The Plus Size Thread - All are welcome!

[frk-frost]

Personally I find the topic interesting - why it is that you can be just a little overweight (by BMI) and have problems finding clothes in "regular" stores. Some many people are a big bigger than they perhaps should be so you should think there was a great potential for brands to get more costumers.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Just wanted to note that Talbots is selling J Jill--now that they've ruined it

 

[classic1908]

Just wanted to note that Talbots is selling J Jill--now that they've ruined it

To me, J. Jill had an Eileen Fisher-esque vibe and I never set foot in it. I am surprised that TLB even bought it. I like some TLB and use it as a suiting resource.

 

[classic1908]

Look, can we all agree that the models used to sell plus-size clothing aren't as big as most customers would like them to be and move on? The whole thing is a bit tired, especially when there is such hero worship of Crystal Renn and Kate Dillon et al who are also far from 'plus size', but nobody seems to complain about them....

Erika is 5'9". Her stats are 34dd-31"-41". She's wearing clothes that accentuate her figure and let's face it, the girl is all boobs and legs so it's easy to make her look smaller by throwing the emphasis on her legs (and by overlapping the photos *ahem*)

From what I've seen, even among plus models that have the same measurements there is a lot of difference in how they carry the weight. Some have it all on their upper body, some have really narrow waists but thicker legs, some look lean all over but they have a wide-hipped frame. All a good stylist does is figure out what to show, and picks clothes that work to best advantage, as seen in the article. We should all be so lucky to have someone do that for us!!

I have never been one to complain about plus models. IMO, models are some sort of ideal, regardless of what you are talking about. I remember folks griping about Elena Miro's models on another blog. Even in Mode's heyday, I don't think any model was larger than an 18W or 20W (Megan Garcia, Tomiko Peirano, Dee Dee Knoche).

 

[treschic20]

okay neway. where have you ladies shopped for the winter, and holiday dresses

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Try Saks' Salon Z ... I've helped a friend buy nice holiday stuff there before.

 

[Guessgirl96]

Does anyone know any good wide calf boot places? I'm small but have been cursed with huge calves that give me a really stumpy look. I know of duo boots but dont like their selection. Are there any places that let you get two different calf sizes? I have a few pair of regular boots that have been stretched or inserts sewn in but they're so much work getting on I rarely wear them.

 

[3RingCircus]

^ If you need two different calf sizes then it would be the same as getting two different sole sizes, so you may have to consider bespoke boot-making services. There's a blog by a girl who got wrote about getting it done, there are links in there for other boot sellers for wide calves as well.

Link: frocks and froufrou

 

[frk-frost]

I just read this and I'm quite frankly a bit shocked: http://consumerist.com/5112787/go-to-the-black-macys-if-you-want-plus+sized-formal-dresses

 

[two months off]

^ wow that was awful!

 

[fashionista-ta]

Does anyone know any good wide calf boot places? I'm small but have been cursed with huge calves that give me a really stumpy look. I know of duo boots but dont like their selection. Are there any places that let you get two different calf sizes? I have a few pair of regular boots that have been stretched or inserts sewn in but they're so much work getting on I rarely wear them.

GG, I'm pretty sure there's been a discussion of this before around here, with some sources, but I can't remember where Maybe in STYD? You could try searching/starting a thread over there ...

 

[fashionista-ta]

I just read this and I'm quite frankly a bit shocked: http://consumerist.com/5112787/go-to-the-black-macys-if-you-want-plus+sized-formal-dresses

Well, that is what the marketeers think, right? Personally I don't know what the value of saying it more tactfully would be. I think it's pretty important that we all think well enough of ourselves, and have a good enough sense of humor, that the Pams of the world & their canned messages don't get to us ...

What they really need to be confronted about is their stupid policy. There were two customers in the space of two minutes asking for what they say they don't need to carry.

Wrt J Jill & Talbots ... nothing against Talbots, I occasionally am able to find some basics there myself. They just took J Jill and destroyed everything good about it. It's now exclusively mom wear, and the designers who were good at designing for curves, I don't know what happened to them ...

 

[fashionista-ta]

Personally I find the topic interesting - why it is that you can be just a little overweight (by BMI) and have problems finding clothes in "regular" stores. Some many people are a big bigger than they perhaps should be so you should think there was a great potential for brands to get more costumers.

My guess is they must be lazy snobs It is more difficult to design for this, ah, demographic as Pam would say because when you have extra meat on your bones, it can end up in all kinds of different places, and a line kind of has to pick one (or a couple). Skinny bodies are more similar to each other & easier to work with ... Even so, anyone curvy of any size has their work cut out for them when it comes time to shop.

 

[masquerade]

I just read this and I'm quite frankly a bit shocked: http://consumerist.com/5112787/go-to-the-black-macys-if-you-want-plus+sized-formal-dresses

idk, I can imagine this being true, but this exact conversation seems a little fake

 

[lazypadawan]

I don't know if it's the store responding to demographics or whether it's the store determining what demographics it wants as shoppers. There's a difference, ya know. For instance, Lucky Jeans go up to a size 18 yet if you go into a department store that sells it, it will only carry up to size 14. If you're a 16 or 18, you are SOL. Why? It's because the store has determined that in the Contemporary department, its DESIRED customer ranges from size 0 to size 10 or at most 12. They don't want the business of a 14 or a 16, even though it's still in the misses range.

I've been a 14-16 misses for over a decade. I never had trouble finding clothes in my size at any mainstream store up until about two or three years ago. All of a sudden, 0s and 00s starting showing up on the racks and the 14s and 16s vanished. When the fashion industry and retail decided their muses were Mary Kate Olsen or Nicole Ritchie, clothes for larger-sized women started disappearing. The assumption these days is that we either get our stuff online, so our offensive fat doesn't taint the eyes of the swizzle stick customers, or we'll be embraced by under the big tent of the plus sized market. I say big tent because that's how most plus sized clothing fits a misses sized gal.

My mom is a 16-18 and it was a nightmare to find a dress to fit her for my brother's wedding. She had to order it from Spiegel because the stores had diddly squat over a bloody size 8.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ You make a very good point ... and of course, the very last people who should be buying online are those of us who aren't swizzle sticks. The swizzles are the ones who don't need to try things on (or who need it less anyway ...)

And btw, it's not a walk in the park to find 10s and 12s on the rack either. And in LA it's even worse ...

 

[lazypadawan]

^ You make a very good point ... and of course, the very last people who should be buying online are those of us who aren't swizzle sticks. The swizzles are the ones who don't need to try things on (or who need it less anyway ...)

And btw, it's not a walk in the park to find 10s and 12s on the rack either. And in LA it's even worse ...

I wear anywhere from a 10 to 14 in tops, and I can wear some types of skirts in a 12, so I know what you mean. There will be scores of XS and S on the racks, some Mediums, two Larges, and if you're really lucky, one XL.

I've heard the horror stories about L.A. boutiques not even carrying above a size 4. I also live in SoCal and it's tough to find those bigger sizes.

 

[lmelanie]

Thoughts?

hello all..i just ordered some black harem pants last night...i am like a US12...do you think these will look ok on me with my leather jacket scarf and rock tee with some ankle boots/combats or docs?

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ I think you'll just have to try them on & see ... even a psychic would have a hard time predicting this one I think

 

[thefrancofille]

Who makes great but not too expensive ($70 or less) dressed for plus size women? My issues are my shoulders and upper back/bust. I'm built kinda like a swimmer but have an hourglass so it balances out. I'd like to wear more dresses.