Update by Elegant Plus Magazine:  The article below was written in 2005.  Since then things have become at once slightly more complicated and simpler at the same time.  The Lane Bryant Catalog, owned by Redcats, has changed names to Woman Within.  Sometime in 2007, Charming Shoppes, the owners of the mall based Lane Bryant, will be launching a catalog by that name.  They are also the owners of the Lane Bryant Outlets, although reports have been that unlike traditional outlets, merchandise is actually different than the main store. Only time will tell if the merchandise in the store and the catalog will be the same or similar.

Also our comments about model size and use of mannequins deserves an additional look.  While most of the critiques still stand, a display trend which seems to be gaining momentum in the on-line catalog world has us puzzled. Since Lane Bryant (Charming Shoppes) appears to be testing this method it is worth further examination.  What is up with real models with their heads cut off?  Our experience is that unlike models depicted in real-life settings or in high fashion style shots, this presentation style leaves customers as cold as mannequin and off-figure dispay - probably at twice the cost to the company using it.  This type of presentation makes it impossible for the consumer to project themselves into the role of model and envision themselves wearing a garment.  No doubt the rationale is to show a larger, more focused shot of the clothing but headless people is somewhat jarring and impersonal.  We’d love to see numbers proving this tactic effective, but our’s say otherwise.  So while we applaud Lane Bryant’s tentative shift to real plus-size models within the catalog pages rather than simply in the “look book” and landing pages, let’s see their pretty faces!

 Lane Bryant Ruminations

(June 9, 2005, ElegantPlus.com) One of biggest points of confusion for plus size consumers right now is understanding that Lane Bryant the store they see at their local mall and Lane Bryant the catalog they receive in the mail are, in fact, two different companies. Both are available on line.

So what’s the difference?

1.) Lane Bryant- the contemporary to trendy plus fashion retailer you shop at in the mall: Owned by parent company Charming Shoppes, this Lane Bryant joins it’s sister retailers Catherines and Fashion Bug to make up about eighty percent of the plus size apparel market in the United States today.

Currently available in traditional brick & mortar outlets and on-line only, Charming Shoppes recent acquisition of catalog marketer Crosstown Traders will position them to move into the mail order catalog market in the near future. While they are at it, we hope they can smarten up the images of some of the Crosstown Trader brands like Bedford Fair and Old Pueblo Traders which also already carry plus sizes.

This Lane Bryant carries plus sizes from size 14 to 28W and larger plus sizes must shop at their sister Charming Shoppes store Catherines. While Charming Shoppes does a good job of using plus size models in their advertising campaigns, they have much to learn about on-line and catalog sales - currently preferring to display most of their offering on relatively skinny mannequins with less than inspired photography. I’m sure I’m not alone in my dislike of bland off-model apparel presentation in both internet and mail order catalogs. Maybe it’s a cost-cutting measure, and in some cases it may be something else, but the overall shopping experience in such displays is less than memorable or loyalty inspiring . Besides, in an environment where the customer cannot try a garment on, some idea of how it will look on a real body rather than shaped on an inanimate form is always a good selling point.

Furthermore the frequency in which they sell out of sizes, leaving nothing but Size 14’s on the virtual rack can be a little frustrating to the on-line shopper. A simple solution to this problem would be a “Size Finder” like the one available at trendy, plus-exclusive web-retailer alight.com (now if alight could just find some way to make accurate size charts available for all of its brands, we’d be golden!).

2.) Lane Bryant - the plus size apparel catalog you receive in your mailbox: Owned by French parent company Redcats, Lane Bryant Catalog belongs to a large mail order group including Jessica London , La Redoute , Roaman’s, Lerner, and Chadwick’s of Boston . As a catalog company, they were among the first plus size apparel retailers to transition smoothly to an on-line environment with the necessary back-end support of customer service and centralized order fulfillment centers.

Styles here are much more basic and traditional than those found in the Lane Bryant owned by Charming Shoppes, which often causes much customer confusion. Many plus fashion editors dis them entirely for poor style and fit, although they remain very popular with consumers based on sales figures. I, personally, have mixed feelings about them. They are an excellent source for some very hard to find items elsewhere - like bathing suits in super sizes and wide calf boots. Furthermore tucked away among ho-hum t-shirts and leggings can be a treasure every now and again - and heck, if all you want are some basic summer tees to wear out bike riding, why not? Furthermore, while the plus market is growing, it is still very difficult for the over size 24W crowd to find clothing. Unlike their Charming Shoppes counterpart, Redcat’s Lane Bryant carries sizes as large as a size 44W.

