Plus size clothing is a general term given to clothing sized specifically for overweight or larger size people. Plus-size refers generally to clothing labeled size (US) 14 / (UK) 18 and upwards for women. There are many popular brands that cater to plus size dresses such as Avenue, Lane Bryant and Igigi, there are also many trendy dresses for formal occasions, proms, evening and cocktail dresses which can be found in higher end department stores like Nordstroms and Macys. Options for discovering quality, classy and sexy plus size dresses are on the rise.
Consumer Reports
Plus size clothing patterns have traditionally been graded up from a smaller construction pattern, however many retailers are using statistical data collected from their own measuring projects, and from specialized Body Scan Data collection projects to modernize the fit and construction of their garments. U.S. companies Lane Bryant and Catherines teamed up over a three-year period to source data to modernize the companies’ garment construction. Fourteen thousand women were measured in what was the most extensive female sizing study in the U.S. in over 60 years.
United Kingdom
In the UK there are over sixty brands for plus-size women’s clothing. However, only a small number of these brands are manufactured or owned by U.K.-based companies. High-street chain stores such as Elvi, Evans, SimplyBe, Feminine Plus and Ann Harvey sell only plus-sized garments, and many other brands and department stores carry extended sizes in their shelves, such as Debenhams, Fenwicks and New Look. In the U.K. plus-size is generally thought of as beginning at size 18, which is roughly equivalent to a US size 14.
Specialist plus size brands (found in independent plus size shops) known to be active in the UK (2010) include: Marina Rinaldi (Italy), Persona (Italy), Elena Grunert (Germany), Elena Miro (Italy), Verpass (Germany), Chalou (Germany), Kirsten Krog (Denmark), Wille (Germany), Jomhoy (Spain), Yoek (Netherlands), Be The Queen (France), Alain Weiz (France), Tummy Tuck NYDJ (USA), Anathea by Didier Parakian (France).
United States
The United States plus size clothing stores include Lane Bryant and Catherines. A number of individual boutiques have started online to target specific niche markets within the plus size industry. Companies such as HydroChic produce plus size swimsuits and plus size fitness apparel.
