15 Joyful Brands with Plus Sizes
If you’re in dire need of a mood boost right now, you are not alone! Things are feeling dark and insurmountable for a lot of us lately, but to paraphrase the inimitable Beyoncé, they won’t break our souls. And when those in power delight in seeing others’ unhappiness, joy is a form of resistance; a little happiness armor to help us get through and keep us from full-on despair burnout. So I’ve rounded up 15 designers and brands that offer fun, vibrant pieces that are perfect for dopamine dressing, because we could all use some brightness these days. Bonus: A lot of these are small, woman and/or minority owned labels, so you can feel great supporting them!
As always, if you find something you love here, it is SO appreciated if you could use my links/codes. It costs you nothing, and supports the work I do here and on @curvily, making taking the time I need to create guides like this one possible!
Dressed in Joy (XS-4X) This Brooklyn based designer first caught my eye for her very cool printed coats – I saw a stylish woman wearing one on the train and asked her where she got it. I was so happy to see that she has expanded her sizing up to a 4x and includes body diversity in her marketing and ecomm images too. Their colorful designs and prints truly live up to the brand name – this is dopamine dressing if I’ve ever seen it! I also love that this is a Black woman owned local brand, and that they use a sustainable print to order model to eliminate stock waste. This dress in particular has been calling my name.
Tamara Malas (0-36) This NYC designer is one of my favorites, with an inclusive size range and cool, fashion forward designs. Malas’ eponymous label is known for cool prints and the types of pieces that will make strangers stop you on the street to ask where you got that. Her newly opened Lower East Sider store embodies the brand’s color-forward vibe, and is absolutely worth a visit if you are in town, but you can also shop her full collection online, and use my reader code CURVILY for a nice discount at checkout.
Beautiful Genius (XS-5XL) I love a unique print, and the designer behind this brand, Jordan Piantedosi, is also an artist who creates all of her own exceedingly cool prints. The colors on this Zodiac Dress are even more vibrant in person, and this vibrant unicorn-adorned “Suffering” tee hits the perfect balance between reality and wanting something bright and happy as armor against the horrors. In the same vein: The current discount code they are offering: FEROCIOUS2025 (20% off at checkout).
Selkie (XXS-6X) If I really need a mood boost, nothing beats putting on a Selkie dress: There is something about their designs that just makes you feel pretty, whether you are in their whimsical signature mini Puff Dress or a beautiful silk slip dress. This woman-owned brand epitomizes design for the female gaze, and their gorgeous thematic collections offer a bit of escapism in sartorial form. They just launched an official collab with Bridgerton, and it is just as stunning as you’d expect. If that feels too costumey for you, they also have pretty soft sweats and cozy coats that are easier to incorporate into a more casual wardrobe – and I get almost as many compliments on my oversized Selkie coat as I do on my confection-sweet dresses from the designer. Whatever you are shopping, you can get an extra discount at checkout with my reader code CURVILY (and it stacks during their rare sales!)
Rachel Antonoff (XS-3x): One of my favorite brands for a mood boost, this NYC designer label is full of designs that perfectly meld fashion and tongue-in-cheek motifs. Some prints look classic but have a sneaky joke when you look closer, like their Organ Botanical print (looks like a lush floral but actually has lungs and hearts amongst the flowers), or one of my all time faves, the Manhunt print (looks like a timeless French toile print, but actually has little vignettes of ladies on horseback hunting naked men a la nobles on a fox hunt). Others are more overt with their silliness, like Antonoff’s famed pasta print. Either way, they are true conversation pieces, and I always find myself bonding with other fashion lovers when I wear Rachel Antonoff. I also love the brand for their dedication to getting their plus size fit right: When they first started extending their sizes, they worked with tech designers specializing in plus size construction, and as a result, their fit is one of the best on the market. And if all that isn’t reason enough to love them, I’ll leave you with their SS25 NYFW show:
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Fashion Brand Company (XXS-5X) If good natured absurdity is your cup of tea, I can’t recommend Fashion Brand Company enough. In case you can’t already tell from their name, this LA based label by artist Penelope Gazin does not take fashion too seriously. Their items range from a little quirky to outright weird, but all of them make me smile. Their social media and emails are wonderful too – I recently got one announcing that their 20 foot long jeans are now available assless. Yes, that is all what I actually meant to type. Thank god for Fashion Brand Company, tbh.
