Meet Maura Hampton, curator of plus-size second hand & vintage collection Ethical Bodies.

One of the most frequent pieces of feedback we hear at May’s is that our customers would like to see a wider range of sizes available. We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to partner with Maura Hampton of Ethical Bodies, a plus-size second hand & vintage collection, to offer a curated selection of plus-sized vintage available at our City Foundry shop!

Ethical Bodies was born from Maura’s love of thrifting and belief that everyone deserves sustainable clothing options that make them feel fabulous! Her goal is to help plus-sized shoppers curate their dream closet. With EB you will find a mix of vintage and modern clothing, fun patterns, bright colors, statement pieces, and quality classics that never go out of style. Her hope is that you find pieces that stay in your wardrobe for years to come and make getting dressed FUN! Read on to hear from the woman herself!

Tell us about yourself and your background.

MH: I was born and raised in STL and live in Maplewood with my husband and sweet pup. We love exploring St. Louis, and trying new places to eat and drink! My background is in education and non-profit work. At my 9-5 I am a Senior Manager of Academic Programming at a non-profit that supports students in St. Louis city and North County. I get to bring fun programming like book fairs and robotics to the schools we serve.

How did your thrifting/vintage journey begin?

MH: I started thrifting in high school and have always loved the hunt! I have furnished multiple apartments with thrifty finds and really enjoy finding unique pieces for my home and my closet. Spending the day thrifting, hitting estate sales and antique malls is one of my favorite pastimes. I love the history behind the items I find.

Why did you decide to start Ethical Bodies?

MH: I started Ethical Bodies to share my love of secondhand shopping with the plus size community. More often than not, when I receive compliments on my thrifted outfit finds, most people follow up their compliment with something along the lines of, “I never find things like that when thrifting” or, “thrift stores overwhelm me, and I rarely find anything in my size.” My goal is to take the work out of it, specifically for plus size folks.

I have always been plus size and can understand the struggle of not being able to find things in my size when shopping. Not only at thrift stores but at most major retailers. It’s incredibly discouraging when you walk into a store or local pop-up, and the only items you can buy are accessories because none of the clothing is offered in your size. I wanted to change that for fellow plus-sized folks, by curating a fun mix of vintage & modern pieces. Size representation matters and there was no second hand store that specifically catered to plus size bodies in St. Louis, so I decided to do it myself. 

What is your mission with the brand?

MH: Ethical Bodies mission is to empower plus size women to shop second hand. We are here to do the digging for you, and bring you unique, new to you pieces. We believe EveryBODY deserves sustainable clothing options!

How do you describe your collection?

MH: EB collection for Mays (and on our website) is a fun mix of statement pieces, and elevated basics. You will find silk, sequins, funky patterns, and closet staples that can be mixed and matched with modern pieces.

What is your favorite part of curating your collection?

MH: My favorite part of curating my collection is searching for the pieces. Lately I have done some private buys and these feel like a time capsule into someone’s life. It’s such an honor and a privilege to get this special kind of sneak peak into someone’s closet and hear stories about their life. When I find items for my collections out and about, I also love researching the history behind each piece!

It’s also really cool to see a mix of vintage and modern pieces come together to make a cohesive collection.

What would you like our customers to know?

MH: I hope I can inspire you to step outside of your comfort zone when getting dressed! Picking an outfit and mixing old and new pieces together is such a form of self-expression for me. I know that plus size options are very limited when trying to find and hone in on your personal style. I want to be a resource for those looking to find unique items that speak to their personal style.

Stop by our City Foundry storefront to shop the exclusive Ethical Bodies X May’s Place collection and also be sure to visit Ethical Bodies’ website and follow on instagram to stay up on all things plus-size sustainable style!