STYLES

Styles: Real Women Have Curves

Photos by Marge Ely/ExpressPAY NO MIND to the linguini-armed model on the cover of Elle or the starved starlets inside US Weekly: The average dress size of an American woman is 14. And while it's long been harder for curvy fashionistas to find clothing, Michael Kors and Calvin Klein launched plus lines last year, and a slew of Internet retailers have popped up. What are good styles for zaftig gals?

"Plus-size women look great in dresses. We fill them out better than our skinny counterparts," says Monif Clarke (Monifc.com), whose Palm Beach-y tunics and sexy dresses come in sizes 14 to 24. And do like bodacious babes Sophia Loren and Queen Latifah and avoid draping your shape under a tent.

"Don't wear too many layers," says Kathryn Finney, who blogs about style at Budgetfashionista.com. Give them something to look at!"

1) Jeans highlight shapely legs and derrieres — just steer clear of low-rise styles and aim for bootcuts, which help balance out your silhouette. "I can't wear any other jeans besides Old Navy sweetheart-cut size 16s," says Finney. At left, Liz dons a pair by David Kahn Jeanswear ($158, Nordstrom, Fashion Centre at Pentagon City; 703-415-1121) with MICHAEL Michael Kors wedges ($119) and a Kiyonna wrap tee ($58, Kiyonna.com). Bold accessories keep the look in proportion: Dolce's silver necklace ($145 with matching earrings, Nido, 1425 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-333-5445) and Tulina's flower-powered leather handbag ($300, Unsungdesigners.com). "Plus-size women can really carry off heavier jewelry, particularly necklaces," says Finney.

2) If you're curvy, sporting patterned styles might sound like an unflattering idea, but "bigger, bolder prints are actually slimming," says Finney. "They hide the lumps and bumps!" Luckily for plus-size stylistas, many of the best designs come from budget-minded spots — Old Navy, Torrid and even Target, where trendy Mossimo and Merona dresses and tops often feature fun prints and hipster shapes. (Isaac Mizrahi's line comes in sizes up to 16/18). Wear this Merona dress ($25, Target) now with brown boots and a trench, and later with espadrilles and a beachy straw bag. KidViskous' anchor and sea horse necklace ($25, Unsungdesigners.com) keeps the groovy, slightly nautical vibe afloat. See it here.

3) "Plus-size women tend to wear their clothing bigger than necessary, thinking it'll make them look better," says Clarke. "Go for more tailored pieces that fit the body. There’s no need to wear shroudy stuff!" Case in point: Rojas' bat-wing sleeve knit dress ($225, Pink November, 1529 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-333-1121), worn with Nicolas Frangos' mesh and crystal necklace ($120, Nido) and a Forever 21 bracelet ($8). Add a bit of brightness to this sleek evening get-up with BCBG Girls' flaming pink patent peeptoes ($100, Nordstrom Pentagon City). "You'll seldom see me outside the house without heels — they give such a lift," says Clarke. See it here.

Photos by Marge Ely/Express

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COMMENTS (14)

  • What a great Style section this week! Thanks for featuring beautiful plus-size clothes. The model you used is gorgeous, too. Please do this type of thing more often!

    By Heidi , Posted January 20, 2008 12:55 PM

  • Target and Torrid??? Oh my! What's next a store I've never heard of like Lane Bryant? When are we going to have more options. Poor quality polyester & acrylic s--- that you can purchase at the dollar store do not a fashionista make.

    By naoke , Posted January 24, 2008 8:39 AM

  • Target and Torrid??!! Target I may say ok, but Torrid is HORRID!!

    You could have at least suggested Ashley Stewart.

    By Aisha , Posted January 24, 2008 8:52 AM

  • I have always had a problem finding jeans to fit. I too have a small waist and larger hips. I found Levi's 512 to be perfect! They are boot cut, have stretch material, and FIT at the waist.

    By Donna , Posted January 24, 2008 9:13 AM

  • I have to agree with Naoke. Most of the stuff at Target is Polyester or someother horrible material and cheap it is not.
    so far I have not found a nice oversize store in this country.

    By Nicola , Posted January 24, 2008 9:59 AM

  • I must agree with Naoke. Torrid, while it has the occasional find is usually very poor quality clothing, and while Target's plus size section does have some gems, it is usually depressingly mixed in with the maternity clothes! That's just wrong!
    I think a real gem is Macys. I never knew until this year what a selection they have in plus sizes. Though not all Macys are created equal. Pentagon City Macys is really suprisingly fashion forward for plus sizes and has GOOD QUALITY clothing as opposed to the crap you get at those other places. Plus you don't feel like a pariah shopping there.

    By Cellista , Posted January 24, 2008 10:23 AM

  • naoke, I agree! Polyester and acrylic not only look cheap, but are often uncomfortable.

    I have curves, but I'm not a plus size girl (usually a size 6). I have an impossible time finding clothing that will fit my small waist and full hips/rear. Any suggestions for us smaller curvy ladies?

