Tucked away in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall (233 Ottawa St. North) is Dollywood Plus Vintage, a vibrant pink, Dolly Parton-bedecked, oasis of vintage fashion and body acceptance. It is owned and operated by Jessie Goyette, who is a vocal advocate for the plus size community. Last year, Goyette organized the Hamilton Plus Size Flea Market and received overwhelmingly positive feedback.
This past summer, Goyette applied for a booth in the Hamilton Antique Mall. She was accepted almost immediately, and she says the response has been incredible.
“I had people coming in and buying up everything. I had people messaging me, telling me how this is something that they’ve never seen before or been a part of and how there’s no spaces explicitly for plus size people that are run by independent folks in Hamilton, or even in the area in general. Especially focusing on vintage. That pushed me to keep doing it,” said Goyette.
While the body positive movement is slowly gaining traction, there are still many spaces that do not offer options for plus sized people. Having to choose from a tiny selection of ill-fitting clothing is all too common, particularly for anyone looking to express themselves through fun and innovative fashion. Additionally, having only plus-sized options reinforces the narrative that plus sized bodies should be hidden away. Dollywood Plus Vintage looks to battle that narrative through body acceptance and positivity.
“It isn’t just about clothes, and selling clothes. It’s about paying attention to a group of people that are just as deserving to express themselves the way they want to, and embody themselves in whatever way they choose,” said Goyette.
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For Goyette, body positivity means celebrating plus-size bodies.
“I think fat bodies in particular are often devalued or seen as bad. It’s important to acknowledge that people with fat bodies are desirable and worthy of anything that anybody else with a body is. Regardless of their health, regardless of how you whether or not you perceive them to be living healthy or not, that doesn’t matter. I think it’s a human right to be able to express yourself and feel comfortable with who you are, and not be made to feel uncomfortable about the space you take up with your body,” said Goyette.
Going forward, Goyette plans to expand beyond clothing. Zines, buttons, patches and stickers are all in progress.
“I want to have different types of media, literature and art that explicitly speak to the experience of plus sized people in Hamilton,” said Goyette. She hopes that this will foster a sense of community and acceptance that isn’t always easy to find.
Dollywood Plus Vintage itself is bright and happy. Any spots not filled with unique clothes are covered with pictures of Dolly Parton, the Grammy award-winning country singer. The VHS copy of Steel Magnolias rests next to zines and patches. Goyette says that Parton’s song “Wildflowers” in particular speaks to her.
“Wildflowers are still really beautiful despite them not being the norm. They have the capacity to thrive and to overcome anything, regardless of where they are. That, to me, was something that carried over to the fat experience. Much like the wildflower, fat bodies are beautiful in their own way and are dynamic and able to bounce back from anything that society might throw at them,” said Goyette.
Dollywood Plus Vintage has only just begun, and if the initial response is anything to judge by, it will be around for a very long time. Goyette hopes that one day we will live in a world where there’s no need to have an article about a plus sized store because, hopefully by then, it will be so normal. Until then, Goyette’s store can be found in the basement of the Hamilton Antique Mall at stall 01L, and is well worth a look.
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The sun shone through the glass windows of a small family-run restaurant in Hamilton’s east end, bouncing off metallic clothing racks and bright yellow walls. What once was Donairs At Gage had transformed into a Plus Size Flea Market for a Saturday afternoon.
Shoppers poured in and out of the former restaurant, rummaging through fashion forward pieces and unique plus-size finds, including a vintage red rain jacket that caught a few eyes.
A DJ played music throughout the busy afternoon as shoppers posed for photos with pineapple-shaped balloons in front of a cheerful lemon-printed backdrop. Jessie Goyette walked from booth to booth, making sure her event was the warm and welcoming experience she had hoped for.
The Plus Size Flea Market was one of the first of its kind. Several marketplaces have been popping up around Hamilton, but Goyette felt that they always had limited sizing or didn’t carry pieces that suited her. She knew others felt the same way.
Goyette is very active in the Hamilton community. She’s an advocate, artist and current Leadership in Community Engagement student at McMaster University and founder of Safer Gigs Hamilton. Naturally, she decided to take matters into her own hands and carve out a space to celebrate plus-size fashion.
In a matter of three weeks, Goyette seamlessly put together the entire event. Around 10 vendors were present, including well-known names such as White Elephant and Girl on the Wing, with a selection of pieces size 10 and up.
Edencole Dresses, located on Ottawa and Cannon, had a selection of affordable dresses, tops and leggings at the market. Birds of North America, a contemporary, vintage-inspired clothing line by a Toronto-based designer, Hayley Gibson, was also a vendor.
The market also had independent vendors like the Mermaids Purse, a colourful collection of vintage goodies from the 1950s to the 1990s curated by Chelsea Ward and Snake Pit Vintage, Goyette’s own clothing collection.
“I have an interest in fashion. [With] all the really exciting new businesses that are popping up all around Hamilton, there are a lot of people in the plus sized community who don’t know that these businesses have plus size options,” explained Goyette.
“I know from personal experiences that it can be super intimidating to go into a new store when you’re not sure if you’re going to leave empty handed [or] fit into anything in the store. So I wanted to celebrate… and highlight all the businesses that you can go into.”
For example, Girl on the Wing has a beautiful selection of plus sized bathing suits that not many people are aware of. The shop also offers custom orders on swimwear so that shoppers can feel comfortable in just the right fit this coming summer.
The Mermaid’s Purse collection offers unique pieces that radiate creative personality. Ward gravitates towards colourful and over the top items, like a fun selection of geometric earrings, a blue crushed velvet blouse and a silver housecoat from the 1950s, which all made a debut at the market.
“Being a size 12/14, I will admit I have struggled to find clothing that fit my personality in my size. The outdated belief is that curvy and plus size women don’t want to stand out any more than they already do, therefore for years there has been a lack of fun, unique pieces for women with shape,” explained Ward.
“I believe women of all shapes and sizes should have a wide variety of clothing to choose from in order to find what makes them feel good. Everyone has a right to rock something beautiful and shine in the clothing they wear.”
For Goyette, the main idea behind the flea market is not just about shopping local, but rather about building community, confidence and self-esteem. It’s all about celebrating positivity and inclusivity, while also creating a space where like-minded people can meet and share their ideas and experiences.
The idea of hosting a Plus Size Flea Market had been at the back of Goyette’s head for quite some time, but she wasn’t sure how the community would react. As soon as her idea turned into reality, it received an overwhelming amount of positive support. So much so that Goyette is already making plans for another market during the summer.
As unlikely as it may seem, the little donair restaurant became the backdrop of a bustling community of individuals eager to meet and connect over clothing and conversation.
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