With age comes wisdom, or at least that's what I keep telling myself & my family. The jury may be out on that :) , but I do believe that with age comes a sense of self confidence. It's linked to maturity, experience, patience and understanding your circle of influence.
As we age our perceptions and desires change. We learn to choose our attitude. You can choose to fight aging, or embrace it. You know that no matter which path you choose, your inner beauty will shine through.
Your fashion sense also evolves, and you realize that you do not NEED the current trend as much as it NEEDS to work for you. One of the advantages of being a plus size woman is that we learn this much earlier on in life.
We learn to select the fashion items than embrace our curves & enhance our figures, items that draw the eye to the areas we most want to feature. We learn to make slits and cuts work for us, not against us.
Comfort and ease of movement are as important as color and fashionability. Fit is key. When a plus size garment fits your body properly you not only look great, but feel confident in your choice.
Absolutely wear the size that fits your curves and shape, regardless of the number. Remember it really is JUST a number and different designers and retailers use different size specifications. Nothing looks worse on a full figure women than her curves struggling against her clothing.
Remember that size, like age, is just a number. It's what you do with it that counts!
Addition Elle's plus size clothing retail store offers a wide selection of shapewear and corsets plus sizes to help you maximize your curves and emphasize your sense of fashion. Minimize the amount of time spent worrying about trouble areas and help your clothes to fit seamlessly with Spanx and Body Wrap, two very popular brands.
Follow this link for more information about shapewear and how it can work for you.
This big split neckline tunic with two pockets from Addition Elle is going to be a wonderful go-to piece for your fall wardrobe this year. What's not to love? The longer length makes it so comfortable to wear, and universally flattering. Wear it with leggings and flat shoes. Try it over jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. Add a chunky belt around the waist to create a new shape: the possibilities are endless with this simple tunic!
Details include split neckline, oversized front pockets, tunic lenght, and ribbing at sleeve cuffs and bottom hem. Don't miss your chance to add this one-of-a-kind piece to your closet this season!
Shop Addition Elle's online plus size clothing retail store for more ladies plus size fashion tops.
Penningtons' Online plus size clothing retail Store compensates for this by providing all kinds of helpful information to its customers. The Fit and Fabric Guide Section of their website gives you all the insider information you would get from a sales associate in person:
- defines different clothing fits
- explains how to take care of different fabrics
- gives a detailed size chart
- simplifies selecting a bra that fits correctly
This 3/4 length-sleeved blouse is anything but typical - check out these adorable details:- slight ruching on top
- pintucks on bottom
- shearing at sleeve head
- cute cuffs
Now through August 28, buy one item at full price, get your next item 30% off! This is your chance to stock up on items for fall from Penningtons plus size clothing retail stores!
Style Money can be redeemed at your favorite plus size retailer this month, so drop by & see what's new!
I'm going to freshen up my summer wardrobe with a crisp white skirt....which one to choose? With my style money, I can get 2!
Last week, Addition Elle stores across
So visit Addition Elle's website to watch fashion come to life at your favorite plus size retailer. You'll also find new arrivals in our Spring assortment of plus size tops, lingerie, activewear & capris.
And on February 3rd see our plant, and our collection, in full bloom, You'll be pleasantly surprised!
For her birthday my wife bought her a size "16 plus" spring casual jacket from a retail store that suggests they offer sizes for every women and every fit. (regular, plus sizes and petite sizes)
The size 16 plus button front jacket was too small across the chest to do up. Yes she is above average across the chest but readers this is a size 16.
This is just another example to demonstrate (and understand) your frustrations with the inconsistency of fits within plus sizes.
I want to suggest though that the plus women's retailers that specialize only in plus sizes understand the needs of the plus sized woman. They have the plus focus for their customer, the passion to please plus women and the experience to execute the right fits. These stores are the more logical place to shop.
A plus women , occasional or not ,shopping in these wannabe stores that carry some plus sizes I suggest buyer beware.
This week I read this article and it came just after I read a summary of a survey that many of our wonderful plus customers took the time to repond to.
The survey was sent to every plus woman that have signed up to our loyalty programs from all of our plus stores (real stores and online store) that we have an email address.
