Where can one find fashionable items (jeans, shirts, etc) for oversized folks?

August 11, 2005 8:07 AM

Where can one find fashionable items (jeans, shirts, etc) for oversized folks?

I'm having a really, really hard time finding fashionable clothing for people that are oversized. High-dollar boot cut jeans, large fashionable shirts in today's hipster styles, leather jackets, etcetera. I know about big and tall stores, but they're usually very limited in selection. Anyone have any idea about where one can find your average Abercrombie and Fitch-style jeans and other hipster wear that actually fits large folks?

posted by arimathea to clothing, beauty, & fashion (16 comments total)

a/s/l?

Well maybe just the s - are you male or female?
posted by iconomy at 8:16 AM on August 11, 2005

i'd say you can take serious advantage of "seconds" stores like Ross and Marshall's, as typically they carry sizes that are either too large or too small for the average department store patron. You *will* be buying about a season/year behind the current lines, but you'll be paying probably 25% of the original retail, so that definitely makes up for it. Of course, you're going to have to do more digging than you would at a department store, but that's how it goes.
posted by fishfucker at 9:29 AM on August 11, 2005

(i shouldn't say typically, but "seem to" -- i haven't shopped there in a few years, as I pretty much only buy thrift these days, but I just remember always being "Goddamnit, WHOSE waist size is a 28? What, all they have is a 28 or a friggin 38? JESUS." Then after I finished cursing and left the changing room I would get told by the employees to rehang the clothes myself. Nice.)
posted by fishfucker at 9:31 AM on August 11, 2005

For women, Old Navy now has a section for oversized people. A lot of the same hip clothes they have in the main part of their store.
posted by aacheson at 9:42 AM on August 11, 2005

Lane Bryant is a good place. Their stores will frequently have stuff not available online.
posted by onhazier at 9:44 AM on August 11, 2005

There's also Avenue for women's clothes, and Torrid, the slightly more mainstream plus size offspring of Hot Topic (who also carries some larger sizes online for men and women, which may be of interest depending on your age and style).

Target has also expanded their plus size selection and some stores have plus size items from Isaac Mizrahi.

Personally, since my fashion sense tends to fall outside the mainstream, and I'm a border size (too small for a lot of what is at plus stores, too big for a lot of what is at normal stores), I make a good chunk of my own clothes.

Also, check online. I was amazed that, when I visited my family in Watertown NY, the stores in their mall typically carried up to size 18. Not the plus stores, either. Like, the Gap and other mainstream stores. In my hometown of Buffalo they rarely go above a 14. Some stores do have larger sizes, they just may not stock them in your area.

Also, look online. There's about twenty thousand catalogues for plus size women and "big and tall" men out there.
posted by Kellydamnit at 9:58 AM on August 11, 2005

How fashionable can "oversized folks" be? Seriously: I've read that Victoria's Secret doesn't sell certain bras smaller than 34A, simply because those fashions aren't practical for women with smaller figures. Doesn't the same principle apply here?

Seven For All Mankind, for example, doesn't sell women's jeans smaller than size 24, if I recall correctly. There's an upper limit as well, although I don't know what it is. I don't think they chose that range because they're spiteful, or because they don't think large women would pay for expensive jeans. It's because those fashions simply don't work on certain figures.

Several respondents have suggested Lane Bryant and Target. Neither of these seems to fit the question. You can certainly find nice clothes for any figure. But that isn't what you asked; and I think the best answer to your question is closer to, "You can't."
posted by cribcage at 10:10 AM on August 11, 2005

While I agree that some styles simply do not look good on fat folk, I also really empathize with trying to find non-boring shit.

A friend of mine recommends this webstore

And another friend of mine has a great boutique in Chicago called Vive La Femme where she stocks a lot of what you'd find in normal boutiques. She also has gotten many designers to extend their size range.

Good luck on getting some new clothes.
posted by mrs.pants at 10:28 AM on August 11, 2005

I agree that some fashion trends aren't appropriate for all body types. I don't care how many pairs of cigarrette pants I buy, my legs aren't going to look like cigarrettes in them. But, that doesn't mean that I should be completely left out of the fashion loop.

I have gotten some great things at Marshalls/TJMax/Ross that weren't too far out of season. I agree that Torrid has some trendy stuff, if you are into their style. I find their stuff doesn't usally fit my particular plus-size body type. I think their clothes are cut to fit plus-size teenagers. But, they are worth looking at. Oh, and Macy's. They have a good plus-size department. INC has a mostly fashion-forward plus-size line. Robinson's-May is no good - lots of "resort wear."

(There's a store called Mode Plus that sells very trendy things, but again, I think their stuff is cut for teenagers, and it's cheap crap.)
posted by clh at 10:49 AM on August 11, 2005

Before you invest in a whole new wardrobe, make sure you're wearing the right sized bra. You can get sized in the lingerie dept of most dept stores, and it really makes all the difference in both comfort and the way clothes look on you. Most women wear the wrong size, and it makes them look heavier and can cause back problems.
posted by Sara Anne at 11:59 AM on August 11, 2005

Ebay, Ebay, Ebay. The site search engine is getting a little more sophisticated, allowing you to search for named brands, items, sizes, even to specify whether you'd prefer brand new with tags. I've had some excellent bargains over the past few years.
posted by ceri richard at 12:27 PM on August 11, 2005

I second the eBay suggestion. When I was a little heavier, I purchased scads of Hilfiger/Lauren/DKNY clothes in larger sizes for huge discounts, most of the time getting 6-8 pieces for less than $200. Many eBay merchants specialize in larger sizes, and they have some terrific clothes.

Pay careful attention to the style, too, because larger people don't look good in certain styles/colors/patterns. You certainly don't want anything that makes you look bigger than you are.
posted by lambchop1 at 1:13 PM on August 11, 2005

Ashley Stewart. Unfortunately you can' t purchase online yet, and there are some parts of the country where there aren't a lot of stores, but they have incredibly cool stuff. And unlike most other plus-size clothing manufacturers and retailers they are on-trend for this year rather than lagging a year or two behind like the rest do.
posted by ereshkigal45 at 2:08 PM on August 11, 2005

oops, i'm a guy.
posted by arimathea at 2:21 PM on August 11, 2005

I knew it! Well, the great suggestions won't be wasted I'm sure.

The Ebay suggestion still stands. Although there's no plus section in menswear (why not?), the site search engine will still be your friend.
posted by ceri richard at 2:36 PM on August 11, 2005

J. Crew carries extended men's sizes, as does Gap (goes up to a 46 online) and Old Navy. Banana Republic has a big and tall section, at least online. Lacoste might be a brand you should check out, along with Tommy Hillfiger. If you have a Nordstrom near you, give it a shot. I've never been impressed by what Target sells in their men's department but their online store is another matter altogether. Definitely check out "Target to a T," their custom clothing line for men and women.

On a more staid tip, try Lands' End and L.L. Bean.

Hope this helps.
posted by Sully6 at 8:53 AM on August 12, 2005