Perhaps the biggest on-going criticism of the entire Redcat’s plus size catalog group is the use of models who are much too small for the clothing they are marketing. Not only is this insulting to the consumer they are trying to serve, but frankly their clothing would look much better with a few curves filling it out. They are not alone in this out-moded marketing faux pas as most well established plus size cataloguers have been reluctant to change their modeling size strategies with the times. Of course, modeling agencies marketing size 8 and 10 women as “plus” to these companies is not helpful either, but that discussion is for another day.

Consequently, both these established plus apparel giants have a lot to learn from relative new comers to the industry. Small plus fashion houses like Kiyonna and Igigi are producing beautiful clothing, modeled by true full figured beauties with noteworthy photography - and they are both growing at a tremendous clip. Torrid is rapidly expanding its brick and mortar presence across the country while running an on-line outlet with curvy images of real plus women in most garments, again with noteworthy photography. Rounding out the trend of using truly curvaceous models combined with excellent photography for most if not all of their offerings are: Nordstrom , Lands’ End , Macy’s and Eddie Bauer which has the unusual system of providing two images with models for an article of clothing - one straight sized and one plus. If this trend keeps going - and I can only imagine and hope that it will - the plus apparel corporate giants are going to start to lose market share in the catalog and internet sectors if they don’ t take notice and make some changes.

Just remember the Lane Bryant mail order catalog and the Lane Bryant brick and mortar store are not the same - at least for now.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Express Yourself!

Would it surprise you if I told you that the man sitting next to you sporting a green mohawk and multiple body piercing was a lawyer? What if I told you that the perfectly coiffed woman over there in the meticulous Chanel suit was a folk singer?  You’d not only be surprised in either case, you’d also tend not to believe me.  These may be extreme examples, but whether we realize it or not, we all respond to the visual cues clothing sends. And then in a few split seconds we make certain assumptions about the person wearing them.  Celebrities know this. That’s why they hire stylists.

What do your clothes say to the world about you? Do they exude your personal style and reflect the inner you? Or do they speak of body insecurities and low self-esteem? Are they telling the truth? Or are they lying? If they are lying – is it a lie that you, the wearer, want to tell?  One thing is absolutely certain: they are communicating something to those around you. The question is what story are they telling and are you in control of the story?

Until recently big girls were told that we must always hide in head to toe black. We must cover our bodies. We were only offered shapeless tent-like garments.  Collectively we accepted our fate and our choices, limited to frumpy, “fat girl”, unattractive fashion messaging.  Even the most confident and self-expressive curvy chick had trouble finding anything more than a brightly colored floral muu-muu that came in her size. That choice may get noticed, but it hardly expresses much more than a loud, brash personality lost in a sea of ill-fitting cloth.  Where’s the person under that tent? All of this, of course, severely limited our abilities to fully communicate who we were and what we can do to the world around us.  Essentially we were brainwashed and then handicapped by our clothing options. Our only real choices relegated to neat and tidy or unkempt and sloppy -options which, in and of themselves, actually do speak volumes about how we feel about ourselves. 

Over the last few years our fashion choices in larger sizes have changed dramatically. But have our actions and attitudes towards ourselves changed? Much of the social messaging is still around…. “wear black”…. “hide your body”…. “thinner is better”….in direct conflict with the growing number of alternatives out there.  How many of us have the confidence to play with fashion as a tool of self expression?  And, how many of us are “waiting until we lose a few pounds” before we buy the fabulous dress or jacket that we are lusting after, and instead opt for the safe, the comfortable, the voluminous big girl black?

Stop the madness! Neither size nor health is the issue here. Start with feminine, flirty or fun undergarments and watch a little spring magically enter your step.  As people around you begin to respond to the improved body language, you’ll gain the confidence to begin experimenting with more looks, to figure out what works on your particular version of curves and within the social circles in which you move. You’ll start to find your own fashion voice.  Next thing you know, you’ll have escaped the tyranny of the “fat girl uniform”, complete with all its associated negative social messaging, to emerge as the individual you truly are.  You’ll have the ability to tell your own story when you walk into a room, meet a client for the first time, or go on a job interview. What you do with that tool is up to you. Put your best face forward or consider it a casual pajama day.  Dress it up or dress it down. Exude professional polish or wild, joie de vivre.   Become a social rebel or a soft, voluptuous siren. You can even tell a fib or two – it’ll be you and your wardrobe’s little secret.  Regardless, you’ll find the people around you will respond accordingly. Don’t like the response, you know how to change direction, dial it up a notch or play it down.  The difference now is that you are in control the minute you walk into a room and before you open your mouth. You are not relegated to a fat chick social cliché.  So, express yourself! 

