Looking at the waif thin models at fashion shows in New York, Paris and Milan, plus-size women might despair of ever wearing designer clothing. Fortunately, designers have wised up to the fact that nearly half of American women wear size 12 or larger, and they’ve begun adapting their designs for fuller figures.
Recent designer clothing styles for plus-size women have featured colorful, comfortable maxi dresses with flowing skirts. These dresses often are made of fabrics in another plus-size trend: feminine florals. Plus-sized women may think they can’t wear florals, but that’s not true. The trick is to choose the pattern carefully. If it’s a smaller floral, then use it sparingly, like in a shirt Larger women have the advantage of being able to wear big floral fabrics well; the bigger designs that match their proportions better.
At the other end of the spectrum, animal prints of all kinds are making their way into designer clothing for plus-sized women. Again, the key to wearing this designer style effectively is to use vivid print as either an accent or a focal point. For instance if you’re wearing a designer shirt in a giraffe print, make it the focal point of your outfit by toning down the rest of your outfit, or choosing just one accessory to mirror the print. (Always remember Coco Chanel’s terrific fashion advice: Put on everything you think you need to make a great outfit, then take one thing off).
For Fall 2009, plus-size designer clothing has gone mad for plaid. There are plus-size designer skirts, tops, suits, shoes and even a coat in plaids. As with the other trends, take a good look at yourself in the mirror when wearing plaid. If it looks to you like it’s too much, it probably is, so trim back a little.
The one place where the “less is more” rule goes out the window is with Bohemian, Vintage and Retro designer styles. Especially with BoHo looks, there’s no limit to the designer clothing you can pile on: peasant blouses adorned with tons of embroidery, crinkle skirts, scarves (always the right size!), and lots of big, bold jewelry, especially an armful of bracelets. With these styles, even casual designer clothing gets an artful touch, such as with Battenberg lace jeans, a crochet wrap top, a lace duster or a serape-striped tunic trimmed in embroidery. Don’t overlook certain ethnic styles as well, such as artisan printed jackets or kimono tops, which are both becoming and forgiving of the natural size fluctuations we all experience.
If you adore trendy fashion, but think you can’t find it in your plus size, think again. Today’s top designers are turning out clothing for plus size women that’s as trendy as anything you’ll find on a runway. The familiar names of designers who are now creating designer clothing for plus-size fashion are too many to list here. So don’t be shy: if you see something from a top designer that you love, check to see if it comes in a plus size. You might be surprised at how many designer outfits you can find!
