There are few things that excite me more than getting to try out a new plus size label – or in this case, a new-to-me one. I’ve actually been wanting to try Ulla Popken for a bit now, as I’ve been finding cool pieces on their site more and more as I research for trend guides and articles as a fashion editor. Their selection is massive, with over 10,000 (!!!) styles on their site, and with an excellent size range representing plus sizes, mid sizes, and, importantly, extended plus sizes (up to US size 38!). Far too many “size inclusive” brands leave out plus sizes over a 3x/US 24, so I really appreciate that Ulla Popken serves larger plus sizes too!

I also was intrigued as I realized what a truly wide variety of aesthetics and vibes are represented on the Ulla Popken site. Ulla is the plus size retailer in Germany, and once you start browsing their selection, you can absolutely tell that they serve a wide variety of customers across demographics. They have styles that range from Scandi minimalist to classic workwear chic to edgy street style to sustainable 100% eco-cotton options to full-on-Ms. Frizzle eclectic art teacher maximalism. Whatever your vibe, you are almost certainly going to be able to find something you love here. And because it is German site, you can even find real, non-costume plus size dirndls!

I’ve also been getting lots of reader questions about my thoughts on the brand, but I am adamant about only recommending things I’ve actually worn and liked, so I was excited when I got a chance to partner with them to do an in-depth wear test and review. As always, for all posts (organic or partner), all thoughts and opinions are my own, and I always share my honest feedback, both good and bad. With that in mind, I scoured the Ulla Popken site to find items I would organically want to shop, and tested out how they hold up IRL during a freezing NYC winter. It wasn’t hard either – the hard part was actually narrowing my list down to a reasonable size! Read on for my thoughts on everything I ordered, including specific fit and sizing information for each item. And if you are the type to click through and shop right away, let me make sure you have my Curvily reader code upfront so you don’t miss out on any savings! It’s a good one too: Use code CURVILYULLA at checkout for 35% off!

Okay, on to the looks!

oversized plaid coat / oversized short sleeve sweater/ wide leg jeans

Because we are in the depths of winter, I definitely wanted to try out a true coat to test for warmth and style. I honestly had such a hard time choosing, because they have an incredible selection of coat styles, with everything from trendy faux furs to fun patterned peacoats to their Nordic weather-proof HYPRAR line. In the end though, I just couldn’t resist this light purple plaid number. Plaids, especially in unexpected color combinations like this one, are right on trend for 2026, and I’ve always had a soft spot for purple (see: the color scheme of this very website), so it felt like the obvious choice for me and my affinity for statement pieces.  It also looked pretty dang cozy, which is highly relevant considering how bitterly cold it is in NYC right now! I put it to the test the moment I got it in the mail, and wore it out and about a few times before taking these pictures to give me an idea of how warm it is. I’m happy to report that the answer is very! Even on the day of these pictures, when it felt like 6 degrees with the wind chill, my torso and arms felt nice and warm while my face and hands felt like they were about to freeze right off.

The fit was just right too, and I found it to be true to size in my usual 20/22, comfortably buttoning up over the fullest part of my bust (which tends to be my pain point when it comes to fit). The sleeves were roomy enough to layer over chunky sweaters with ease without looking like I was swimming in them, and the purposefully fuzzy finish gives the plaid a cool, almost blurred effect. Overall, I just love the look of it. Form and function? Yes please!

For this look, I went for a relaxed winter vibe with an oversized short sleeve sweater and wide leg jeans. The sweater is soft and comfortable, and the green is so vibrant in person. I also really like that it hasn’t pilled or fuzzed up even after a few wears. I also anticipate getting a lot of wear out of it, as the short sleeve cut will let me comfortably wear it well into late spring without overheating. But honestly, in this outfit, the jeans were what I was really excited about:

