I have huge thighs. I have a FF sized bust. I have a reasonably well defined waist, good hips and a flabby tummy that two children and years of yo-yo diets seems to have left me for the long term. I feel exposed when my bum isn’t at least partially covered up yet jumpers and tops that seem to be in vogue which come down to my knees make me resemble an odd-looking Hobbit as despite being a size 18-20 with a large bust and a substantial body I am only 5ft 2” tall.
There are a number of “plus sized” establishments that are happy to sell me off the shelf clothing however in many cases these appear to be pieces that were shaped for smaller women and then inches were added along the line rather than any extra fitting applied to make the best of my womanly curves. I find clothes shopping frustrating. I deserve more.
I consider myself to be the proud owner of a unique body whereas many of the clothing industry leaders assume I have a tent frame body which is crying out to be swathed in fabric. Finding clothing which does my fabulously unique body justice is difficult however that is what I want, clothing that works for me and my quirks, not clothing that makes me want to change my body so that it will fit into someone else’s idea of an “ideal” body shape.
I am looking for stylish dresses, trousers which don’t need to be “baggy shaped” to not look too tight and tops which help me make the best of my bust without looking like I am out of proportion. I am looking for a company that appreciates the fact that I am no longer 18 years old, that I am an individual and that here is a good chance I will never had the same figure I did before having children and who don’t see that as a flaw. I think I might have found this magical-sounding clothing company and if I’m right about them I suspect clothes shopping will soon become something much morr than a depressing chore.
ISABI seem to be on the ball when it comes to designing and producing clothing for those who are not well-rounded, perfectly balanced individuals. They seem to have realised that if you are 5ft 2” with short-ish legs that you may actually also have a large butt. ISABI appear to know that one size doesn’t fit all and those of us with beautiful if not mainstream bodies do deserve clothing that makes us feel good too.
From what I know about this company they seem to be very much on the ball regarding what women want and need and yet don’t give two hoots about what the latest trends are or what that stick-thin catwalk model wears at the top shows. They have a fabulous collection of items which are designed, often through layering, to build a look that feels great, looks great and is adaptable to any size or shape. It doesn’t matter whether a woman is larger or not, she still wants to feel good and ISABI appear to know this.
As many readers will know I work full time from home, I have two children and am constantly on the go. I need clothing that looks good, makes me feel good, washes easily and isn’t “fussy” and ISABI seem to have what I need.
You’ll have noticed that this post contains a lot of “appears to” and “they seem to” with regards to ISABI. This is because I haven’t yet ordered and worn any of their wares. I have however done some excessive browsing and have a good sized wishlist waiting for the new year. That said, ISABI’s “About Us” page which explains how they work and what they believe in is enough to make me feel optimistic about my chances of finding quality clothing I can afford which flatters me and which makes me feel confident and again celebrates my shape.
Will I come back after the New Year shopping spree and tell you all what my experience has been? Absolutely, unless of course you already know about ISABI and are clad in chic dresses behind those laptops feeling a million pounds? If you are you should have shared this knowledge with me before now!
This post was written in collaboration with the mentioned business.
