Plus Size Dresses

Why do we care about a plus size designer anyway? Part of me doesn’t even want to care who’s name is on a label, and even shy away from labels with a famous signature on it out of rebellion. But it’s actually not that simple, and knowing and following designers can actually offer you a leg up when it comes to plus size clothes shopping. And remember, not every label has to be ridiculously expensive; there are plenty of designers out there who carry great lines at reasonable prices. The trick is finding them, and that’s where this article comes in.  Let’s met some designers with plus sized lines.

Meet Yuliya Zeltser of IGIGI
Yuliya grew up in the Ukraine, and was touched by the difficulty that her mother had with finding plus size clothes. After going shopping with her mother in 1997 and seeing the terrible lack of quality plus size designers in industry, she decided to start her own label, and IGIGI was born. Her goal is to make every woman feel sensual, feminine, confident and beautiful. Her lines are some of the best around.

Meet Monif C.
Also known as Monif C. she runs Monif C. Plus Sizes and puts out some amazing lines year after year. After growing up in Brooklyn, New York, Monif found her inspiration in her own life and dreams. Her stated goal is to provide plus size women with beautiful plus size designer fashions that makes them feel stylish, inspired, luxurious and sexy.

Anna Nicole

Anna Nicole runs the online store called Jahqoi, which means “I believe” if pronounced phonetically in French. Anna grew up in Detroit and claims to have begun sewing at 12. She works best with contemporary styles, and is quickly making a name for herself in the world of plus size designers.

Meet Bek

Bek had a successful corporate career until health issues forced her to quit her job. To help the family income, she started making jewelry and selling it on Etsy. She has been phenomenally successful, and caters to the little serviced market segment of plus size jewelry. Her designs are breathtaking, and focus on mid century modern design.

For me, getting to know the designers behind the clothes is all part of the shopping experience, and watching their lines evolve and change over the years is exciting and interesting. The world of plus size designers is growing every day with more high-quality designers and stores than ever before. Keep your eye on some of the new and emerging talent to stay ahead of the pack.

There’s a whole universe of engineered material in the marketplace today that offer most of the benefits of natural fabrics without many of the downsides. Knowing what you’re receiving, from fabric weaknesses to feel, when you purchase plus size designer clothing is an important aspect of shopping.

Binding

Also known as bunching or riding-up, this is just uncomfortable, and can ruin a nice walk or a day out at the park. For plus size shorts look for a material that will move with you, that won’t stick or become uncomfortable when damp, and is comfortable against your skin.

Chafing

This is a problem for everyone, plus size, minus size, and average size. If the material you’re wearing rubs against your legs you’re going to get a skin rash and be uncomfortable, it’s just a fact of life. Minimize this with lycra shorts layered under fashionable outerwear.

Fabrics

CoolMax is the brand name of a fabric that is known to pull, or “wick”, moisture away from your skin, moving it to the outside layers where it naturally evaporates and cools the skin underneath. It employs engineered polyester fibers that offer several benefits over conventional fabrics. You will see it used in shirts, sports wear, socks, shorts and a variety of other articles of clothing. The wicking action not only cools, but it helps you to stay dry and comfortable. It is easy care for and comfortable to wear, and can be machine washed and dried. It’s a fantastic material when looking for plus size shorts.

BioFresh is an engineered acrylic fabric that is designed to inhibit bacterial growth – something important to keep your workout clothes fresh and clean. This fabric is machine washable and will not lose its antimicrobial properties over time. It’s very desirable in any clothing you’ll use for workouts or yard work.

UV Blocking fabric is designed to provide protection from harmful UV rays while you’re outdoors at the park, the beach, or just having fun with friends. This fabric is treated with UV radiation blocking chemicals that remain effective after many launderings. Being that you’ll probably only wear them during the summer, you can get lots of use before they lose their effectiveness.

Buzz-Off fabric is treated with an EPA-approved insect repellant that is persistent through washing and drying. This treatment can be applied to many different materials, so that means you can get great looking shorts that are functional and keep the mosquitoes away during the summer months. This is especially fantastic if you enjoy camping, hiking, or going to the park with the kids.

Polartec is a company that offers some pretty incredible fabrics for everything from moisture wicking to insulation and warmth. For shorts to wear in cooler weather, look for their Power Stretch-RX fabric that provides moisture management and flexibility, plus a comfortable inner weave that’s extremely soft against the skin.