Plus Size Fashion Tips

April 9, 2006 01:29 AM | | Posted in online shopping, plus size fashion, fashion advice, walmart, old navy, plus size, overstock.com, torrid, avenue, nordstrom rack

The era of flower-printed muumuus is long gone. The fashion caste system that separates people into “those who can” (skinny and rich) and “those who can’t” (everyone else),  a system created by snobby designers and power-hungry fashion editors (who, by the way, are often plus-size themselves), is crumbling. A fashion utopia is emerging, one that offers several fashion options for curvy fashionistas, none of which involve polyester tent dresses.

This guide gives you the rules to follow and a list of the stores at which to shop to enhance your voluptuous, fashionable self. Take that, Kate Moss!

The Rules
In this diet-obsessed, waif-model culture, designers still gear their creations toward a size 4 and their version of “plus size” is just a bigger size 4. Fear not, though—commit these size rules to heart and watch your style quotient rise.

Dress monochromatically. Dressing in one color de-emphasizes your problem areas by creating one long silhouette. This works with any color, not just black.

Embrace vertical stripes. Vertical stripes make you look thinner by forcing the eye to look up and down.  Avoid wearing horizontal stripes alone (see the tip below on how to wear horizontal stripes).

Put on a blazer with a belt. Throwing a blazer or cute jacket over a pair of belted pants and shirt makes your waist look smaller because the eye can’t see how far the waist extends around.  This trick also works with horizontal stripes under a blazer.

Get measured for a bra. Wearing the right size bra can make you look thinner. Over eighty percent of women, say the experts, wear the wrong size bra and a large percentage of plus size women do it because they’re embarrassed by the larger sizes. Head to your nearest department store and get properly fitted for a bra.

Buy clothes that fit. If a garment bulges or shows your “rolls”, it doesn’t fit or you might be wearing the wrong bra size.

Break out the heels. Heels elongate your legs, making you look slimmer in the process. Stores like Zappos.com offer a huge selection of pumps and heels.

Low-rise is not an option. Very few people, regardless of size, can wear low-rise pants. Just because something is in style doesn’t mean it will work for you.

Avoid cropped jackets. Cropped jackets draw attention to your waist and butt. Purchase well-structured jackets that hit you right below the lower curve of your bottom. Check out Elizabeth.com for great jackets and tops from designers like Ellen Tracy and Sigrid Olsen Woman.

Purchase boot-cut pants. The skinny pants or pencil-leg pants emphasize big butts. Stick with pants that feature a slight flare at the bottom to create a more balanced look.

Find a great tailor. Don’t throw out those great-fitting pants because they’re too long. A sharp tailor will be able to hem them to your desired length for less than $20.

The Stores

Below are the best stores at which to purchase plus-size fashions that enhance your style while going easy on your pocketbook.

Alight.com is a great place to find more contemporary fashions for younger curvy gals. If you are a plus-size fashionista in need of a prom dress, this is the place to go.

Avenue.com is the plus size version of the store New York & Company. The quality of the clothing varies, but it is a good place to find wardrobe stretchers like basic white tunics and leggings. It has a great selection of swimsuits.

Newport News offers cheap, trendy fashions in sizes up to 28. Almost all of the clothes you see on their size 2 models are available in larger sizes.

Lane Bryant is the best plus-size fashion store on the web. It offers a wide array of grandma-look-free plus-size fashions including a new jeans line called “Seven7”.

Gap.comFinally someone got the memo that plus-size stylistas want designer jeans as well. Believe it or not, the online version of Gap carries pants up to size 20. In addition, outerwear, sweaters and tops are available up to size XXL.

Kiyonna. This little website features sophisticated styles for fashionistas who wear a size 12 or higher. We are big fans of Kiyonna dresses.

OldNavy.com has cheaper, lower-quality versions of the fashions seen at The Gap, up to size 20/XXL. It is a great place to stock up on tees, tanks, and other items you buy in bulk.

Overstock.com . This is the best online outlet, and a great place to pick up cheap designer items. The plus-size section tends to be a little boring, but it’s possible to find deals like a Dana Buchman top for up to 80% off retail.

Target Stop by for toilet paper and leave with an outfit. Even the Isaac Mizrahi line goes up to size 18.

Nordstrom Rack. Come for the shoes. Stay for the clothes. The small but well-stocked plus-size section includes items from the main store.

Walmart.com‘s new George line is hot!  So it the upscale Metro7 Line.  More items are being added each day!

Torrid.com is the best place to shop if you are a young, hip, plus-size fashionista. From its 50s-inspired prom dresses to its low-rise jeans, this store definitely sheds the plus-size gotta-look-like-grandma myth. Plus the items are reasonably priced with most below $50.

Also try stopping by your local outlet mall: Off Fifth, the Saks Fifth Avenue Outlet, has an amazing selection of designer plus-size fashions from Donna Karan, Oscar De La Renta and Anne Klein. Eileen Fisher carries comfortable, free flowing clothing up to size 3X. And check out stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s,  they all have very hip plus-size departments. Those at Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s usually have the best sales, while Saks Fifth Avenue has more cutting-edge fashions and higher-end designers.

Remember that you can be a fashionista regardless of your size. Don’t let pop culture’s ridiculous fashion caste system dictate what you can and can’t wear. Armed with a heaping dose of self-confidence, a head full of common sense and the rules above, you can enter your favorite store and shop!