'Plus size' clothing....bugbears and wishes?

[stumblymonkey]

I'm a regular on MN and thinking (very early stages) of starting a business selling 'plus sized' clothing because I'm a size 18 and have a number of bug bears about finding clothes.

I guess I'm doing a little bit of market research as to whether I'm the only one that feels this way because that would make my market pretty limited!

My personal bugbears are:

• A lot of the chains I like don't go above a size 16, I haven't suddenly wanted to wear different clothes because I've put one more stone on

• A lot of the clothes are either (a) frumpy and unattractive or (b) just bigger versions of clothes that were really made for slim people, which does not do much for my body shape

• I'm not sure I actually like the term 'plus size' even though I've used it in this post, is there a better term that's more relatable and gets around being the 'other' IYSWIM

• I feel like a lot of the current online retailers that cater for size 16+ happen to use quite cheap materials, they're not very luxury

I'd be aiming for the sort of higher end high street target market...people who would normally shop at Monsoon, Coast, Jigsaw, Mint Velvet, Hobbs, etc.

What are your bug bears if you have any? What do you wish you could find?

I'm a regular MN btw not a corporate trying to do free market research(!)

Hear, hear!

Sleeveless stuff is my biggest bugbear. I want to be able to find nice tops (of the jeans and a nice top variety) with sleeves, bonus points for cleavage.

I'm in my 50s and a size 22-24, slightly bigger on the bottom than the top but not really pear-shaped, would have been an hourglass until the menopause stole my waist

I remember when Ann Harvey first started. It was Alexon for larger sizes and was exactly what we are all saying we want; classics that are well cut and in good fabrics. I have still got jackets I bought for work 15 years ago and trousers and tops that are 10 years or so old and still wearable. Sadly in its last year or two it lost its way and now, owned by Bon Marche, is polyester tent central

Evening all....just got on my evening commute home.

Great input!

I have found a British manufacturer who will help design and make the clothing.

I'm thinking to start off with a smallish range of capsule wardrobe classics (8 or 10) with ideas of how they can mix and match to create X number of outfits and then expand from there. Perhaps try to cover the main areas you've highlighted...and definitely decent fabric, it makes all the difference IMO.

My other bug bear personally is exercise gear...how you're expected to start exercising when most good quality shops (with a limited number of exceptions) don't cater for you I don't know...so something for future consideration.

I think for boots and accessories I'd wait until I see how the clothing range did and then possibly partner with existing manufacturers but with my choice of designs and specifications of size.

Just have to pull a business case together and see what the next steps are with the manufacturer...

Can I add- good quality linings, non static, and cut as full as the skirt. I'm fed up of finding pleated or a line skirt which should fit me but have a cheap lining which they've cut straight underneath so it doesn't work.

No patterns! And something other than black.

I am tired of searching for plain well cut basics in good fabrics. If I do find a nice dress it's invariably a garish pattern. If there is a plain option it's always black. Black is not slimming if you look like you need a blood transfusion. Black actually doesn't suit most people.

I would pay serious cash for a well cut plain navy work dress. Or grey or burgundy. Just not black.

I loved Ann Harvey, and still hang onto my clothes from there. It was the bliss of knowing I could buy anything from there and it would fit me (size 18). There was a certain amount of polyester, but also lots of natural fabrics. They also kept up with current trends at the time. I'd love to know where their designers went because they really got it right.
Track them down, Stumbly!

The short are catered for!
What's difficult is being tall and plus. I cannot buy any tights that are both big enough and long enough. And you can't try tights on so I buy them and end up with hundreds of pairs that are too small in my drawer. I own no wearable tights!

Also in trousers Evans and yours etc longer length leg is much shorter than standard longer length leg. We aren't all short. Longer length trousers please!

We also aren't all Apple shaped. Everything plus is designed for big middle, skinny legs. I'm very pear. Smaller waist and big thighs and hips It's hard to get anything to fit and look good. More women are pear. Cut clothes for us too!

All tops and jumpers I wish were longer in length so they don't rise up and show my belly and that more dresses and tops came with sleeves. I don't usually want my arms out. Most people don't want their arms out.

Bubble hem is horrible as is shapeless sack dresses. It's always nicer to have things pulled in at the waist or under the boobs. So much more flattering.

Higher necklines. I'm sick of always having a crazy amount of cleavage. Normal necklines look very low on large breasts. Slightly higher would be nice.

Belt loops in trousers. All trousers, even ones with elasticated waists.

