(Part 2) Best products from r/PlusSize

I’m not sure what kind of “professional” you’re looking for. Business professional? Business casual? Smart casual?

What I can tell you is that, as a size 24 bottom, 20/22 top, pear shaped, brand new lawyer, I have spent the last few years distressing over this exact question. Have I found a perfect solution? Unfortunately, no. Even buying suit separates, I end up needing to get everything tailored. And not just the inexpensive tailoring for sleeve and pant length (although yes, I do need that too). Nope, I also have to get the shoulder breadth shortened, which is far more expensive, because my narrow lady shoulders just don’t seem to fit in these manly suits.

Having said all that, here is what I have discovered over the last few years:

• Torrid is terrible for business professional suits. The fabric they use is too stretchy and ends up looking like yoga pants, which is comfy, but does NOT scream professional (seriously, take a look at this suit and tell me it’s not made out of yoga pant material)
  
• Lane Bryant has some decent pants, just don’t buy the brightly colored stuff
  
• Buy suit separates. It will allow you to purchase things that fit you better. I prefer Macy’s or Nordstrom. Calvin Klein has some really great suit options. They do run about 1/2 size up though (which is perfect if you’re planning on getting it tailored).
  
• Get it tailored. It will make a world of difference. Get yourself a couple of suits (one black, one charcoal grey or navy), and use those as your staple pieces
  
• When buying suit jackets, ALWAYS opt for the ones that have rounded openings, not the ones with square openings. The rounded openings draw less attention to your hips, and are way less boxy/more flattering.
  
• Avoid pencil skirts and sheath dresses like the plague, but if you do need them, buy them to fit your hips and then get them tailored to come in at the waist
  
• A-line skirts and dresses are your friend. Wrap dresses are the absolute holy grail of pear shaped plus size professional clothing.
  
• Look into peplum suit jackets. These are amazing for pear shapes because they allow you to fit to your top half and then flare out at the hip. Just don’t get the ones that flare out too much, or you’ll start to stray into unprofessional land.
  
• In addition to suits from department stores, I supplement my wardrobe with Dia & Co boxes, which have been a godsend for wrap dresses.
  
• As uncomfortable as they are, heels instantly make an outfit more professional. As someone with wide feet, plantar fasciitis, fallen arches, recurring stress fractures, and bunions, I would like to humbly recommend the Rockport Total Motion line of heels. They are the best and only heel that I find tolerable and comfortable.
  
• For the most part, avoid buying things solely because they are comfortable. I have made some bad choices because of this before. Unfortunately, professional clothes are pretty much uncomfortable by nature.
  
• Practice sitting down in everything before you buy it. If you are too uncomfortable to sit in something for a few minutes, you’ll never be able to sit in it for 8 hours straight
  
• Pay attention to dress and skirt length. Professional dresses and skirts need to be at or just below the knee. Practice sitting in front of a mirror before you wear something to work. The last thing you want is your boss getting a front row view of your granny panties.
  
• Buy seamless underwear. Professional pants are not like jeans - they are notorious for showing panty lines, so you have to be extra careful.
  
• Pay attention to fabric! You don’t want to have to get up super early to iron/steam things before work. And sitting in an outfit all day will surely lead to wrinkles. So, buy clothes in fabric that doesn’t wrinkle easily.

I had the exact same problem for years and years. I am a 46 band size, but bra cups always gaped at the top and I never had the volume to fill them there. I feel like companies seem to think that most women have these full-round plump breasts just waiting to spill out of their tops. Well, my "volume" is at the sides, not the top, which is somewhat hidden underneath the arms so it always seemed like my breasts were quite small and nothing would ever support them properly and I went through half my life thinking I was an A or B cup. I resorted to wearing sports bras or, the more recently popular, "bralettes," though I would again have the problem of extra material bunching up around the top of the cup and making lines through my clothing. I also got by with this "A" cup bra for a little while that comes in larger band sizes, but it's a bit cheaply made, and wasn't what you would call a traditional A cup bra, more like the band was larger, the cup was the width of, say, a C/D cup (depending on the size), and the cup depth was way more shallow with a lot more padding. It is not very structured, but it will give you a little more shape if you find a size/proportion that works for you. It definitely helped me for a while until I lost a little weight and the proportions got skewed.

