By Anya
It’s that time of year again and many of us will be looking for that special dress to wear to our workplace holiday functions and New Year’s celebrations. Yes, brace yourselves ladies — the Holiday Season is indeed just around the corner and that means hunting down the perfect dress that will make you feel as beautiful as you are.
If you are like me, finding a dress (sometimes multiple ones) for these special events can be challenging and sometimes dispiriting. As I wrote about recently in Too Skinny Minnie, the fashion industry in collaboration with merchants, the media and others seems determined to foist completely unrealistic representations of ideal body sizes and shapes on consumers. We see these unrealistic representations in magazines and we carry these images in our heads when we go shopping for that special dress. American women are on average around a size 12-14, but you wouldn’t think this to be the case when scanning the racks of clothes in the ‘regular’ size section of your average department store or boutique. In my experience, when I do find a dress that I like and would like to try on, the double digit sizes are often gone (where they ever there?) and there are multiple size 4’s staring back at me!
Discouraging? You bet.
Thankfully, with a little bit of looking, I discovered there are designers and merchants out there that do cater to women with curves who are looking for plus size club dresses. Festive dresses that are colorful and do not attempt to hide curves, but showcase them! Fashion that is comfortable enough for dancing, but stylish as well. Yes, ladies, we can have it all – at least when it comes to fashion!
Do you have any recommendations for specialty size merchants? Share them with us at IW. Looking for a particular style? Your fellow readers might have suggestions for you.
About the Author:
Anya@IW has written for ImperfectWomen.com since 2009. She dutifully follow current events and pop culture and loves having a platform to share her imperfect opinions.
I have curves and sometimes it can be frustrating for me when shopping for new clothes. I love this post and am definitely coming back to see if other people recommend good quality plus size merchandisers!
I get frustrated with that too! Thanks for sharing!
I usually never go wrong with The Avenue for casual wear. I find their clothes are good quality and reasonable.
I am now starting to embrace my curves. I really don’t like shopping at stores just for plus size women. I always find their items plain and frumpy and ugly. I would love to find a store that I can shop and feel just as great in their items as I did when I was only 120 lbs.
I find that a lot of plus size stores just have bigger versions of small size fashions. As a plus size woman, I don’t want sleeveless. I don’t want dresses that come mid-thigh. I want a little more coverage and some sleeves. I love C.J.Banks. Their clothes are good quality.
I love shopping at Lane Bryant Thank you for sharing this post.
I hate more that the fashions are just hideous! I know I personally hate big giant flowers!
I agree, a lot of the plus sizes are out of date fashion wise! I don’t understand why they can’t make the trendy clothes in plus sizes!!! How hard can it be!?!? I have noticed some brands like George at Walmart makes the regular clothes in + sizes too now… very good initiative!
Nothing drives me crazier than trying to find nice clothing in my size!
I love CJ Banks also. I am short, but many things come in petite sizes. You can mix and match a lot of their clothes.
It always makes me so mad when stores don’t have clothes for those of us who don’t fit in a size 2! ugh, and when they do they are never as cute!
It drives me INSANE trying to find clothes for myself!
Ola
I am not plus sized but I still struggle with image and trying to find a dress that fits AND I feel comfortable in. I’m glad to hear that designers are listening to their clients and designers for them. I hope you’ll share pictures of “the one”.
Besos, Sarah
Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo
Great post and thanks for sharing. Wish we could get our society past this idea that different isn’t beautiful.
You’re in certainty a wonderful web marketer. The website running speed will be unbelievable. Apparently what you are doing every unique technique. Additionally, This articles are must-see. you might have performed a great pastime during this topic!