There are several plus size ladies shops in Canberra. One is upstairs in the Canberra Centre a few doors down from McGlades. There is another one at Woden. Perhaps they are branches in the same chain? Sorry not sure, but they are definitely size 14 up only.

The only thing I can really think of is to get one tailored for you. Especially if you’ve done a search around the Berra and can’t locate a store that sells plus size fashion. I hope you find the information you need or try giving King Size Big & Tall and see if they can point you in the right direction.

Google tells me there’s a Maggie T in Civic? http://www.maggiet.com.au/w1/i2/

It may also be worth checking the cheaper shops like Target and Bigw. They sometimes have ok business wear and usually carry bigger sizes too.

Try Maggie T…it advertises as fitting to size 24.

Have you tried ‘Autograph’ in Belconnen.

There are plenty of options around. Autograph is upstairs in the Canberra Centre near Big W (it used to be called 16-26), My Size is in Westfield Woden, and Be Me is the plus size clothing available in the Gungahlin and Tuggers Rockman outlets. I also think City Chic is a plus size store in the Canberra Centre, but it has never appeared as the kind of store that would stock the kind of business wear you are after. Target also have reasonably priced options.

Spotlight.

There is a great store in Dickson called Sunrose. They have small and larger sizes. I can’t remember if they had suits though. I also noticed on the weekend that there was a store in DFO that had larger sizes. I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of it though. There is also Nunie at the bottom of Canberra House in the city.
Other than that, just the chain stores that others have already recommended.

blue illusion at DFO and canberra centre, but they dont really have suits

David Jones has some larger sizes in Woden upstairs near the carpark entry, thats probably your best bet

my size at woden might have suits, they have more work style attire too rather than autograph or Be Me who are more casual/going out clothes

TS at Canberra centre is currently having a massive sale, but they are more willowy and flowing rather than fitted suit jacket type

good luck!

Thanks for the tips. I thankfully managed to find a suit jacket in David Jones at Woden this arvo, where they have a bigger plus size range than at the Canberra Centre David Jones (where there is basically nothing).

For anyone else who may be looking, My Size, City Chic, Autograph, TS 14+ and Maggie T did not have any suit jackets at all, in any of their stores in Canberra. Several of the sales assistants said they keep asking buyers for them but to no avail.

At Myer, there are Basque brand ones, just one cut.

David Jones at Woden had Mirrors brand and Sara brand suit jackets.

If you want anything that isn’t classic black, you probably need to fly to the moon (or see a tailor)!

Hope this helps anyone else looking for something similar.

Ts 14+
Upstairs in the Canberra Centre. The staff there are wonderful. You can dress up or dress down, layers, long, short, the lot. Love it.

Be Me Tuggeranong had suit jackets when I was there last week – but they were boxy so not as nice if you are busty or hippy – or both!

the other option that isn’t a classic jacket is Jean Townsend in Gold Creek. She is in the strip of shops on the left just before the service station (heading north) and has reasonably priced over jackets that I have worn for years as an alternative to the classic suit jacket. There are a limited number of styles, but plenty of fabrics and she will make to your specifications if you can’t find what you want in the right size. She also has great pants and singlet tops to go underneith.

And the ad I get for this story is “Women’s Church Suits.” Because Christians are fat?

What the hell?

Creekgirl said :

I also noticed on the weekend that there was a store in DFO that had larger sizes. I’m sorry I can’t remember the name of it though.

The DFO store is called Ragtrade I think. It seems quite good and has cropped jackets and longer jackets. Only problem is it all seems to be black.

I have the same problem – by the time I get something to fit around the hips, it’s way too big in the shoulders and I look like a block.

CityChic does have some limited business attire – some of it on sale too I think.

Towanda in Sydney has some lovely stuff too – they have an online store at http://www.towanda.com.au.

lealea said :

Creekgirl said :

I have the same problem – by the time I get something to fit around the hips, it’s way too big in the shoulders and I look like a block.

That is exactly my problem, being pear shaped… it makes me look like a kid playing dress ups in a suit if it doesn’t fit right!!

Thanks for the tips. I’ve got one now, but I might check some of these other places out in my travels.

lealea said :

I have the same problem – by the time I get something to fit around the hips, it’s way too big in the shoulders and I look like a block.

As a smaller person, I can relate to that, anything big enough for shoulders/hips is way too long for limb, and vice-versa. As a smaller person, unable to fit into regular clothes, I am aware of this fact. Sadly, for some of us (too tall or short, these problems exist for life), in other cases it appears to be lifestyle. Its something you have to seriously consider, is having modified clothes to fit your size, especially if youre unable or unwilling to change it.

On a more serious note, while Ive never been into the brand-name stores that others have mentioned here, it alawys seems when I go shopping with my lady, that she always seems to find good clothes while wandering around K-Mart and Target, that turn out to be no good because they are ‘plus size’. We seem to find it anywhere we look..

If only theyd start making clothes for those of us who are tall and short.. tall and short people are still the minority, where plus-size fashions are going from minority to majority it seems with our entire population growing in circumference.