Catherine Schuller was born big. "I wore plus-size diapers," she jokes.
During the past 20 years, she has turned her large size and her inclination to poke fun at life -- and herself -- into a number of successful ventures. Her resume includes stints as a stand-up comic, plus-size model, motivational speaker and image consultant. She now works as a retail editor for Mode, the high-style magazine for larger women. Much of her time is spent staging Mode-sponsored fashion events, such as runway shows, in stores across the country.
She was in Orlando recently to conduct a special-sizes seminar for sales associates and managers from Jacobson's stores in Florida -- and to share a few fashion tips with plus-size consumers as well. A statuesque redhead wearing a stylishly-short, plum-colored suit, Schuller had a heartening message for women who wear size 14 and up.
In the 1980s, there was only a handful of designers doing plus-size women's clothing, she said. Today there are more than 2,000. Most of these are producing clothes that are every bit as fashionable as those worn by smaller women. And the clothes are being designed for larger women who are petite as well as tall, and young as well as middle-aged and older, she said.
More than half of American women wear size 12 or larger, she said. The plus-size category is the fastest-growing segment of the clothing market, grossing $26 billion in 1999, she said.
During the past five years, many major designers have introduced plus-size collections, and the list continues to grow, she said. Among the newest plus-size labels are Tommy Hilfiger Woman, I.N.C Woman, Emme and Mossimo Woman, which makes its debut at Target stores this month.
Considering the success of plus-size designs, stores would be smart to enlarge their plus-size departments and train their staff to win over customers by being more attentive to their needs, she told her audience of Jacobson's associates.
After the seminar, she offered some pointers for plus-size shoppers. First, the do's:
Do know what looks good on you -- what colors and styles.
Do know how to put a whole look together -- what clothes, shoes and accessories.
If you don't know how to do either of the above, do seek the advice of well-trained and sympathetic sales associates.
Do try on looks you like -- especially new looks.
Now the don'ts:
Don't feel you have to buy something just because you tried it on. Buy only what you need and like.
Don't get hung up on sizes. Judge a garment by the way it fits, feels and looks. Snip out the size label if you don't like what it says.
Don't hold off buying something you love until you loose weight. Buy for your current size.
Don't say you don't deserve nice clothes because you're a plus size. Everyone deserves to look nice.
Don't wear shapeless clothes. "Know your shape, show your shape. That's my mantra," Schuller said.
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