So I’m one of those people who follow BuzzFeed on Facebook, and this list recently caught my eye:
25 Awesome Places To Shop In Your Late Twenties And Early Thirties
Feeling too old for Forever 21 but too young for Ann Taylor pantsuits? Here’s a guide to some great clothing stores aimed at people just like you.
Many of the places mentioned were new to me, so I browsed most of them online. My clothes are mostly from Wallis, Pepperberry, TJ Maxx and Marshall’s–the latter mentioned also on this list as “perfect for when you are trying to emphasize quality over quantity in your wardrobe”.
Here are my reactions to my picks from the list.
(Also, if there are Nordic readers or our lovely readers in general who would be interested in a review for bust friendliness of our common brands like Gina Tricot, VILA, Filippa K, Tiger of Sweden, Andiata, Gerry Weber, InWear or even Marimekko, just let me know via Hourglassy email or in the comment section! Would be happy to help out there.)
Mod Cloth:
There seem to be a lot of dresses that I could wear as sundresses or out for a brunch with friends but only very few that I would consider wearing to a corporate office. Our Hourglassy columnist Leah has reviewed finds from this website (boob-friendly dresses and hits and misses), so I suppose there are options for the bigger busted in their collections?
Fashion to Figure:
OMG! What vibrant colored, curve cut dresses! Many are party dresses but there are a number I would wear to work with a conservative jacket. I actually really would like to order two dresses from here, but I have a slight reservation:Â even though they say they make fashion for women from size 12 up and in Taharari and Camuto I do mostly wear a size 14, my one and only venture at Macy’s to size 1X and above made me realize that those dresses were too big for me. So are their 1X sizes a good fit for a narrow hipped, small bummed size 12-14 high street woman? All their gorgeous models have a killer hourglassy figures so it’s hard to tell.
All Saints:
In general I do like their clothing very much but a lot of it is too trendy even for a tech corporate job. But having had a closer look, there are some interesting pieces that might just work at least for my personal wardrobe and could be made to work with a bigger bust with some belt accessorizing.
Boden:
Quite British with styles resembling Pepperberry and a hint of Orla Kiely. Plenty of pieces that would be suitable for office wear, especially outerwear. Simple classic styles as well as patterns that probably suit retro-inspired women. Did not really inspire or wow me personally.
Zara:
I reluctantly even mention southern European brands as they are NOT designed for broad shouldered Nordic women. The reason I mention it now is that much to my surprise I’ve seen Zara on some curvier US bloggers that I follow. I would find wearable things from Zara to work if they fit me, BUT their size M is for size S women (at least here in Finland) so I simply can not fit into their clothes. I’m now assuming Zara sells different clothes in the US than here and I’m jealous! (Or I need to venture into Zara and see if something has changed here, too, as I’ve not stepped a foot into a Zara store in four years.)
New York & Company:
Plenty of corporate friendly clothes here, though not sure how well they suit bigger busts? Any readers who can shed some light on this? I’m loving jumpers at the moment, and they’ve got a few that could go to my tech office but possibly not to the corporate HQ if I have meetings there.
COS:
According to Buzzfeed, it is good for crisp trousers and architectural tops, and that it most certainly is! This is one example of a style I love–on others. It’s so clear and crisp. But those boxy kinda tops or dresses, well, they don’t ever look so boxy on us big- bosomed ladies, now do they? So while some items might be surprisingly nice, it’s not the intended shape.
Arizia:
Good for: army jackets and minimalist workwear or schoolwear. I am sold. Such effortlessly cool clothing! Their coats especially are amazing. Again, a brand I had never heard of so no idea of the bust friendliness of this brand, but usually at least stretchy items do work. I am obsessed with this trench coat both in this color and the solid black version of it.
I’m always searching for new places to shop as this world is full of brands we don’t know of yet!
P.S. I came back to this post to check what I wrote last week and now I’ve gotta confess that I am absolutely totally obsessed with that Arizia coat . . . as if I needed another one, but, but I want it . . . .
I found a couple of Modcloth pieces that work in cultural resource management but that’s enough closely related to anthropology that I can dress a little freer than in a typical office environment.
Haven’t tried NY&C in a couple of years but I wasn’t impressed by their quality back then. It could have improved over the years but I haven’t been drawn to check them out with other options available. Considering the prices, I wouldn’t be surprised if the quality is not quite on par with the other brands but probably a good wardrobe builder?
I was surprised at Francesca’s being on the list. Most of my friends who did shop there, did so in early college. I walked in one the other day and it seemed still like undergrad. Maybe it was just the one I was in but I certainly didn’t find anything to carry me through the next decade, or even next few years.
I would love to wear more funkier prints at work but even IT is a bit stuffy, they don’t mind being shaken and stirred but after all. It’s mostly ill fitting suits or smart casual to casual. There’re so many levels in IT from being very involved with corporate business to never meeting a business person.
Good point there Katie btw, price does usually correlate directly with quality. That’s why I rarely shop at H&M. But basics, well they don’t really need to cost that much. Unless they are wardrobe staples that need to last.
I’m in Ireland, and I too am surprised to see Zara on the list. It’s not something I would ever associate with large-bust-friendly. Ever. Actually quite the opposite. So I’d be interested to see if there are different US options available! I hope someone can shed some light.
I would like to just say to be correct here, the BuzzFeed list was just for places to shop and I’m not sure about the bust friendlyness of them all 🙂
But as for Zara and Mango, I truly am puzzled. I love the style of Brilliance of B blogger Brittany and she often wears both like seen here in a Zara blouse.http://brillianceofb.com/2013/02/work-it-out.html
I know I am a bigger woman than the lovely Brittany but when I was more her size there was no way I would’ve fitted to any Zara or Mango blouses or jackets. They must carry different sizes over in US and I’m rather jealous, do like their clothes a lot 🙂
Hi!
I’m Scottish, but I live in Sweden, and find it near impossible to find clothes that are big-bust friendly here. Any reviews you can do on Scandinavian brands would be much appreciated! I’m beginning to wonder if Swedish women are just built differently, as they all seem to look fabulous in smock tops 🙂
I agree with you on Zara, it’s not much use over here, but sometimes I find something in the UK stores.
Hi LunaLou, nice to hear that we have readers in my geographical area as well! I will start making a series on Scandinavian brands. Just on my lunch brake found a beautiful Sand silk top. It is difficult with the Scandinavian brands but some styles from some labels often work.
That black and beige coat is Everything!!!!
it really is isn’t it? Please, please go try it on for me and tell me there’s no way it’ll fit and I can get over it! 😉 They have stores on 5th Avenue and Broadway in NYC it seems.
Hi Tina!
I am from Espoo, and recently went to central Sokos, where I tried on a nice long jacket from Morris Lady (a Swedish brand). I am wearing EU75F, and to my surprise it fitted well. Unfortunately the price even on sale was not accessible for me.
Really eager to read your reviews on Sandinavian bust-friendly finds.
Hi Olga! Thanks for that tip and that is a new brand for me. Will have to check it out and it gives me a good reason to pop into Sokos. I usually just go to Jumbo Stockmann. I am also eager to really start exploring the Scandinavian brands as I’ve kinda given up on them + sadly the price is sometimes quite steep like you said. But as I already found a silk blouse that fits like a dream I have some hope of making new discoveries 🙂