Comments on: Francesca Laughs and Wipes a Tear

By: Hermione

Hermione — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 02:47:28 +0000

Enroll me in the Talbot’s Fan Club please! I’m 60, short and round, and the WP clothes fit me to perfection, other than pants being a tad long sometimes.

By: Sarahbyrdd

Sarahbyrdd — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:26:38 +0000

*chortles with glee* I’ve been quoted in a blog!

Patti, I agree. It’s very difficult to find mid-priced clothes that look professional but not completely unstylish or old. I’ve been searching fruitlessly for the past several month for a non-shrunken khaki blazer or drapy sweater to make summer outfits a bit more office worthy. Every time I find something close to what I want, it’s all sold out in my size.

By: Patti

Patti — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:55:53 +0000

I must step in and say that even though I am way older than 25(by damn near 30 years!!!) it’s really harder for a real mature, but sassy woman to find quality and style all rolled up into one. SO I’ve settled for being classically tailored (read boring)and sometimes not owning a quality piece for years and years. It’s been forever since I saw a line of clothing that met my size needs and didn’t look like a muich younger woman. So I dress far more casually than I would like, or I forgo looking really great because I can’t afford the expense and help raise my children.I would love some midpriced lines, some stylish separates that I was proud to wear and didn’t make me look like I was trying too hard to be young.
I appreciate you Francesca for weighing in on this problem, and I will try to seek out the best i can afford while streamlining my style and wardrobe rather than settling for less , thanks to your tutelage.

By: Mango

Mango — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:35:01 +0000

I’m still looking for the plus-size clothes at Target. Yeah, sure, there’s the big sign hanging from the ceiling that says “Women’s” or “Plus” or whatever they’re currently calling us, but it’s invariably a dumping ground for straight-size sale items, misses sale items, items to be reshelved, maternity clothes and maybe one or two sad, sad racks of plus-size clothes, which may or may not be the useful in any way (ie the tragic day when the only plus clothes in the whole of my Target were a rack of hideous tankinis). I mean, okay, look, if you don’t want to sell me clothes, that’s fine. I get it, I can live with that. I won’t buy your tchotchkes and soap and addictive macadamia caramel corn, but I can deal. No hard feelings. But when there’s a giant sign indicating that you have a section of clothes for me and then I go there and you don’t, I begin to be just the tiniest bit bitter….

By: Cara

Cara — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:36:09 +0000

“…inability to draw older (read: over 23) consumers, and then it will be held up as proof that there is no market for the plus-size clothes.”

Which brings me to something totally different: Is any company even interested in attracting costumers oder 23? As soon as you hit 25 or 30, noone wants to sell you clothes, at least in Europe, everything is marketed for the eternally slim and hip youthful under 25 crowd. At 30, you are supposed to wither and die in khaki and greige in something elegant, yet classic, but good heavens, nothing fashionable.

By: Bobbi

Bobbi — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:38:02 +0000

Virginia Postrel has a recent blog/article on the unfortunate math designers use to make sizing decisions on the Doublex site

http://www.doublex.com/section/life/real-reason-ann-taylor-hates-plus-sizes

The same fabulous and forthright Postrel talks about the science of body shape (in a slightly older article) here:

http://www.vpostrel.com/articles-speeches/atlantic/sizes.html

I have little sympathy for designers, and am forever grateful my mother in law is an expert seamstress with her own sewing shop. I suggest all ladies buy garments made in the best fabric they can find and get thee to a tailor.

Or start planning your wardrobe with military precision and start buying cloth at any of the really great online fabric retailers. With the current financial brouhaha there are so delicious deals available for the shopper with a savvy eye.

Oh, yes this expensive, time consuming and an exercise in delayed gratification. Start with the recent super-duper post on MftBG about an inspiration board and tell the nitwit designers and retailers where to go (on the other side of your super fantastic uniquely shaped…)

By: Maureen

Maureen — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 01:04:44 +0000

The Pure Energy line looks okay when compared to the rest of Target’s stuff for the young’uns. It’s just that this year’s crop of stuff for the young’uns *sucks*. Gathered-bust maxi dresses? Why?

By: gemdiva

gemdiva — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:18:55 +0000

Francesca, I am so with you on Talbots. Their sales can be amazing. Their customer service is great, they actually wait on you and make you feel they are so grateful that you chose to spend your hard earned dollars with them. Talbots, nothin’ but love for ya!

By: Omnibus Driver

Omnibus Driver — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:36:31 +0000

I stopped shopping the women’s department at Target last year when everything was sack-like and in wretched, blah, boring colors. Yuck.

Igigi has some lovely classic separates, beautifully constructed, and good value when they have their sales. C.J. Banks and Silhouettes have also been places where I’ve found consistently good quality and prices.

By: theDiva

theDiva — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:30:58 +0000

what drives me crazy is the lack of clothing tailored for the big-racked-yet-small-framed among us. Petites-plus don’t even help. GAH.