáo trúc bao nhiêu 1 cây
Tác dụng của hoa atiso xanh
1 cây vàng 24k nặng bao nhiêu kg
Làm gì khi bạn gái có thai ngoài ý muốn

تاج للخدمات المنزلية said...



شركة تاج لكشف تسربات المياه بالدمام والخبر 0551844053والقطيف
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالقطيف
شركة عزل اسطح بالخبر
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالخبر
شركة كشف تسربات المياه ببقيق
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالدمام
شركة انشاء وصيانة مسابح بالخبر والقطيف
شركة مكافحة حشرات بسيهات
شركة تنظيف مساجد بالدمام والخبر
شركة رش دفان بالدمام
شركة مكافحة النمل الابيض بالقطيف


تاج للخدمات المنزلية said...



شركة المثالية للتنظيف بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف المنازل بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف الشقق بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف المجالس بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف الفلل بالدمام
شركة المثالية لرش المبيدات بالدمام
شركة المثالية لمكافحة الحشرات بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف البيوت بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف السجاد بالدمام
شركة المثالية لتنظيف الكنب بالدمام




Tuấn Phạm said...

bạn đang có nhu cầu mua căn hộ? Bạn muốn tìm căn hộ cho thuê? Bạn muốn tìm căn hộ vào ở ngay liên hệ:
căn hộ oriental plaza
dự án căn hộ vincity quận 9
căn hộ centa park
căn hộ lakeview tower quận 12
căn hộ lancaster lincoln quận 4
dự án căn hộ sunshine avenue quận 8
căn hộ kingdom 101 tô hiến thành
phần mềm quản lý nha khoa miễn phí
dịch vụ khắc dấu hcm
giỏ quà tết ở bình dương
căn hộ oriental plaza

Nguyen Tuyet said...

Hãy chọn mua cho mình những chiếc xe oto đẹp nhất để khỏi bị nắng, mưa. Đến ngay với Hyundai Vĩnh Phúc
để được tư vấn về những dòng xe mới nhất, tốt nhất dành cho các bạn. Bạn cũng có thể tham gia mua xe oto tra gop o vinh phuc
để nhận được nhiều ưu đãi hoặc cũng có thể chọn cho mình chiếc Hyundai i10 với giá rất mềm

Bệnh viện ĐKQT Thu Cúc said...

sau sinh mổ ăn bắp được không
Chậm kinh bao lâu thì siêu âm thấy thai
Quan hệ sau khi mổ thai ngoài tử cung
sau sinh mổ ăn khoai lang được không

ركن كلين said...

اسعار تنظيف المنازل بالرياض
شركة تنظيف فلل بالرياض
شركة تنظيف كنب بالرياض
شركة تنظيف موكيت بالرياض
شركة تنظيف واجهات بالرياض
شركة تنظيف خزانات بالرياض
شركة تنظيف مسابح بالرياض

reda gamal 01220689236 said...

Taslik Mujari Company in Riyadh and Cleaning Baysar Al Zuhoor Group is one of the best companies providing all the services in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabiaشركة ترميم منازل بالرياض
شركة دهانات بالرياض
.شركة تسليك مجاري بالرياض
شركة تنظيف بيارات بالرياض
شركة عزل فوم بالرياض
شركة كشف تسربات المياه بالرياض
شركة صيانة كهرباء بالرياض
شركة تمديد الغاز المركزي بالرياض






Unknown said...

Phẫu thuật cắt bỏ ngón thừa

https://datlichbacsi.com/phau-thuat-thay-khop-goi/

Phẫu thuật thay khớp vai

Love Slave Ngok said...

Công Ty CP Truyền Thông Và Thương Mại Nguyễn Hoàng:

- MaiL: vanvuong909@gmail.com

- Hotline: 0966.220.391

- Skype: vanvuong21

- Văn Phòng: 195 Bạch Mai – Hai Bà Trưng – Hà Nội

Website: http://hoangpr.vn/

Empor said...

sexy women jeans beautiful

Empor said...

online shopping store is best way to buy online as you like