Or should that read Outsize clothes for Oversized people?
I’m sorry if this is not politically correct but I’m fat. I also come from an age where we did not cloak the truth in jargon as in: “I’m bodily challenged”. The harsh reality is that I’m a porker a porklet of grand proportions and I’ve been in denial for years. And I’ve had enough.
The final straw came when I was trying to buy some new clothes for Christmas and New Year celebrations. Okay, we are not exactly spoiled for choice for ‘fat’ clothes in the Algarve but I do expect shops to have a little more on offer than jumpers with horizontal stripes (or hooped jumpers as I call them), and round neck tops, both of which accentuate my bulging proportions rather than playing them down.
So here’s a plea to fashion designers: I beg you, please don’t design clothes that make us porkers look fatter. I can eat more cake and chocolate for that privilege. Design clothes that make us ‘appear’ thinner. I realise you can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear but I beg you to at least try.
Why the horizontal stripes on all the tops and cardigans? Do you really want to make us look as wide as we are tall? Are you the designers skinny minnies laughing at our body shape?
What happened to the flattering V neck tops and dresses? I’m looking for fashionable tops to slim me down to make me feel good about myself. Not some shapeless sack.
And flattering does not include dresses and tops which make me look like a marquee. I want style!
Nor do I want to be perusing the maternity fashion rails. Have you tried this? Sigh…
Please share your fashion horrors… or fashion tips.
Piglet in Portugal 
Hey PiP! It’s the same thing here in Florida. All the cute outfits are for the skinny “young” crowd. Not like I’m wanting to sport a bikini or anything! Just would like to wear something besides neeutrals or black!
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My pet peeve is sleeveless tops, even in winter in the US. What are designers thinking?
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LOL. Mine is you can buy swimming costumes in January easier than you can gloves.
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Sorry Julie, I am new to this, and didn’t realise you had asked me something! We are moving to Serro do Bouro, which is a collection of 5 villages just outside Caldas da Rainha. Over in Portugal next week to see how the house is coming on, so excited. We have been planning to retire for what seems like forever (well about 5 years) and now we are in the final 3 months. Currently in Dubai, and have been for 10 years.
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Julie, have you tried ASOS – reasonable choice of clothing, and free delivery worldwide? Think i will be checking them out when we arrive in PT next May. Thanks for your interesting. amusing, and easily readable blog!
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Hi Denise,
Which area of Portugal are you moving to?
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@ piglet
Here’s an article on Tim Noakes and banting ( pros and cons) – read it all, including the comments, and judge for yourself
http://www.biznews.com/health/2014/10/20/tim-noakes-changed-mind-fat-chance/
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I thought you were doing all the exercise and walking thing?
There is the new fad at the moment – Banting.
Those that have stuck to it swear by it.
My son for one – has lost a fair amount, so I can see first hand it works. But he also exercises, ) swimming mostly) so maybe balance is the key?
Best of luck.
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I appreciate your honesty. I just need tunic-length tops that are A-lined. They don’t seem to want to make those anymore…
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A while back, there was a Portuguese company called Curvas advertising on Facebook with flattering clothes for larger ladies. A little pricey but could be worth a look. Only reason I never bought from them was their sizing. They do, for example, size 12-14 or 16-18, 20-22. I fall into the 14-16 so I think their stuff would either be too small or too big for me. I think the website is curvas.pt but a Google search should locate it.
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Thanks, Julie 🙂 I checked them out but got this message
Página em remodelação
Pedimos desculpas pelo inconveniente
I’ll try FB 🙂
Cheers
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I had a look myself after posting that comment and got nowhere. I hope they make a reappearance because they could be just what you (and lots of other women) are looking for.
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“I don’t want to show off my arms whislt looking like a giant wig wam in flight :(” That is it in a nutshell! I’ve been looking at my sewing machine for a long time. AS in LOOKING! I have a couple of really nice tops I bought in France so perhaps I should try making a template. Do you do this or buy a pattern?
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I so agree with what you say – I think that’s why i started sewing again a few years back. At least if I want something lovely in a nice colour and fabric I can now make it! Of course, I know not everyone can do that and I certainly don’t make all my clothes so I still get frustrated. I get driven mad by how many sleeveless tent like tops get churned out in big sizes – I don’t want to show off my arms whislt looking like a giant wig wam in flight 😦
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Oh so funny! Yes, I too feel like a “giant wig wam in flight!” All of the comments from these readers are so funny, and reassuring! Keep smiling, Ladies!
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Even when I’m happy with my size and available choices, shopping for clothes isn’t how I want to spend my time. So I commiserate. Good luck!
I tend to reach for basic black (or a blazer) if I want to erase a few extra pounds. And I steer clear of “too tight tops” which reveal every frickin’ roll rockin’ round.
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Hi Nancy, I confess I hate shopping for clothes because it’s soul destroying. I tend to like black or plain colours. And as for tight tops… we want even go there 🙂
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The clothes you show certainly aren’t flattering for bigger people, what are designers thinking? I have seen shops in Australia that cater for the larger and taller bodies and they have very flattering and modern clothes.
You could probably try online – Chrissie Swan – a tv presenter here in Australia, has a range of clothing she designs for her body type.
https://www.google.com.au/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=chrissie+swan+clothing&tbm=shop
Best of luck Carole.
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Hello Sami – Did not know Chrissie had her own range which seems to go even a size higher than what I stated and looks fine . . . and let us face it, she is a cluey but rather well sized bird with the biggest smile in the world!!
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I checked out the link, Sami.
Wow I liked this one
Ladies Plus Black Grecian Dress By Chrissie Swan Sz 18 – 28
It was exactly what I was looking to buy for New Years Eve
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Yes, well, do not know whether to laugh or cry as the saying goes!! Doing sit-down paid-work and loving food has not left me in the right size bracket either! Thank God, in Australia, there has been a definite change in the last decade! Now, living rurally, I buy mostly on line – ten years back the top size was 16 [Aus], now it is 24 with almost all clothes!! And the 14-24 sells out fastest!!!! Naturally not the healthiest but I just got my early autumn catalogues yesterday and there are NO ‘hooped’ tops on show and much actually looks quite sexy!!! Have a dark grey marle pant/top in sight, not half bad!!!! Is it just the Algarve or have others [surely not] in the European diaspora not ‘woken up’!!!!
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Autumn catalogues already? Wow. It’s still mid winter here. The darkgrey marle sounds good. 🙂 I’m sure I could do a better job at designing clothes than these designers.
Next time I go back to the UK and FRance I’ll be out with my camera 🙂
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Oh, my dear – I am short and round, and it’s SO hard to find clothing that fits well! And it’s so true that when shopping, the selection is so “sad!”
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Hi Robin, short and round is most def a lethal combinationion. Perhaps we need vertical stripes 🙂
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I’m with you on this. It doesn’t help to be vertically challenged as well (aka short). It is hard to find clothes that make you feel beautiful.
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Sounds like you’re the same as me, Lisa. I rarely find any clothes that make me look beautiful 😦
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I hear ya Carole. I am generously proportioned too, and last week I went shopping for some new tops. I couldn’t believe how many had ‘hoops’ as you call them or ‘horizontal stripes’ as I call them, and round necks! No way. Where are the v necks and scoop necks which flatter our ample ‘figure’?
These clothes designers need to get back to the drawing board methinks. Not everyone has a gorgeous svelte body!
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So you have the same problem in Aussie, Barb. *sigh* We need to mount a campaign.
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