Clothes for larger or curvy ladies are frumpy?

[BollickyBill]

Looking for a dress for my best friend's son's wedding. Im a size 18 and Jesus but most of what I see is frumpy. I'm 52 not 82 but everything looks like your granny would wear it.

But not only that....a lot of clothes for older, curvier women are just blah.

I disagree. Look at Never Fully Dressed, Nobody’s Child, Dancing Leopard, Phase Eight.

Yours clothing have a really good sale one just now

I don’t want to agree with you, but it’s true, there is a lot of polyester, puffed sleeves and cropped tops out there. If you are on the shorter side, it’s even worse as designers seem to think curvier women are also Amazonians, with fighters shoulders and 6’ tall. Also, that they are pear shaped with neat little waists.

Yes I agree. Hideous prints and no idea how to flatter a larger frame.

Mango for example, have some lovely stuff but only go up to size 14, so you look for the same clothes on their ‘plus’ page (may as well say ‘leper’) and they are just another world - ugly colours, ugly styles. It’s actually insulting.

Also, Silk Fred.

I’m that Amazonian with shoulders and 5ft 11 and I still can’t find clothes that fit

lemoncurd2025 I went shopping yesterday, and I reckon John Lewis Anyday, Hush, Live Unlimited and a lot of the clothes in M&S and Next would work for you. This week, that is, none of them are great with consistent sizing.

Most of these are nasty sweat-inducing polyester fabric, particularly unsuitable for more mature women. And Phase Eight is quite frumpy, not a current vibe at all. It was good in 90s for more formal wear, but there’s nothing in it I’d wear now.
It’s a shame, some of those Dancing Leopard dresses looked great, but they are polyester. Recycled polyester, but polyester nonetheless.

Nah, this used to be true but there are lots of sexy / glamorous / fashionable choices for bigger women now. Many even have petite ranges in larger sizes. Next, for just one example.
https://www.next.co.uk/shop/gender-women/category-blouses-category-dresses-category-gilets-category-jackets-category-jumpsuit-category-playsuits-category-shirts-category-skirts-category-suitjackets-category-suitskirts-category-suittrousers-category-trousers-category-waistcoats-size-18-size-20-sizetype-petite

If you're talking actual designer, then yes, the options are far more limited. A surprising number now go up to size 18 or20 now, though. YABU.

You’re not wrong OP. And people on here who are not this size just won’t get it. Although I will say that the quality of clothes in general for everyone has massively gone downhill in recent years, especially when it comes to quality fabrics. I’m currently a 20 which is even worse than when I was an 18 as a lot of brands stop at 18. And it’s super frustrating that when brands do a “plus” range, they seem to suddenly have horrible cheap looking fabrics and cuts compared to the “normal” clothes, even when the “normal” range have designs that would be really flattering and beautiful on plus size figures. Like just size it up!

I’m currently really trying hard to lose enough weight to get to a size 18 again, in large part so that I will have more clothing options. At the moment I really rate Sugarhill Brighton and good old M and S especially the Autograph range. I also love Mint Velvet, can’t fit into their trousers or skirts but I find their tops and dresses, especially if they’re a stretchy type material and design, are generously cut. Just wish they weren’t so expensive!

There is a plus range now in Anthropologie that looks really nice, even if it’s a very limited selection. I have also seen that Rixo do a limited selection of plus size dresses. I’ve looked online at Never Fully Dressed, Dancing Leopard, Scamp and Dude, LiveUnlimited and SilkFred but not been brave enough to try them yet. Joanna Hope and I think related brands like Scarlett and Jo, do nice formalwear for plus size I think.

But if I was looking for a dress for a wedding I’d start with Marina Rinaldi for sure.

I live in Ireland so a lot of those places mentioned not available to me. I do agree that Next does cater but I don't have a store close to me. The closest one is not a big store so not a lot to choose from and I spent €400+ already on 4 dresses from there that looked like they had potential and I looked shit in them all. They all need to be returned so thats 1hr 15min drives each way on Sat to get my money back. Any of the boutiques near me are frumpy and costly.

Im 5'5, pear shaped with a 40G book size.

Try SaharaLondon. The sizes are plenty big enough. They show them on slim models but the dresses usually hang better on larger women and have a lovely flattering shape and move well when you walk.
https://saharalondon.com/products/linen-v-neck-flared-dress

Oh yeah Sahara is good too I agree!

OP if you’re in Ireland and happy to travel to N Ireland for it I’d recommend this place for plus size clothing shopping! It tends to be more casual wear I’d say though they may have a few more formal outfits. The shop assistants are super helpful and knowledgeable too.

www.berlinclothing.co.uk

By the way, my age and body shape are very similar to you!

I’ll have a look at John Lewis thanks!
I’ve got a few hush tops saved and funnily M&S trousers and jeans are the best fit on me

I am fat but very pear shaped and buy clothes from Lady Vintage. They really suit my shape and the patterns are a lot of fun.

(nb. I am over 70.) Shhhh!

The OP mentioned nothing about the type of fabric it had to be 😳
I’m menopausal and overweight and love their dresses.
I bought the best black maxi dress of my life at Phase Eight. 10 years in and it looks as good on now as it ever did. And it’s cotton!
OP, don’t rule out entire shops without looking first!

I buy size 18 clothes and just get clothes from regular stores. If they’re frumpy, you’re buying the wrong clothes for your shape and colour palette V-necks and black clothes, for example will look wrong on me, but look great on someone else.

https://theconceptwardrobe.com

I found a beautiful dress for DS wedding. Phase eight. They have larger sizes online .I am quite short and plump. The cut with more expensive dresses is flattering and skims over the lumpy bits! Monsoon is very good too.

Hard agree OP. I hate most if what's out there and I live in England!

Horrible patterns, or frills, or trims, or it goes in and out in the wrong places, or it's made of viscose and polyester 🥵, or I just look bloody terrible in it.

Im a plus size lady and have always wondered why shops decide to do a whole new collection just for the plus size range instead of just making their normal range in bigger sizes. Plus size with big motives I do not want!
A few shops over the years have definitely got better regarding this but some are still no where near acceptable with their plus size range.