Spring 2009 Plus Size Fashion Trends

I know from personal experience how hard it can be to find beautiful, stylish, plus size clothes. It has long been a challenge for full-figured women to find trendy clothes that look right. Designers are finally catching on, however, and adding features to their designs that accommodate curvy women - rather than just the extremely thin models.

Shoulder pads are back (from the eighties). Shoulder pads are considered to be wonderful for adding proportion and drawing the eye upward. (I personally always removed the shoulder pads from all of my jackets. I did not want tie appearance of a single added ounce - not on my shoulders - not anywhere. )

Dramatic over-sized features like wide, crisp collars and cuffs are perfect for the plus size woman. Just like the benefit of shoulder pads, they add proportion and drama to an outfit. Blouses for spring will be available in a wide range of colors and floral patterns.

Lane Bryant is one traditional source for attractive plus size fashions. This spring is no exception. They have colorful blouses, fitted shirts, jackets, trousers, dresses, swimwear and loungewear. Their line of casual wear is extensive and has choices that are both trendy and traditional for the plus size woman.

Soft, elegant dresses are one popular spring design for plus size women. Layered, sheer fabrics combined with soft solids create a feminine, slenderizing look for plus size women. Old Navy has a really cute line of plus size dresses for spring. Old Navy's plus size line is available exclusively online rather than in stores.

A straight skirt, like a pencil skirt, will be a popular trend for plus size women this spring because of the long, slim line it offers. Catherines.com has some very attractive straight skirts that won't disappoint.

A blouse dress with a basically straight line in one of spring 2009's new nature inspired colors will be a great choice for spring. The Woman Within website has a safari dress in this style that is perfect for the plus size woman (but theirs is done in zookeeper beige rather than the new spring colors.)

Shoes for spring are exciting and are available in both wild new colors and traditional colors. Soles are thick - almost like the platform shoes of the seventies. One new trend is a heel that is tall but angled slightly under rather than horizontal. (It looks to me as if it would be sort of tippy, but I reserve judgment until I get to try a pair on.)

Belts for spring are going to be wide and dramatic. Scarf belts, and belts with chunky clasps are going to be the newest trend. A wide belt will look best on a plus size woman if worn with a jacket to add proportion and to draw the eye up and down rather than across the belt.

Bags are one accessory that always adds drama to an outfit. The bags for spring, like the shoes and the new fabrics, are colorful and dramatic.

Finding trendy new spring fashions can be more challenging for a plus size woman than it is for a slimmer woman, but the choices are growing every season.

Sources

plussize.about.com/od/fashiontrends/tp/fw2008.htm

http://www.catherines.com/pagebuilder/product_thumbnail_image?cgid1=1777&s19a=WN

www.LaneBryantCatalog.com

http://www.womanwithin.com/plus-size-clothing/chelsea-studio-twill-safari-dress-popular.shtml

http://www.shoeblog.com/blog/ny-fashion-week-spring-2009-pastel-colored-shoes/