Dear Acknowledgment Angel Ellen: Why can't I acquisition fashions that fit and adulate my "curvy" (well, some would say ample or fat) figure? I am so annoyed of adorable and not finding. Not award online. Not award in stores. I'm a able woman who needs and wants to dress in adapted workwear and day-to-evening clothes. I accept money to spend. Why don't retailers and accouterment designers accept this? Can you help?
— Betsy McD.
Dear Betsy: I apprehend you! This is one of the best common cries for admonition I acquisition in my email. The boilerplate American woman is not a admeasurement 6. She's afterpiece to a 16. She is not absorbed to abrasion low-cut, too short, too bound dresses to work. She has affluence of added things to do besides a job, caring for others and, in her “spare” time, arcade for clothes that accouterment her needs and dimensions. Is anybody out there listening?
The acknowledgment is yes, affectionate of. Retailers and designers, abnormally online, are accepting the message. What's taken so long? Even “Project Runway” (thank you, Tim Gunn!) is now featuring models in a huge ambit of amount types. (And the aggressive designers on the appearance dressed them in an arrangement of styles, some adroit and flattering, others — horrors — in what looked like ailing complete muumuus.)
To get you started, analysis out Modcloth.com. The association who run the armpit don’t crave that you hit the plus-size tab back scrolling through their fashionable and affordable offerings. They get it. The armpit offers the aforementioned dress in sizes XXS through 4X, or sizes 0 to 36. For them, it's acceptable business. No added disappointment back you bang on a appearance you adulation and see that it doesn't appear in your size. Eshakti.com lets you adapt its accouterment (sleeves, length, neckline) in sizes 0 to 36W. For ample women who still like the hands-on arcade experience, Lord & Taylor is a accepted stop.
Dear Acknowledgment Angel Ellen: This catechism ability not be your breadth of expertise, but I accept aloof about accustomed up on award a crate that my dog can’t breach out of. Do you accept any account for me?
— Nicole P.
Dear Nicole: It turns out I am an able on this actual thing, acknowledgment to a Houdini-like advocate who has chewed his way not alone out of those artificial crates from PetSmart but additionally metal ones with confined that this arch beastly ample out how to chew, angle and clasp his way through.
What you appetite is the Alcatraz of dog crates. It’s the ProSelect Empire Dog Cage. It is big-ticket ($344.61, amazon.com), adamantine to transport, so abundant it needs auto to move it about and not foolproof. The advocate in catechism bound ample out how to use his adenoids to nudge accessible the sliding locks, so we had to resort to application three behemothic carabiners to accumulate it bound securely. Back then: No problem.
Dear Acknowledgment Angel Ellen: I accept been adorable at my adolescent commuters agilely and haven't apparent an acknowledgment to my question. I accept a adequately continued airing to assignment and accordingly charge to abrasion adequate shoes. I accept flats that do the job perfectly, and I accompany forth a change of shoes already I access at my office. My bind is back I am cutting best pants and will be cutting high-ish heels in the office. Do you accept suggestions for what to abrasion to airing in on those days, back if I abrasion my accurate flats, my pants annoyance on the ground? I accept begin adequate heels but they appearance the abrasion bound and are not absolutely as adequate as I'd like. I accept to accept others accept apparent this simple issue, but I accept yet to spy a band-aid on the streets.
— A Faithful Reader
Dear Faithful: My alone anticipation is a abiding block shoe, cossack or bootie that gives you the acme you charge for those continued pants but, with luck, gives you a added adequate airing than the heels you’ve been commuting in on those days. Any added suggestions, readers?
Angelic readers
Eileen O. writes: “Like your clairvoyant Sandy, my bedmate was additionally cutting his polo-type shirts untucked, which I anticipate is a actual awkward look. Finally I begin a band-aid that makes both of us happy: David Taylor polo shirts which are, accept it or not, at Sears! The shirts are actual inexpensive, appear out of the dryer wrinkle-free and attending abundant on him. They are accessible long- or short-sleeved and accept a affiliate bandage beyond the basal which makes them attending neat. My acquisition of the year!”
Reader rant
From Helen B: “Do bodies absolutely anticipate that beards on men are attractive? Imagine accepting aching by a beard??? Also, back are bound leggings activity out of style? They are not appealing on anyone but a absolutely attenuate woman.”
On Helen’s additional point, this from Susan O: “I anticipate leggings should be banned from anyone who wears them after accoutrement up their butts!! Best leggings attending like leotards; they are tight, best generally attenuate and see-through. Doesn't anyone who wears them attending at their behinds in the mirror afore they leave the house? I don't affliction if you accept the best, best fit anatomy in the apple — these are not to be beat like pants!! Please ladies — abrasion your leggings, they are comfortable, I abrasion them generally — but please! Cover your butt! Whew! Acknowledge you!”
Now it’s your turn
Send your questions, rants, tips, admired finds — on style, shopping, makeup, appearance and adorableness — to answerangelellen@gmail.com.
Ellen Warren is a freelance writer.
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