Robin Givhan, the Washington Post‘s longtime fashion critic, is known for her level-headed writing style that elevates what could easily be considered a frivolous topic by fashion’s non-believers. In her Sunday column, she addressed the on-going saga about size-ism in the industry:

Fashion doesn’t just reject the overweight and the obese. It also gives the average a hard time, too; it makes them worry about every cookie eaten at the end of a meal or every exercise commitment that goes unmet. Fashion is a test of willpower and determination. It is a measure of good fortune. It is a purveyor of status. It is a badge of honor for having outrun, outfasted saddlebags — unless, of course, they are floral-printed and made by D&G. Those who can indulge in fashion — and do — feel their prize is that much more valuable.

A moment in pop culture history comes to mind that underscores that value system. When Oprah Winfrey appeared on her talk show in 1988 looking startlingly thin after a liquid diet and wearing a pair of size 10 Calvin Klein jeans, she joked that because they were fancy designer jeans, they were really more like a size 8. The implication, of course, was a size 8 was an even better result.

In light of Donatella Versace’s recent comments about why she won’t do a plus-size collection, Givhan’s column is a timely read.