What are Plus Sizes?

What are plus sizes? When talking about apparel, a plus size is generally considered to be size 12 and up. Some manufacturers even include size 10 as plus sizes.

Sizes are not consistent between manufacturers and brands, however, so you may wear one size from one brand or manufacturer, and a totally different size from another brand or manufacturer. I personally wear anything from size 22 to size 28 depending on the brand, cut, style, material, and manufacturer.

There are many retailers and designers that offer plus size clothing, both online and offline.

If you are shopping online and haven’t purchased from a certain retailer before, one way to determine how ‘true’ their sizes are without having to actually try on the garments is to check for online reviews of the clothing or clothing line. Some websites will have reviews on their sales pages, while others may be found by searching Google, Bing, Yahoo or other major search engines.

On-site sizing charts may be helpful also, but take the information in them with a grain of salt. You really can’t be sure how the apparel will fit you until you try it on, at least the first time you purchase. If you purchase garments from the same retailer or website after that first purchase, you will have a better idea of what their sizing information means for you.

If you shop at Kohls, check out Dana Buchman’s line of plus size clothing. This designer offers dresses, swimwear, cardigans, tops, and bottoms in bright colors and interesting designs. Prices range from $45.00 to $70.00 and sizes range from 16W to 24W (also 0x through 3x). The line also includes accessories and jewelry as well as shoes. Items can be purchased online or in Kohls retail locations.

Another designer that has a plus size line is DKNYC. This line can be found at several stores including but not limited to Macy’s and Bloomingdales. Sizes range from 14 to 24 or 0x through 3x; the line contains dresses, jackets, pants, cardigans, tunics, shirts, and skirts.  DKNYC apparel is quite a bit more expensive than the Dana Buchman line is, with prices ranging from  $69.00 to $169.00 at Macys and from $50.00 to $189.00 at Bloomingdales.   Items can be purchased online or at the retail stores. Spend $99.00 at Macys.com and you’ll get free shipping; spend $150.00 at Bloomingdales.com to get free shipping. 

Especially for you

There have been numerous and varied changes in the fashion industry throughout the decades. One of those that have warmed the cockles of many hearts is the general increase in the overall number of the plus size designer clothes now being produced. It is evidence of the fact that society is changing and that a market that has mostly been sidelined in past years is now coming more and more into the mainstream of fashion. When it comes to those of us who are overweight, plus size designer clothes represent an excellent change of attitude towards us. In the past, you were left very much to your own devices as an overweight woman – clothes for you were tent-like and shapeless and you just had to relegate yourself to looking frumpy.

This attitude that fashion designers embraced previously was the driving force for a lot of overweight and obese women to strike out and design a range of plus size designer clothes – clothes that they wanted to actually wear. These lines proved so successful that it proved that many overweight women wanted clothes that embraced rather than engulfed their figures. Since that time, plus size designer clothes have gone from strength to strength.

This success in the world of plus size designer clothes can be attributed to the simple fact that they are especially made with bigger ladies in mind. There is a vast difference between an item of clothing that has been especially made for the fuller figure and one that is simple a larger version of one designed for someone of a smaller size. People who are overweight or bigger have different figure flaws to disguise and so they are not simply able to usually just wear anything straight off the rack.

This is taken into consideration when making plus size designer clothes – they make attempts to make the wearer look thinner and better from the outset. They know a number of tricks that they can use to achieve this end. The clothes will nip in as they should and will skim over problem areas. They will pay special attention to fabrics that flatter the more problematic figures – from stretch denim through to fun and flirty chiffon.

The styles are designed with only the fuller figured woman in mind and current fashion trends are interpreted into wearable ones for the bigger girls. Most larger women are relieved to find that there are clothes of this nature made especially for them. Feel a huge confidence boost when wearing these clothes and find something that both fits and flatters.

The bad old days of shapeless, fit free clothing are over and done with. You can be sure that, when shopping in the plus-sized section these days, you will get a fantastic outfit to suit any occasion.