Jeff Barber

What Size Do I Wear?

Trying to find clothes for what I call “Healthy Women”, can at times be a challenging and frustrating task. Stores that cater to Plus Size Clothes for Women has started to finally pick up and you will be able to find fashionable trendy designs that make you feel like a celebrity.

Back in the day, plus-size women had to choose from oversized dresses, baggy pants, bright colors, flowered patterns and sequins. Retailers finally caught on and realized that there is a huge market for these clothes. 62% of the women today wear a size 14 or larger and are spending $25 billion a year on clothing, which is about a quarter of all clothing sales. We are no longer the minority. Thin is no longer in.

Retailers that I favor to buy plus-size clothes from are:

• Lane Bryant (www.lanebryant.com)
• Fashion Bug (www.fashionbug.com)
• Avenue (www.avenue.com)
• Torrid (www.torrid.com)
• Coldwater Creek (www.coldwatercreek.com)

Some other retailers that you may want to shop that are usually right around the corner and generally will not cost you an arm and a leg are:

• Kohls
• Sears
• JC Penney’s
• Wallmart
• Kmart

Also, I run a website PlusSize.ItemsOnEbay.net that offer clothes from eBay. You can really get great deals from here.

What Size Do I Wear?

Why can’t we have a sizing chart that all the designer’s go by? If you are a plus size woman, you know what I mean. I know what size I wear, or I thought I did. So why is it that every time I go into a clothing store I have to try on 2 or 3 different sizes to make sure the clothing is going to fit.

Finding a standardization in the sizing can be extremely daunting. Misses sizes many times are cut to a 20, and women's plus sizes usually start at a 14W. Now the UK sizes may look the same as the US, but more times than not they run a size smaller (a U.S. 8 is about a UK 10). Here is the rule of thumb when looking at plus size dresses: Women's apparel plus sizes are usually cut more generously than misses sizes, so if you see a W at the end of the size (not to be confused with WP which means women's petite), it is larger.

The best way to get a great fit is to know your measurements. Before your next shopping trip, measure the following areas: bust, waist & hips. Use the chart below to find your size.

BUST Measure under your arms at the fullest part of your bust. NATURAL WAIST Measure around your natural waistline, keeping tape comfortably loose. HIPS Stand with your feet together and measure around the fullest part of your hips.

U.S. Plus Sizes Sizes   1X   2X   3X   4X   5X   14W 16W 18W 20W 22 24W 26WE 28WE 32WE Bust 41.5"-43" 42.5"-45" 44.5"-47" 46.5"-49" 48.5"-51" 50.5"-53" 52.5"-55" 55.5"-57" 57.5"-59" Waist 33.5"-35" 34.5"-37" 36.5"-39" 38.5"-41.5" 40.5"-44" 42.5"-46.5" 44.5"-49" 49.5"-51.5" 52"-54" Hips 44"-45.5" 45"-47.5" 47"-49.5" 49"-51.5" 51"-53.5" 53"-55.5" 55"-57.5" 58"-59.5" 60"-61.5"

This chart is meant to be used for a general guideline only. Consult size charts from individual stores and manufacturers to get a perfect fit.

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