I thought I had tried all different styles of bra, until I was returning yet another bra to Lane Bryant that had looked promising online and the sales associate asked me what was wrong and I told her honestly the struggles I have had because she had similar dimensions as me and she told me she was a 44B and only wore the plunge bra specifically and I needed to try it.

I never thought to try that style because I never had breasts that were going to show any "sexy" cleavage, but she explained that the best part of that bra is the way that it is cut helps eliminate the gap. It was a total game changer! Like you, when she asked what my size was and I told her she (politely) questioned if I was sure because breast tissue can be distributed differently on different women and different women can have differently spaced breasts which affect their shape and can affect the measurement and what size people view their breasts to be. They say something like 80% of women wear the wrong size bra. She had me try on different sizes and I ended up getting a D! And I filled that sucker! Blew my mind! I mean I'll still never get my boobs to touch, but it's amazing what some real support can do. The bras are molded to give me shape, move with my body (even when sitting down), and have allowed my clothes to fit and look better. I've bought their Simply Wire Free Uplift Plunge Bra in the 46D and their Smooth Boost Plunge Bra in the 48D (for added comfort with the underwire). Plunge bras often come as front clasps too. If you haven't tried that style, you should give it a whirl. But, in general, my advice is to narrow down exactly what type of breasts you have first and then zero in on your size in the style that flatters them the most. Here are some examples.

>I'm horrid in the motivation department

I hear this almost every day of my life, and I have the same response: Motivation is like gasoline. It's high-octane, but it's not sustainable. Motivation is great for when you're starting to workout. You go to the gym for 4 days a week. You feel great, you've accomplished something. You're on the way to a healthier lifestyle. You're happy that you did it, but you didn't like doing it. You forced yourself to do it.

If you want to be physically fit -- not just lose weight -- you need dedication. I wake up at 5, I'm in the gym by 6 and I've done my workout by 8. This is my routine, It makes me happy to exercise. I like it. If I can't do it when I'm scheduled to, I know I won't feel good that day. I don't get that release; I know working out always makes me happy after I've done it. I don't want to deprive myself of future happiness. Dedication and routine are what makes you physically fit. Motivation gets you started.

You might benefit from this book.

The bandalettes that two people mentioned don't work well for me, but I have tried undersummers and slips and all kinds of things to prevent chub rub and I like these Vasarette Smooth Slip Shorts the best! And best of all, they're really cheap and so comfortable! They don't ride up and they are really light and thin so they don't feel tight or make you hot like Spanx do. Dresses definitely are the coolest option, but I also like the Ponte stretch pants from torrid, they don't make me too hot and they are pretty comfortable.

So, I agree with the online Old Navy recommendations, because tall shirts are the best. For their jeans, I usually go down a size if they stretch a lot, so I don't have to deal with saggy Jean's by the end of the day.

I'm not sure how tall they are, but Kohls online, JcPenny online, and Target online all have talls available. The selection seems to vary from time to time though, because I know I have tall bootcut from target, and they only have skinnies available right now.

Also, don't look down on the stereotypical mom jean brands, like Gloria Vanderbilt. I don't know how tall her talls, are but those jeans are hella comfortable and cute in the right cut.

But, my biggest recommendation is Amazon. My favorite pair of jeans is from there, and they're actually a little too long for me. But they're simple and fit perfect. l(https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073S9FHZ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_MWvFDbP4SZSFP)

I also get tall leggings on Amazon, and can find longer maxi skirts and dresses too.

I love love love this one - a little spendy but worth it. I found it helpful to search amazon using measurements vs “bath sheet” to ensure it’s a good size. This wraps around me like a lovely terry blanket: SALBAKOS 40"x80" Turkish Cotton Bath Sheet, Luxury, Eco-Friendly Large Oversized (40x80, White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K90JK6Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4H1CDbJQ77SFG

For me I’m doing a witch (I think) but doing a steam punk take on it with a corset top ,with straps, a belt that has toil coming off the back in kinda this long skirt , black jeans or leggings, and black boots. Just simple pieces I can use in other ways later on but put on a witch hat add a broom bam I’m a witch lol

