Top Notch

FASHIONS

for the

Petite

LARGE

Women

BY RUTHAN BRODSKY

Cotton knit T-shirt and striped
skirt with black cardigan from
Anne Klein II, Petites, available at
Tres Chic Petites.

or years, shop owners and
clothing buyers have prod-
ded clothing manufac-
turers to do something for
women who want to wear
fashionable clothes but come in
shapes and sizes far from the
fashion ideal.
Sy Finkelstein, owner of Sys
Unlimited (clothes for large
women, Southfield Road,
Lathrup Village) provides a bit
of history:
"They didn't listen to us in the
beginning. I started out selling
clothes for chubby girls but the
manufacturers felt this was not a
good market. So they went the
cheap route, just as they were
doing in clothes for the large
woman, because they felt big
women wouldn't spend the
money for clothes. As a result, the
clothes weren't put together well,
the fabrics were mediocre at best,
and the styles outdated. What
mother in her right mind would
dress a daughter in this kind of
clothing? The kids didn't buy and
it was a self-fulfilling prophecy.
The industry dried up."
Today, outfitting women in
special sizes is big business.

F

Elegant cocktail dress with blouson top
and flared skirt in pastel colors.

24

Jewish News

Dozens of manufacturers
compete for the one-third of the
female population who just
happen to be size 16 to 24.
Moreover, many of these same
manufacturers plus others are
vying for that other large market
the petite women — who is 5
feet 4 and under.
The large size woman can be
as fashionable as she wants,
choosing from a wide selection of
fabric, style, color and price.
According to Charlotte Ture,
buyer of large size dresses at
Crowley's, all the styles have
been adapted into large sizes
because the large woman wants
to look like her counterpart
whether working, volunteering or
lunching.
Clothes for large women are
cut with their differences in mind
rather than just adding
dimensions to a regular size
blouse or dress. For example, the
wrist, shoulder or ankle
measurements of a large size
woman are not going to differ that
much from someone who fits into
a regular size. However, the
upper arm may require more
room.