Plus-size clothing in India?

Nick-H

Be convinced! You'll find taylors on every street almost, and as Tomi says, this is the way to go.

If you can get a local recomendation that's good, but the only warning is would say is try your target tailor with one set first to see how is his workmanship and understanding of what you want.

dhans

Yes, you can have anything made in your size and with some luck even quite fashionable.

Bring your undies from home though. On one of our trips to India, British Airways lost my wifes backpack. Clothes were no problem. She bought some, had some made and wore mine . Finding bras and nickers that fitted was undoable (and she is not big)

Hans (5 days to go )

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Sama

nick is right. one of the women I was in school with bought beautiful material and had a dress with her she wanted copied. when she picked up the finished product, neither the copied dress nor the material looked anything like what she wanted, even tho she took lots of time to explain. The tailor just did what she thought was best, apparently cutting off and throwing away the ornate paisley pattern that the woman wanted along the dress hem....

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TracyB

Sorry ren, it appears i gave you the wrong advice...i guess i wasn't thinking along the lines of getting clothes made, just buying them in a store!! I did have clothes made when i was in Delhi last year, but did not bother while we were just in India a few weeks ago...

As for undies...when my luggage didn't appear and i had to buy them, indeed bring your own!! Not good...Thank goodness i got my luggage a day later, but i have to admit it was fun shopping in an Indian store not knowing if i would ever see my clothes again!! I did manage to buy a few things just in case...

Have a great vacation...

fuzmiq

i was so depressed when i went in. i was a size 18 when i went last year and was with my ever so thin best friend. basically the shopkeeper gave me a once over and said "sorry, no big sizes." after hearing this in every store, i was definitely feeling more and more stupid. it wasn't until the second week that i discovered the beauty and wonder of tailors. Next time i go, i think i am gonna pack underwear only and have everything else tailored. just kidding.
yeah, the xl is probably an american size 10 or 12.
sucks

rangss

Well well...think of me...I am a plus in everything including shoes. I could tell you how difficult life has been

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infoblues

I am currently living in bangalore with my husband, I also had a hard time finding clothes to fit me. I am a size 14 and could find NOTHING to fit. Back in the states im average..here everything is tiny in comparison. I went to a big bazaar and could manage to squeeze myself into a 2X salwar suit. :> My unique problem is im big chested, and while the clothes were too big everywhere else..they were especially tight across the chest. Seems things are cut more fully in the hips/butt area. But neglect the top. Finally I went in for the tailor myself. It really is the only way to go. The best way. I found myself a nice seamstress. Maybe I am weird, but after enough stares..i wasnt feeling good about have some guy wrapping his arms and tape around me. Also a woman knows more about what looks good, and I feel more comfortable with her. Whoever said it was right on target. I cant stress enough.. Bring your plenty of bras and panties. if you dont have anything else in your luggage. Remember. shoes, bras, panties. Its just too hard finding larger sizes. And here the shop keepers are all too ready to tell you that you are overweight, you are too big, they dont carry your size, no big sizes, that makes you look fat, I dont know if they think they are performing some public service or what. When we bought our wedding bands, (I wear a 7.5 ring. ANY store at home would have this readily available.) I was told to try on the mens rings. They carry rings for indian fingers. Mine were large :> Always nice to hear, and especially in front of your fiance. So on the whole..India does not cater to plus sizes. Go for a tailor. I dont know where to find just material..havent seen that yet. So far, when ive had something done for me, its been made from sari material, or the unstitched salwar suits that almost every shop carries. That should be plenty of material for your size. Best of luck to you.

desitraveller

The new age stores and malls in India have a special range of clothes for the bigger sizes. 'Westside' is a really nice store in all major cities across India and they have a 'Gia' line in big sizes. also stores like 'shoppers stop' and 'lifestyle' should have something.
Stitching though is the best option, however find a tailor that doesn't 'cheat you' or 'give you the wrong fit'.

john.sw

I managed to find one pair of sandals that would fit me in the biggest Bata shoe shop in town. My feet are UK size 12½ (Euro 47 or US 13) and I take a wide fitting.

I don't have a problem with clothes... if I can't find it in a shop, I have it made.

The best plan is to get a tailor to copy an existing garment for you. Then there are misunderstandings about size, fit, design, etc.

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aebp25

I had some of the same problems. Baggage lost for 5 days, only one change of clothes and as a size 16 NOTHING fit. Even when looking for very traditional clothing, I couldn't find a darn thing. Finally I did find a good tailor and have shirts made, but make sure you take enough jeans, pants, etc. You will not find them there ( I looked in Chennai, Bombay and Delhi).

On the "plus" side - I love all the shirts I had made there!

phobal

You'd be stupid to buy pre-made clothes in India! Except maybe jeans, but I wouldn't trust the quality there.

This is where the beauty of a tailor comes in.

lyndy

I found indian tailors did not stock the more modern synthetic fabrics i.e. bengalene which is used by many designers of plus sizes for it's shape, washability, stretch & retaining its shape.

It's a fabulous fabric but when I showed my capri pants to tailors in Jaipur, Mumbai & Bangalore they said the fabric was not available.

If you want to look stylish take some special pieces with you! It's not as easy as many here say, to have stylish, well-cut, classy stuff made in India. If you're largish you don't want to look any bigger by wearing prints & fabrics which Indian tends to favour but don't suit western tastes. Good luck!

phobal

They had all the wool I needed for my wool pants . Good fact to know.

john.sw

India makes clothes for the world. You can buy top quality prêt à porter clothes by the world's most renowned labels in India.

The Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation is just one such company. Their products are respected throughout the world, and many of them are manufactured in India.

If you buy an Arrow, Van Heusen or Old Navy shirt in India, why would you not trust the quality?

As anywhere in the world, you can buy good quality or bad quality - that's entirely a matter for you.

Some would say you'd be stupid not to buy pre-made clothes in India!

kiwi_razz

True, usually I spend the last days/weeks of my trip in all the adidas/nike/pepe jeans/etc/etc shops stocking up in clothes that are usually at least 30% cheaper than in the west.

So much so that I balk at buying clothes here in London.