A reader reached out this year to ask for a few of our favorite cool plus-size clothes for teens, to help get her own teen daughter up to speed for back-to-school. And we are happy to oblige!
Considering school will be starting up again soon, we know our teens will be looking for cool new clothes for fall to go with those cool new backpacks. But it can be tough for curvy teens to find the stylish clothes that make them look great — and feel amazing. And all kids should walk in that door the first day of school feeling confident and fabulous.
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list — and if you have more ideas, feel free to leave them in comments! This is merely a great place to start for cool plus-size clothes for teens that includes the kinds of styles we like (and our own teens like), at reasonable price points to suit most budgets.
Since our reader specifically asked for plus-size clothes for teen girls, that’s our focus here. Though if these retailers have a good selection of plus sizes for men, or gender-neutral styles that your teens might prefer, we’ve mentioned those too.
Because as we all know, one teen’s “cool!” is another teen’s “hell no.”
This post contains affiliate links and some purchases may generate a small commission that helps support our team. This has not impacted our independent recommendations.
Above: BP Plaid Button-Up from Nordstrom
Very top: Betsey Johnson Raglan Baby Doll from Torrid
BP. at Nordstrom
Nordstrom’s private-label BP. brand has loads of on-trend clothes for teens and young adults, with many styles in sizes up to 4X.
I love the updated baby-doll dresses reminiscent of my 90’s club days (they’re back!), as well as trendy cropped sweaters and comfy drawstring pants. Prices are very reasonable as well, with most pieces under $50.
Nordstrom’s BP. also has several men’s and gender-inclusive tops in plus sizes, though, unlike their women’s line, no plus-size male models for some reason. However several of these pieces would look great on young women too. Just check out this cheery floral sweater vest in men’s sizes to 4X. So cute!
Related: On modeling body positivity for our kids: Where we succeed, where we can do better
Madewell
Madewell has been a Cool Mom Picks favorite for years, for it’s affordable yet nicely made, high-quality clothing that doesn’t cost a fortune. And, they have a very strong selection of plus-sized styles for young women, like this cute jean mini skirt and button-up sweaters.
Madewell’s prices are a bit higher than some of the other brands mentioned here, but we’ve found their pieces last a long time, making this a good value, especially for basics your teen will wear again and again. But if they decide they no longer want an item, Madewell Forever’s partnership with ThredUp makes it easy to resell clothing for Madewell credit to buy– you guessed it — more Madewell clothes.
H&M Plus
H&M Plus offers almost 400 plus-size women’s apparel pieces up to size 4X, making it an awesome resource for cool plus-size clothing for teens. Plus, their prices are all very reasonable so that can stock up on several pieces for the new school year.
From vintage-style rock tees to lightweight dresses to wide-legged pants, I appreciate the variety of fashionable pieces that could make up an entire wardrobe. Also love the long-sleeved floral top and black denim jacket (shown above) that will come in handy as summer turns into fall.
Old Navy
After getting tons of positive PR for expanding their sizes, Old Navy was recently criticized for removing many of their largest sizes from their retail stores. Sigh. But of Gap Inc’s six brands, Old Navy still offers the biggest selection of plus sizes from 3X, even if most of it will need to be purchased online.
Lightweight puffer vests, colorful long-sleeved tops, and high-waisted cargo joggers are ready for long days in the classroom this fall, or check out the on-trend plus-size cardigan above, that kids love tucking in just in the front of their jeans to make it a little less “grandpa sweater.”
I really appreciate that each items is shown on different sized bodies so you can see how it looks, making this a good resource for cool plus-sized clothes for teens.
Also check Old Navy’s Gender Neutral line of clothes, which mostly consists of tees, rugby shirts, and sweats up to size 2X. I do wish those went larger, but their men’s line is pretty extensive at size 4X which is terrific for teen boys looking for affordable separates or girls or non-binary teens who prefer looks designed for “men.”
Related: The Cool Mom Picks Back to School Shopping Guide
Torrid
I remember back when Torrid was owned by Hot Topic and had a more goth-y vibe, but they’ve gone off on their own with over 600 retail locations and a huge range of styles from retro chic (Betsey Johnson!), to casual sets, to dressier wear.
With almost all of their cool clothing in plus sizes from 10-30, I absolutely love that there’s no hunting around, so your teen can find complete outfits and not just a few separates. These easy-wear joggers look comfortable but still neat, and this twill zipper anorak (shown above) looks so cool with jeans or even a little skirt.
But also…Betsey Johnson!
Related: The best, most affordable places to buy jeans for tall girls.
ASOS Curve and Collusion lines
Included in our roundup of Cool Pride gifts from 15 brands that are supporting LGBTQ causes and orgs, British retailer ASOS’s Curve collection at Nordstrom includes lots of flowy dresses as well as comfy tops like this bright, soft sweater. And the collection includes bottoms from ripped “Mom” jeans to these wide-legged pants that would look good dressed up or down.
If your teen likes this brand, they’ll find even more from the ASOS Curve line directly at their website, with very few items priced over $100, and most a lot less — like this adorable black mini tie-front tea dress ($37!) that looks great on its own or over leggings or ripped jeans.
Teenage fashionistas may love ASOS Collusion, a super stylish line of sustainably-sourced, animal-free clothes that has lots of items in sizes 18+ and also plenty of cool clothing for teens. Vinyl leggings? Snake-pattern puffer coat? Red and pink zebra print cropped sweater? Yes, yes, and yes. Plus, they have tamer stuff too for those who aren’t quite so bold.
Target’s Wild Fable
Search for “plus size women’s apparel” on Target, and you’ll be treated to nearly 6,000 choices, which is pretty overwhelming. Even for teens who like to shop! But Target’s Wild Fable line is a great one to narrow in on, as it has so many affordable items for teens in sizes 3X and up, like the quilted bomber jacket and soft corduroy flares, shown above, which come in great colors for fall.
One interesting thing I’ve noticed is that Target’s Young Adult line is no longer broken into “boys” or “girls” styles but is split by masculine or feminine fit. Yes for that! For teens looking for some basic sweatshirts, tees, and casual separates, there are several items in the masculine fit section sized 3X and above worth browsing.
Abercrombie & Fitch (Really)
We’re well aware that there have been a lot of serious problems with the brand — particularly a focus on thinness and whiteness that goes deeper than just the clothes they offer. This made us incredibly reluctant to recommend them, if we’re honest, but Abercrombie seems to be on a much better (and hopefully long-lasting and authentic) path with initiatives like the Abercrombie Equity Project and more inclusive collabs.
It also seems that Abercrombie & Fitch had made such a concerted effort to offer more inclusive sizing — a big change from their roster of entirely rail-thin models back when my kids were younger. Browse the site for a large range of plus-size jeans, shorts, and leggings in the Curve Love line which adds extra inches to the thighs for a more comfortable fit.
(Note: they still have some work to do on their men’s line as the selection is sparse for 3X+ wearers.)
Beyond that, Abercrombie does offer some cool layering pieces for those unpredictable fall temps, like this ribbed scoop neck sweater tank and oversized poplin shirt in a multitude of colors.
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