Popularity: 5% [?]

The Sizing Thing 
Musings from the Editor’s Chair, ElegantPlus.com

As the Fourth of July holiday weekend heats up, it’s one of those times of year when fashion retailers dazzle us with rock bottom sales, discounts, coupons and bargains as they clear their racks of spring and summer apparel to make room for the new “Back to School” styles beginning to arrive.

Savvy shoppers beware. The plus-size apparel market is in flux. Excitingly so, as more and more manufacturers cater to women with curves. We celebrate when junior and misses size lines that serve our thinner sisters expand their offerings into plus sizes.

Some fail miserably. Why? There are more women in the United States who wear a size 14 or larger than those who wear smaller sizes, yet there is more fashion on the racks for smaller sizes. Why? It defies common sense that any line serving this yet to be fully tapped market should fail. But they do, as the recent announcements by H&M and J Lo attest.

I had a recent shopping experience that reminded me why some of those items land on the sale racks and some apparel designers try and fail to reach the plus size market. Some of it is clearly marketing - or rather the lack of marketing - as the “shame” of carrying plus sizes causes a retailer to push them into dark back corners of their stores. If your target customers don’t even know that you carry larger sizes, how do expect your line to succeed? The fashion industry can be accused of tiresome high school cliquish behaviours at times as the article referenced above discusses.

But, my shopping trip to a local department store highlighted another problem. The failure to use truly plus size fit models when designing a plus apparel line. It isn’t just about style, although that is problematic too….frumpiness often creeps into larger styles. (Even baby-boomer grandmothers don’t want to look like doddering old grannies. Hello apparel designers - frumpy is out with all but the very oldest generation ….. and even my 86 year old grandmother doesn’t like to look frumpy.) If a designer either makes the error due to lack of experience in this market, or thinks they can save money by cutting corners they are wrong. Simply sizing up from a Size 6 fit model for all sizes right up through a size 26 is going to fail miserably.

I was reminded of this fact when my bargain hunting radar spied a sale rack full of gorgeous jackets in the body conscious short, tailored styles big this year - in a beautiful floral print, no less. Twenty dollars in a high end department store! Steal!! I grabbed two, found a lovely blouse to go under them and went off to the dressing room. And found out why there was an entire bargain sale rack of what should have been one of the hottest items of the season. I couldn’t get my arms in those jackets no matter how hard I tried. The body was tailored properly for a larger hour glass figure - although I’m not sure how an apple shaped plus woman would have fared, but even with some stretch to the fabric my arms looked like stuffed sausages and my circulation was cut off. Suddenly the explanation for an entire “bargain” rack of hot ticket items was crystal clear. The style was cool. The fit was not. And the consumer walked away again and again and again until there were below cost mark-downs and a department store begging Goodwill to take it away. If an executive doesn’t understand this market and the design issues, s/he could very well conclude that plus size women don’t purchase trendier styles or that their straight size line does not appeal to full figured women. And the experiment they decided to run for a season or two fails.

What are “fit models”? you might be wondering. They are models who are hired not for their beauty, so much as for their measurements and proportions which are used to fit clothing designs and develop accurate patterns. It is also helpful to the company hiring them if they also have a background in fashion design that enables them to communicate fitting problems when they are trying on clothing samples during the design process. Because a plus size body isn’t just larger, it also has some different proportioning like arm sizes, it’s important that plus lines aren’t simply sized up from straight sized fit model. Within the industry, the average plus size fit model must meet exact measurement standards that usually fit an evenly balanced 16W or 18W figure, depending on the preference of the company and have the height of about 5′7″.

For the consumer, sizing is confusing enough - with vanity sizing, women’s, junior plus, brand-special sizing - without the added problems caused by ignoring the use of a plus size fit model for the line. The results are patently obvious to any of us who understand what is going on. Gone are the days when a full figured consumer is delighted just to find anything in her size - a situation that began to change in the 1990’s. Now there is a full fledged demand for quality, fit and style. In a way the plus specialty retail chains are at an advantage, since they already understand fitting issues that straight size designers might miss as they size up. But even they have had to try to undestand the bodies of their customers better. Last year, plus retailer Catherines used advanced body scan technology to research the body shapes of its customers and tailor their in-house labels to better meet consumer needs.

