Shopping for Plus Size Clothing in Australia

Posted by Samantha Charles on December 19th, 2020

Shopping for plus size clothing in Australia is not an easy thing, though it really should be. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, an estimated 2 in 3 Australians aged 18 or older were overweight or obese. There are a whole lot of plus size women and men who are in need of plus size apparel but companies do not seem to be taking notice. Delving into why this is the case would take another entire essay, for which we will not deviate today.

Sure, Australian department stores have plus size women fashion available, but a glance will show you that most of the clothing on offer are made for older women. This puts the younger plus size women and men at a loss. It is a well known issue in Australia that plus size people find it difficult to get stylish clothing. A look into Australian online forums will see active threads on the lack of plus size fashion and questions on where to find chic clothing in big sizes. No worries, this article is here to help with our guide on shopping for plus size fashion in Australia!

The biggest advice we can give you is to start shopping online if you have not done so! The world is your oyster nowadays - literally - with the advent of online shopping. You are able to shop from well-established plus size fashion brands from overseas, like Hello Curve from Singapore and Torrid from the United States of America. These brands understand the curvy body well and create plus size clothing that fits curves extremely well. Also, as they have went through the process of reinventing themselves to fit changing tastes, you will find that the clothing on offer are up to the moment, stylish and fashionable. Additionally, they offer a wide array of clothing items. Hello Curve for example has an impressive array comprising of even plus size lingerie and plus size swimwear. You are in good hands when shopping online for plus size fashion as these brands are serious in their mission of providing plus size apparel. These brands that have an international focus also usually offer free international shipping above a low minimum spend. This means that there is no issue for Australian women in procuring clothing from them even though they are located overseas!

Shopping in retail locations is not fully unadvised. However, you definitely have to shop smart. Skip the department stores with outdated designs made for women and men of much older age. We have two style secrets to share with you today! Firstly, thrift stores are hidden gold mines for plus size women and men! If you go into your nearest charity shop you'll find chock full of clothes. Stop walking by these treasure troves! There are many plus size fashion in there and sometimes branded vintage fashion in plus sizes. We have personally found elegant midi dresses and classic blouses for women there. It is also at a very low price point, usually under ten dollars. You will also be doing your part in protecting the environment by not supporting fast fashion and recycling old clothes! And needless to say, you are supporting the good men and good women of the charity you are shopping at. They more than anyone else deserve our money!

Now on to the second secret! Start shopping at brands with oversized clothing styles. Cotton On is an example with oversized t shirts and blouses. They will not only fit the sizes mentioned on the size label. They will fit a few sizes beyond that! This summer, we personally went on down to Cotton On to take a look and we saw babydoll dresses in loose cutting, oversized vintage t shirts and stretchy maxi skirts among other designs. These designs will definitely fit plus size women. There you have it, our two secrets! You don't even have to look far.

Retail Australian plus size brands like City Chic and Autograph are slow to the game of style, but we are seeing encouraging improvements! City Chic used to be known as a brand with safe, boring and outdated styles but this summer season we are seeing never-before-seen tight bodycon dresses, chic t shirt dresses and skinny jeans! We are all about celebrating curves, not hiding them, so we are really encouraged by the new developments.

Multi-marts like K Mart and Target offering clothing and every other product under the sun from toys to food and bicycles are also joining the game as they see potential in the plus size apparel industry. Nowadays, you will be able to find plus size dedicated clothing sections in these stores as compared to none existing in the past. Even though the designs of the clothes may not be very fashionable, it is a sign that these marts are recognizing the plus size men and women in Australia. We can look forward to more fashionable options in the future at affordable prices.

In conclusion, obtaining plus size clothes in Australia is not easy but no mean feat either. With the introduction of e-commerce and slow but sure developments in the local retail market, along our two style tips, we hope that it makes your shopping for big size clothing easier!