There's nothing inherently wrong with wearing black, but wearing only black does hold certain uncomfortable connotations for some plus-size women. And in a way, plus-size retailer Z By Zevarra is doing something to take it back. With the upcoming release of her "Blake Label" collection for spring/summer, she's showing that the hue doesn't have to be boring or conducive to invisibility. It can actually be kind of epic.
Amongst the many "rules" that fuller-figured girls and women are presented with, there's the notion that black is the only acceptable hue for them. It's "flattering" (read: slimming) and it's simple, and those two combined traits mean it won't draw attention to the body. So for a long time, plus-size clothing was dominated by black — and though I see the appeal of minimalism and "basics," I also find sticking to one kind of anything inherently unappealing.
California-based designer LaKisha Livingston-Brown of Z By Zevarra is giving black plus-size clothing a new life, though. She's channeling the "classic" beauty of black apparel (as worn by women like Audrey Hepburn or Elizabeth Taylor) and applying it to garments above a size 14. But forget "frumpy," or, "flattering," or, "failing-to-make-a-statement." These items are intricate. They're powerful. Although they're black-on-black-on-black, they're different.
Z Black Label Cape Peplum Blouse, $169, zbyzevarra.com
Z Black Label Mini Cape Dress, $179, zbyzevarra.com
Z Black Label Zipper Gown, $209, zbyzevarra.com
The reality is that black clothing is supposed to be incredibly multi-dimensional. Elegant and "classic" but edgy and bold. Alternative and quirky but fancy and free. And it's about time that clothing that embodies all of these traits was made available to plus women. Of course, we're seeing more and more variety in the sartorial market that caters to sizes 14 and up. But there's a long way to go.
And designers like LaKisha Livingston-Brown are helping us get to that happy place where the woman who loves black-on-black elegance can have just as many options as the woman who loves polka dots and rainbow stripes.
Images: Courtesy Z By Zevarra
