Plus Size Women Told Me They Couldn't Find A Dress Like This — So I Went On A Mission

Recently, I asked my social media following — a considerable percentage of which are plus size women interested in fashion — about the one item they had a hard time finding and/or styling. I expected to get a variety of answers; flare jeans that fit in both the ass and the waist, for example. A jumpsuit that doesn't put your vagina in serious distress. A shirt that doesn't gap at the buttons.

While all of those items are hard to find, the answers I got were actually a lot more consistent: Many plus size women seemed to be in search of a pinafore-style overall dress that "you can wear to work," and that "doesn't look like something a baby would wear." I felt a particular kinship with the latter comment, as I previously assumed that anything in the pinafore or overall style would probably make me look like a gigantic toddler roaming Park Ave. South in search of my morning applesauce.

I searched for awhile for this phantom item, and for awhile, it didn't look promising. The criteria was rigid: The pinafore dress had to look cute and trendy without going overboard and becoming too much of a statement. It couldn't be cut so short that anyone over 5'5 would have to wear leggings with the outfit. It had to come in a wider size range than 14-20, because let's face it plus size just doesn't stop there. Furthermore, I needed something in a neutral denim or chino fabric — no cutesy wild prints, no inexplicable ruffles, no inexplicable hardware. To fully answer the question that many plus women in my DMs seemed to be asking, I needed to keep this bad boy as wearable and pairable with any many style aesthetics as possible.

Finally, I found one. The best part? It's only $25.

City Chic Denim Pinafore, $25, City Chic

Available in sizes 14-24, the City Chic denim pinafore is perfect for anyone who wants to try out this semi-youthful look but wants to appear as a Plus Size Grown Ass Woman at the same time. The denim has a light stretch, and the straps are a pleather belt-style that give the garment a bit of an edge. The squared neckline means it look good with T-shirts, button-downs, giant sweaters, cowl necks, or pretty much anything else you pair it with — in other words, you don't have to worry about an awkward layering situation. Technically, it's considered a mini skirt — but I am nearly six feet tall, and I wouldn't find this too short to wear without tights.

And let's talk about wearing it with tights for a second. One of the best things about this heavy, dark denim is that I could easily see wearing it with a T-shirt or crop top and a pair of chunky sandals on a hot summer day, but it's also a nice, reasonable weight for winter layering.

And of course, there's the price. Twenty-five dollars is a bargain for something that you haven't been searching for your entire life. Finding the holy grail of plus size grown up pinafore realness for that low, low price borderline magic. The brand seems to have the full run of sizes as of the time I'm writing this, and for reference, I normally wear a size 22, but got this in a 24 (and it fits perfectly).

It's not every day that plus size shoppers get to find the clothing that they've been wanting to wear for-ev-er. In fact, it's not even every month. But when those moments come, and at such a reasonable price, it's a beautiful thing. Get thee to the City Chic website and grab this find while you can.