Plus Size Dresses

New plus size designer are finding more and more fashion-savvy women demanding the same treatment as every other fashion consumer in the marketplace. The fashion world is finally realizing the plus size clothes don’t need to have loud colors, tacky patterns, and outdated cuts. The plus size designer market has evolved.

There are 35 million women in America who are size 14 or higher. These women spend in excess of $20 billion a year on their clothing every year, and have gotten the attention of some of the hottest fashion houses in the industry. And why not? They account for 25% of the TOTAL fashion market.

What does this all boil down to? Size should not dictate fashion.

Still, the further one gets from highly populated areas, the more difficult it is to find stores with plus size designer clothes as part of their regular inventory. This is where the internet comes in – it has leveled the playing field and given specialty shops the world over access to the market segment they want to target. And more frequently, plus size clothes are being listed right next to the other sizes in online stores. No special clicking required. Why make people feel different if everything we know tells us they’re not?

Another problem that women of every size run into is the lack of standard sizes in the fashion industry. To overcome this, shoppers need to pay attention to measurements AND sizes. One or the other generally won’t get you the answer that you need, especially if buying from overseas. Generally, women’s sizes have a more forgiving cut than miss sizes, so keep that in mind.

Until the fashion industry makes nice with all their sworn enemies and standardizes their sizes, make sure you take a look at the measurements on everything you buy. If you have questions, ask before you buy. It could save you a trip to the post office.

How to look your best:

• One-piece dresses are more streamlined than separates. Stretch fabrics and well-placed darns can make the fit just right. If you do separates, remember to accent your best features with a bright color or print.
• Show your arms. It’s very sexy to show a little skin. If you’re a little nervous with the idea, wear a colorful, sheer shawl around your shoulders.
• Don’t cover yourself all the way up. Pick your best asset and flaunt it! Wear V-necks for your chest or shorter skirts to accent your legs.
• Wear a tailored camisole under a loose blouse or a tapered pair of pants under a long jacket. Frumpy screams “I don’t care”.

Wherever you shop, plus size designer clothes are no longer relegated to the back, basement, or side room. They’re no longer the fabrics that no one else wants, and they’re no longer shapeless, mind numbing designs. Get out and see for yourself.

The first step to feeling good about yourself is to recognize and become comfortable with your body shape and understand how a plus size designer can help you out.  As simple as that sounds, it’s not easy in the world we live in today with televisions blaring and fashion magazines staring at you through every step of your day.  We’re led to believe that “normal” women are size 4-6,  5′9″ tall, with big bust lines and no flaws.  However, if we let the numbers tell us the story, here’s what we’ll find that the average American woman is a size 14, almost 5 feet, six inches tall, and weights around 140 lbs.

Women worldwide are faced with pressure to conform to a narrowly defined picture of what beautiful is.  Most of the time this definition is almost unachievable and includes such things as dangerously low body weight, unblemished skin, and bleach-blonde hair.  So what can we do to fight against this stereotype?  Embrace your own body type and be comfortable with you who are.  You’re more main-stream than you think, and you deserve to feel beautiful.

So where do you find great plus size designers?  Look all around you – the internet is a great resource.  Check out some of the online shopping sites and read their advice.  Many of them will have body type pairings with their clothes that make it easy to find outfits that flatter and make you feel great.

What if it doesn’t fit?

No problem.  Look at the store’s return policy before you buy.  Most of them have very liberal exchange policies that let you return for a refund, store credit, or exchange for a different size.  Some will even include return shipping labels with the clothes when they ship them out.  Save your invoice and packing slip, and save your confirmation email.  You’ll generally find that online stores are very easy to work with because it’s harder to “guess” at what size will fit you, or what plus size clothes will look like when you put them on.  They don’t want to drive away business with a bad reputation, so they go out of their way to help.

Where do I get fashion ideas?

Go to stores and talk to sales associates.  Look at the outfits that have been put together on mannequins.  If you like it, make it your own.  When you’re shopping online don’t just look at the item you’ve clicked on, look at what else the picture shows.  Great pair of jeans? Fun skirt?  Find them, pair them up, and have them sent to your door.  There’s no driving or crazy mall traffic involved.  What could be easier?

Surf the web.  It’s a treasure trove of information on the latest fashions to include what’s available and most importantly what’s on sale!  For example, if you’re looking for plus size fashion for the fall, all you need to do is ask your favorite search engine, and there you are.  I searched and found an article on exactly that, but more importantly an excellent blog with tons of useful information.

The bottom line is don’t be shy.  The world of plus size designers is more accessible today than it has ever been.  Go out and be fabulous.