Lane Bryant is, of course, the plus size retailer everyone knows. It’s got stores around the country, and some of the biggest names in plus size modeling. The store’s clothes will appeal to young professionals, but there’s really something there for everyone. Plus, they have some of the prettiest, most feminine lingerie you’ll find in plus sizes.  And the new Icon Collection brings a higher-end product to the store.
Typical dress price: $70-$80
Sizes available: 14-32
Web site: www.lanebryant.com

Making it Big has what you might think of as stereotypical plus size clothes: lots of long tunics, flowing tops, conservative dresses. That’s not a bad thing; it’s just probably not going to appeal to younger curvy women. The store is one of a handful that offers sizes larger than 3X; Making it Big clothes are available in sizes up to 8X (46/48).
Typical dress price: $90-$100
Sizes available: 22-48
Web site: www.makingitbig.com

Roaman’s isn’t aimed at young women; its target audience seems to be middle age and older. There is a lot of selection on their Web site, and they also have a catalog. Roaman’s has tall and petite departments, which not all plus size retailers offer, and the prices are very reasonable. They also have a very generous size range for both clothes and intimates.
Typical dress price: $35-$40
Sizes available: 12-48
Web site: www.roamans.com

If you can afford it, Salon Z is the place to go for luxury plus size clothes. Saks Fifth Avenue is synonymous with high-end merchandise, and their shop for larger sizes is no exception. A standout is their selection of evening wear. You’re just not going to find a store with such beautiful special event dresses. But be ready to pay for them – in some cases upwards of $500.
Typical dress price: $400
Sizes available: 14-24
Web site: www.saksfifthavenue.com

A well-known name to plus size shoppers, Silhouettes skews slightly older than shops like Lane Bryant. Women 40 and up will find plenty of age-appropriate clothes, but there are items here for younger folks too if you look for them.
Typical dress price: $50-$60
Sizes available: 12-42
Web site: www.silhouettes.com

This is the Web site to visit if you want cleavage-baring plunging necklines. Size Appeal has scores of items that are sexy, but not slutty (but you may find some of those here too). The clothes are modeled by curvy women, and most are very reasonably priced. The store also has a very extensive selection of dresses, from casual to dressy.
Typical dress price: $40-$60
Sizes available: 14-28
Web site: www.sizeappeal.com

Not a retailer for everybody. The clothes skew older (my mom would be comfortable in many of these styles) and the prices are on the high side. Also, the store doesn’t specialize in plus sizes, so there’s not a real big size range and the models are regular size models, so it can be hard to imagine what the styles would look like on someone with curves.
Typical dress price: Around $70
Available sizes: 2-24
Web site: www.softsurroundings.com

What’s great about this online retailer is that the clothes are, for the most part, modeled by actual, curvy women. It’s helpful to see how a dress falls on a real woman with real curves; face it, everything looks good on a mannequin. The clothes at SWAKdesigns are cute, and great for younger folks; I’m nearly 30, and as I was perusing their site, I saw several items that I would love to have. The store also has a blog with style advice and news of interest to plus-size women.
Typical …

I’ve not been in many Target stores that have very big plus size departments, but there’s a decent selection on their Web site. Like all items at Target, the clothes are very reasonably priced. The pieces aren’t exceptionally trendy, but many are quite cute.
Typical dress price: $30
Available sizes: 16-30
Web site: www.target.com

A plus-size chain store, Torrid caters mostly to the younger set: teens and young adults. They carry several trendy labels, including Apple Bottoms, Baby Phat and Betsy Johnson. There’s also a department called “edge” where you’ll find corset tops, items adorned with skulls, and the like. The lingerie department is great, with styles varying from girly and sweet to straight-up sex kitten.
Typical dress price: $60-$70
Available sizes: 12-28
Web site: www.torrid.com