2007 Top 10+1 List of Online Plus Size Clothing Merchants

It was a year ago that I stated 11 reasons why 2007 will be the year for plus size fashion. Thinking back over the last year there have been lots of success stories in the world of plus size clothing. From the opening of boutiques to increased exposure on television to print. 2007 was a successful year for plus size fashion and just the beginning of more good things to come in 2008 and beyond.

Updated List 

1. Monif C. plus sizes - In addition to being featured on B.E.T.’s Rip the Runway, clothes from Monif C. have been seen of TLC’s What Not to Wear, ABC’s The View, and in Essence magazine. Earlier this year she opened a boutique in New York to showcase her original designs.
2. Rosalee Womesize Apparel - plus size fashions available in sizes up to 9x. One of the few stores that customize clothing to fit your unique size.
3. Leelee’s Valise - plus size fashion has yet another boutique for plus size women to shop. brand name fashions from the likes of Kiyonna, Anna Scholz, Jessica Svoboda, Trentacosta, C.enn.V, Elena Miro, Donna Ricco, Marina Avraam, B and Lu, Fashion Overdose, and Size Appeal can be found.
4. Hips and Curves.com - With lingerie that has been featured on America’s Next Top Model and Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance Hips and Curves is a standout in the world of plus size lingerie. For ladies interested in modeling they also offer a chance for you to send in photos of lingerie purchased from their website.
5. Sydney’s Closet - The best website on the internet for plus size dresses for special occasions. brand name and exclusive designs from sizes 14-44 at affordable prices.
6. swimsuits For All - A huge selection of fashionable swimsuits for full figured women. Regardless as to your size or shape you can find it at swimsuits for All.
7. Hottopic - Taking advantage of the spending power of plus size teens this merchant is making a big name for itself in terms of casual and theme based clothing.
8. Torrid.com - For young ladies that are looking for trendy one of a kind items. Torrid also is looking to focus on teen and college age ladies.
9. Alight - While this company does not have the biggest name in plus size fashion they make up for it with selection. Thousands of items to chose from in sizes 14-28.
10. JMS.com - JMS is what I call a bread and butter merchant. Carrying items that are good for everyday wear at an affordable price.
11. LaneBryant.com - Lane Bryant makes the list for 2007 because they are the oldest merchant period selling plus size clothing and they continue to create items that cause a buzz in the plus size community. This year it was the Right FIT jeans.

As you can see from the list the stores that I chose are mainly from those that only sell items online. Brick and mortar stores have increased the amount of plus sizes that they carry but there is no comparison to what is happening on the internet. The only disappointment was in men’s fashions. Leader Casual Male XL made strides but no other company that caters to larger men emerged. As 2007 comes to a close plus size fashion continues its rise to mainstream status and beyond.