There’s one XL problem with Molly-Mae Hague’s new clothing line

When I first saw that Molly-Mae Hague’s new clothing line Maebe would go up to a 4XL I was pleasantly surprised.

Clothing brands should absolutely be championing body positivity by offering inclusive sizing for all. I don’t even know why it’s a question.

But then I re-read the Instagram story, and my heart sank.

Apparently, in Maebe’s world, a 4XL equates to a UK size 20. Not only is that utterly ridiculous, it’s dangerous.

I’ve long said I’m a bit of a failure as a stereotypical ‘girly girl’: I can’t curl my own hair, I can’t do my nails alone, and despite my best efforts, I’ve never mastered winged eyeliner. 

As for shopping, there’s nothing I enjoy less than having to try on clothes – and not just because of harsh changing room lighting.

It seems to me that no two retailers – be they high street, high end or online stores – are capable of agreeing on just exactly what it means to be a certain size. In fact, I’ve lost count of the times when, while out shopping, the clothes that fit me have fluctuated dramatically in size. 

Most recently, while shopping for holiday clothes, I went into New Look, River Island, Zara and Hollister and came out with items in sizes ranging from 14-18 and L-2XL. 

Fine, I came away with nice new jeans, dresses, tops, skirts (and a seriously depleted bank balance), but as someone who has struggled with an eating disorder, her weight and body confidence for most of her life, it was also incredibly triggering.

The euphoria I’d felt at fitting in a size 14 from All Saints was quickly squashed when I needed to size up twice in the next shop. 

It made me feel like all the work I’d been doing on myself, to heal my relationship with food and my body had all been pointless. Frankly, I felt a bit worthless.

And it wasn’t just me that left that shopping spree downhearted, my mum (who at 55, generally wears a size 12-14) was affected too.

She was also shopping for a wedding guest dress and she struggled to fit in a size 16 or 18 in Coast, Phase Eight and Reiss and ultimately left empty handed. Then, on the journey home, she talked endlessly about ‘getting back on track’ with weight loss.

It shouldn’t have been like that.

As Givenchy once said: ‘The dress must follow the body of a woman, not the body following the shape of the dress’. Or, to put it more simply, clothes are meant to fit you, you aren’t meant to fit the clothes.

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I’ve even said it myself to friends countless times before – literally no one else knows what size you wear so we should not let those little numbers or letters on the label have so much power over us.

But I also know that, when society perceives anyone as size 14 or above as ‘plus-size’ regardless of the fact that the average UK woman is a size 16, it can be easier said than done to ignore the label.

Studies have found that the size of clothes impacts the way people feel towards their body, with 88% of people saying it has a detrimental impact on body image and self-esteem.

Certainly for me, there was a time in my life where I equated the size of my clothes to my deservedness of love and success.

While I can look back now and know that was categorically not true, at the time I had such a deep rooted belief that being a size 18/20 or an XXL made me unappealing that it was just easier to hide away in baggy jumpers and jogging bottoms than to try.

The ‘pretty clothes’, the little black dresses and crop tops weren’t for me. I was not the target audience. I was not good enough.

I know that won’t be everyone’s experience but it is mine and it’s been something I’ve been working on personally.

So to suddenly have someone with as big a following and influence as Molly-Mae now contributing to the problem with ridiculous sizing guides, is not only maddening but hugely disappointing.

Maebe was always going to be popular – and that’s been proven with the fact the initial launches sold out in 24 minutes – but Hague had a chance here to create a brand that was going to turn fashion on its head.

She could have created a line that was not only great quality, but truly inclusive to all sizes, shapes and body types.

Instead, I worry it’s going to leave a whole new generation of girls – because, let’s face it, the largest portion of her customers are going to be younger girls – believing a 12 is a large size to be. What good is that possibly going to do?

To add insult to injury, when I heard that Hague herself wears an XL or 2XL (effectively a 14 or 16) in jeans from her own brand, I genuinely wanted to scream. 

At most, she is a size 10, and while I know she’s probably gone for that size to illustrate an oversized fit, surely that’s only going to feed people’s insecurities about being ‘bigger’?

It doesn’t feel like true representation – if anything it feels insulting and like plus-sizes are once again being erased.

But it’s not just me who feels this way; plenty of Mae’s followers also called out the new brand for its lack of inclusivity.

One user on X wrote: ‘Molly-Mae launching a clothing line where a size 16 is considered a 2XL in 2024 is beyond grim’, while another simply said: ‘I’m sorry but what the f**k is this Molly-Mae?’

Over on TikTok I watched as two girls looked through the site’s clothes genuinely appalled at the sizing. ‘This is the sort of thing that makes you think you need a gastric band’, they said. 

And on Instagram one comment said: ‘Does make me quite sad that a UK size 12 is marked as a “large”.’ It got nearly 700 likes.

Mae has always been celebrated for her relationship with her fans and I really don’t believe this is the impact she wanted her brand to have.

Unfortunately though, for some, the sizing has left a bitter taste in their mouths. And while it’s too late to undo the launch, I hope that Molly-Mae and Maebe take these very valid reactions into consideration.

I hope that the brand rethinks its sizing, perhaps it’ll even do away with the whole 2XS-4XL labelling altogether and just let women shop a size that they are familiar with.

I’d like to see them expand the range to include the plus-size girlies properly and show that in the pictures – we want representation for all bodies.

Because if there’s one thing I’m sure of it’s that Maebe isn’t going to go anywhere anytime soon. So let’s make sure that the impact it has is a good one and that everyone has a chance to shop on site and feel good about themselves while doing so.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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