Fashion Me Fabulous

For those of us with bellies and boobs that don't cooperate well with regular sizing, take a gander over here. These party dresses aren't your grandma's boring frock. All color, no frump! All shine, no shyness. Everyone gets to look fabulous this season, regardless of size. Party on! Avenue Plus Size Favorites 2011 by fashionvickifabulous featuring Party Dresses Matte Chiffon Faux Wrap Dress , $139 One Shoulder Dress , $70 Rosette Trim Ruffle Skirt Dress , $80 Torrid Plus Size Favorites 2011 by fashionvickifabulous featuring Party Dresses Smocked Dress , $79 Rachel Burgundy Dress , $121 Black Evening Dress , $121 Kiyonna Plus Size Favorites 2011 by fashionvickifabulous featuring Party Dresses Retro Glam Lace Party Dress , $168 Ruched Dress , $108 Siren Satin Dress , $138 Alight Plus Size Favorites 2011 by fashionvickifabulous featuring a Party Dresses Navy Blue Polka Dot Dress , $48 Turquoise Dress , $45 Terrific Teal Dress , $188 Ashley Stewart Plus Size Favorites ...

Earlier this week on Glee , as Mercedes belted out " Take Me Or Leave Me " in a diva-off with Rachel Berry, I couldn't help thinking Amber Riley has adopted the lyrics "take me for what I am, who I'm meant to be" as her personal style strategy. Amber has been a style star on red carpets this whole awards season. She not only sparkles, takes risks and has fun with her fashion, but she also flouts all the typical fashion "rules" that fashion mags and style police try to force on women who wear anything over a size 6. After all, who says we are all trying to achieve the same tall, hourglass figure. We don't all look the same, and we should embrace that. Amber certainly does. In a world where Joan Rivers-style fashion commentators taut mantras like, "Don't put a big girl in a big dress," when Christina Hendricks wears ruffles, it can be difficult for a curvy girl to work up the courage to shimmer in a bold, sparkly dress (Golden Globe...

While Forever 21 originally said their "extended sizes" would only be available online, it appears their full plus size line, Faith 21 , will be stocked in select stores. Hopefully, this means they will be expanding into other stores once they see how quickly it's snapped up. If you live near one of the listed stores , check it out and let us know what you think. (Why is Woodfield Mall the only store in the Midwest to carry this? We're a corn-fed people!) lace trim top $17.80

Forever 21 and Wet Seal, mall staples for cheap, trendy clothes will finally start selling plus size clothing in a few weeks. Unfortunately, they are following the example of Old Navy and will only be carrying these sizes online, because we all know once you hit a certain size, everything fits perfectly. Adding to the confusion is the term "extended sizes". Does this mean extra large and nothing else? It already feels like their sizes stop in the single digits. Is this news a cause to celebrate or does it feel like a pathetic attempt to gain new customers?

Finding a plus size prom dress is not easy. Most stores max out at size 12 or 16. Thankfully, the internet is full of great buys for the curvy girl. Many of the shops I've listed below have hundreds more options. If you're worried about the fit, read the return policy carefully, and check if what you don't like can be fixed with tailoring. dot mermaid hem dress, Sydney's Closet $149 red swing dress, Pin-Up Girl Clothing $110 iridescent pickup dress, Sydney's Closet $199 lace covered dress, Carraz Gowns $293 coco feather trim gown, Carraz Gowns $425 pink obi dress, Sydney's Closet $299 gold Marylin Monroe dress, Prom Dress Shop $289 black floral applique ballgown, Sydney's Closet $199 burgundy applique dress, Prom Girl $99 Bridal shops and ebay are other great places to find plus size formal dresses. Please note, eDressMe carries some great plus size prom dresses, but I recommend finding them elsewhere. If you're plus size, that store wants to charge you ...

Reader Suzy asked us a favor before Christmas. She has an interview coming up and needs something professional and stylish that doesn't look outdated or frumpy. Suzy, I hope you like what we've found. Let us know if you're looking for anything else. And good luck with your interview! This Patrizia suit from IGIGI is not only stunning, but it is also classic, feminine, and on sale! This pretty ruffled, tailored jacket with matching pants and skirt will never go out of style. If you invest in such a quality jacket, buying both bottoms is a good idea for expanding your wardrobe options. On sale, all three pieces cost $220. This is a steal for a complete suit. If you have a pair of basic black pants, a classic jacket will complete your suit. This jacket by Calvin Klein has nice tailoring and a flattering shape. You'll be able to wear it for years to come. It costs $152.60 on sale. This Jones New York suit is a little more basic than the first one and also has the option...

