River Island Plus Range

When the news of River Island, success of the British High Street, was launching a Plus Size collection, My pulse quickened a little.

I mean, River Island was always a no go shop for me. I stared longingly at their pieces when in there with friends, and I never thought the day would come that I would be able to buy a piece from there. Never. 

I read the rest of the news about RI Plus, and my heart soared - it wasn't just a plus size collection, but extending the size range on their MAIN COLLECTION! No token baggy tees, polyester skater dresses or bootleg trousers. But their main range, available in Plus Size! 

Oh. 

Only available from 18 - 24. 

24 does not a plus size collection make!

I took to YouTube, in a rather rambley rant about why this wasn't good enough. 

Today, news broke that their collection would be available from 9th March, along with a sneak view of what we can expect to see. 

I am in love with this duster jacket - all geometric print and colour:

And this wrap dress looks so floaty and feminine - for those days when you fancy being a bit 1940s:

But RI, pretty pieces aren't enough - what about those above a 24? I wear a 24, and if the pieces run on the small size, I'm sized out of this range. 

If this was a smaller company, I would understand with dipping their toe in the plus size market, but River Island are no small company. 

It's my understanding that this will be available in flagship stores only, meaning that once again, for the plus size (all 2 sizes) pieces, we're limited to on line shopping. Still.

 Yes, it's a step forward. but a very very small step, and we demand more. We deserve more.

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

How the other half live...

I've often lusted after clothes on US websites for their prettiness, their edginess, their, WOW-ness:

Modcloth, Domino Dollhouse, Torrid.

So on my recent visit stateside I was hoping to be wowed by the options as I wandered the streets of Boston and New York. 

I was very disappointed. I was keeping an eye open for a Torrid store and a Forever21, but didn't see any until my last few days in New York, but as we were hitting the touristy joints in New England, it's not surprising.

I was even more disappointed by what met me in Macy's Woman section. An entire floor for the plus size ranges and the petite section - a DREAM I thought! 

I was able to look at the Jessica Simpson collection - but it was full of nasty cheap material. As was most of the floor if I'm honest - it was an absolute fire risk - the amount of shiny polyester blends was just not necessary!

An expensive price tag, but a cheap material. I didn't try this on as I was sweating as soon as looking at it! Also, wrap dresses. I have some in my wardrobe, but the entire floor seemed to be variations on the wrap dress theme. I was bored of them by the time I got to this one!

But there were some gems though, including this Calvin Klein skirt:

And this entire outfit, from the tweed cape, the lace collar effect ruffle Victorian top of WOW, to the leggings. Ralph Lauren just created my top of dreams there, and that cape is **kiss emoji** (ie: I have no words!)

We did venture over to Old Navy after Macy's, from the designer to the high street, just by crossing the street!

The Old Navy store on West 34th Street is possibly the flagship store, given the size, and sheer volume and range of stock. I was surprised to see such a large about of 4X's on the rails, along with the XS's - and so, armed with an armful of options, I headed into the changing room. 

I was hoping to pick up a few pieces, and was hoping for this to be a loose fitting shirt dress:

And if it hadn't been long sleeved, I would have snapped it up - no gaping to be seen, and a really nice length on me too. Shame about my weird always hot thing - otherwise it would have crossed the Atlantic with me!

Now, looking at this shirt as a jacket combination, I did have to spend a little bit of time thinking why I didn't get it - and I think it was down to price - and for a lumber jack shirt, I did think the price was a little steep.

In the end, I came from my awesome holiday with 2 pieces of clothing - my Boston hoodie, and an awesome Human Rights Campaign T Shirt from Provincetown.

The amount of stylish fats I saw in the NYC was rather few, and I was a little disheartened. I was expecting the streets to be full of fashionable fats. 

Seems like the clothing options are NOT always better on the other side of the sea!

Much love my lovelies, 

K x