You can make shift and outfit adding elements that make you feel good. You could look at old style pin ups for ideas of outfit ideas. Can always do some kind of zombie like zombie bachelorette party. Everyone dresses in an old party dress add some special effects make up and bam you got a group costume and everyone dresses in a way that is comfortable for them. You all just eat d**k instead of brains. 😂 (couldn’t help the joke)

I usually get mine on Amazon. They usually have free shipping and free returns plus they can be super pretty! Just look at sizing charts. This is the dress that I am wearing to my brother's wedding in August, fits like a dream!
Vintage 1950s Audrey Hepburn Dress Retro Style Swan Print Costume,Navy Blue,4XL https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01MY0SPYA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OuuvCbZVFPRXX
Warning! Sometimes it also takes a bit to ship. Good luck!

They are SO hard to find! There was this one style of cardigan that Target made about 5 years ago that I still find sometimes at thrift stores, and I get super excited every time. Like seriously, I told my friend the other day that if time travel existed I wouldn't actually do anything important, I'd just go back to Target and get that sweater in very color haha

To answer your actual question, I like Modcloth's Dream of the Crop Cardigan, and then there's a great knockoff on Amazon, Yemak Women's Cropped, which I find to be comparable and a bit cheaper.


I find the plus sizes of both run a little large- I'm a 20/22 and I get a 1X, and could aaalmost size down to an XL. I always keep it open, though, as I don't really like the buttoned up look. Hope this helps! :)

This might be too much of a gamble, but Amazon has several options that look like this! From my very quick search, I feel like this is close to your original dress. This one might also be worth checking out.

​

Good luck!

I would do a sparkly black shawl or shrug! Matching sparkly black shoes, and silver jewelry. Here is a pretty black shawl with sparkles that I bought recently. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07M5XFZ3N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I am from Vancouver. If I were home I could lend you everything you need from my storage room, but I am spending the winter in Palm Springs.

I support the recommendation for Columbia.

Flannel lined jeans

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B002FU62V4/ref=asc_df_B002FU62Q41572703200000?creative=395549&creativeASIN=B002FU62Q4&linkCode=df0&tag=psc0e-20&ascsubtag=4268034482&th=1&psc=1

Remember to check Poshmark and Mercari. Unless you are going to need them on a regular basis, there s no point in paying a fortune for winter gear.

There is a plus size consignment shop in New Westminster, near Vancouver, called Grand Central, if you are still chasing down anything when you get there.

https://www.grandcentralconsignment.com/

Also, there is sporting goods shop that sells used clothing too.

https://sportsjunkies.com/clothing/

these are my og everyday boots. it looks like amazon only has up to size 8.5 right now. i'm off to try and find another pair of 9.5's because i'm that obsessed with them. no slouching at all and clarks are great for my feet. https://www.amazon.com/Clarks-Womens-Cheyn-Fashion-Leather/dp/B079TNTWMH/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2SHW0MZGTHE66&keywords=clarks+women%27s+cheyn+meryl+ws+fashion+boot&qid=1569004179&s=apparel&sprefix=clarks+meryl+%2Cfashion%2C137&sr=1-4

>https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079Z4RW7W/ref=oh\_aui\_detailpage\_o00\_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

on the note of this brand, I got this https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Ritual-Sleeveless-Gathered-Charcoal/dp/B07538D7QK?ref_=w_bl_sl_l_ap_ap_web_17414208011 this summer and it is absolutely fantastic.

i got these from amazon for a last minute snow trip and they turned out to be my favorite leggings for cold weather. they're not true thermal, but warmer than normal leggings. i had no issue with the fit either (big thighs here too) because they're stretchy and quite roomy.

https://smile.amazon.com/ColdPruf-Womens-Platinum-Plus-Size/dp/B0097GQ9WG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1465937136&sr=8-1&keywords=coldpruf+plus

https://smile.amazon.com/ColdPruf-Womens%C2%A0Platinum-Plus-Size-Bottom/dp/B0097GQBV0/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1465937136&sr=8-4&keywords=coldpruf+plus

I wore these under my clothes on a trip to Montana in the middle of the winter- they officially only go up to a 3x but most of the reviews say they run large, and a 2x was fine for me at a sz 24/3x.