On-line clothing shopping is growing in popularity for both smaller size and plus size women. The convenience, a greater range of colors and styles even for the same brick and mortar store, and the ability to find exactly what you want without filling an entire weekend trudging from store to store is bringing web-shopping to the fore. Fashion copywriters are getting better at describing garments including information like fabric content and fit types (eg. loose fit, close fit, tailored fit, etc.) . Color swatches are more often included. And truly savvy apparel sites include individualized garment measurements and not simply generalized sizing charts, and the newest web shopping aide to hit - shopping by body shape .

Much of this sizing help relies on you, the customer, to understand your own body and measurements. It’s always a good idea to have your body measurements on hand, tucked in your purse or sitting next to your computer for quick reference. Have a friend help you take the measurements with a flexible seamstress measuring tape easily found at any local fabric store, Walmarts, grocery stores and convenience stores. Having them will make for a more pleasureable shopping experience all around as you undestand and compare the size charts of various manufacturers.

So enjoy those holiday bargains that still have an entire summer’s worth of wearing time in them, just remember to try things on if you can or make sure you understand the label you are purchasing. All plus size apparel fits are not made equal.

Popularity: 6% [?]

 Big Dance - Modern Dance

The Benefits of Dance, Part I

 I’ll admit it. Conscious, daily exercise rarely makes my top priority list for the day. Especially many of the more common exercise routines suggested by our society. The very idea of jogging implies torture, and I’m not crazy about biking either. I don’t get out and walk very often. Rollerblading ….yikes! Haven’t been on wheels since the teenage roller rink era, and even then I spent more time collapsed in a heap or all elbows and knees!  I like to walk, but always seem to have an excuse — not enough time, too hot outside, too cold, too wet. Aerobics……well, I actually do like aerobics when they are low impact and aren’t done in a room full of perfect size 6 women in tight lycra with snippy attitudes. But….try finding a place that fits the “if” part of that statement!  Not much of a motivator. In fact, with the best intentions, I did sign up for a gym membership one year. I spent one afternoon sweating it out with the  fashionable New York skinny minies who eyed me as if I was a side show at the circus. I never went back. Swimming would be great if my skin didn’t get all scaly from the chlorine pool.  I’ve become a couch potato. Or rather, an “armchair at a desk, in front of the computer” potato.  My mind is well toned and in peak condition, capable of leaping tall buildings in a single bound……my body is not. Simply put, I don’t get enough exercise. I bet I’m not alone either, am I?

         Over the years, the effects of this lack of regular exercise has taken its toll. I’m not talking about gaining weight and extra dress sizes, although that has happened too. No, I’m talking about that general lack of energy, good health and sense of  physical well being that should be the norm, rather than the exception in our lives. Sure,  I’m certainly not the energetic 18 year old that  I used to be, but that’s not the only explanation. There are three very common life-style factors that modern American living often produces that are detrimental to your health:  stress, unhealthy eating patterns, and not enough physical activity. And sure enough, more than anything, my personal situation comes down to my lack of exercise, and stressful, non-stop lifestyle. I drive everywhere and I don’t eat regularly or sensibly. My energy levels are far lower than they were, and everything feels generally sluggish. Sound familiar? Maybe you smoke, drink too much coffee, or stay up too late trying to get everything done, too. The fact of the matter is, we Americans have a terrible habit of treating ourselves badly. So what can we do? 

The number one factor in choosing an exercise that you are willing to stick to is that it must be something you enjoy doing. If  you don’t enjoy it, for whatever reason, you’ll be fighting yourself mentally and are less likely to continue long enough to reap any rewards without someone else pushing you all the time. (And who wants to be pushed? Personal trainers are great to a certain extent, but if you find yourself dreading the ordeal every day or three times a week, you are doing nothing but adding to your stress levels. Stress is very un-healthy. The objective is to become healthy.) So, maybe you like one of the activities I listed above. Then go for it! 

DANCE

       But if you are still searching around for a physical activity you’d enjoy, maybe dance is the key.  It certainly is one of the most appealing to me. I have a great time, and hardly notice that I’ve spent a half hour exercising. It helps that I’m a music fanatic too. I almost always have a CD spinning as I pound away at the computer. A passion for music — be it the strains of Bach, the rippling melodies of Enya, the Latin beat of the Gipsy Kings, or the latest pop tune — that’s the hobby that keep my days going. Dance is a natural extension of world beats and complex rhythms.  You don’t have to have a partner to dance, there are plenty of types of dance that can be done without one, like flamenco and belly dancing (both dance forms are very friendly to plus figures, too!). 