    By park road , Posted January 24, 2008 10:47 AM

  • Donna, I have the same problem as you. I have found Levi's 515 to fit really well. I love those jeans. Also the straight legs fit really well. I forget what their called but I absolutely love them. I used to be a 16 but I'm now down to a 14. I have to say I don't really care for Old Navy. Their clothes tend to fit a little funny, esp. if you have hips. NY and Co trousers fit well but their jeans are crap. H & M is a great place to shop but some of their trousers and skirts are a little too snug on the hips. If you don't have much in the hip area, you're golden. I love that store but I've got that Beyonce build. LOL Now if only I could shrink down to her size. Target has some really cute things but you have to pick and choose. Their plus size line is cut very generously. It's actually too big for me. I agree with the other poster, it's very tacky to have it lumped together with maternity wear. As for Macy's, I usually find their stuff too frumpy. And Torrid, I just don't care for. That being said, there's always Lane Bryant and Ashley Stewart. I used to manage a LB in NC and they've got a good mix of trendy stuff and more classic stuff so regardless of age you can shop there. I personally find their jeans to be cut a little too high in the waist so I don't wear them. I prefer a lower rise. However, the fit of their flare and boot cut jeans are awesome. I've never actually shopped at Ashley Stewart but I've only ever heard good things about it. Hopefully, at some point the retail industry will get it together. At least we're making strides. Things aren't as bad as they were a few years ago.

    Happy Shopping, Ladies!

    By Virginia , Posted January 24, 2008 11:09 AM

  • I have found nice things at Target, but it is usually limited to casual clothes (slacks, sweaters, jogging suits, bathing suits). Torrid is just too out-there and young for women over 40. I just checked all the sites you referenced in this article and didn't see anything I'd wear. Monifc certainly doesn't have anything I've ever seen in Palm Beach! And that bat wing dress you show is atrocious - her arms do not need all that extra fabric fluttering about. Where can I find some nice linen or cotton casual wear or day dresses, or beautiful silk dinner dresses? For nice dressy casual I love Anne Klein which I get at Nordstroms. They also have a good selection of Lauren for Ralph Lauren for sportswear. just got a pair of Calvin Klein jeans on sale and they fit me perfectly. For sophisticated outfits, I shop the sales at Saks Fifth Ave and like Dana Buchman clothes. The Norstrom and Saks at Tysons have the largest selections. If you see a sale item at Saks not in your size, the salesperson can go online and find it at another store and ship it to you directly. I've gotten a lot of elegant clothes that way. Neiman-Marcus online and catalogs have some nice plus size clothes too, which often go on sale. SteinMart in Chevy Chase Pavilion has a small but pretty good women's department too. Lord and Taylor and Bloomingdale's slso have a good selection of women's sizes. And, don't forget Marhall's and TJ Maxx. Does anyone else have some store suggestions? I've tried Talbott's and Cold Water Creek too, but find them a little too boring for my taste.

    By shelly , Posted January 24, 2008 12:31 PM

  • Hi...glad people enjoyed the story and that it's encouraging so much discussion. We included Torrid because, love or hate the quality, it is one of the few stores addressing younger, curvy fashionista on a budget a la Forever 21 or H&M. The sources I talked to also liked Macy's for the INC styles and they've also got some Baby Phat stuff in plus sizes. And I can't say enough about how fashion-forward Monif C's dresses and tops are...she was mentioned in the article and is totally worth checking out online or at her Manhattan boutique (325 W. 38th St.;
    212.842.1641). And while I didn't find any indie plus-size boutique in DC, if you're headed to NYC to check out Monif C, I hear good things about Lee Lee's Valise in Brooklyn, too.

    But it is still a woefully underserved market..hopefully that's changing!

    By Jennifer Barger , Posted January 24, 2008 3:18 PM

  • Another place to look if you're looking not to break the budget is Value City. I know there's a store in Greenbelt and I'm sure there are others. Sizes can go up to 30 and there's lots of designer-wear there (Jones NY, Bill Blass, Ralph Lauren, etc.). If you find a designer whose clothes you really like and which tend to fit you just right, try them on at Neiman's and get them from eBay! And for big girls who are fashionistas, there's a blog just for us: http://toofatforfashion.blogspot.com/

    By Odeana , Posted January 24, 2008 5:04 PM

  • If you visit San Francisco go to Harper Greer. They design their own clothes, from casual to business to evening. They have a website, www.harpergreer.com, but it really just gives you an idea of what they have in their store. The cuts are generous and the fabrics and designs are great. If you see something on the website, call the store and they will help you figure out what size to order.

    By Jeanell , Posted January 24, 2008 9:33 PM

  • Thanks for this informative article...I didn't know Michael Kors made plus sizes, I'll have to check that out. I visited Monif C. when I was in New York City this summer and her clothes are so nice and fashion-forward. I am happy she is getting some recognition because more people need to know about her line.

    By Torriann , Posted February 1, 2008 2:37 PM

  • Lee Lee's a a very refreshing change for fashionable and current trends. I usually do the trip to Macy's but after seeing the same thing on the rack (do we all walk around with the same flowered patteren semi tent dress? UHH). I found out about Lee Lee's when i did an online search and saw all the great reviews. I'm happy to say theya re all true. Great store, many, many, many, many choices

    By Paula , Posted April 2, 2008 5:11 PM
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