Plus Size Summer Fashion

Plus size women often have trouble combining the latest fashion + body type + affordability + findability. The quick fix solution could be to lose a few pounds but that is easier said than done. Until the scale reveals the lighter side of things, love your curves and all the thick goodness you have to offer…but health is important so please work on being healthy.

I love my curves but large retail and discount stores don’t love my size. This past week I was shopping at Filene’s Basement and though they do carry my size, nothing was flattering. I noticed over a size 16 the pickings are slim or certain cuts and fabrics don’t look as good. Where can I find the “good” stuff?

I was combing the web and decided plus size women need to know what looks good on their body first before they find the retailers that sell for their body type. Here are a few tips from a Smarter.com fashion blog:

1. Plus size women should look for cotton dresses that cinch under the chest because they accent the smaller part of the body. Steer clear of empire waist because they make plus size women look bigger.
2. Plus size women tend to wear Bermuda shorts which are knee-length because they cover the fullest part of the thigh but for shorter women this is a no-no because it can make a short woman look bigger. Depending on your size, you can wear shorts but they have to fit your height and must cover the fullest part of your thigh.
3. Become a fan of the scoop neck or v-neck t-shirts because they are more flattering on women with bigger bust. Also, avoid crew shirts because they make the chest look huge and must wear shirts with a relaxed fit on the arms.

Great tips and hopefully you can add to the plus size do’s & don’ts in the comment box. So now we know a few staples and must’s…where can we buy our summer wardrobe. Here is a list of sites to look at:

OneStopPlus.com (photo courtesy of the website) has a selection of amazing dresses like the one pictured on the left. I love fitted dresses because they make me look myself (especially with a good body shaper) and don't make me look blown out and out of proportion. This website is purely for plus size women 12W-44W.

This site offers more than just clothing but handbags, jewelry and accessories, bras, lingerie and much more. One can definitely find a shopping cart full of great looking dresses, tops, shorts, shoes and undergarment basics.

Full Figured Fashion Week voted Igigi.com the # 1 plus size fashion retailer. I have yet to purchase a dress from this site but I love most if not all the outfits and collections for plus size women. The dress pictured left ( photo courtesy of Igigi.com) is on my to buy list. This dress can be worn at a Sunday brunch, night out with the ladies or charity function. At $98.00, this dress is not pennies but is so fabulous, shows off a little curves, has summer appeal and is extremely classy.

I often look at this site and cannot wait to purchase my first dress...I am sure I will not be disappointed.


More sites listed blow. Look your best ladies!

Please add more sites in the comment box and do's & dont's for plus size fashion

Lane Bryant

Ashley Stewart

Fashion To Figure

Monif C

Sizes To Fit

Also, check out Full Figured Fashion Week in NYC coming up June 16-19th!

First photo with dress and mannequin courtesy of Fashiontofigure.com.

Motivational Monday: Look the Part

Work attire is different from those college days of wearing pajama pants and sweats to class or work-study. Though everyone likes to dress comfortable, what you wear to work reflects on your personality. Let’s face it, what people think of us does matter-even if we say it doesn’t. However, there is a way to dress chic-comfy but you must follow your employers’ dress code, as well as industry guidelines.

For example, do you work in advertising, media and/or public relations? Most professionals in these fields dress very trendy and fashionable! Suits are okay but you really want to shop for:

• Funky outfits
• Cute and sexy shoes
• Funky but chic accessories.

Most people who work in advertising or related fields are flashy but classy dressers.

Speaking of classy dressers, accessories are important…especially depending on what field you work in. I don’t care if you are a lawyer, accountant, marketer, clerk, teacher, professor, etc; do not wear clunky or offensive jewelry to work. When I say clunky jewelry, I am talking about Wilma from Flintstones clunky!! Funky accessories are great but be very wise in your choices. Coolcat in Brooklyn, NY has great and inexpensive accessories. Casual accessories are great and you don’t have to wear them but they make outfits stand out.

Employers have problems with “casual Friday” because there are some employees that feel they can wear whatever they want as long as they are hygienically clean. I never wear anything less than jeans, slacks and sometimes a nice dress to work. But from what I’ve seen around me, I would advise others not wear:

• Sweat pants
• Jogging suits
• or clothes that are too little or too tight to work.

Once you do this you ruin it for all. I would suggest:

• Wearing a nice pair of jeans with a cute top with flats or kitten heels.
• Dress down but you can still be cute and casual.
• If you are not sure what constitutes casual, ask your human resources director or your supervisor.
• There may be others that do not follow the dress code but don’t follow in their footsteps.

I would also advise others not to dress casual every Friday; maybe dress up a one or two Fridays a month. Reason being you don’t want to seem too comfortable and you want to show that you are a fantastic employee. Just because the “casual Friday” policy exists doesn’t mean you have to exercise your option to dress down.

The last bit of advice is to be a trendy but thrifty shopper. I am not a fashionista but I know the basics. If you want to learn more about style and fashion, visit http://www.womensmafia.com/. Also, find out more about dress code policies or guidelines in your industry—each employer has a different overview so check with both.

Tell us your thoughts! What are work attire dos and don'ts?




Desiree Frieson, 24, is a marketing and PR manager at Odyssey Networks, an interfaith media production company located in New York City.