The Best Vintage Clothing Shops for Curvy Girls

Photo by Roselein Rarities

Vintage clothing sellers on Etsy truly run the style gamut, offering one-of-a-kind collections built around trends, time periods, or even color palettes to convey their shop’s unique aesthetic. But there’s one common philosophy among many vintage clothing sellers on Etsy—and many Etsy sellers, full stop: to celebrate women’s figures of all sizes. It’s a point of pride for many of these women, particularly now, as the fashion industry’s outdated rules—insisting that plus-size women cover up and blend into the background—are falling apart.

On Etsy, where individuality reigns supreme, sellers and shoppers have cast off these absurd marching orders. Today, we’ve rounded up five standout sellers who are changing the game with body-positive vintage outfit inspiration in a wide range of styles, from minimalist streetwear to polished 1950s silhouettes. Read on to hear directly from these expert clothing curators about what makes them (and their customers) tick—and to find a new favorite vintage shop of your own.

For cool, curated looks from a San Francisco stylist:

Joules’ Jewels Vintage

Meet Jillian Knox, founder of Joules Jewels Vintage: “My mission is ‘fashion to the people, for every shape, color, and size.’ I was having trouble finding a curated supply of dope vintage, so I decided that I should help my fellow curvy sisters by dedicating a section of my shop to them. I’m a stylist, and I love showing people that wearing vintage doesn’t have to be stuffy, boring, or costume-y. The easiest way to illustrate this was to model the looks myself! I’m happy to supply unique pieces to ladies who have often been forgotten. When you feel good, you move differently, you smile more, and you can truly be you.”

For mix-and-match separates with a ’90s bent:

The Curvy Elle

Meet Laurel Teixeira, founder of The Curvy Elle: “Before I started The Curvy Elle, I noticed many vintage shops and blogs dedicated to ‘normal’ sizes. I was interested in doing something similar with plus-size fashion—and I found that the challenge is what inspired me most of all. It’s important to be able to adapt vintage fashion to new uses. Something that was a nightgown originally might be worn as a dress now. A dress marked a size small that fits a size large may be a fitted plus-size dress today. I love the aesthetic of bygone eras, and mixing and matching contemporary pieces with vintage—all while promoting a positive self-image.”

For killer knits and bodycon dresses:

Lovesick Vintage

Meet Britteny Riordan, owner of Lovesick Vintage: “Plus size women were not just born within the last 20 years, and we are not a fad. Look at the way women have been depicted in art for hundreds of years: Full, round and beautiful. Shopping for vintage is so much fun, but the true reward is connecting women with the perfect piece that they will love and treasure. Once I decided to dedicate my shop solely to plus size clothing, the response was amazing. Women message me every day, thanking me and giving me words of encouragement. Vintage clothing does exist beyond a size 12, and I feel honored to bring it back to life.”

For party dresses, period pieces, and throwback swimwear:

Roselein Rarities

Meet Kyana Taillon, founder of Roselein Rarities: “When putting together outfits, I always consider how the wearer will feel in them, and my goal is that they feel confident and sexy. I currently have twelve models in a range of sizes and body types to represent real life. I have customers who specifically seek out a particular model based on similar measurements, and they feel comfortable relying on the friendly faces they’ve become familiar with. I give a lot of credit and thanks to my models, who willingly allow me to dress them and present their image across the world of Etsy. I only showcase outfits on size-appropriate models, because we are not all the same—and that’s the beauty of life!”

For high-impact hues and notice-me prints:

Venus Vintage Clothing

Meet Sue Blundell, owner of Venus Vintage Clothing: “I offer hand-picked, affordable, and unique statement pieces from the 1900s to the 1990s, with a focus on iconic period design, bold patterns, and romantic prints. I adore dramatic, feminine, theatrical gowns in luxurious fabrics, such as velvet and brocade—in addition to running my Etsy shop, I also source clothing for weddings, themed parties, and theatrical productions—as well as quirky day frocks from the 1960s and 1970s. My boho-luxe maxi dresses, psychedelic shift dresses and Liberty-style floral tea dresses are especially popular. I’m enormously proud to give women of all sizes the opportunity to express their personalities through their love of vintage clothing.”

Shop vintage fashion

Sharon Steel is a writer and editor living in New York City. Her heroes are Jane Austen, Carson McCullers, Lindsay Weir, Shirley Jackson, Lillian Ross, and the renegade crew of the spaceship Serenity. Read more of her work at sharoncsteel.com.

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