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Last week I had the nicest e-mail exchange with Ariella, who has a specific question about what to wear to work.
I am wondering if you have business-wear advice for plus-size women. I am a lawyer, and the dress at my job is business casual, so I can basically wear whatever I like. The other lawyers have been known to wear holey teeshirts, for example (they are men).
I am a size 16-18, and it is damn hard to find attractive, well-fitting clothes for women who are overweight. I generally wear black pants with a colored shirt, but there is absolutely no style to what I wear. And I would love some help, but I just don’t know where to go. I dislike the styles (trendy) at Lane Bryant, and the stores here don’t carry my size, so I usually order off the web. This is highly inefficient, so I feel like I usually look frumpy, fat and unstylish at my job.
The main problem I have (as I see it) is that my style is more traditional and preppy than the plus-size women’s wear out there. Lane Bryant and Torrid tend to have clothing that is “trendy,” and I also feel that a lot of it is not flattering on larger women. It’s my firm belief that you can’t just take styles that fit/flatter thinner people and put them on fat women to make them stylish. For me, at least, I need a lot of structure because of my weight.
Ariella already has a good sense of her own style–she knows what she wants, and what she doesn’t want–and she is dead on in her assessment that taking a look and recreating it in a larger size doesn’t do a plus size woman any favors. Let’s talk about what she needs and how she can up the style factor of her current closet.
To build a functional work wardrobe, no matter what your size, start with classic basics. Ariella needs a terrific pair of black pants, with a flat front and wide legs (the leg should fall straight from the widest part of the hip). She also wants to look for a straight skirt (again, one that falls straight from the widest part of the hip). She wants to steer clear of tapered pencil skirts, which will make her look like an ice cream cone, and be cautious of very wide A line skirts, which will give her more volume across the bottom.
She can pair them with a wrap sweater or blouse, which will emphasize her curves, or a sweater with an asymmetrical or V neckline, which will draw attention to her face. Button front shirts are also fantastic, as long as they fit properly through both the shoulders AND the bust. The placket should lay flat and not gape. If Ariella would prefer not to tuck the shirt in, she should look for a style that tapers at the waist, or have her shirts tailored to bring them in at the waistline.
Ariella can put a jacket over the button front shirt; if she leaves the collar out, over the jacket collar, this will give her more visual interest near her face and create a nice V neckline. But be SURE the jacket fits properly–she should be able to button it, even if she will NEVER wear it that way. A jacket that fits in the shoulders but is too slim to button does NOT fit properly, and it will make you look bigger through the chest. By the same token, a jacket that buttons properly but is too big in the shoulders or through the body will make you look bigger through the midsection. Buy the jacket that fits through the chest and have the rest altered.
For her casual office, Ariella might want to go with a denim or leather blazer, rather than a suit jacket. Denim and leather are heavier fabrics, which will give her the structure she’s looking for; they are also traditionally more casual fabrics, so she won’t seem overdressed. She should steer clear of chest pockets, or flap pockets of any sort. The jacket’s shape can be either a one-button (which will help define Ariella’s waistline) or a boxier shape that hits at the high hip.
When you wear a plus size, look for lighter-weight fabrics in cuts that fall close to the body; this will play up curves and highlight your shape. Look also for pieces with structure, rather than floppy pieces that just lay there. Above all, resist the urge to buy big just because you ARE big; no matter what your size, buy ONLY pieces that fit correctly, or have thing tailored.
What can Ariella do to make her basic Preppy wardrobe more individual and stylish? She can think carefully about details: rather than a button front shirt, go with a wrap shirt; instead of a crew neck sweater, she can look for a sweater with some detailing at the neckline. She can also think about incorporating one or two more trendy pieces into her basic wardrobe, either as accessories (a great metallic bag or animal print shoe) or in a carefully selected wardrobing piece (a 50s inspired suit jacket for fall). She can use jewelry (chunky necklaces or a wide cuff bracelet) to give her basics character. Because Ariella is a bigger woman, she wants to be sure that her accessories are properly sized; she should go for a substantial bag and bigger jewelry, not a wee clutch or tiny pearl stud earrings.
