"Pants That Fit Have a Big Impact on Well-being"

Style Questionnaire with Hilary Kinavey

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Oct 30, 2024

I first got to know Hilary Kinavey though slow fashion Instagram where I admired her sense of style. But when I learned about Hilary’s work as a therapist who trains clinicians and healthcare providers to work from a weight-inclusive lens, I admired her even more.

Hilary, 49, lives on a tiny lake outside Portland, Oregon. She is the cofounder of Center for Body Trust, coauthor of Reclaiming Body Trust, and hosts the Body Trust Podcast wit Dana Sturtevant and Sirius Bonner. Hilary also offers business mentorship and coaching programs for therapists and other service providers to diversify and grow their businesses.

What are you wearing right now?

I just changed out of a painted denim Humphries & Begg playsuit that I will love forever.

Now, I’m sitting on the couch with new to me, soft as can be, striped lounge pants by Ana + Zac (similar to 2x) that I just bought from Jen Turner on Instagram. I’m also wearing an Elizabeth Suzann Georgia snap top in lichen (I love this new style so much). I’ve also got on a soft Huha mineral bra and and a pair of their mineral briefs, which I mention because I don’t know if enough folks know about these. Unfortunately, their sizing only goes up to a 3x.

What was the last item of clothing you bought?

A Noble Adult Organic Waffle Top in Blanche's Kitchen Tile to wear under summer dresses in the Fall/Winter. Also, some Sabah shoes in dark green with blue star shapes on them. I love them and they are truly very comfortable.

If you had to wear a uniform (same thing every day) what would it be?

It’s a toss-up between an Ace & Jig Jan dress with clogs or boots and a pair of loose pants (State the Label Swayers or Elizabeth Suzann Florence pants) with a t-shirt and a sweater or light jacket (Jenny Pennywood Work/Play jacket, Ace & Jig Alexa cardi, or a wool topper from Revelle, most typically.) I always have a neck mess and usually earrings. My favorite earrings are from Norah Payne Metals, Tiro Tiro and Boet.

As a professional counselor, how do you think about getting dressed for your job?

My job has changed a lot since COVID because I don’t leave my house for work anymore. Everything happens on Zoom. I am not a very clinical or buttoned down therapist, so I wear whatever I want to work. I do love my clothes, so some days I’m in a favorite dress or jumpsuit and some days I’m in sweats & a sweatshirt (Aliya Wanek is my favorite) or a chambray button-down. Getting dressed in the morning is a creative outlet for me that is essential to who I am, and no amount of home body-ness is likely to change that.

You help people to reckon with disordered eating, dieting, body shame, and weight bias. How do you think clothes or getting dressed related to all of that?

Clothes can be aspirational and thus frustrating—they can ignite a lot of “not-enoughness” in us. Clothes, no matter how much we love them, can become a source of shame and self-blame. Access to clothing, especially over a size 3X, is so scarce. This exclusion feels so defeating and reinforces harmful narratives about body size. And that scarcity can make finding and buying clothing a full on second job.

Many of us hold on to smaller clothes as if they’re measuring sticks for our bodies, perpetuating a cycle that feeds disordered eating and dieting. It’s exhausting—and none of this is good for us. These narratives underlie so much self harm.

At Center for Body Trust, we often recommend that folks box up too small clothes and get them out of view, even if you aren’t ready to get rid of them. It is also so triggering to wear clothes that are too tight—so pants and underwear that fit have a big impact on wellbeing, even if you don’t want to buy a bigger size. We put together a “Bad Body Day Toolkit” that you can grab here.

What enrages me the most is how the fashion industry continues to ignore the deep-seated anti-fat bias that drives these exclusions. They claim cost as a justification for not being inclusive, but it’s hard to believe that the math is truly a problem. Most of us are desperate for more options and are used to going to lengths to find it. It feels like a convenient excuse to uphold harmful biases, and it’s maddening to see how there is no accountability.

I want us to have the chance to appreciate and affirm fashion expression for fat folks. And I want that to be coupled with holding fashion more accountable from people of all sizes.

Where did you get clothes as a kid? Describe a favorite childhood outfit.

I was a Bay Area kid, so for me it was often Mervyn’s or sometimes Macy’s. For my 12th birthday my mom gave me pink stirrup pants with a long sweatshirt with pink and silver hearts all over it. I think this is the first time I felt really STYLISH because stirrup pants were newly ALL THAT. And the joy of that sensation REALLY stuck in me. It’s still a really good feeling.

Tell me about an item of clothing that you wear only to do a specific activity.

I live in the PNW so it is Hunter Boots and my Alder raincoat for dog walks, most days in the Fall/Winter/Spring.

What did you wear to the last party or event you attended?

We recently held a gathering of Body Trust Specialists in Portland. I wore one of my favorite Ace & Jig Zoe jumpers in the super soft Derby fabric. I layered an Eileen Fisher linen shirred back top that I’ve had forever over the top with a vintage leather belt (you can usually find long vintage belts on Etsy) and french tucked the top.

My business partner Dana and I had a a book release party when Reclaiming Body Trust was published and I wore the prettiest Rachel Comey dress. I love this picture of us that evening.

Tell me about an experience that changed your relationship to clothing or getting dressed.

Giving up on trying to change my body, embracing body liberation and my own body, and owning my own obsession with clothes, fashion, image, etc.

And, honestly and maybe a little unfortunately, the expansion of sizing within the sustainable fashion world. Having brands like Ilana Kohn, State the Label, Elizabeth Suzann, and Ace & Jig expanding sizes (owning my privilege here as a 2x) gave me a chance to dress in a way that I LOVED and felt so exciting. Getting dressed in an expressive and VERY ME way got so much easier, more exciting, and fun. So grateful for them and so heartbroken to see so many of the wonderful makers who extended sizing closing. It’s pretty heartbreaking.

Tell me about an accessory or piece of clothing that you lost or ruined but still think about.

I used to have a vintage gold suede-ish oversized jacket that I wore every day in my twenties. I have do idea when or why I got rid of it. I still want to wear it most days.

What’s your fall 2024 must have?

I would love to find a vintage sateen army jacket or pants that fit me. Same with a replacement suede vintage jacket, maybe with some fringe this time. If anyone knows of a source for bigger sized vintage army stuff I’d love to know.

I’m going to try a pair of newly released wide-calf campus boots from Frye. Fingers crossed! I’ve coveted them since the early 90’s. Also, join my campaign to get Frye to stock wide calf in the “banana” leather! Thanks.

I’m also very curious about the denim pieces that Revelle is making for Fall. I will always, always gravitate towards denim pieces.