When I want to shop for my sister, who’s around a size 22, I go to Catharine’s. It is a chain, but not as well known a chain as, say, Lane Bryant’s. My sister is a professional woman and needs to look nice. However, she’s not old and she also likes to look like she’s part of the current fashion picture.

Sometimes the larger woman’s section of a department store has clothes that look rather frumpy. It’s as if all plus-sized women are old before their time! But that isn’t true at Catharine’s! She told me about this store when I asked where I could purchase something for her for her birthday, and from then on I’ve been shopping there for her and other friends. I can either pick up a gift with the help of a nice saleswoman or buy a gift card.

There’s one near her in New Jersey and one near me in Pennsylvania, so it’s an easy trip. I was pleasantly surprised when I first walked in to the one near me. There’s soft lighting and racks of things that look fun and appealing. They’ll take a current style and adapt it to the larger woman so it looks good and not silly. Of course, we’re all concerned about money these days, but sometimes the clearance racks in the plus-size areas of the department stores look pretty drab. The other nice thing about Catharine’s is that they sometimes offer coupons through mail or newspapers. Combine that with days where there’s 40 percent off everything, and you’re able to replenish your work or leisure wardrobe for a very affordable price.

Tags: charlotte russe, girls sizes, lane bryant, large girls, losing weight, maternity, plus size clothes, size clothing, size maternity clothes, size woman, size women, sized clothing, sized women, suzies deals, trendy plus size clothes