The survey was focused on their likes and dislikes about our websites and what you, our plus customer uses the site for ;if not for buying plus womens fashions.
75% of those responding suggested that we use the online site for preshopping before they visit the store and make a purchase. We were pleased with this response as we were hoping that you could use the site for this purpose as well as buying online.
A significant amount of plus women (and it is likely regular size women as well) have not "taken the leap" to make a clothing purchase online.
The article directly below just may provide the reason to shop online.
Is E-Commerce Good For The Planet?
Written by Evan Schuman March 5th, 2009
Here’s a different argument to make to the CEO next week: Increasing your E-Commerce investment will help save the world.
OK, maybe it’s a reach, but not so much as one might think. A study published by Carnegie Mellon University Tuesday (March 3) found that “shopping online reduces environmental impact with 35 percent less energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions compared to the traditional retail shopping model.”
The report tracked a package of flash drives from Buy.com and compared it to a brick-and-mortar purchase, with an eye on energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. The biggest single factor that gave E-Commerce a huge boost was the assumption about the customer’s driving distance, followed by the consumer’s fuel economy, the cost of the e-tailer’s packaging versus the store’s electricity and the energy and emissions involved in the retail freight efforts and the energy needs of the data center and the warehouse.
Have this persuaded just a few more ladies to make their next plus sized dress or plus sized swimsuit purchase online?
Think Green!
I remember shopping with a friend years ago when she stopped, dead in her tracks and looked over her shoulder. When I asked her what was wrong, she replied 'That Addition Elle SALE sign just called my name - didn't you hear it?'
We've become so accustomed to Signs this past season, it's difficult for a retailer to catch your attention.
What draws you into a store? Is it the new fashion items in the window, showing you the color and styling trends of the season, or is it that big red SALE sign at the back of the store?
Personally, I prefer to shop the new plus size displays first. Once I am clear on which trends continue and which have been put to rest, it's easier to shop the sale racks. I will often add a fun sale piece to my purchases, something I may not have loved first time around, but at 40-70% off it becomes almost semi-disposable, less risky and guilt free.
As retailers work to better manage their inventory, particularly in the current economy, racks tend to get a little leaner.
If I LOVE an item, I will pick it up at full price rather than risk them being out of my size on my next visit. But I do love the thrill of a hunt, and scouring the sale racks for a find can be exciting.
What calls your name when you shop?
The fastest growing segment of our plus women's business is active wear.
The success of retailers like Lululemon and every woman's need for comfortable clothing to relax in after a stressful day at work or after a long day managing the household has demanded plus size activewear fashions.
All women work hard and owe to themselves to own a pant and a top that provides an oasis of comfort.
Plus activewear with it's stretch fabrication is the answer.
The pieces do not have to be gym attire.
Avtivewear whether it is plus size or not ,is styled so well it can be street (walking the dog) wear , shopping attire or they can become your favorite lounging around the house pieces.
Versatility and comfort ; a real plus
As a niche retailer to the canadian population of plus women (and the anticipated US plus women's community with our online selling site) we continuously strive to add more value and enhance each and every plus sized women's fashion choices.
A US report that I just read validates many of our short term and long term directions but also initiates new questions on the shopping behaviours and the most important values customers look for before "assigning" their loyalty to a store or a plus sized brand.
Quotes from report
Quote #1 :"The older in age a plus woman is the more loyal to one brand she is versus the younger plus shoppers shops more stores to find her plus fashion needs."
- This confirms some of the differences between our Addition Elle and Penningtons brands.
Quote #2: "Nearly 60% of plus size shoppers agree that most plus size clothing is not cut to fit their shape and about half say they compensate by buying clothes that are too big in order to fit certain parts of their bodies."
- We have experienced teams of technical designers and fit technicians that spend many hours with one mission to ensure our fits in our plus tops and our plus bottoms and our lingerie meets the needs and the "curves" of plus women across canada. I think we do a very good job but your comments will verify that. I hope our customers are not leaving with "good enough" fitting clothing.
- We are not sitting on our laurels. We are working with an outside firm to validate all of our fits this spring with the expectation that we will only serve every plus body type better in the future.
- To be honest this is not what we hear from our loyal customers. I would appreciate any candid feedback.
