Melissa King at Lord&Taylor

[M. Lopez]

It's always worth praising a company that uses genuinely full-figured models (size 14 or better). Lord&Taylor, like Nordstrom, uses a mix of plus-size and straight-size models to promote its larger fashions, which is an odd approach, but at least for its plus-size model it chooses size-14 Melissa King.

Melissa lacks the rounded facial features of timeless beauty, but she does have a generous figure. She gives this Lord&Taylor dress an attractive, womanly shape - the rounded, hourglass-plus-pear figure of Classical sculpture.

http://content.shopmay.com/images/ltgifts/product/enlarged/444/23532617_B1.jpg

Most of the Lord&Taylor items are basics, but even then, at least the images encourage full-figured customes to be comfortable with their body shapes. The fact that her slacks are so closely fitted makes them more flattering than if they hung loose.

http://content.shopmay.com/images/ltgifts/product/detail/439/13272976_D1.jpg http://content.shopmay.com/images/ltgifts/product/detail/439/12100095_D1.jpg

(The snug fit of the black slacks is better seen on high-contrast monitors.)

http://content.shopmay.com/images/ltgifts/product/enlarged/439/13272976_B1.jpg

It's too bad L&T doesn't offer more feminine fashions for its plus-size customers. A legitimately full-figured model like Melissa could model them especially well.

http://www.lordandtaylor.com/gifts/OnlineShopping/LT?DSP=4&PCR=21:200000:200867:200869:200883:201530&IID=2010782&c=1

[Kaitlynn]

Here's another nice image of Melissa at Lord&Taylor:

http://content.shopmay.com/images/ltgifts/product/enlarged/407/23576812_B1.jpg

I don't know about the length of the dress, but I do appreciate the lacey, ribbon-decorated jacket. Above all, I can't see how any model with lesser curves could possibly make this outfit look good. Only the fullness of Melissa's figure gives the ensemble shape.

http://www.lordandtaylor.com/gifts/OnlineShopping/LT?DSP=4&PCR=21:200000:200867:200869:200883:201530&IID=2010780&c=1

I keep thinking about what Miss England said, in her interview in favour of banning anorexic models: "Clothes aren't meant to hang, they're meant to fit." That's a fundamental design principle that the fashion industry really ought to embrace.