2018 Update: We still stand by this advice on the best workwear for size 16, but you may also want to check out our more recent posts on where to find stylish plus-size suits for work and the best designer plus-size clothing for professional women. You may also want to sign up for CorporettePlus, our newsletter!

We haven’t talked explicitly about the best workwear for cusp sizes in far too long, ladies — if you’re a size 16 or 18, what are your favorite stores and brands? Given the fact that the average American woman is now a size 16 and 5’4″, this is particularly a difficult question because with those stats you may fit in regular sizes (e.g., 12, 14, 16, 18), plus sizes (e.g., 10W, 12W, 14W, or 16W), petite regular sizes (such as 14P, 16P, 18P) or that rare bird, petite plus sizes (12WP, 14WP, or 16WP) — this is why women in this size range are called “inbetweeners!” But a lot of “regular” stores only carry sizes up to size 12 — and a lot of “plus” stores only start at 18W. Add to that the fact that most stores carry very few of those sizes on the shelves, and you may be stuck in a never-ending cycle of online shopping and returning stuff, as several readers noted in our post on how to return items bought online. SO. Let’s discuss, ladies: What’s the best workwear if you’re a size 16? If you’re an “average” size and right on the cusp of plus sizes, which brands or stores have you found to be the best for you? What styles of clothes work best for your body type? What brands run small; which run big?

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Some of the brands I know of include:

“Regular” Workwear Brands in Sizes 16-18 (aka “Misses” Sizes)

(I realize “regular” brands is a flawed term, but I mean to distinguish a size 16 vs a 16W — if anyone has any suggestions for something other than “regular” or “misses” sizes I’ll take it.)

Petite Workwear in Sizes 14P, 16P, 18P

Workwear for Plus-Size Petites (12WP-44WP)

Smaller Plus-Sized Workwear (10W-16W)

Picture via Fotolia / Syda Productions.

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