BruceGlen (XS-4X) For pure dopamine dressing, BruceGlen is an amazing option. Helmed by identical twins Bruce and Glen Proctor, who are both shining lights in and of themselves, this designer label is all about joyful self expression, down to their tagline: “INTENTIONAL , SUSTAINABLE AND JOY-FILLED!” Their NYFW shows are a reflection of that ethos, with people cheering and hyping up the beautifully diverse models as they strut down the runway. Their latest collab with Sabra Johnson of MyStyleIsMyBrand is so fun too – I am now eyeing this excellent purple swirl print denim maxi skirt.
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Never Fully Dressed (2-24) This woman-owned British label is all about fun prints and colors, and I always get tons of compliments when wearing their designs. Most of their prints are fully unique, and when they do use classics, they put their own spin on them (like the sharp orange piping on this leopard mesh maxi). Their NYC store is also a joy to visit, filled with rich hues and sparkly accents.
Strawberry Western (XS-3XL) I first fell in love with Strawberry Western’s designs at a press preview, where their perfect blend of cuteness and fashion drew me in immediately. As they hadn’t yet launched at that point, I asked about sizing, prepared to be disappointed (a lot of brand new indie brands don’t launch with plus). But to my happy surprise, designer Kisa Shiga told me that having a good size range was important to her, and that they were launching with sizes up to 3xl. I’ve been wearing Strawberry Western ever since, including the hottest little miniskirt string bikini that I wore for my birthday.
Hayley Elsaesser (2XS-3XL) This Toronto based designer makes some of my favorite prints, including things I haven’t seen anywhere else (like this leopard eye print skirt), and really fun styles. I am about to order a second Sensitive snake print tee after my old one met a tragic end via our cat – it is just too relevant!
AFRM (XXS-3X) If your version of dopamine dressing is on the sexier side, AFRM’s bodyhugging mesh pieces should be on your radar. I love their bold use of color and prints, and I really appreciate that they don’t water down their styles for plus sizes. Their signature Zadie mesh tops are an affordable way to add a cool statement item to your wardrobe too – they retail for $38, and you can occasionally find them on sale for less – but if you really love a particular print, my personal recommendation is to grab it fast, as I’ve learned the hard way that some styles sell out FAST.
Renee Cafaro Atelier (16-32) This haute couture label from Renee Cafaro (the same designer behind RCA Public Label) is full of fun, unique pieces, which is why her designs have been worn by celebrities like Michelle Buteau, Allison Hammond, and Danielle Pinnock. Pinnock was actually at Cafaro’s NYFW show last year too, and we were both wearing runway samples from Cafaro’s SS24 The Love Parade collection, as shown at London Fashion Week:
Printfresh (XXS-6X) If you are looking for pajamas, loungewear, and more in unique and vibrant prints, definitely check out Printfresh. I love their signature Bagheera tiger print, and they often have great collabs (including one from my friend Sean Taylor and a swim collection with Lime Ricki)
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Abacaxi (XXS-5X) This knitwear label by NYC designer Sheena Sood is full of vibrant colors and unique designs, and they’ve been expanding their size range more lately, with most items going up to 2x and some to 5x. If you are unsure of their fit, you can try them risk free via Nuuly (like I did!) If you want to try this clothing rental subscription, you can use my Nuuly referral link to get $30 off your first month (I get a $10 account credit if you do too!)
Melke (XS-XXXL) This wonderfully weird label by designer Emma Gage has become a favorite of mine, both for her unique designs and the way she has thoughtfully continued to work on size inclusion as an emerging designer. For her NYFW show last season, she created samples in three sizes to be able to cast a body diverse runway, and has expanded her sizing where possible. The options on the site are currently available in sizes up to XXXL, and her knitwear is also very generously sized (I’ve worn size medium samples comfortably as a size 20!). Standouts in a 3xl right now include this embroidered fish tank and a carrot knit crop top – like just try not to smile wearing these!