Rachel Pally, this dress is bad and you should feel bad. While putting together a post about plus size dresses for New Year's Eve, I tripped over this coco mumu. It has no shape! All women have trouble spots on our bodies we'd like to cover and nice spots we'd like to highlight. This dress eliminates the breasts, waistline and legs. A curvy woman in this gown will just be a brown column. The only thing this dress highlights is the arms, and I have yet to hear a plus size woman say "I want everyone to be looking at my biceps!" Designers, it wouldn't kill you to actually design a dress for your plus size line, but if you're putting out mumus for these lovely ladies, you should feel ashamed.

Here's yet another post about New Year's dresses. I know. I'm obsessed. This round of frocks is for curvy party goers. I'm especially enjoying the designer Monif C who embraces the full figured body. Doesn't the model for that line just look all sorts of sassy and fun? Top: blue sexy zip dress, Monif C, edress Me $168 beige plunge neck buckle dress, Belle Avenue $42.99 black sequin pleat dress, Calvin Klein, Macy's $176.40 purple sequin mini dress, Monif C, edress Me $198 Middle: red empire waist dress, Fashion Bug $24.98 black sequin sheath, Old Navy $49.50 cream tiered dress, Adrianna Papell, Dillard's $108 sangria silk halter dress, London Times, Macy's $97.30 Bottom: long beaded black dress, J Kara, Macy's $171.75 leopard print wiggle dress, Monif C, edress Me $189 silver taffeta shirt dress, JS Boutique, Nordstrom $168 blue chiffon crisscross dress, Robbie Bee, Nordstrom $88 champagne burnout trapeze, Lane Bryant $79.50

Very few things are as effortlessly chic as the little black dress. If it is a classic cut, flattering fit, and easy-to-wear fabric without too many embellishments an LBD will take its wearer from day to night and from casual to dressy. For the curvy girl looking to find the perfect LBD, Nordstrom is the place to start searching. While they might be a little pricey, they are worth the investment. Here are just a few of their great little black dresses. Top: Donna Ricco Sleeveless Bubble Dress $178 Donna Ricco Wrap Front Dress $168 Suzi Chin Maggy Boutique Ruched Jersey Dress $138 Bottom: Rachel Pally White Label Short Caftan Dress $248 Maggy London Grecian Bodice Silk Chiffon Dress $118 Exclusively Misook Tank Dress $282

Ballyhoo Vintage was another shop mentioned repeatedly in the best vintage shopping books I consulted, but they've been selling online as well for over ten years. They sell women's and men's clothing from the 1930s-1970s with a concentration on the 1950s. If you love vintage clothing but have a hard time finding something for your curves, Ballyhoo Vintage has some deals for you too. In addition to clothes, they sell jewelry, shoes, bags, hats, lingerie, swimsuits and accessories. Girly retro dresses sell out fast, but I'm loving their 1960s and 70s collection (and it's cheaper!). Prices generally range from $35-$150 depending on the piece. Their current stock includes several unworn pieces still bearing their original tags. black silky dress 1970s $49 abstract floral early 1960s cocktail dress $65 black and white ruffle mini dress 1960s $49 gold mules 1960s (Never worn!) $49

Jabot's "HollyVogue" Vintage Boutique prides itself on supplying swing bands with authentic costumes, so it should come as no surprise that their inventory is heavy on 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Of course, there's plenty here for men too. Unlike most vintage shops, Jabot's carries several pieces for larger women as well. Prices are in the reasonable Gap range. 1930s black evening dress $76 (First dress) 1950s green and teal plus size dress $62 (First dress) Of course no retro look is complete without a hat. I'm quite enamored with the selection and the prices! 1940s straw hat $38 (Bottom left) 1950s blue felt hat $34 (7th row left)

I have a hard foot to fit. I wear a 10.5. This means most size 10s are too small and 11s are too big. Shoes can be hard to find. There are a lot of major shoe shops online that help sometimes, but I feel like I can exhaust those pretty quickly. Also, these shops only carry popular brands, which do not tend to carry odd sizes. I've found several sites that carry my size and my mom's size. She wears a 10.5 wide. However, these sites do not have cute shoes. They usually have really high prices too. Designershoes.com seems to be a little better than most. They still have the ugly shoes, but there are some fun shoes for strange sizes. I found a few cute sandals in a size 7 double wide for a friend. Designershoes.com carries several brands I've heard of and a few I haven't. Overall it is far from a perfect shoe source. The selection is hit or miss. I've visited a few times and noticed quite a fluctuation in what they have. The name of the site turned me off at first. ...