Maybe you don’t want to sign up for the local adult ballet class full of already svelte petites (and maybe you have the confidence to even do that!), but there are plenty of other types of dance that are less petite conscious and comfortable to the larger sized beginner. In many ways dance classes are less full of attitudes that make many main-stream gym and aerobic classes unfriendly to the unfit or heavy set beginner. Yes, the professional ballet world has and does produce unhealthy body attitudes, many times crossing into eating disorders to maintain waif like body types. But, most classes and venues at the beginning adult level have no such hang ups, especially the further away from classical ballet you get.

Jazz and modern are great, classroom taught dance forms that concentrate more on how your body moves than classical lines. In fact I’ve seen more than a few modern pieces that have used heavier body types to great advantage. Belly dance and flamenco look best with curvier figures, and some of the greatest legends are very curvy indeed. (I saw a well-loved belly dancing wife of a Tunisian pop star make a guest appearance in a Turkish nightclub one evening not very long ago. The place went wild. She, I’m guessing, was about 5′6″, apple shaped, and 250-300 pounds - and a stunning dancer.) I have yet to see any African or  Caribbean dance classes that aren’t full all different shapes and sizes. Rhythm and body articulation are the main focus here.  Body type is so rarely an issue in this dance form it’s refreshing. 

And of course there is my all time personal favorite: chair dancing — a close relative of car dancing. All it requires is a snappy tune that has you tapping out the rhythm with your toes, moving your head to the music and a few articulated upper body movements in time. This one, however, is usually best supplemented with real dance for some other part of the day to keep the body toned. But, I do assure you, it does help with that stiff neck and sore lower back if you’ve spent too much time in front of the blasted computer.

If you’ve got a partner, social dancing is even less body conscious. Salsa is more about attitude on that dance floor than anything else - in fact you can’t really do salsa successfully unless you are comfortable with and love your body. Swing is currently very popular in the U.S. with many clubs usually bent more on having an extraordinarily great time to some fun music. The focus is the dance and the music, not the body lines of the person doing the dancing. Even competitive ballroom dancers don’t have to be rail thin. Toned, yes.  Fit, yes. But all elbows, knees, and ribs, no. One of the top couples has a stocky female half who has feet of magic.

    So, if you want to go it alone, sign up with your significant other, or grab a bunch of girlfriends, there is plenty of choice!  If you don’t want to start out in public right away, there are even quite a few good video tapes around. Of course, there are health benefits from many other types of physical activity, I just can’t imagine them being anywhere near as much fun as dancing! Plus, once you’ve gained some skills, it’s a fabulous social skill and confidence booster!

The Benefits of Dance

~ You burn calories15 minutes of fast latin-american ballroom dancing (cha-cha, jive, merengue etc) burns an average of 104 calories. In comparison, running at 5 mph over the same time burns an average of 159 calories, and cycling at a leisurely pace burns about 74 .

~You’ll have improved posture, grace & carriage

You’ll find after some time spent learning to dance properly that you begin to stand taller, with your shoulders back, head held high. A heightened sense of your own body gives you a presence that is hard to ignore as your gestures gain grace. Clothing always hangs better, no matter what your body type, when you have good posture. Others will begin to notice as you project and live through your dance trained body. And you’ll notice that you feel better about yourself as you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of your body and how it moves. All this, subtle though it may seem, could be the single most important change to your “look” and “style” — not the $200 dress you just bought at Macy’s. Anybody can do it, even if you think you have two left feet. All it takes is a little practice! And you’ll love the practice!
~ You’ll feel better “in yourself”

________________________________________________________________________Although dancing is a very natural form of exercise, as with all exercise, there is some risk involved, depending on the amount of oomph you put into it. If you have heart disease or other serious medical conditions that you believe may be effected by this type of exercise, consult your doctor before taking up dance as a new activity. Otherwise, keep the following points in mind:

Dance classes run in all areas of the country, some in professional dance studios, some in the the local community center, covering everything from ballroom and line-dancing to disco and flamenco. Wherever you are, you’re bound to find one near you. Or, if the only corner of the day you can find a little piece of time for yourself is the end of a very long work day or after the kids are tucked safely in bed, try out a tape or two in the quiet of your living room and see how you do spending a little time on you.
 

Click here for  plus-size apparel appropriate for dance and other active lifestyle activities.

For additional dance and fitness tape and DVD recommendations, see the Curvy Bookshelf.

Popularity: 5% [?]