Cheap pyjamas. Plus size pyjamas are always so expensive. Being big doesn't mean I want to spend loads on clothes I sleep in, same as everyone else.

What sizes will you do op?

Natural fabrics
No fussy details
Just good classic pieces
I'm still able to fit in Hobbs and jaeger but couldn't when I was bit bigger
I hate Evans with a passion

Not all women that are plus size have big breasts

I'm 6ft tall and broad backed -most plus sized clothes fit badly at the front or necklines are too low because i'm a C cup bra

Also find most are designed for apple shapes -I have a waist, it would be nice to see it occasionally

Also I don't want dresses that sit mid thigh new look i'm talking to you

6ft + plus sized bum means that these dresses are tops -I want a work dress!

Lots of stores that do a tall range don't stock plus sizes in the range -despite doing plus sizes across the rest of the store

Emochild same for me and I'm nearly 5 7 but with long legs. Find trouser/jeans shopping difficult. Hardly any shops stock a 32L.

Tailored classic workwear items like a wool mix knee-length A line skirt in black, navy, grey/beige and a couple of brighter seasonal colours, possibly in boucle or a gentle pattern. Similar work dresses and mix/match jackets and knitwear. Trousers with side zips to reduce the bulk around your tummy. Internal elastic adjustment (like kids' trousers) would help with gaping at the waist. Tops with a little bit of tummy skimming transitional detail, but not tent-like - think peplum rather than acres of fabric. Natural fibres - pleaaaase.

Lower cut v-neck tops with a removable modesty panel so it's decent for work but dressier for going out.

I'm thinking of doing sizes 16-28. Would consider doing a wider range of sizes in the longer term but in the beginning I have to be careful how much inventory I have IYSWIM.

What made me think about it was I remembered when I first saw Isabella Oliver maternity wear and I loved the look of the dresses so much it made me almost want to be pregnant just so that I could wear them.

I want to design a range that's similar....that people below a size 16 would look at it and actually think they're sad it doesn't come in their size because the style and quality is so good.

I've contacted the manufacturer so just waiting for them to get back to me re: costs and meeting dates. Apparently you can get a sample line of 8-10 items in just 6-8 weeks from concept to actually existing!

Then I'd probably have to go to a crowd funding platform to raise any funds beyond the savings I have....

Will keep you all posted

Good luck and yes keep us posted!

It's a tricky one as in a way you contradict yourself in your post - plus size women do want to be able to wear the same fashion as women of smaller sizes but suffer when it's a scaled up versions of the same thing because their bodies are different. The problem as shown in PP is that plus size women carry their weight differently all over. You won't be able to manufacture designs that suit all types of figures ( without being £££). I speak as someone who has been everything from a 12 to a 22. How can you design a top that suits both a size 18 woman who has big boobs and one who has small boobs? Because they will both be different around the waist/shoulders/bum/ have different concerns about their arms.
I absolutely don't mean to piss on your chips because as a plus size woman myself I am interested in this, but personally I think the solution would be to be fairly conservative in style and go for luxe fabrics. You won't be able to please everyone as ' plus size' in itself s a very broad church.

Agree with LadyCanyon. I'm fairly wealthy but as I have a pear shape I literally can't wear most things off the rack, and even though I'm happy to pay for tailoring most shops won't even offer me that in the UK. I tend to therefore wonder into the normal size aisles at Selfridge's after work and hope I can fit into something vanity sized. It's so frustrating.

That's one of the troubles with plus-size, it is not just the size that is larger, the differences are exaggerated too.

I have always loved that drapey sophisticated, unstructured look but know that I will look like a blob in it as don't have enough norkage for it to drape from. My friend who is similar size but differently proportioned can look gorgeous in that but not as good as me in tailored, shaped things as I am taller

I look forward to hearing more when you get further along OP. I want to wear clothes that my thinner friends will envy!

OP I can't do links on my iPad, but I have gym and dance gear from a company called State of Mind Active.

It's brilliant stuff _ and a British company too!

We can all be your models op

There must be a market for apple/pear fit as Evans already do it. Someone just needs to do a high quality version with fewer highly flammable fabrics and a bit more class.

Yes yes to StatisticallyChallenged regarding the different shapes (like Pepperberry) for lower halves!

So often I find myself trying trousers/jeans where the leg fits but then it is way too big for the waist. There are so many wonderful different shapes out there- embrace this!

I don't like the term 'plus size' but wouldn't mind being called 'curvy'. Sounds sexier and more confident.