[twiddletoes]

I think there's a huge market for attractive, modern, plus-size clothing!  My MIL has very classic taste, and it embarrasses her that the line of shirts that fits her is in animal print.  The lady who used to wear gorgeous suits and trouser sets in animal prints.

I'm not plus size, but I'm kind of dumpy.  I have a tiny waist, and it's impossible to find anything that fits my bust and hips that doesn't look like a complete sack.  Darts only do so much.

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

When designers brought back the boot cut and the flair, they finally got something right.

Sooooooooo true!!

Amen...like NaLa, I have legs that go forever, but put on tapered legs and I suddenly look like an upside-down pyramid.  Kind of defeats all those hours at the gym if your clothes completely change your shape; and not for the better.

[JewelrybyNaLa]

Remember a couple years ago when they were running that ad for short, skin tight black capri pants using Audrey Hepburn as a model? I remember hoping American women would be smarter than to think that they could look the same way the pencil thin Audrey did in those pants, and apparently they were. Those ads disappeared as quickly as the pants did from the stores--and good riddance.

It's about time fashion flattered the majority and not just runway models who won't eat a baloney sandwich.

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

I think there's a huge market for attractive, modern, plus-size clothing!  My MIL has very classic taste, and it embarrasses her that the line of shirts that fits her is in animal print.  The lady who used to wear gorgeous suits and trouser sets in animal prints.

I'm not plus size, but I'm kind of dumpy.  I have a tiny waist, and it's impossible to find anything that fits my bust and hips that doesn't look like a complete sack.  Darts only do so much.

Twiddle-Are you saying that she does NOT like animal prints? If the bust and hips are proportionate, a belt or sash would do wonders for showing off a tiny waist. Unfortunately, I have never had the luxury of being able to wear belts.

I guess that is a matter of personal taste again, as in so many other things, art, jewelry, etc. I personally love them, in  a small scale, but would only wear a top in an animal print.

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

OK, some great feedback so far! Now, do we love or abhor pockets in pants?

I personally like them, and prefer to wear only pants with pockets, although I have both.

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

I have been looking at fabric online, and it's a crap shoot at best. I need to get OUT and look, feel, touch...

[trusk4u]

I must have pockets!! BUT, they have to be the kind you normally have on jeans, not the slash type that gape all the time. Back pockets are fine if they are simple. No HUGE pockets, large buttons or flaps please.

[JewelrybyNaLa]

I must have pockets!! BUT, they have to be the kind you normally have on jeans, not the slash type that gape all the time.

I agree with Teresa. Those diagonal slash pockets add pounds, because they're located right at the side of the hip and never lay flat.

And one of my biggest pet peeves about pockets is having little tiny baby pockets just 'cuz they're in women's pants. Give me a standard pocket size pocket like men have that I can get my whole hand--and my money and credit cards--into with ease. I don't like carrying a purse when I'm with my husband and don't need to carry keys, etc., so I needs my pockets!

[MakinTheBestOfIt]

Definitely need pockets as long as they lay flat and are usable. I'm like NaLa again (this is getting scary) in that I want to stick my money and stuff in my pockets so I don't always have to carry a purse.

[JewelrybyNaLa]

I'm like NaLa again (this is getting scary) in that I want to stick my money and stuff in my pockets so I don't always have to carry a purse.

I either thank you or I resemble that remark ... 

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

I agree, no flaps to curl up on you, no slash pockets, and definitely NONE of those tiny little good fer nuttin pockets that you can barely get a quarter in.

LOL at Nala and Kim, you two crack me up! 

[LTDBeads]

What I am wondering, since I can sew like a fiend, is if I can pull off setting up a plus size shop with AFFORDABLE, sweet, demure, vampishly sexy but tasteful clothing, swimsuits, pajamas and so forth for those of us not so fortunate to have slim figures?

Affordable ... oh, yes, please! As for the rest, I'd settle for stylish and comfortable. I totally think this is a fantastic idea. My guess is that the market for this is bigger than huge. I keep reading about the epidemic of obesity in the United States, but the plus size departments have paltry selections.

I wouldn't steer totally away from the gathered or "tent look" in tops due to largely varying bust sizes, but it would be tasteful, and not to flatter an elderly woman.

Oh, go ahead, flatter us. 

Boot legs are the best. Gotta have nice big pockets that don't ever gap.

So Jan, once you work out styles/materials, would you offer made-to-order/custom-size garments? ... just an idea.

[CraftedRoots]

If there's one thing I will always remember about clothing that thins a person, it's that you need to wear vertical lines, and avoid horizontal lines.

That's my advice.

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

What I am wondering, since I can sew like a fiend, is if I can pull off setting up a plus size shop with AFFORDABLE, sweet, demure, vampishly sexy but tasteful clothing, swimsuits, pajamas and so forth for those of us not so fortunate to have slim figures?

Affordable ... oh, yes, please! As for the rest, I'd settle for stylish and comfortable. I totally think this is a fantastic idea. My guess is that the market for this is bigger than huge. I keep reading about the epidemic of obesity in the United States, but the plus size departments have paltry selections.

I wouldn't steer totally away from the gathered or "tent look" in tops due to largely varying bust sizes, but it would be tasteful, and not to flatter an elderly woman.

Oh, go ahead, flatter us. 

Boot legs are the best. Gotta have nice big pockets that don't ever gap.

So Jan, once you work out styles/materials, would you offer made-to-order/custom-size garments? ... just an idea.

Joan, I probably would. That would take some consideration, and likely extra costs. Not alot more though. I didn't mean for that comment to offend or sound like I wasn't thinking of the elderly women, however, it seems like that sort of stuff is already out there on the retail market, and I wanted to steer away from that. As you have stated and obviously don't like, the selection for plus size clothing is paltry, at best. Heck, I am 53 today, and considered old by many, but young by me. Ya know, I just wanna put out there for the bigger women what is available for the thinner ones as well 

Affordable depends on what fabrics I can find out there and at what prices. I thought that I had found a gorgeous, slinky feeling fabric with polka dots and calla lilies, but when the woman told me that the dots were the size of a dime, that told me that the calla's were HUGE. No, no, no!

[jewelrybyjanelle50]

If there's one thing I will always remember about clothing that thins a person, it's that you need to wear vertical lines, and avoid horizontal lines.

That's my advice.

Crafted~Absolutely! Princess seams are best, and no horizontal seams either. The worst fashion faux pas was when a couple of years ago, they came out with all of those empire waisted tops that seemed to be EVERYWHERE. GAAK!!!!! A BIG no no for bigger women.