Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Extra, Extra
Early Addition
I didn't know that moving to the city from DC, I was going to have such a
hard time finding something to wear! I wear a size 14 sometimes 16, and it seems when I go into some stores, like in SoHo, I'm looked at like I was a bull in a china shop. Do you know of anywhere that I could go besides Ann Taylor and the Gap? I don't mind paying the money, as long as it's cute and can get me laid.
Thanks,
Caren
Yeah, we sympathize. The worst thing about being a woman who isn't a size 2 is that the options for trendy clothes start thinning out.
So maybe SoHo's not the best place to be. Come up to midtown. If you've got money to blow, Saks has some great clothes for women of all sizes, but be prepared to get a little sticker shock. New York Magazine recommends Salon Z, the entire top floor of Saks, as a great place to find designer clothes.
If you're not opposed to chains, New York & Co. pants are great and seem to be actually designed for women with hips. (There are only two stores in Manhattan: one on 181st St. and one on Nassau St.) Marshalls and TJ Maxx also have a bunch of locations around the city if you're into bargain shopping. (If you're looking for some alternatives, though, Ask Gothamist has tackled the anywhere-but-chains question before.)
We also hate the "plus size" designation, especially since it usually implies flowery muumuus and the like. (That's really a rant for another time, but when did size 12 get to be "plus"?) We don't know of that many stores in the city that sell clothes in bigger sizes (but readers, please let us know!), so you might want to check online. Kiyonna has some really cute stuff for women size 12+. 3 fat chicks also have some suggestions for online retailers.
Also check out Century 21. They have pretty much everything at good prices.
You also may get lucky at a Sample Sale. See AG's Sample Sales 101.
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I recently shopped at Marina Rinaldi. Very nice sportswear. They start at size 15. Got a great tailored jean jacket.
Plus sizes 14 up to 22, 29 or 32 (it varies) are catered for at the chains Avenue and Lane Bryant. Most of their offerings are sportswear--Avenue tends to be more dowdy, LB has some nice pieces and sexy things, and frequently great sales. Also good jeans. There's an LB on 34th St, I believe, also on 125th St. Avenue is on 3rd Ave near 44th St. H&M has a small plus size dept with some things that are hideous junk and others that aren't bad at all.
Sorry, but Century 21's plus size section is total crap. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
It's REALLY hard to find cute clothes for bigger women in NYC - but beyond what's been mentioned here, Old Navy sometimes has some decent stuff (you have to wade through quite a bit of boring clothes first, though) and online you can checkout Torrid.com.
i love lane bryant (http://www.lanebryant.com).
you can shop online or at the stores and the prices are VERY reasonable, especially for work clothes.
lane bryant used to be owned by the limited and it shows in the clothes. cute, hip, fun stuff that makes you feel really sexy, no matter what size you are.
i used to torture myself over macy's and other more expensive women's plus sized stores -- they are really expensive and either you look super dowdy or the material and cut is all wrong.
lane bryant has made shopping fun again. and no, i'm not paid, just really happy with the clothes!
Yeah, Century 21 is just sad if you wear larger sizes. It's either polyster, elastic waistband slacks or Fubu and bad Tommy Hilfiger. Apparently, they think size 12+ women must only be elderly or black.
If you're into teen/junior clothes, Delias [www.delias.com] has almost everything in 15/16 and some up to 19/20.
A lot of the chains (J. Crew, Banana Republic) now have size 16 online, but nothing larger. Old Navy just added a Plus Size section (which is odd since they go to size 20 anyway) to many of their stores, but I haven't seen any in NYC yet.
Old Navy on 34th St has the plus size line, along with their usual sizes up to 20/XXL. Big ol' thumbs up from me. I'm extremely frustrated by trying to find cute, youthful clothing in "misses" size 18-20. So called "plus" sizing proportions don't work for me - I'm not built that pneumatically. The stuff at Marina Rinaldi, Saks, Bloomies, & Macys is all pretty dowdy and pricey, and if it isn't dowdy, it's made out of polyester or some other crap and is *still* deeply expensive (please tell me why manufacturers and store buyers think that 800 bucks is a reasonable price for a polyester suit?). Marina Rinaldi & H&M seem to think that if you're "plus-sized", you're also 6 feet tall. I'm glad Torrid (Garden State Plaza Mall in Paramus or online) & Old Navy are starting to fill in this hole, but I'd love for someone to start making even slightly higher-quality clothes of this type. Hell, I'd even be happy with Banana Republic at this stage...
I have found that some of the best stuff for women of average size is J.Jill (www.jjill.com). They have cool clothes and come in tall, petite, etc. Not sure about a shop in the city, check their website.
I like Kiyonna and Torrid is stylish as well.
And I'd like to suggest my daughter's line, Jahqoi. She's a big girl herself, so she knows many of the challenges faced by full-figured women. She sells online and in a couple of stores in the Midwest. Her line isn't available yet in New York. It's tough for new designers to get a Sales Rep and to get into the major stores. Jahqoi specializes in plus-size clothing. Hope you're able to find what you're looking for.
I'd like to suggest my daughter's clothing line. Her company is Jahqoi and they specialize in plus-size clothing. She's a big girl herself, so she knows the challenges we face. She sells online and in a couple of stores in the midwest. Hopefully, she'll be able to find a sales rep soon and get into major stores - especially in New York.
I hope you'll be able to find what you're looking for. Let us know how things turn out.
i completely agree with every one of these posts about how hard it is for full figured women to find clothes that are in style. I am turning 22 years old, and live in bergen county NJ. The malls around bergen county do not really cater to my size as well as my age group. Torrid has some good buys, but a lot of their clothes for my age are not my style because they are owned by hot topic and have a "gothic" edge to them. Some of the stuff you can get away with wearing, but a lot of it has skulls or bones printed all over it. Also, Old Navy has their plus size line which I have rummaged through every now and then, but a lot of their clothing looks cheaply made or just too plain for my taste.
NY& Company and Lane Bryant have a more classier appeal for my taste and some fun prints! Being 1/2 of the unites states is rising in obesity, I wonder how the world is clothing themselves being every store in the mall caters to "Hollister, A&F"..or something along those lines where skirts look like belts. Ive also gone up and down with sizes because ive had knee surgery twice and was not able to exercise for extended periods of time, naturally i gained some weight and then lost it. What do i do with my larger clothes that i bought "for the time being that are too big for me now?" Its a never ending battle but i refuse to downgrade my style of clothing just because ive gained a few pounds. Bergen county needs to get with it.