I always knew I wanted to test denim out for this review, because it can be one of the hardest things to shop for online, especially if it is a new-to-you brand (like Ulla was to me before this review!) I tried out two different jeans styles with different amounts of stretch, and this pair had the most stretch of the two. I’m typically a 20 in denim with some stretch (and closer to a 22 in rigid denim), so for this pair I went with the 20. I won’t lie, I was a little trepidatious when I pulled this pair out of the package, but they actually fit like a dream when I put them on. I’ve worn these 3 times already in the last month, including for a very long day of errands and being stuck in traffic, and I can happily say that they never once pinched me or squished my belly uncomfortably. The ultra-wide leg silhouette is cut perfectly for curves, fitting nicely through the waist (no back gap!) and hips while still being a true wide leg – another trend that is not going anywhere anytime soon! I also like that these come in short lengths, which I’d say would be great for anyone under 5’3″. Overall, if you are looking for a cute and comfortable pair of wide leg jeans in plus, I can enthusiastically recommend these and recommend ordering your usual jean size (but it never hurts to check the size chart too!)

oversized sweatshirt dress

I don’t know if its just me, but this is the time of year where I crave comfort and softness, and this simple yet cool sweatshirt dress from Ulla Popken really hit the mark for me. The stretch cotton blend fabric feels like a luxe upgrade to traditional sweatshirt material, and the fit is perfectly oversized at my usual size (I got the 20/22 in this one). It flows over my body nicely without being too boxy, and the little pleated detail at the shoulder elevates the overall vibe. I paired it with chunky combat boots here, but this would also look great with cool tights (of which Ulla has a massive selection) and western boots, or scrunched socks and sneakers for a casual look. The color is also phenomenal: A perfect Phthalo Green (the deep, blue-tinged green hue that the internet has declared the true 2026 Color of the Year, as I wrote about for Marie Claire last month). And this dress is just so wonderfully easy –  a true throw on and go piece. Basically, you can expect to see me wearing this one regularly going forward!

celestial astrology print midi dress

One of my favorite niche aesthetics is the 90’s celestial print – a little witchy, a little whimsigoth, a little bit like a tapestry you’d find on the wall of the global village aesthetic coffee shops of yore. There’s something that is just so fun and nostalgic about it, so its no surprise that I was immediately drawn to this pretty astrology print dress when I saw it online. It is a layered dress made of a semi-sheer chiffon material, and comes with an included slip underneath. I also figured this one would be good to test out for sizing purposes, as the top layer is non-stretch. I got it in my usual size 20/22 to see how a more fitted chiffon piece from Ulla would work through the bust (an area I often struggle with as someone with a very large cup size (M!).

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the answer was much better than I expected! It wasn’t a perfect fit, as there was a tiny bit of pulling at the buttons at the fullest part of my bust, but it was honestly not at all noticeable in person (just sharing it here for full transparency and reference for my fellow full bust shoppers!) My only real nitpick of this dress was that because of my bust taking up so much space in the bodice, the waistline became a little higher and more empire than it looked on the model, but I still felt super cute in it. If anything, I might just try a minimizer or a bra with a little more lift next time, but I will be wearing this dress again! It was true to size everywhere else for me, so I only recommend sizing up if you also have a significant difference between bust and waist measurements. I also have to say that I find it pretty impressive that of all eight Ulla Popken pieces I tried in this order, this was the only one I had even a slight fit issue with! Usually doing a big order from a new brand results in at least 40-50% misses in my experience, but this Ulla Popken order was 100% hits, with just a little asterisk for the bust fit on this one for me personally. As someone who is pretty much a professional shopper at this point, I can attest that that is IMPRESSIVE.

oversized plaid coat / purple long tee / black denim balloon pants

Finding a good classic t-shirt can be harder than it seems, so when I saw this long tee in my favorite shade of purple, I knew I wanted to see how Ulla Popken’s t-shirts measured up. The moment I took it out of the package, I was feeling it, just based on handfeel. This is a 95% cotton tee with a little elastane for stretch, and it feels amazing on. It also is truly a long tee – I think I underestimated just how long it would be on me! I could reasonably wear it as a mini t-shirt dress if I wanted to (and honestly, once summer gets here, I just might!) That length is amazing if you are looking for a longer tee, but it did make it a little harder for me to crop tuck this tee the way I wanted to to show off the higher waist on these jeans. That is fully on me though (again, just sharing for full transparency if you are a fellow tee cropper lol). But between the fabric and the thoughtful details (including the proportionate sleeve length and the cut that is relaxed but not shapeless in my usual size 20/22, I will be getting this style in other colors in the future.

