The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Thursday, April 4, 1968 — Calling themselves The Round 8, Bulawayo’s “big girls” are on the march.

Continually frustrated at not being able to get clothes to fit them, they have formed a club to try to get theirvoiceheard in the City’s fashion centres.

Dresses, bras, corsettes, stockings, shoes,they are all beyond-or under – their reach, claim the women.

But now, thanks to Mrs Pat Jackson,who sports 232lb evenly distributed on a 5ft 7inch frame-48-40-49-help is on the way.

She has formed the club, which has more than 50members, ranging from farmers’ wives to businesswomen.

It all began with a women’s feature in the pointing out the plight of large women.

Mrs Jackson and her fellow sufferers were on the phone like a shot and we managed to get them all together.

‘It is high time something was done for the larger women”, said Mrs Jackson who has already arranged appointments with stores and a dress factory to state her case.

This weekend, she will be meeting fashion buyers and a dress manufacturer and on Sunday morning at her home in Albany Road, Tegela,Mrs Jackson will be holding a conference with the other club members.

“I am hoping stores will realise how badly off we are now”, said Mrs Jackson. “They are trying to make us look twice our age”. Mrs Jackson said the main answer she had been given by stores was that stocking large size clothes was not economic because of the small demand. “Any store that laid on special facilities for large women would make a fortune”, said Mrs. Jackson.

If they cannot persuade stores to give them special treatment then Mrs Jackson said they would contemplate opening a contract with local dressmakers.

Anyone wanting to join the club can contact mars Jackson at Bulawayo, Tel 84729. Chronicle