Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have a friend who's a bigger woman, and she says the problem with plus-sized clothes is that (like with everything) big women are all built differently. but the retailers don't want to have to carry different clothes for the woman with the big bust, who's built differently from the woman with the big belly, who's built differently from the woman who carries her weight in the hips/butt. So their go-to shape is "tent," which fits everyone poorly.
I am in the grey area. Basically right at the edge 14-16 and pretty close to an hourglass. But I also happen to be busty, and I have big thighs. So there are many brands that just aren't cut for people who are busty, and I size out due to leg or bust size. But it isn't very consistent. Even when I was a little larger, plus sized tops didn't work at all. They were tents. And the pants fit horribly. And skirts were matronly.
Don't get me started on blazers. It is a good thing I never have to wear them, since it takes $50-100 of alterations to get the proper fit!
I'm 5'4 and around a size 0, maybe a size 2 for certain things.
I still struggle to get things to fit me because I'm not very tall and I'm flat-chested, and I've noticed a lot of the clothes tend to be made for tall (but not too tall), thin women with big boobs... and tall and big-chested is something I'm not. Don't get me started on jeans that fit you well without scrunching up at the bottom or sagging around the butt area, it's incredibly hard finding a pair of jeans if you're not particularly very long-legged, even if you are thin.
There is a difference between true fashion and plus size clothing. A lot of what the designers put out there simply doesn't translate into fat people sizes. The rule is: if you are fat, wrap it up. Go to Jenny Craig until you get right. But don't wear trends meant for thin people. You will look like an idiot.
I'm not overweight, but my hips are wide, not the stuff you can lose. Jenny Craig would not help. Fortunately I dress in things I like. Most of the 'trends' I find bizarre and a waste of money. But for people who do like to dress that way and have normally boned bodies, not like the teeny tiny ones models have, that is an awfully insulting thing to say. If someone who needs a 16 wants to be trendy they won't look any more like an idiot than the undernourish waif's on the runway do but if they want trendy clothes they should have them.
And those who need good respectable business clothes also have difficulties and this is so wrong. I remember back when I worked at a bank and due to boobs had to wear a larger suit or never button the jacket. Over a hundred dollars for a suit jacket in the 80's was simply stupid but we were being held hostage.
'fashion' has gone wierd and bizarre and looks sometimes like the costumes from a bad Sci fi movie.
I'm 5'4 and around a size 0, maybe a size 2 for certain things.
I still struggle to get things to fit me because I'm not very tall and I'm flat-chested, and I've noticed a lot of the clothes tend to be made for tall (but not too tall), thin women with big boobs... and tall and big-chested is something I'm not. Don't get me started on jeans that fit you well without scrunching up at the bottom or sagging around the butt area, it's incredibly hard finding a pair of jeans if you're not particularly very long-legged, even if you are thin.
This. Now that I'm thin, jeans scrunch up around the butt. I also hate all the low-cut crap that's on the shelves nowadays. Ugh, can't wait for that trend to end.
I'm 5'6" and I'm in that awful gray area where a short length is a little too short, and an average/medium length is too long.
I'm also fairly small-breasted and I find a lot of dresses, even small ones, are cut for women with more up top than I have.
I like Tim Gunn, but those designers he's referring to are right in front of his nose on Project Runway. We've all seen the look of consternation and downright panic that ensues when the challenge presented is one involving "real" () women.
I put "real" in quotes because we all know that real women come in different shapes and sizes. Both DH and I are very thin despite the fact that we eat like fieldhands (not healthy, BTW, and we know it--being thin because you eat a spartan diet is healthy; being thin because you have a fast metabolism is not). So are our kids, and they grew up hearing that they'd better not get any high-falutin' ideas about others' eating habits just because they, themselves, were thin. A quick look at our family albums would be all that was needed to settle that.
I'm not espousing obesity here, but simply stating that diversity appears to disappear when it comes to women's sizes (men, too, but we're not focusing on them here). I never encountered a problem finding a variety of stylish fashions throughout my life and often wondered why women who who differed from the fashionistas' norm couldn't do the same.
I'm 5'4 and around a size 0, maybe a size 2 for certain things.
I still struggle to get things to fit me because I'm not very tall and I'm flat-chested, and I've noticed a lot of the clothes tend to be made for tall (but not too tall), thin women with big boobs... and tall and big-chested is something I'm not. Don't get me started on jeans that fit you well without scrunching up at the bottom or sagging around the butt area, it's incredibly hard finding a pair of jeans if you're not particularly very long-legged, even if you are thin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by nightbird47
I'm not overweight, but my hips are wide, not the stuff you can lose. Jenny Craig would not help. Fortunately I dress in things I like. Most of the 'trends' I find bizarre and a waste of money. But for people who do like to dress that way and have normally boned bodies, not like the teeny tiny ones models have, that is an awfully insulting thing to say. If someone who needs a 16 wants to be trendy they won't look any more like an idiot than the undernourish waif's on the runway do but if they want trendy clothes they should have them.
And those who need good respectable business clothes also have difficulties and this is so wrong. I remember back when I worked at a bank and due to boobs had to wear a larger suit or never button the jacket. Over a hundred dollars for a suit jacket in the 80's was simply stupid but we were being held hostage.
'fashion' has gone wierd and bizarre and looks sometimes like the costumes from a bad Sci fi movie.
Where are you guys finding all of these clothes for big boobs? I'm large chested and am basically stuck with jersey knit dresses and tshirts because I can't find anything even remotely structured that fits my chest.
Where are you guys finding all of these clothes for big boobs? I'm large chested and am basically stuck with jersey knit dresses and tshirts because I can't find anything even remotely structured that fits my chest.
When you find it let me know!
That being said, Calvin Klein does a pretty decent job about the bust, but not so good in the waist and hips. It is thinking more inverted triangle than hourglass.
Very very interesting Nightline broadcast 9/12. For the first time a plus sized line of designer clothes is being shown during fashion week. They were bright and beautiful and flattering. The models are size fourteen.
These are not walmart sort of clothes but really well done fashion for real women.
It also talks about the growing use of women with real curves and sizes between 10 and offical 'plus'.
There is a whole line of swimsuits designed for curvy women in that range.
Maybe if there were clothes which fit a wide hip and boobs and curved in waist, I'd consider trying them.
I think it's ridiculous that some stores refuse to carry "plus" sizes. Why not appeal to the market as a whole? Why not allow anyone to enjoy your brand? There is so much money to be made! More sizes = more customers = cha ching! Regardless of the fact that 2/3 of America is overweight (overweight does NOT mean obese and I'm sorry, those doctor BMI charts are unrealistic) more options for women of all body types should be embraced.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) women.
