The online plus-size alternative fashion bonanza!

If you're a curvy lady, dressing well and creatively can be a byotch. Here's a Mookychick guide to online plus-size fashion for indie, gothic, retro and generally style-conscious voluptuous vixens...

Plus-size INDIE | Plus-size RETRO | Plus-size GOTH

If you have a plus-size alternative fashion store you think we should list here, let us know at mookychick @ yahoo.co.uk! Or tell us on the messageboard!

If you're a curvy lady, dressing creatively can be a byotch. Let's face it, while writing this article we were scouting around the internet for plus-size fashion we'd actually want to wear, and it made us want to punch someone. Preferably someone well-dressed. It made us want to mug them and steal their clothes.

Yep, when it came to decent online shopping for plus-size althernative fashion, style and choice was pretty thin on the ground. If you're over, say, size 16 or 18, you're going to have plenty of assets but you're not a Milan/Paris/Tokyo clothes horse. You haven't been rendered into an easily-dressable generic shape through starvation. Surely that doesn't mean you should be forced into the plus-size fashion section of department stores, where the clothes are all in cheery colours with sometimes barely more than a passing nod to style?

Skiing off-piste as a plus-size style goddess is hard work. There are plenty of bizarre fashion hidey-holes to find online, with plus-size fashion treasures lying within. But there are also a lot of sites that are either trying to sell you (A) department store plus size clothes in cheery colours or (B) plus-size lingerie. Which is nice, but a woman can't look like a Victorian harlot all day, tempting though it may seem. Sometimes she has to go out in public, wearing not just a really brilliant corset, but some clothes that are warm, dammit. And look nice. And look indie - or goth - or retro.

Is that too much to ask? One would hope not.

Without further ado, here is a small but perfectly-formed list of online stores catering to plus-size alternative fashion... and, based on your recommendations, may the list flourish and grow.

Plus-size Indie

Pink Marzipan We like Pink Marzipan. If you're looking for funky clothing with a touch of alternative, these gals do dresses, tees, tops, trousers, hosiery - the usual stuff - but their tees say things like 'Rebel. Lover. Icon.' and their dresses have a hint of rockabilly and Betty Page - nothing too full-on, but it's clear that they understand that plus-size fashion doesn't mean a 'cozy n casual' pink tent described as 'fresh and funky' to try to fool you. Their stock comes from brands like E.Vil, Rocawear and BabyPhat.

Indie Flame is a plus-size DIY fashion blog. It's great, because it scouts out plus-size indie fashion from etsy stores and other DIY indie style hangouts, and collates them all in one place for you to browse. Love it!

Mimi's Curvy Cornerspecializes in trendy women's plus size clothing and junior plus size clothing sizes 14-36.

Revamped Fashion's motto is "Extra curvy gals deserve fun clothes too!" They specialize in Plus size reconstructed/recycled/repurposed fashion and accessories. The owner and designer Frances says "I do not believe there is enough cool, fun, eclectic PLUS SIZE clothing out there for us!!"

B&Lu was started by 2 sisters who wanted to offer the world a fashion resource for plus-size young women. Their styles are HAUTE and mainstream, while being edgy and individualistic. The models they use are sultry and sexy! Sizes 14 to 30!

Plus-size Hip-Hop

Baby Phat Baby Phat's well-stocked plus-size section has an eclectic array of fly, exciting clothing with a hip-hop edge that's really rather classy. It's designed to make big girls look exciting in their day wear. The lingerie is sporty and cute but well-suited to bedroom romps, and the dresses are well-cut and designed to please girls and impress boys. Baby Phat may be mainstream, but it's not boringly casual. It's got a bit of sass to it. They also stock jeans.

More plus size indie fashion:

Torrid

Plus-size Vintage, Retro and Burlesque

Pandora's Choice is brilliant for any voluptuous vixen or alternative plus-size model. They do plus-size retro underwear (plus-size basques, corsets and more) and suspender accessories. Corsets went up to 34" inch waists when we checked, and suspenders up to 40".

Hey Viv's online vintage clothing store sells poodle skirts, crinolines and accessories for a fifties-inspired vintage look. It has a mix of vintage-style fashions (always in stock) and genuine vintage dresses, so it's a case of come and browse.

Candy Says has a plus-size vintage fashion section, but as it deals with genuine vintage, it may be low on stock from time to time.

Plus-size goth

Bulletproof Cupid do rather nice fifties and gothic gear that goes up to about a UK size 20. Whether you want to be Audrey Hepburn or Lenore, the Cute Little Dead Girl, they can probably help you dress the part. And at £40 for a Dolly Swing Coat, the price is right, too!

Crimson Empress isn't cheap but it is gorgeous. It offers a unique assortment of clothing and merchandise for the dark at heart with an eye for couture fashion. They feature Gothic, J-rock, Gothic Lolita, Cyber and Industrial attire and accessories - and they will make custom plus size goth / punk on request.

Plus-size gothic jackets, corsets and tops are a surprising find on this site. We initially thought it was a rather straight site, until we looked at some of the plus-sized tops, and then we noticed the plus-sized gothic wear section. Hmm! Worth a look.

The Gothic Shop's plus-size section is pretty and cheap, stocking Dark Star corsets, cobwebbed and beribboned tops and floaty dresses galore. Plenty of outfits here come in UK sizes 16-18. A nice, generous spirit!

Plus-size accessories

The Latest Thing's high-waist cinch belt caught our eye - it's available up to a UK size 18.

If you're into plus-size basques, Miss Discreet is upfront about it.

If you have a plus-size alternative fashion store you think should be listed here, let us know at mookychick @ yahoo.co.uk! Or tell us on the messageboard!

Mookychick loves plus-size indie / goth clothing for curvy girls:

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Mission statement

Mookychick believes that climbing trees and riding giant turtles is more fun and girly than worrying about make-up. But if you want to worry about make-up instead of turtles? Fine by us. Be you feminist, kitten, punk, emo, indie, goth, witch, vegan, horror junky, intellectual, christian goth, corset queen, geek, unicorn, sea monkey... be you into alternative style, alternative health, spirituality, comics, manga, j-pop, harajuku or jock culture... we will always love you.

indie, goth, retro, vintage plus-size fashion