As a few of you may know, I began my first “Career” job this past month. It’s vastly different than many of the jobs I have had in the past, or even the “Career” internships I have had in the past. I think it will be a fantastic job opportunity, and I will learn a lot; the people seem great, friendly, and enthusiastic.
So where are the drawbacks?
Building the “Professional” wardrobe. To be honest, I think this would be substantially easier if I weren’t “plus-sized.” Shops like the Limited and Express actually feature a professional aesthetic I could be more than happy to sport. But girls above a size 10 are NOT supposed to be pretty and fashionable, are they?* From finding basics like black pants and coats to finding bright and vibrant blouses and dresses, the market is just not built for a plus-sized young gal to be professional.
In plus-sized shopping, what do I see a lot of?
Sorry to pick on you Old Navy, but do you really think these flatter a larger woman?
I think I could get around the first offending criteria (or somehow make it work), if it weren’t for the last. I stopped wearing oversized shirts in high school, when I realized they made me look heavier than I was. Seriously, do ANY of the above shirts flatter that woman’s body?
So what’s a girl to do?
For work, I’ve been trying to shop in stores and look for inspiration in things that aren’t my typical style.
One advantage has been Old Navy’s typical women’s line. While the new regime has eliminated most clothes over a size 14 from the stores here, the website has been a great resource. Kohl’s has also been a surprising resource for clothes as well!
To maximize the most of my wardobe, I try to break it down in to “basics”:
When shopping I try to look for clothes that will fit if I gain or lose weight — knits are great for this because of how they tend to fit the body. Solid colors are amazing for mixing and matching, though I won’t argue against a great striped or polka dot skirt or dress! I’ve been on the hunt for a couple of really great vests (my favorite is a pinch too small now); they’re a fantastic way to accessorize an outfit and dress it up a notch. The hardest part is finding amazing pants that fit well, though I try to be on the lookout always!
This will work for the next month or so while the weather is cool, but once it transitions from cool to cold I may have to rethink my strategy!
Does anyone have any tips for being young, stylish, and working in the professional field? Any thoughts on great pieces you love, things I should explore, or ways to adapt my wardrobe?
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Comments ( 8 )
Rose added these pithy words on Oct 16 08 at 4:44 pmI really like your article. I think a lot of designers and stores forget that plus women want to look just as stlyish and fashionable as any other type of women. They want to look hot, feel good and get that confidence when you know you are wearing clothes that makes you look good. I’m a professional stylish and I have my own online boutique (I specialize in career clothes for regular, plus and maternity). One thing that I love right now for women of any size is Cowl Neck Sweater Dresses. They look beautiful with tights and high heels. A nice belt will accentuate the waist for a plus size woman. The same type of neck but as a shirt with a pencil skirt can also make a great work outfit. I hope this helps a bit.
Keep writing,
Rose
Beka added these pithy words on Oct 16 08 at 10:47 pmI certainly can’t help you. I have the same problem. I’m an 8/10, but my hips are pretty wide, so everything looks very weird on me. Please let me know what you find out.
grechen added these pithy words on Oct 17 08 at 3:41 pmlove your site!!!
have you tried http://www.igigi.com/? they have the most stylish plus-sized clothes in my opinion. pricey, but really classic, and in timeless styles. Also, have you tried etsy? i wrote an article recently on eco-friendly plus-size shopping and really found a lot of great resources on etsy. most of the pieces are pretty casual that i ran across, but i’m sure there are some professional alternatives. the key is to find a designer you can work with.
Annie Spandex added these pithy words on Oct 17 08 at 3:47 pmI am terrible at dressing professionally. I felt like nominating myself for What Not To Wear, lol…
A fitted tee and wide-leg pinstipe pants was my basic uniform, sometimes with a cropped cardigan. It wasn’t bad, but it was a little on the casual side. Maybe a turtleneck. Everything else was ill-fitted and boring and frumpy-looking. Blazers just don’t look right on me. I’m so glad I don’t have to try anymore.
Wow, Roses’s idea sounds pretty good.Thank you thank you thank you for joining my posse! <3<3<3
joy added these pithy words on Oct 17 08 at 4:16 pmi totally wrote a similar article about shapeless plus size clothing this past summer about a fashion bug ad i saw: http://tinybadass.blogspot.com/2008/07/this-is-horrific.html
admin added these pithy words on Oct 22 08 at 11:49 am@grechen - Thank you for the kind words, Grechen! I have checked out Igigi, but find the styles a bit to formal for my liking… they did seem to have a few great tops and basic dresses though. Etsy is DEFINITELY a fantastic choice, and I do love to shop through them as much as possible… it’s just difficult when timing is really important (like right now– I HAVE to find some full length pants now that the temperatures are in the 30s-50s!).
admin added these pithy words on Oct 22 08 at 11:49 am@Beka - Will definitely let you know what I find out… perhaps this is an area I need to explore more!
admin added these pithy words on Oct 22 08 at 11:50 am@Annie Spandex - A lot of the people here in the office dress very casually (and very similarly to you). It’s really difficult to find a great business casual style that doesn’t cost a ton or border on too funky! I’m beginning to wonder if it’s really a problem with the shops and how they are constructing clothing…