- I understand this answer noting that for undergarments specifically bras there are more choices of stores that a plus woman can find her size. But it has been reported that 70% of women (regular and plus) wear the wrong sized bra.
- As a specialty plus women's retailer we train our sales ladies in bra fitting. You should drop in to your nearest Penningtons or Addition Elle store. It's free!
- 6 years back we understood there was this gap. Younger plus women were being under served. At that time we developed and introduced a line called MXM directly focused on the trendy styling needs of the 18 through 25 age group. We carry the brand within all of our Penningtons and Addition Elle stores. It would be nice to hear back if we have addressed the fashion needs of the plus size teens of Canada.
Every week an alert posting speaks about the lack of plus size clothing choices and the fashionability of those choices. Here are a couple of the quotes. " Once upon a time, not too long ago, if you were a woman who wore clothes over size 14 your clothing choices were limited to cheap looking, baggy and unattractive clothes that made you look old before your time"
"In the past . plus sized women had to settle for big, ugly clothing."
If I wasn't a plus women's retailer and the husband of a beautiful plus woman I may actually believe this ranting. My wife has been the classiest and most fashionable dressed woman of all her non-plus friends for 30 years so these comments must be as old as the 50's.
Plus women everywhere stop thinking this way. Go to the shopping centers, the power centers or online as there is no limit to plus fashions or choice. Drop by 1PLUS.com
I really hope I never see one of these quotes again.
#1
"I have a problem with all women’s plus size clothes always coming in tall sizes. I can understand the plus size factor, some of us need it, but what’s with the tall thing?"
#2
"The bane of women everywhere is the wild inconsistency of clothing sizes between stores and fashion designers. Unfortunately, things get even more confusing when dealing with plus sizes. The important thing to remember is a tape measure and the designer’s sizing charts are your best friends."
Just by coincidence last week I asked our inhouse professional (our fit and sizing technical manager) a similar question as I was viewing the plus size charts of an Australian retailer. They were showing the chart below which illustrates the differences between the US plus sizes and that of the UK and Australia. i.e. the US scale is bigger. A size 14 is a size 16 in Australia and a size 18 in the UK. I suggested that I thought Canadian plus size charts were close to the US scale.
Size Chart
Here is her answer
Yes, with caution.
|
Brand Size 18 |
Addition |
Penningtons |
Walmart |
Sears |
Reitmans |
Cotton Ginny |
Old Navy |
Lane Bryant |
Dream Diva |
|
Bust |
46 |
46 |
44 ½ |
45 |
46 |
46 |
47 |
44 |
44 = 112cm |
|
Waist |
38 |
38 |
36 ½ |
38 |
39 |
37 |
39 ¼ |
38 |
37 ½ = 95 cm |
|
Hips |
48 |
48 |
46 1/2 |
47 |
48 |
48 |
48 1/2 |
46 |
47 ½ = 127 cm |
Now I comprehend why there is confusion.
Addition Elle and Penningtons are Canada's only exclusive plus women's retailers. i.e. that is all we do and these are the customers we are driven to please every minute of every day. I'd like to say that we are also setting the standard in how plus clothing should fit but you know as I write this we are spending a lot of time with external experts ensuring we have it "right".
I will talk about Tall and Petite plus sizing in my next entry.
I write this addition to my blog on Black Friday. The day when retailers in the US offer fantastic deals for the annual stampede of post US Thankgiving shoppers.
I hope everyone finds the plus sized fashions that they have wanted all season at great prices.
Prices, promotions, product assortment, store experience, loyalty programs; what drives you to shop your favorite plus size women's store or website? Over the last couple of weeks Addition Elle's and Penningtons' business had slowed a bit. Maybe it's the economy but on top of our already great prices we offered two promos over the last two weekends , "we pay the tax" and 25% off everything. Why didn't you all drop by "your" local store or the online store?
The latest women's plus denim, sweaters, fleece and active wear ,sleepwear and outerwear were at the lowest prices of the season.
Over the last few days we have been meeting and one of the key takewaways was that we need to communicate our terrific prices better. We do not feel we are communicating the price benefits well enough. Are we addressing what you have been wanting? Would love to hear from you.
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