As one who straddles the fence between straight and plus sizes, I personally understand how difficult it is for curvy, full-figured women to find stylish and well-tailored clothing. The struggle is real.
With the exception of a few UK-based brands like ASOS and Evans, the pickings are pretty slim. Plus, who wants to solely shop online for their wardrobe? Perusing the racks and trying on clothing in-store is part of the joy of shopping and should be available to every woman, no matter the size. For those of us in the U.S., this is where the Limited’s newest line, Eloquii, comes in.
Eloquii – which was derived from the combination of “eloquent” and “soliloquy” - seeks to provide fashion-forward items for plus size women (size 14 -24). And from what I’ve seen since its launch in late 2011, they are undoubtedly winning!
A few days ago, I was invited to preview the Spring collection and learn more about the brand from Eloquii’s creative director, Jodi Arnold.
Jodi explained that the Eloquii woman is one who longs to have looks from the runway and the same variety of choices as her straight size friends. What differentiates Eloquii from other plus size brands is the fact that Jodi Arnold brings more of a designer focus to the brand. “Our customer wants more ‘fashion’”, says Arnold.
The clothing is not simply sized up. To ensure that the clothing is made for the customer’s body, a size 18 model is used for both the classic and curvy (small in the waist, fuller in the hips) fit. Even the jewelry, belts and bracelets are re-sized to accommodate the Eloquii consumer. Thankfully, there is also an understanding that every item does not have to use stretch fabric. Tailored apparel like blazers, trousers and pencil skirts offer a selection that will appeal to plus size women searching for a better selection of work wear and those of us that simply want more structure.
Yes, you will notice that the Eloquii items are priced 25-30% higher than their straight sized counterparts. However, this is not blamed solely on the inclusion of more fabric. There are also more details like flattering seams that attribute to the increase in price. Based on the garments I’ve seen, these details definitely improve the fit and quality. For me, that’s justification enough for the price difference.
If you’re not already convinced that Eloquii is one of the top go-to brands for plus size fashion, here’s a sneak peek of some of my favorite looks from the upcoming Fall collection. Jodi mentioned that Eloquii will become even more fashion-forward with each collection. And these lookbook photos are absolute proof of that.
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Leather blazers, asymmetric tweed jackets, lace pencil skirts, cobalt blue cigarette pants and beautifully printed dresses. I’ll take one of everything!
Locals can now visit The Limited in Water Tower Place (845 N. Michigan Ave) to check out Eloquii in person. For those outside of the Chicagoland area, use the store locater to find your nearest location. Keep in mind that the store only carries about 75 items. To view the full collection of 300+ items, visit eloquii.com.
Are you a fan of Eloquii? Which items are you currently coveting?
Click HERE to see some dressing room photos from fellow blogger Lisa of Fantabulously Frugal.