I love this flirty summer dress from Kiyonna . The ruched bodice is flattering and beautifully executed. The Pucci style print is bright, fun and fresh without being so trendy that it look out of style next year. It's the perfect dress for every summer wedding, party or date night. The right jacket could add structure to take this dress to the office. And the shoes and accessories can make it perfect for brunch with the family or dancing the night away with the girls. This versatile dress costs $206. Not bad for a flattering, classic dress you can wear anywhere.

While I'm not plus size, I have many friends who are so I shop at a lot of plus size stores. Since I've been blogging, I've started visiting plus size shops, online and in-store, more because I want to investigate the quality of the clothing I'm posting about. I've noticed some unfortunate habits of plus size clothing makers, and I've heard a lot of plus size women complain. The most noticeable is that much of the plus size clothing is made for women who are six feet tall. Even the juniors cuts tend to be really tall. The sleeves are long. The legs are long. The skirts are long. The low rise pants come up to the bust line of many average height women. This doesn't make sense. Most of the plus size women I know are 5 foot 5 inches or shorter. Plus size petites in clothing stores are hard to find, and they shouldn't be. Wide width shoe makers assume wide means big. Since many plus size women are short, they often have smaller feet. Not all plus size women ...

Belts are a great way to cinch the waist and accentuate curves. A curvy girl can really benefit from a flattering, structured, and well styled belt. When I decided to post about plus size belts, I was surprised to find very few fun, plus size belts. These are a very versatile accessory, but they are apparently a little hard to come by in larger sizes. I did find a few though, all under $50. Pictured: (Top Row) Avenue Patent Buckle Stretch Belt $20 Avenue Double Buckle Patent Stretch Belt $22 Avenue Exotic Croc Belt $20 (Bottom Row) IGIGI Triple Buckle Belt $45 IGIGI Buckle Belt $45 Torrid Black Woven Wide Belt $20

Zafu.com helps you find the perfect jeans and a variety of price ranges. Zafu also has a plus size jeans finder. Pants are my hardest fit, and the quest for the perfect pair of jeans has been a life long journey so far. I've decided to turn to Zafu for help. Tonight I had a plus size friend test Zafu. It came up with several workable-looking options and many of them were actually only about $20 to $30. However, I tested the dress pant finder and it only found one pair of $80 pants that I know do not fit because I've tried them on. The jeans finder did work a lot better though. So, before you head out for your next jeans shopping adventure, start at Zafu for some tips (but leave the dress pants to experimentation).

Shopping for the perfect fit is difficult for most people. It's even more difficult when clothing companies don't make clothing in your size. For any hard-to-fit frame, ordering custom clothing is a great way to purchase special pieces. Custom orders and tailoring can be pricey. However, various shops on Etsy offer a huge selection of made to order clothing. There are shops for every style, shape, and type. A little searching on Etsy can turn up a wealth of creations. Here just a few Etsy shops with amazing custom creations: Sandmaiden creates customs lingerie, sleepwear, and loungewear. Treehouse 28 offers custom pants, skirts, tops, and dresses. Jane Bon Bon has a fun selection of pre-made plus size dresses and takes custom orders. Panda Sewing Boutique offers custom clothing and accessories for infants, men, and all women from misses sizes to plus size and even maternity. Desira Pesta creates couture, custom, and ready-to-wear clothing. (This shop is dangerous to my wal...

Belle Avenue sells affordable and cute plus size clothings. Many of the departments are not yet available on their website. However they do have a cute collection of tops, jackets, jeans, and a few dresses. Most of the clothing is under $50. If they keep adding things, this could be a great shopping site. Belle Avenue has a brick and mortar store in Downtown Los Angeles. Pictured: Layered Blouse $28 Pinstripe Jacket $35

Spring is here. Celebrate with this office appropriate, yet casual look with all the fun of spring. Pictured: Women's Plus Smocked Tanks $16.50 Women's Low-Rise Wide-Leg Pinstriped Jeans $19.99 Women's Plus Stretch Blazer $39.50 Women's Patent Wedges $34.50 Women's Graphic Linen-Blend Tote $14.50 Women's Amber-Tinted Sunglasses $9.50

These flirty spring dresses are a great way to welcome spring, or depending on where you live, entice it to come. I'm ready to wear fun, flouncy, spring things and if you are too, hurry to Target for these pretty, plus size spring dresses. You can battle the remains of winter and the spring rain with this classic navy trench coat. Pictured: Flutter-Sleeve Dress $29.99 Mossimo® Black: Print Dress with Pleats $20.99 Mossimo® Black: V-Neck Dress with Tie $29.99 Merona® Trench Coat $30.99