Resource thread for plus sizes

[FredaFrogspawn]

I am utterly fed up with what the high street has to offer plus sized women. Of course I would love to be slimmer and do keep trying but in the meantime I want comfortable stylish clothes in natural or natural feeling fabrics which aren’t covered in nasty prints or have seams which fall apart after a couple of washes.

Can anyone offer a recommendation?

I have just received a couple of tops from plus-size Lagenlook which feel nice to wear and look well made - I haven’t washed anything yet though so will come back when I have and update. I’m apple shaped with big boobs and tummy.

plussizelagenlook.com/

I don’t work on the industry by the way - I teach and I’m in my 50s.

Watching this with interest. I am trying to find good quality tailored suits and am drawing a complete blank without going down the bespoke made to measure which I just can't afford. Used to rely on M&S but the quality of the fabrics is shockingly bad and Jaegar just don't seem to do suits these days.

For tops, I have had some good ones from Studio 8 which have really lasted and also from Gina Bacconi (although I always buy those in the sale since they are quite pricey)

www.navabi.co.uk/

Oo I have just ordered a couple of tunics from from Navabi - awaiting arrival. Is their stuff good?

Beige has some interesting stuff but they are £££ but I guess the sales will be ok. How about box 2.

I find plenty of stuff actually (not all that I would want to wear (Asos curve - if you like showing boobs, tum , bum and thighs- all at the same time!) but most of the stuff is viscose viscose viscose or tencel tencel tencel both which makes me a very sweaty betty!

Marina Ranaldi's stuff looks very nice and in fact I got some stuff from a charity shop but it is still £££

What about plussizelagenlook shipping process? also want to know their shipping available in Texas?

My stuff arrived within a few days. @allliesporer

No idea about the Texas thing - sorry - but they will probably let you know pretty quickly if you email.

I agree about the Asos stuff - it doesn’t work for me at all. @Deathraystare

Marina Rinaldi has some gorgeous clothes but I couldn’t afford it for every day stuff. I had a very dressy dress of hers many years ago which got me so many compliments!

I have been to Beige in North London but other than one jumper, it felt a bit too mature for me! It was more fitted than I like really. But well made stuff. Worth a mention definitely.

Box 2 looks nice - haven’t seen their stuff. Thanks!

Marla Wynn on QVC has some nice pieces that all layer up, it's quite pricey but you can often get bits on eBay much cheaper.

I’ll look for that, thanks

Some of the clothes look nice but I wish they would use plus size models so you can see what they look like on. I don’t get using size 8 models to display clothing aimed at bigger women.

Unfortunately there's a big tradeoff between price and quality - that applies to any clothing, of course, but I think it's a lot more difficult to look smart as a plus sized woman without also spending a lot. There are ranges in New Look and on Asos but as a pp mentioned, it's all skintight and/or covered in loud patterns. I may be fat, but I don't want to look 'cheerful', nor do I want to dress like the 60s never happened!

I don't have a lot of advice other than looking for decent brands at outlet stores and charity shops. I have some Maxmara, Boden, and Ralph Lauren stuff from charity and some older M&S skirts which I found on a vintage rail. The quality is much better than what they do now, although you do have to take the less generous older sizing into account. It's inevitably hit and miss as to what you find and you need to look at everything so you don't miss anything!