Monday, April 11, 2011

Unique Fashions for Plus Size Women


I had lunch with two over 50 girlfriends on Saturday (oh, the joy of being done with the soccer Saturdays—every Saturday!) and they both reported they were spending less time shopping in department stores and more time in boutiques. Department stores and large online clothing companies are great for picking up your basics—black slacks, white cotton T-shirts, tennis shoes, etc.—or, perhaps, a dress or skirt when you’re in a hurry. But my friends and I love to shop the boutiques for those rare pieces that give an over 50 woman a slightly more original look. Finding something you like in your size, however, may be challenging in a boutique, especially if you need fashions in larger sizes. Recently, I came across Rose Glen, a British designer of unique clothing for fashion-conscious, curvy women, sizes 12 to 30.






Rose Glen specializes in handmade clothing in lovely fabrics for plus size women. “In my spare time I enjoy playing with fabric,” writes Rose in her Rich Mix Fashion blog profile. “To indulge my passion, I design and make clothes.” You can view the Rose Glen collection of classic designs and current fashions for plus size women on Rose’s blog as well as on her shopping sites at Etsy and Artfire, both of which are online artisan marketplaces. Rose Glen fashions include dresses, skirts, tops and “knickers” (ladies underwear), all for under $100. For example, the Brown Pleat Detail Skirt at the top of this post is $65. And the Maxi-Multi-Print-Sleeveless Dress just above is $70. Unfortunately, I can't hyperlink the photos, but click on the garment names for details.

Rose says she’s happy to take custom orders. “If you see something you like and it is not in your size, email me and let’s talk.” The Blue and Cream Kaftan ($57) below is shown here in Large.





Most garments are shown with both UK and USA sizing. However, if you see something you like, but it's only shown in a UK size, contact Rose and she'll help you with the sizing. For example, I love this Linen Print Panel Skirt ($69), but it is shown in size 18UK.





To view more Rose Glen fashions, visit the shopping page at Etsy