West Coast Travels

Musings from the Editor’s Chair, ElegantPlus.com

It’s been awhile since I’ve had a chance to post in the blog. Things have been very busy as we change over to Spring, warmer weather and upbeat, pretty and flirty fashions.

Over the last week, I’ve been on the road, traveling the other coast (west). It’s partly been a time to take a little break and enjoy the gorgeous California scenery, good company and change of pace. But, I’ve also taken the time do a little research and business.

As some know, I’ve an expertise in ancient Mediterranean jewelry that has led to an interest in both hand crafted modern and ethnic jewelry. The beginning of this trip found me immersed in a beading class taught by a Native American craftswoman who exhibits in places like the National Museum of the American Indian. Good stuff. I’m looking forward to taking my new found beading skills and cache of pretty bead finds home to combine with my smithing skills and cook up some new projects. I’ve also recently learned a Turkish felting technique, and am starting some textile surface design courses soon - including silk painting. I’m begining to be in desperate need of studio space for my “projects”……. when I’ll find time to do it all, in and around editing, management and design on Elegant Plus is anyone’s best guess. But I love the creative process and learning from acomplished artisans, so…… Stay tuned!

Back to the trip. A stop in at the San Francisco NORDSTROM gave me the opportunity to check out the selling floor compared to their on-line offerings, experience customer service first hand, and indulge in a little shopping for myself. I had a slim companion along who wanted to do some shopping of her own, so we began a customer service experiment.

First we went up to the Fourth Floor where “Encore” (the plus size section) was located - directly next to the Bistro. I’m going to try not to dwell too much on the potential meaning of the strategy of the location. The section was reasonably sized, well laid out and stocked. Dresses were scarcer than on-line, although they did have a (mostly black) formalwear section. But they did have the mosaic print dress I’ve had my eye on for awhile and it was even prettier in person (See the “Splurge” selection from the Feb 28 Fashion Finds on the main website). Since I have a cousin’s wedding to attend this fall, it was a serious contender for a purchase that afternoon. However, I instead fell in love with a beautiful Asian inspired pastel print satin jacket that will get more use. Dress it up to attend a wedding function with dress pants or a long lean skirt, or toss it on over jeans and heels for a more casual look. Unfortunately, it is not a style currently on-line. Who knows, I may yet return for the dress when I get home. It is still calling to my closet. Customer service was solicitous and stellar. The sales clerk opened dressing rooms, ran for alternative sizes, offered knowledgeable fit advice and helpfully got me settled on the catalog mailing list at check out. Several shoppers in the dressing room oohed and ahhed over eachother’s fashion parade, creating a fun and convivial clothes shopping experience. It was the urgings of several fellow shoppers that settled me on the jacket, actually. We were starting to see why NORDSTROM was known for its customer service. I felt welcome and cared for, regardless of my size.

Next stop, straight sizes for my friend. She had much more selection and her shopping was located on a lower floor, right next to the petite section. But the clerk there was just as helpful as the one I had encountered. In fact, it didn’t seem to matter which section we were browsing through, clerks greeted both of us and made eye contact. This clerk made sure I was comfortable and settled me on an overstuffed seat, included me in the fitting conversations with my friend and even hopefully asked if I’d be interested in browsing for myself while waiting? It didn’t seem to occur to her that her section didn’t fit my curves - a rather pleasant mistake, if you ask me. I did notice while browsing through the racks, that there were several fashionable styles that I had already seen upstairs in the plus section - including the jacket I had just purchased. While, I will still be mostly an on-line shopper with NORDSTROM since we don’t have one on the East Coast in my area, and I appreciate the quick shipping and excellent customer service that way, it was wonderful to experience a brick and mortar that treated every customer with solicitous respect and care.

My stay in San Francisco also included a stop into the headquarters of another on-line plus size shop known for excellent customer service, Igigi . It’s one of those rare shops that can have a formal gown to you the next day if you need it. And they have some of the best formal gowns for prom, informal weddings and bridesmaids going in plus sizes up to 32. My behind the scenes meeting and tour included a look at the total operation, previews of some upcoming styles and a good up close look at many of the dresses ready to ship. For more everyday wear, we still like the knit wrap dresses that can work for both business and more casual occasions. New are some pretty peasant and gypsy styles that come with sleeves or matching shrugs that allow you to go bare or covered. For any boutique owners looking for wholesale, remember that’s available from them too.

Less than a day left, and then it’s a long flight and drive back. It’s been great to be away, but I’m ready for my own bed.

Popularity: 4% [?]