Those are the basics, but now I need YOUR help: Ariella also wants to know where to shop. I want to send her to the best possible places, but honestly, I don’t know where those might be. Where do YOU shop for great plus-size clothing? Are there Internet sites with particularly good return policies? Or with really great customer service? Where are you having the best luck finding great things to wear to the office?
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 18th, 2007 at 10:45 am and is filed under beyond 9 to 5, casual office, basics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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September 18th, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Lands’ End has some pretty good preppy-ish basics - polos to blazers to khakis - and their plus sizes run to 3X. (http://www.landsend.com/cd/index/fp/0,,215,00.html)
Their stuff can be more expensive than some mall stores, but I find it wears very well, and if you are buying basic pieces I think it’s worth the investment for durable quality. You can also return things at a local Sears and save the return shipping (your Sears may have a Lands End plus department, too, if it’s big enough.)
September 18th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Try these resources:
Talbot’s (great women’s structured clothing, very classic)
Macy’s–stocks Eileen Fisher, Ralph Laurens, Calvin Klein, all great for work.
Higher end: Saks–has wonderful designer suits
Also, for basics tops, I always loved Old Navy. They make super long sleeved t shirts and turtlenecks that are great layering pieces.
Also, check out Junonia.com for workout clothes such as ski pants, zip off hiking pants. etc.
September 18th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Eddie Bauer and LL Bean have nice things as well as Lands End.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
I do sew some of my own clothes, but I’ve had good luck with QVC. The shipping prices are a bit high at times, but there are some good deals to be found…especially at the website.
September 18th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Ditto Lands End & Eddie Bauer- But I also have to say that JC Penney has a great, affordable women’s line. The ANA line in particular is modern without being too trendy. More online than in stores, but some locations have a pretty good selection.
Also Talbot’s Women seems like it would be her style.
September 18th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Target’s Cherokee branded v-neck cotton t-shirts in long sleeves are a great basic for casual skirts, jeans and khakis. They are a little thicker than most tees, so they don’t look sloppy. They also are cut a little longer at the waist and sleeves, whcih is hard to find.
September 18th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
If you sew, you could consider buying polo shirts in the men’s department and tapering them in at the waist.
I’m around a 16 on top and it is the hardest size to fit. True plus sizes are sloppy and big, but even an XL in regular sizes isn’t quite big enough.
Christopher & Banks has a sister store (the name of which escapes me at this moment) that has a decent not-too-trendy selection of plus-size clothing.
I’d say don’t rule out ‘regular’ sized brands, though — more and more of them are carrying an XXL size that might be perfect for you.
September 19th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Two words for you, Ariella, EILEEN FISHER. Yes, she’s pricy, but honestly, she’s worth every dime. She does beautiful, mostly-hand and machine washable, natural fiber clothing, in designs from a 2p all the way up to, I think, 3x. Her styles are intensely flattering - nearly all of her fabrics have a beautiful hand, and some stretch. They drape beautifully. They always look polished, and her collections and individual pieces are designed to work together.
I was not plus sized, then I was, now I’m not again, and her styles, year after year, have flattered me, whatever my size.
Again, she’s pricy, but watch the sale section of her website. I have also had great luck finding last season’s “new with tags” stuff on ebay.
HTH.
Donna
September 19th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
these are all great suggestions! the only one i have to add is
www.gap.com (they go to 20) and
www.oldnavy.com (they go to 20 AND have womens sizes which are sized different, they explain)
the nice thing here is you can either shop in the stores, or online, return to the stores if they dont fit - and they are generally less expensive and very ‘preppy’
September 20th, 2007 at 12:05 am
Yes, to all above. But a word of warning: my town’s Macy’s– supposedly a “higher end” location–is phasing out it’s Eileen Fisher. If there’s any left it will be on clearence. But of course, they’ll still carry that brand in the “regular” sizes, just not women’s.
