Plus Sized Girls' Clothing

Hi,
Yes, it is hard finding clothes for kids that fall into anything outside the regular sizes offered. My daughter is 10 and although she isn't a true plus size, her middle is slightly larger and she has been in-between size 10-12 for the last year or so. I found that she fits nicely into a plus size 12 1/2. They're just the right length too.

I find a lot of variety in the JC Penny store near me. You can try online too if you don't live near one. Believe it or not, KMart also carried plus sizes that I found to fit her - especially jeans which are the hardest thing to get for her.

Good luck.

Hi D.,

Talbots kids used to be great for this--their cut was always very roomy. The only one I can think of right now is Lands End--they have a plus size selection that allows you to buy the right size for her height (and appropriateness for her age) but with larger proportions. If I remember correctly (the one I had this issue with is 17 now!), either JCPenny or Sears' girls department also had a nice plus size selection.
I guess another thought, if the girls' plus from Lands End isn't enough, is to try their boys' husky size for jeans--they give the proportions online, and I believe that the boys line is much roomier than the girls. Since all the girls styles are the low slung type, the boys jeans shouldn't look or fit all that different.
Good luck!

https://www.jeenybeans.com/jeenybeans/jsp/KMain.jsp

maybe?

http://www.jellybeanmiami.com/

Hi D.,

An excellent resource if you want to tackle the nutritional reasons for the weight is a book called The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn OBrien and while it talks about the rise in allergies among kids the truths are universal.

Good luck! P.

Glad to see you have gotten so many good replies. I hope by this time your daughter already has a school-ready wardrobe. One reply mentioned nutrition. I just read a soft cover book written by Dr. Jamie McManus M.D. called "Superwellness for Superkids". The book is written for parents and grandparents. Dr. Jamie is a parent and a grandmother. In the book, she covers nutrition and fitness for a lifetime of health. Subject are immune function, Omega 3 fatty acids, building strong bones, overweight, and more. The book is very readable. It is 30, 8 1/2 X 11 pages and illustrated with photos and at least one chart. Best wishes as you guide your precious daughter through life. May she always be healthy and happy. B. K

Hi - Both H&M and a company called Pumpkin Patch ( a New Zealand company but available in the states also)have a good range of jeans with the button elastic on the inside. Hope this helps

Mom of a 6 yr old

D.~
I'm so sorry for you and your little girl to have to go through this. It's tough, because she's at an age when she is "modeling" others behavior. Such as seeing "big" girls/tv "stars" in outfits that she'd want to be in also.
I had to deal with my daughter being larger than her peers. The good thing is that it's summer! Clothes that are more free flowing tend to be available, sun dresses and such. Try Target and Sears, they have a plus size selection.

On another note, have you taken your daughter off all gluten, diary and processed foods? Dairy and meat are one of the blazing reasons for childhood obesity and hormone activation. ALL these foods contain hormones to make animal flesh grow faster and for the milk to flow more often. It goes directly into the blood stream creating a false message to the brain that puberty is to be activated. The gluten (becomes "glue" in the belly and makes food stick) and processed/fast food are the number one reason for the rise in childhood obesity and diabetes.

As a holistic health nutritionist I see so much of this. Believe me, it was in my own home and life before I went into this field. Know that you're not alone in your quest.
Love up your amazing daughter! Good luck!

Hi D.,

Try Lands End online.
Best
Sarah

I would try the JCPenney girls section plus department. I struggled with the same issue, and they seemed to have the best selection, clothes appropriate for the age group, and stylish. The sizes were roomier in the hip, tummy area. Good luck, I know that this is very frustrating. If I could i would open a clothing line for girls that are not a size 2 and stick figures. It does not help girls self image if all the clothes they like are made for skinny girls.

Have you considered finding a seamstress (there are lots of Work at home seamstresses on ETSY that do custom work if you don't have anyone local) that could custom make a few nice items for your daughter?

the search for jeans is never ending...my daughter is shoert for her age also and in a size 8 or 10? it varys from stor to store. i found two pairs at target (circo brand) then one pair at a resale shop that was the walmart brand...i think they are an older style though becasue the newer style doesn't fit her. we've tried old navy and they fit in the waist but the plus sizes are way too long even to get hemmed. same with penney's. she's into alot of leggings right now with long tops also. the roomier leggings come from justice or penneys. there is a sale right now at justice that's 40% off the entire store. i'm sure you can google the coupon. just a thought.

D.,

Been there, done that, still doing it with junior sizes!

First off, and this was the simplest solution by far: buy the size thats larger and fits, (and this is the perfect time of year for this!) and BUY CAPRIS. Then you don't have to hem it, and they're the right size. DONE! (This worked particularly well for us when we were stationed overseas.)

Second, I know Penney's can be expensive, but in my experience, (combined 26 years experience here!) they are the best deal: they last longest, have survived two kids in uniforms for three years, and 1 of my girls is just really rough on everything she owns. The Arizona brand is best, and they also sell Izod as well. Most of Arizona has adjustable waistbands in the girls plus size as I recall, but its been a while.

And here is where being thrifty comes in: I had to buy all of my kids' clothes new theis year, as they are both in uniforms, and either someone went down three sizes (YAY for her!) or the clothes that we did have were just plain worn out after my kids' being in the same size for three years. The pants that made it for three years of wear? JCP Arizona brand or IZOD. Some of them I had to replace only because they didn't fit anymore!

Right now, JCP is having an additional 40-50% off of already clearanced items. ALSO, there is a coupon worth $10-15 off your purchase of $50-75 or more. Here's the link: http://f.chtah.com/i/2/95827765/welcomemain.html?
Usually they will let you use both if you ring them on separate receipts.
Also, join their email list and you will get coupons in the mail and via email. Totally worth the extra clutter in the mailbox!

Otherwise the circo brand from Target was pretty good. Also, the Faded Glory jeans from Wal-Mart tend to have the expandable waistbands as well. Just get the capris from the older girls section. If she is already developing curves, some of the junior clothes will work too.

Like I said, I have years of experience here. The other thing you will just have to do is learn how to hem pants. It will save you lots of money in the long run. Even now, one of my girls is in typical sizes, but we're short, and I still have to hem even the short cuts of pants.

Sorry for the novel, but I just felt I had a lot to offer here.

Also, make sure they do test her hormones, and make them keep an eye on her. The medical community is just now aware of metabolic syndrome; how it develops even in infants/toddlers and the damage it can do even at young ages.
You are her best and only advocate: no one will care about her health like you do, and the medical community may act like they care, but you are Mama, and you know what is best for her. The docs will screw around and let your kid have tons of health problems before they'll do anything. And then they will blame everything on you anyway, just because you're Mom! (Don't EVEN get my started on this!!!)
Best of luck!

JC Penney has a brand called Arizona. The jeans are roomy in all sizes not like gap, and they have plus sizes too. Try and get the jeans with spandex to help her feel comfortable. GL!

I saw that you received a lot of good advice but just wanted to add one thing. While I love online shopping for it's convenience, I have to try things on a lot because I might fit one size at one store and a different size at another store. Plus I always look at it like a mini vacation. I know that might sound silly but as of now I have my husband and one son in the house so girl time is a must for me. I don't get to go shopping often but I always seem to have a great time browsing alone or with a girl friend and just taking my time without a husband sighing over my shoulder or a little one wanting to just run and play and getting angry when I just want to look at clothes or try anything on. It's like a trip to a spa or a therapy session. I'm sure it can be great bonding time for you and your daughter. Try Old Navy, they have plus sizes and cute clothes for good prices and the jeans that say "stretch" are great for those areas of your body where you may need a little more room :)

I just saw your request, and you were me several years ago! The GAP sells jeans that are 'plus' and they have an adjustable wasit, plus they look like regular jeans. Make sure you are using the right fit from the GAP, they have 3 different fits. I'm talking about for girls. I actuallytook her in there and the salesperson fitted her. For boys, I usually stick to JCPenney or Lands End, although I find Land's End pricey. Luckily, my little guy usually wears sweat pants that he gets from Old Navy.

You may want to find out why she is having this precocious puberty. It may have something to do with hormones in food. There are growth hormones in beef, cheese, milk and all animal products that conventional. Additionally, there are antibiotics and perservatives that may be causing this problem for her.

Be gentle with her and yourself. Be wary of the medical system that engages too much in conventional belief's without understanding the whole of the body and how our food chain effects human growth.

I am so there! I stumbled on this, after your Q & A...but wanted to say I do agree. Places like the Children's Place, Target (hard to find sometimes, but there), KMart, Sears and Penneys do have some more offerings for plus sizes. I have also gone the route of buying boys jeans, but am finding that a little try on session or bringing home several styles may be necessary because some of those boy jeans are cut too narrow in the hip/thigh area - but worth a shot and usually last longer.
My daughter is now 5 and a half and she has been in the 99th percentile of ht/wt. since birth. Very little to no junk food, thankfully she just prefers fruits and vege's. But, she is just under 50" and 72lbs. Doc says no worries she is proportioned and growing steadily along the same percentile. He did recommend no high fructose corn syrup (just about in everything - especially many juices and soda), little to no sugar, no hydrogenated oils (again almost in everything especially cakes, etc.) and reduce juice use (I always dilute the juice, even today but the school doesn't) and of course exercise. I have also gone to organic foods to cut back on the hormones and preservatives in food...believe it or not but they do taste better, too (we were pleasantly surprised). I've even gone into buying size 8, 8+, and 10-12 and then altering/hemming the clothes. So many different styles, sometimes an 8+ is "bigger" and fits better (with growing room) than a 10! Go figure. Some clothes she can get into are still 6+ or 7, but we're slowly moving up in many styles because of the cut of the garment. Good Luck and let us know if you come across any other ideas.

JC Penney, Sears, Lands End, and I know Old Navy for teens has plus sizes.

Hi D. - I'm a Bronx girl too and I went thru the same thing with my step-daughter who was and continues to be very large for her age. I recommend shopping online if possible as often times the stores just don't carry enough of a selection even if they have plus size kids clothes.

Try:

www.jcp.com
www.oldnavy.com
www.landsend.com
www.jeenybeans.com
www.elegantplus.com

All of these have plus size clothes for children. Good luck.

Circo jeans from Target run on the big side and are very inexpensive.

D. -

Our little girls sound similiar. I would love to find out what ends up working for you guys. She has no jeans and I would love to get her a pair. I was looking at Land's End and they have some with an elastic waist. Our daughter turns five next month and is in the 99th percentile for height and 85th for weight. She wears size 8 normally but the length is a little long and it would be nice to find something that I didn't have to hem all of the time. If you get a chance I would love to hear what you find out!

Hi,

Would like to send you a link to a website that has discount name brand clothing that you may want to look at.
Isaac Mizrahi is the Vice President. Love him.

The website address is http://www.magickidsusa.com

Discount Code MK00611

Hope it helps.

C.

My neice was built like that, my sister found a nice selection at Sears. That was year round too.

I see you already responded with "what happened", but I wanted to add one store I did not see mentioned. Justice has plus sizes. Normally, they are expensive, but they have frequent 40% off sales and great clearance racks!

Give them a try for size.

Lots of good responses here, just a thought: remember to be very positive with your daughter's body, development and health, I've known some frustrated moms whose daughters weren't turning out as expected and they ended up dieting their daughters to death, in general raising them to have a poor self body image. It's so important that your daughter knows that she is a beautiful princess every day. I think if you're going to put her on a plan it should be done without sending a message that she's not "good enough", maybe do it with her - don't single her out, have the whole family get involved so everyone gets healthy at the same time. I have one friend in particular who is very negative with her kids, her whole family is overweight and she really sends a strong negative message to her kids which, I believe, is just going to perpetuate the problem. Just thought I'd put in my two little cents!

I am in the south and have same issues w my gradaughter, I have been blessed with Lands end online the sizes are true and they offer the size charts to help with orders. I have found that Sears and JC Penny offer plus sizes but not much to choose from. try the Land End.com I think you will very pleased with the results.

Have the same problem with my daughter. She has more of a rear end than is usual for her age. She is 12 but also short. If I get a child size big enough for the rear the waistline is practically up to her chest. I have found that by getting a Jr. size in mid-rise or hip hugger it then actually fits her perfectly. I have to cut off quite a bit and hem them but the pants look GREAT. The brand I have found that fits the best is Dickies. Hope this helps.

Hi,

I believe the best places to try since you prefer to shop online is Crazy8.com and Children's Place. They are both reasonable in price. Look for plus size. They fit great with an elastic adjustable band. The best part of all is that they tend to run true perfect in length for young girls.

Happy shopping!

Hi D.,

I have a similar problem with my daughter, wide hips. She now wears misses and women's sizes, so it's been awhile size I've done the kids shopping.

I recommend going to stores, rather than online as brands can very so much.

Not sure if they still make them, but Target used to make jeans and twill type pants (thier brand, Cicro) that had elastic on the sides. They came in plus sizes.

Although a little pricy, I always had good luck with J C Penny, check the clearance racks for good deals.

Good luck.

have you tried gymboree?

One of my girls is a plus size girl, always has been...Sears--in the store, but on-line I've had great luck with Hannah Anderson..their clothes are of great quality & are roomy, too..my girl got a couple of seasons from them, so even with I thought I was spending a lot, it wasn't really in the long run. Lands End on-line is great, too--especially their plus size bathing suits. Old Navy & The Gap, too for plus sized jeans. good luck!

You may want to consider getter her boy jeans and decorating them for your girl with paint and glitter and beading. One of my girlfriends has the same problem and this solution seemed to work for her until her little one was big enough for women's sized clothes.

Hope this is helpful to you.

Okay D., I have read all of the other posts and yes I do agree with most of them BUT....., Please try The Children's Place FIRST!!! They are a little more affordable and its a great selection! If you have an outlet mall nearby it's even better. The jeans we buy have a button with elastic on the inside so you can buy a little bigger and grow with them. My 5yr old daughter has had a few pairs for about 2yrs(since she was in size 2t) and they still fit and look good. I know they are online too. www.thechildrensplace.com I think but it is not that hard to find. Good luck!!!

I don't think i read, in all the wonderful responses, about the "plus girls clothes" line. I don't know if they sell the jeans any more but, they were great. Hope you get help.

Blessings,
A. m

D., I design and sell a type of dress that might work well for your daughter. The skirt is very full, and the bodice has extra width beneath the ribbon ties. You can view the dresses on-line via my Web site www.mimsydesigns.com. The site is not up-to-date because I am now teaching full time as well as running the business, and there is only so much time to do everything! But it will give you an idea and if it looks like a type of dress your daughter might like we can discuss it further (the cotton dress is available in many other fabrics than what is offered). I hope you find lots of leads for clothing for your daughter. Best wishes, G., Mimsy Designs

I respond with so much emotion...I was extremely overweight when I was in elementary school and finding clothing was ever so difficult.

Luckily, we found a woman who made clothing out of her home. She made pants for me because I was short and had a very, very large waist / hips.

If I found pants (at Sears) this same woman would hem them for me.

About early puberty, I refrain my own girls from consuming conventional dairy, meat and soy. Buy organic foods when you can.

Kristen