Your Guide To Plus Size Fashion
Plus-size fashion has come a long way in the last 15 years but we still have ways to go. Even though 67% of women are plus size, only a tiny percentage of the fashion market caters to plus size people. In fact, it seems like we have been going backwards these last few years with many brands like Old Navy, Loft, and American Eagle pulling plus sizes from the shelves — some clothing companies pulled their entire extended sizing altogether, while others made it available online only.
As a plus size woman, I currently regularly experience having zero options to choose from in a mall or shopping center. The experience feels dehumanizing and hard.
Something to keep in mind if you are trying to help someone in a larger body find clothes is finding out their specific size. Many “inclusive” clothing lines end somewhere between a 20-24 which leaves out a huge amount of people from accessing those clothes. Just because something is plus sized, it doesn’t mean that a fat person will be able to fit into it.
With all this being said, let’s talk about some good options for plus-size clothing. If I’ve left out a brand you love, let me know and I’ll do my best to add it. I hope to keep this list up to date and ever evolving.
Able - 3X -eco conscious, good staple pieces
Ace & Jig - 4X - ethically made, fun textiles, prints, and colors
Anthropologie -3X- I hope they continue extending their sizes and inventory because they have great pieces.
Arula - 24
Asos - 4X - They used to be my favorite for unique and fashion forward pieces. I don’t find as much that I love from them but when they have gems, they’re really great.
Baacal- 28
Big Bud Press -6X- ethical, unisex, Los Angeles based
Chic Soul -3X
Copper Union -38- I own at least 4 of their dresses, one of them you can see me in above and here is another one I love.
Dia & Co -6X- They sell a variety of brands so the sizing will depend on the specific brand range.
Dressed in Lala -3X- fun, colorful, quirky. You can see me in my “weirdo” sweater here.
Good American -6X- They make some of my favorite jeans and best of all, they hem and tailor my jeans in store for free. I’m short and plus-size so jeans were really hard to find…until now.
Eloquii -5X
Eshakti -6X- They can also make clothes according to your measurements.
H&M -4X- They have some hits at affordable price points.
Ivy City Co -5X- They have some beautiful, femme, dresses and I always have some on my wishlist!
Jessakae - 6X- Pretty, femme dresses for special occasions
Loud Bodies -10X- Truly inclusive, ethical, and sustainable
Madewell -4X- I find them frustrating because so much of what I love doesn’t come in plus but they do have some decent options. I just think we deserve more.
Modcloth - 4X- Another brand I used to love but I just see less options these days.
Nettle Studios - 6XL- They have a lot of “one size” options but they truly run generously and their OS+ can usually fit up to a 6X. They have fun colors and pints.
Never Fully Dressed -3X- Only a few options available in larger sizes in my experience.
Nooworks -5X- Best known for their quirky prints, they’re ethical and women-owned. You can see me in their dress here.
Old Navy-4X- Still disappointed their inclusivity promise barely lasted a year but you can still find plus sizes online.
Osei-Duro -4X -Love their hand-dyed prints and fabrics, ethically made.
Rachel Antenoff -3X- They have some amazing and unique prints I love.
Selkie- 6X- They’re famous for their maximalist, whimsical dresses.
Show Me Your Mumu- 3X
SuperFit Hero -7X- Inclusive activewear line
Tamara Malas - 36
Target -4X- They disappoint me with their in-store options but they do have decent options online.
Torrid- 30- There are times their options feel dated but they often have some hidden gems.
Tradlands - 4X- Ethically made, small batch, timeless pieces.
Ulla Popken -5X
Universal Standard- 40- They have great staple pieces and their Fit Liberty program allows you to exchange certain items if your size changed that year which is amazing.
Wray NYC -6X