The jeans in this look are also a real hit for me. As a fashion editor who spends hours researching trends and poring over runways and forecasts to see what’s next, I’m always looking for where to shop upcoming trends in plus sizes (as we all too often have to wait 6 months to a year (or more!) for emerging trends to get to plus. But the more I’ve been looking at Ulla Popken’s selection, the more I realized that they actually are really on it when it comes to offering some pieces that are capital-F Fashion. Case in point: They have balloon jeans! Balloon pants are one of the biggest trends for 2026, and denim versions are especially hot, but I haven’t seen many in plus sizes. So when I saw this pair in Ulla’s new arrivals, I knew I needed to try them out for size.

This is a denim cut where fit is especially important, as a good balance of fitted at the waist and volume through the legs is needed to get the vibe right. So I made sure to check out the fabric content of these before ordering to see how much stretch they have. (Tip: If you scroll down to the “Product Information” section on an Ulla product page, there is a tab with fabric composition details and care instructions for every item, which is so helpful!) This particular pair of jeans is 98% cotton and just 2% elastane, so I knew these would be more on the classic rigid denim side when it comes to how they fit and wear. With that in mind, I chose to go for a size 22 in these, and that turned out to be the right call. The fit is pretty much perfect in my opinion: The high waist hits me right at my natural waist, the fit at the hips is close but not too tight through the lower belly, and the leg has just the right amount of volume to look cool and of-the-moment without veering into “Hammer Pants” territory! The thoughtful pleats and darts are particularly good, and show that Ulla Popken’s designers know what they are doing when it comes to designing for a plus size body. Paired with the purple tee, the plaid coat, cool mules, and coordinating accessories, this whole look felt quintessentially me.

cotton poplin trapeze dress

Because I wanted this to be a comprehensive review, I also got an item to try for fit even though it is not made for the depths of winter, but it is the type of cool shirt dress I’m constantly looking for in plus: This cool minimal poplin dress. This was the only piece I ordered that didn’t get an IRL wear test (it’s simply too cold in NYC right now – I’m talking about temps in the single digits!), but I wore it around the house for the day and can confidently say I am impressed and it is true to size (I got the 20/22). This dress is 100% cotton, and the poplin fabric is just as crisp and sharp in person as I hoped it to be. The trapeze silhouette is both comfortable and fashionable, and it looks a like a boutique designer find. Length-wise, I’d personally prefer this one to be a smidgeon shorter as it is knee length on me worn as-is (and I personally love a mini mini!), but seeing as I’m 5’4″ and a half, I understand why the current length is probably a good thing for taller shoppers. The moment it is warm enough for me to shoot this one without immediately getting frostbite, I’ll share it on socials and update this post with a picture!

Overall thoughts

Going into this review, I was cautiously optimistic, just based on the excellent Ulla Popken size range (12-38 US!) and the massive selection on their site, along with the glowing reviews I’ve heard IRL from friends who’ve tried the brand. But because fit and quality is so important, I needed to try it myself before I could personally recommend it. After trying out this first big order from Ulla Popken, I can now confidently say this is a great option for plus size shoppers! The shipping is surprisingly fast and affordable for international express ($9.95 flat rate), and their return policy is excellent (a 60 day 100% guarantee and easy process). The fit is also really good – I can truly tell Ulla Popken is a plus-focused brand just based on how well everything is cut for curves and soft figures. The fact that so many different aesthetics and styles are represented on their site makes it a good place to check if you are looking for something specific. I’m particularly drawn to their trendy Studio Untold label, but I found items I liked across the site. The prices are also incredibly reasonable, especially when you consider the quality, and even more so when you add my reader code CURVILYULLA at checkout for 35% off!

Knowing that Ulla Popken is a great plus size resource for so many different aesthetics honestly makes me feel like the plus size market just expanded in a beautiful way – SO needed in this time where way too many brands are moving away from size inclusion. I will be trying out more Ulla Popken clothes and wearing them in my real life over the new couple of months too, so follow me on Instagram if you want to see more of these pieces and new arrivals  – I just got my next package and I am so excited to try more Ulla Popken styles out! And if you have any fit or sizing questions, please don’t hesitate to comment on any post where I’m wearing Ulla to ask, or send me a DM – I’m always happy to help!