For those of you looking for sizes 14+, step away from the entrance to Dress Barn! The world of fashion is ever evolving and there are plenty of online retailers that are catering to the plus size shopping arena with pieces that are flattering, on trend and totally affordable. No longer must you surrender to an unfashionable wardrobe because some idiot one day thought that dresses shaped like tents would suit women with curves. All I can say is that designer must have either been a boy or shaped like one and was wishing for some kicking curves! Well, down with the tent maker, I say and on with a guide to dress like a page straight out fo Vogue (or at least the plus sized special edition… if there ever is one).

On a daily basis I get emails from readers asking where to shop for plus sizes online. I know this is a problem and a big one. Trust me, I’m telling every designer that will listen that there are women out there hunting daily for the perfect dress or perfect jeans in larger sizes and are willing to spend the money to get a perfect fit! So I thought it was about time we did a round up for you guys to see what we’ve hunted down for suitable plus size shopping destinations online. There is still A LOT of room for improvement, but herewith we show you a good start. As average sizes increase retailers will finally get the message that investing in upping their size charts will pay great dividends in the future. So don’t give up hope.

So here’s your guide to shopping online for plus-sized fashion now…

First up is one of the newer lines out there, ASOS Curve. It’s a range that runs from size 16 to 22 and it’s all about pieces that are on trend and reasonably priced. The site continually features new product so the looks are never stale or out of date. Here are our top picks currently available online. I’m particularly fond of their skirt selection this season as truly nothing beats a pencil skirt when it comes to showing off the shape of a woman’s body!

Moving on, we have another trend driven shop that is aimed at a younger audience but has pieces that can easily find their way into any wardrobe. It’s from the retailer Forever 21 and their line is called, appropriately, Forever 21+. This is a favourite for jeans, linen pants and patterned dresses. Forever 21+ should also get high marks for using real plus size models in their product shots.

Let’s take a detour and talk about classics. There have been brands that have taken their plus size line and gone all trends. That means that when you buy a piece, no matter the price, it’s like a ticking time bomb. That piece has an expiration date. However, other retailers have just taken their standard sized classics and extended the size range. One such retailer is Ralph Lauren and they have a “womens’ sizes” department to be proud of. This truly is a collection for all age ranges but is greatly preferred by a woman that is looking for an elegant and classy look. Oh and currently there’s a pretty massive sale on for this site, so well worth a look.

If you have some serious cash to drop on clothing and you are shopping in the plus size range, may I recommend that you very speedily click on over to Saks Fifth Avenue where their Z Salon offers top of the line designer goods for plus sizes. This is pretty much a designer heaven for women over size 14. I haven’t been able to find any other site like it online and truly it is a mind blowing selection. This is also one of the first places we’ve discovered that stocks plus size designer jeans (although for an expanded selection of James Jeans in plus sizes visit their site directly). There’s also another great sale on here for some absolutely stunning summer dresses!

Bloomingdales, aka “Bloomies”, is another strong contender for the favourite shop when it comes to plus sizes. As far as price goes, it’s just under Saks, but it offers an incredible selection. These pieces are a great mix of classic with trendy and truly you can’t go wrong here… not even one little bit.

This guide is honestly just scratching the surface, and as promised we are going to try and spend more time talking about plus size fashion, great new finds and trusted shops. If you didn’t find anything featured here that met your requirements I also recommend checking out the following: