image via b&lu

It drove me completely batshit, when I was plus-sized--the incredible dearth of sexy, sophisticated, well-made clothes for big girls who wanted to look hot and not cheap, fashionable and not crazy, professional and not tragic. It did not seem fair, that selection was limited, more or less, to Lane Bryant and The Avenue, plus-size clothing juggernauts which were overpriced and often ridiculously ugly.

Then, the fashion renaissance--online stores for plus-size ladies sort of exploded, and there was so much more choice and so many more options and so much availability in cute colors and shapes and sizes and some of it was even fashion forward and you could forget about the horrors that have come before. I could wish that there were more brick-and-mortar stores, because plus-size clothing can so often be ridiculously cut and proportioned, but online shopping carries its own conveniences and pleasures (and readily accessible sales).

This week, I'm going to talk about a few of my favorite, more obscure plus size retailers that deserve a look see--but first, an overview of the classics:

• Torrid--a lot of punky, funky, younger clothes, but a great source for trendy stuff, as well as some unbelievably cute dresses and so-pretty skirts.

• B and Lu--somewhat focused on the younger demographic, but some adorable dresses (see above) and beautiful prints for everyone.

• Igigi--pricey, but classy and sophisticated (rrowr, the polka dots) and well-made. Check out Weetabix's review of this season's gorgeous dresses.

• Alight--one hundred million, billion items to choose from. You'll spend hours on the site, and you'll dig up some amazing stuff, often at amazing prices.

• Nordstrom--they've expanded their offerings, and carry some of the best designers for the plus size woman today. A great resource especially for classic clothing.

• Kiyonna--beautifully made, adult but trendy and flattering clothing for work and more dressy occasions.

And all this week--more plus size options, some gorgeous finds and great resources. Can I get a what what?