Hypothetically shopping wider widths

VivaLaDiva.com by jesspgh on polyvore.com

The quest for boots that fit well in the calves is one that has plagued me before. For some reason, calve fits morph many of us into Goldilocks, searching perpetually for the pair that is just right. Although my feet are only slightly wide, and I can wear "regular" widths, the calve dilemma makes me especially sensitive to the plight of people who need narrow or wide widths in all their footwear. Thankfully and increasingly, retailers are tapping into these specialty markets of shoppers with difficult calve or footbed widths (both wide and narrow).

When I discovered narrow and wide fitting footwear from Viva La Diva as well as boots manufactured to fit calves, I was excited. They contacted me requesting I select from my favorites within their wide width section. I was happy to oblige! While I was at it, I couldn't resist perusing their designer selections from where I found the items in the bottom row. But the top three rows are all shoes offered in varying widths. Unfortunately, they only ship with in the UK at the moment. But they are hoping to transition to an American retail market soon. I will be waiting!

Hypothetical Shopping: Marisota

Being a curvier blogger, I often receive reader inquiries from women with similar shapes about where to shop. Granted, I'm not an expert and I have a broader notion of what can count as dressing to flatter. But I am a person who believes that style should be democratic and individual, regardless of body shape. It is challenging when so many stores don't carry fashionable and affordable clothing in extended sizes. Although I might personally wear a "straight size," I still feel strongly about knowing which retailers offer cute and versatile clothes for women of all sizes. One thing I've noticed is that e-commerce in the UK offers a much more diverse selection of options.

That's why I was thrilled to be contacted by one such retailer with the request to be featured on Consume or Consumed. Marisota plus size women's clothing is based in the UK and accommodates a range of styles and budgets. I had such fun hypothetically shopping their site in preparation for the holiday season.

They sell all types of clothing, shoes, and accessories. One thing that really impressed me was the acknowledgment through their Voluptuous line that bodies are distributed differently. Two people might wear the same numerical size but have totally different shapes. To attend to this diversity, Marisota sells garments that are designed to accommodate various bustlines. Shoppers can pick their regular dress size then sub-select between the appropriate range of bra cup sizes. The blue dress with the sweetheart neckline is one such piece that can be purchased based on cup size. It's a genius idea that I wish more women's clothing manufacturers would consider!

New customers receive 20% off of their first order. Unfortunately, at this time Marisota only delivers within the UK. I hope that US retailers recognize that this is an under-served market of shoppers the way that UK retailers already have!