Friday, March 23, 2007

What size is the right size if you're plus size?

I wear a size 16 plus and I do most of my clothes shopping online. I have learned to make decisions about clothing based on (what I consider to be) the four main clothing categories – size, fit, style and price. I make an informed decision mostly with information that I can find on the website and some common sense.

Some women might think that if you wear a plus size that it will be harder for you to shop for clothes online than it would be for someone wearing a smaller size. I would suggest that a woman wearing a smaller size will have to confront the exact same issues about finding clothes that fit.

Over the next few days let’s discuss some tips for online clothes shopping beginning with:

Size

Every clothing line has their own system for sizing their clothes. This is only true for women’s clothes as men’s clothing sizes are pretty much standard. A man can walk into any men’s clothing store and a 40 Regular is going to fit the same in any state in the country.

Why would this be the case? There are many reasons and mostly they have to do with marketing. If a woman wears a smaller “size” in one clothing label than she probably will buy that line of clothes instead of the brand where she wears a larger “size.” This is just smoke and mirrors to distract you from the other three factors which are really much more important:

  1. How that outfit fits your body
  2. How the style flatters your body and
  3. Your self-image in that outfit is the most important thing to consider when buying clothes.


So get out that tape measure ladies and get to know your curves. Celebrate those luscious inches. Shout your cup size from the rooftops. Take those hips out dancing.

The size on the label is really of no importance. You’ll cut out the tag the second you get home anyway...right?

Next…Fit.

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