September 20th, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Nordstrom’s has great service both online and in their stores. They include a shipping label for returns.
September 20th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
I have to second the Talbot’s suggestion for this particular style. I too prefer the tailored/classic/preppy look, and Talbot’s Women has many classic pieces as well as cute prints and so forth. I buy what I can afford, which is usually long-wearing basics and a couple of accent pieces. Eileen Fisher may be beautiful and flattering, but tailored and preppy it is not.
September 20th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
Talbots, and Eddie Bauer, and LL Bean have already been mentioned. I’ll second those, and add that Liz Claiborne’s plus line has some nice things too.
September 20th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I, too, wear a size 16/18 and I’m short. Short! I have had success with Kohl’s and Kohls.com. I get a good fit and good quality from the Gloria Vanderbilt line. The women’s sizes go up to 16, and the plus sizes start there, so I have options.
September 21st, 2007 at 8:10 am
Try Avenue.com, Silhouettes.com and Igigi.com.
I too am a major fan of Eileen Fisher…
September 21st, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Macy’s used to be great and now at my store they have phased out all of the stylish (not trendy) plus sized merchandise. I feel I either look frumpy or 60 y.o. I needed something professional to wear and ended up with something that fit and nothing more. It left me a bit heartbroken.
I hate having to buy everything on line as I end up returning half of what I buy do to fit.
September 22nd, 2007 at 1:22 pm
No matter where you shop or what you buy and how much it costs - think “alterations = good fit.” Find a tailor who will make sure the sleeves are the proper length, etc. It’s an extra step but it’s worth it.
September 26th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
J Jill has beautiful clothes and they carry plus sizes 14w-28w. They are expensive, but they have casual yet put together looks.
October 12th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
I’m late to this party, so I hope Ariella gets this! I’m right around her size (although, sadly, more on the 18-20 size these days - grrr - and I cannot believe I just wrote that online!) and I really don’t enjoy the selection at some of the stores mentioned above. For professional clothes, I tend to shop at Talbot’s - I like them because (a) they have FANTASTIC sales periodically (I rarely buy full-price) and (b) I can mix and match from the “Talbot’s Woman” and regular women’s sizes for my suits and therefore avoid costly alterations. It takes some time to figure out your sizes, because like most stores, the size charts suck, but it’s worth it. I have only bought a couple pairs of pants at Lane Bryant, and they’re alright for matching with classic tops from Talbots as well and keep me at a better budgetary range. I also have had luck on Kiyonna.com on occasion - I love the way their pants fit, and they have some nice wrap shirts - but it can be hit or miss. And J.Jill can have great stuff as well - although I also find them hit or miss.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
why torture yourselves? You worry about what to wear, when you do NOT come with spare parts and every time you see junk food, sweets, pastries, etc., you should worry about heart disease, diabetes, atherosclerosis, arterioscleroses and a myriad other disease. You should never let anyone or any THING control your life. As long as you cannot say NO to YOURSELF, disease and self loathing will control you.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Susan, this is pure self righteousness based on nothing but speculation on your part. She did not describe WHY she is a certain size. She simply asked for help looking for a good place to shop. Be helpful or, please, consider being quiet! Ariela, I’ve had good luck at JC Penney!
May 8th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I work in a slightly less casual environment than Ariella, and Layne Brant is too trendy for my workplace, and I have had good luck mixing expensive but classic and tailored pieces from Nordstrom’s with less expensive pieces from JC Penny’s. And I’m developing a love for certain Eileen Fischer pieces — I have a skirt I love, and a top, and a jacket… but the pants are too flowy and casual for me.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Try Jones of New York Platinum Collection at your local JNY store at the ‘outlet mall’ near you. The styles are classic, color consistant and they always look right.
Price is a little high but they last forever and you can add pieces to ‘build’ a wardrobe thru the seasons. Great sales also.