Top 5 Shopping Sites for the Full Figured Femme

17 November 2010 No Comments

By Karen Welcome

Our resident plus-sized Fashionista Karen Welcome shares her favourite plus-sized shopping sites on the web, just in time for Santa to drop his presents down your chimney!

1. Torrid.com
Torrid has been a favourite of mine for years because it has always offered trendy clothing but more importantly it has shoes that have wide widths and boots that can be ordered according to calf size.

2. Forever 21 Plus Sizes
Anyone who knows me knows I am addicted to Forever 21′s plus size collections. The clothing keeps me on point with what’s on the runways each season and it’s very affordable which means I never leave the store empty handed.

There are only a couple of Forever 21 locations in Canada that carry plus sizes so I suggest taking advantage of their online store. The sizes are quite generous so make sure you have a measuring tape ready to make comparisons to the size chart.

3. Miss Phit
Miss Phit is one of my favourite plus size brands and I was extremely excited to find out that they have a website as I usually have to hunt for Miss Phit items in different shops around the city.

Miss Phit offers current, stylish pieces that always have a great fit because there’s usually an extra button, zipper or other contraption that allows you to tighten or loosen your garment as you see fit.

4. Baby Phat
This brand continues to carry comfortable classics with an urban edge. The sweat suits they design always keep me looking cute at the gym and ordering online means I don’t have to drive myself crazy looking for pieces to match up from different stores.

5. Alloy
As a teen I always used to look at the Alloy catalogue and drool over their collections each season. I couldn’t order anything because the clothing came in regular sizes but now that they have added extended sizes to their designs my dreams have come true, and although I’m in my twenties the clothing is still age-appropriate and inspired.

There are many bohemian pieces that I have my eye on. I haven’t ordered from this site yet so I’ll be sure to check out their return policy and whip out my tape measure to compare my sizes to that of their size charts’.

6. Addition Elle

Great, easy to navigate site with fantastic selection for the plus-sized woman in your life. Love this little pull-on tulip skirt, it would look great with anything and can easily go from office to after-work drinks.

Free returns in Canada, and the last day to order before Christmas is December 16th.

And for shoppers who buy online only, from November 18 to 21 enjoy 25% off orders of $100 or more.

Gifts I’d like to give to the 3 most special people in my life:

1. The first person I thought of buying an online gift for was one of my closest friends Kristine. It’s been a rough year for me and she’s been my rock. Her style is classic but she loves bold prints and interesting touches so I immediately gravitated towards The Afropolitan Collection.

The collection consists of six looks that are designed with a western aesthetic and they consist of Nigerian fabrics. Any piece in this collection is perfect for the career driven woman who can easily take her outfit from the office to cocktails with her girlfriends. You can see the collection at www.theafropolitancollection.com.

2. The second person I would love to buy a gift for is my step-mother, who’s bought me countless outfits as a child. Now it’s time to return the favour. Plus-sized clothing often comes in unnatural fabrics such as polyester and rayon and my step-mother has sensitive skin so I thought of www.lolaandgigi.com.

They are a Canadian retailer that carries clothing made from organic fabrics. Their prices can run a bit high but the quality of these designer pieces make it worth every penny.

3. Finally, the third most-important person to get myself a gift for is me! I’ve got my eye on a new line called F3. This designer duo create fashion forward pieces for “full figured fashionistas” and I absolutely love the Black V-neck top from their limited edition debut collection. It’s cut amazingly, it’s very edgy and it can be found at www.shopf3.com.