PLUS-SIZE STUNNERS:(From top) Oprah Winfrey and Queen Latifah; a model shows off an outfit from the Gia line of clothes in Westside

A nice summer dress, cool sky blue capris teamed with a soothing linen shirt or a graffiti tee paired with roll-up denims? And a perfect size-10 figure to flaunt it all? Tragic and true, but some prototypes ? like fashion and the body-beautiful ? are harder to shake off than others. So, is dressing with the times the sole prerogative of a select, genetically blessed or gym-obsessed few? We sure hope not because it’s about time plus-size women get their share of trendy loot.

Here’s the GoodLife guide to help set the perfect plus-style statements with items picked up from racks around town.

In the mind

Why is it that a large woman typically hides under a shapeless kurta? Call it the comfort quotient or simply shying away from fashionable options, but most large women are more than happy covering their curves in non-curvy garb.

Nina Puri, a size 18 for instance, says: “Indian garments are usually not body fitting whereas Western garments tend to contour the body and highlight the figure. Hence I feel more comfortable in salwar suits and saris ? after all, these help hide my flab.”

Understandable, you would think, and that’s why we see so many women like 26-year-old Nina seeking solace in boxy, sack-like ethnics.

Some, like size-16 Akansha, on the other hand, “just don’t care” about their size. She feels that wearing Westerns helps her “track” her weight. “With salwar suits, I will never know whether I am putting on more inches, but my jeans never fail to send me early signals,” she smiles.

For her, the virtually impossible task of getting “stylish clothes” of her size in the city has becoming mission possible in recent times. “I have always had to shop abroad for my Westerns and get my ethnics tailor-made, but now I manage to get nice stuff in Gia (Westside), Cotton World (Forum) and sometimes even Tommy Hilfiger (on Elgin Road),” says 48-year-old Akansha.

Though it is hard to delve into the style sensibilities of these women, some definite pattern in their design thought process can be noticed.

Bhavna Jhingan, designer of Emphasize (on Alipore Road) that specialises in plus-size clothing, observes that large women in Calcutta are still not comfortable in skirts or lighter shades.

“If it is non-ethnic, they will invariably pick jeans or trousers over skirts. Their colour palette is restricted to safer, darker hues like black. Similarly, they are not too experimental when it comes to styling their outfits,” observes Bhavna.

Rack watch

Though plus-sizes aren’t exactly the easiest things to find on the racks, the city is slowly waking up to this need gap. It all began three years ago when Westside introduced Gia for larger women. The sizes begin from UK 16 for tops and a waist size of 34 inches for lowers. Denim skirts, crossover tees, jeans and tunics, all in pretty patterns and designs are found here.

The most popular item at Gia is the collection of “rugby trousers”. Priced at Rs 399, these are the preferred pick for many. But which segment exactly is this “many”?

“Most of our buyers are around 40 years old. Surprisingly, these women aren’t all professionals who have to wear Westerns at work, but are more often than not homemakers,” reveals a spokesperson for Westside.

Pantaloons on Camac Street also has a special section dedicated to plus-size clothing. All, the six-month-old brand, occupies a super-built area of 150 sq ft on the ground floor.

On display is a plethora of exciting designs ? red corduroys, linen pants, floral capris, striped trousers, cutaway kurtas and sequinned ponchos. Priced at Rs 299-plus, these outfits are “flying off the racks”, with an approximate sale of five to six pieces per day.

The other must-sees for plus-size shoppers are Cotton World at Forum and Shoppers’ Stop at Forum and City Centre.

Design detail

Plus sizes are inherently designed differently from their regular counterparts. With limited creative liberty and a host of “problem areas” to be tackled, these garments follow a different set of rules and patterns.

Bhavna lists some things to be kept in mind:

• Keep the embellishments near the neck and sleeves.

• Don’t attract attention to the problem areas like hips and waist with brighter colours, bolder prints and ornate embellishments.

• Play around with embroidery near the skirt hemline.

• Keep the neckline wide.

• The garment should neither be too clingy nor too loose. The top should be slightly shaped near the waist to lend a slimming look.

• The tops should be kept long, covering the hips.

• The fabrics should not be too stiff or too thin. Preferred fabrics are georgettes and soft cottons.

• Keep the lining fabric thin.

Add-ons

Accessories like scarves and stoles, says designer and style consultant Sunipa Samadder, work like a magic wand.

“Transparency or an interwoven structure in a scarf diverts the attention from problem areas like heavy arms or broad shoulders. Just throw it across your shoulders or wrap it around snugly to look stylish and to lend a slimming illusion,” she says.

Other accessories like bags also need to be chosen with care and caution. Whatever the fad or trend may be, the bag should never come across as unwanted excess baggage.

“The bag should not rest on a heavier area like bust or hip, adjust the strap length accordingly,” advises Sunipa.

Likewise, choose the right footwear because a confident stride can lend a dignified look to the largest of women, she adds. It always helps to learn the art of contouring or camouflaging your puffy cheeks well and also picking a flattering, slimming hairstyle.