The lament of the plus-size corporate woman: why can’t I find a suit that fits me?

Have you ever wondered why you don’t know what size you wear? This is certainly a very hot topic of conversation (and dismay!) with my daily clients and on my fashion and wardrobe blog.

Unfortunately, the answer is quite simple… it’s because there is little to no sizing standardization in the garment industry. That problem is compounded by the fact that as clothing fits into larger sizes, the construction issues become more complex because the fit becomes more complex. As a garment is measured, any and all figure issues or abnormalities become exponentially more challenging for the construction of a garment. When the fit of one aspect of a garment is changed, it affects all aspects of the garment. The greater the change, the greater the effect.

So when designers and manufacturers are faced with a less than healthy economy, how can they cut costs?

Reducing the intensive labor required to adjust the fit and tailoring of clothing as you measure is a very simple answer to the problem. That’s one of the reasons there’s been a trend away from tailored clothing for a more deconstructed look. Yes, the deconstructed look is more contemporary and edgy, partly because it has been deliberately marketed that way. So, in theory, everyone wins.

But not everyone can or wants to pull off a contemporary, deconstructed look, even if designed as a suit. So what do they do? There aren’t even many manufacturers making good quality tailored suits for women in larger sizes these days. Therefore, the first challenge is to find a good suit. The next is to get it to fit correctly, which could double the cost of the suit. Of course, one can have suits made to measure, which is certainly a good investment for the woman who needs them and can afford them.

The real question though is, couldn’t there be a more effective way to create clothing to begin with, to establish a standardized sizing method that actually works? The answer could be, “yes.”

christina wallacefounder of Quincy Clothing, a new line of office wear for women, has devised what may very well be the key to a better fit and a more accurate method of measuring women’s clothing sizes. Instead of using traditional sizes, Christina designs and manufactures clothing based on bra size and bra height. According to her, this is the key to the correct fit. Check out the recent article about her at Bloomberg Business Week: The perfect fit.

Although this new company only offers clothing up to size 16, 40″ bust, D cup, it is a start. Given the many comments posted in response to the article from women loudly proclaiming the reality that the majority of the population is over a size 14 and many of them have cup sizes larger than a D, I would say it’s quite possible. that Christina should consider increasing her size range.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all for trendy deconstructed clothing. It’s a great look. I am a big fan of non-traditional clothing. However, there are many women who need and want to dress in a more tailored style… and they should be able to. Unfortunately, as I already mentioned, the bigger you get, the more complicated tailoring becomes, and therefore structured, tailored, ready-to-wear clothing in plus sizes has become increasingly difficult to find, as the clothing manufacturers face the realities of a tough economy. Not only that, but those of us who are older and bigger have more than likely gotten fed up with anything that isn’t comfortable. So deconstructed fashion offers more comfort and freedom than a typically ill-fitting tailored suit and the rugged basewear we must wear to look good in it. While form-fitting, structured clothing offers a sleek and sophisticated look, it often requires us to sacrifice comfort. For that reason alone, many of us have been happy to forgo tailored clothing and embrace the deconstructed look.

Unfortunately, not everyone has the luxury of going that route. What about those women who are thriving in traditional jobs in corporate America? Certainly, if you’re a high-powered plus-size lawyer living in Manhattan, I seriously doubt you’ll stop dressing in power suits any time soon. And if you’re a size 20 and you’re the CFO of a big firm in Beverly Hills, are you going to show up in some kind of modern deconstructed suit with a jacket that has an asymmetrical collar and hem and patch pockets on the hem? of the pants? Probably not. Deconstruction just doesn’t work in some commercial environments.

So clearly, there is a challenge.

The million dollar question is: if it were possible to get tailored clothing that actually fit well, would highly structured, well-tailored clothing really be comfortable to wear and would we want it? Is it possible for a 55-year-old woman who is 22 to dress in a beautifully tailored suit and feel comfortable? Is it possible that those kinds of clothes fit you so well that they make you look AND feel good?

I hope Christina Wallace and Quincy Clothing Take up that challenge and help us all discover that the answer could simply be “yes.” I know that I, and many of my clients, would be delighted if that were the case.