So it's incredibly rare for me to go to the mall, but I heard that The Limited was revamping its Castleton store and adding a brand new plus-size line, eloquii, to its repertoire, so I thought I should check it out.
Before I checked out the store, I was privileged to speak to eloquii's designer, Jodi Arnold, over the phone. I was delighted to find out that before designing for the new line, she founded one of my favorite women's contemporary brands, Mint, so I knew immediately that she had fabulous fashion design chops before I even saw any of the pieces. It's a genius move on The Limited's part to hire someone with experience in a high-end, fashion-forward market, because it's extremely rare to find plus-size clothing that fits well and is trend-conscious to boot.
"I hear plus-sized women complaining that they can only find clothing suitable for much older women or 14-year-old hookers," said Arnold. "But nothing for an educated, stylish young woman. It's weird that the market is so lacking in that area."
While The Limited generally caters to a business-oriented wardrobe, eloquii is intended for a more trend-conscious, plus-size woman.
"It is really rewarding as a designer, when I hear that I can empower women by providing better options for these women," said Arnold. "They appreciate it so much, and style should be accessible for all sizes."
Right now, Indianapolis is one of the six Limited stores featuring the eloquii brand, but after a test period, the plus-size line will be sold in its own stand-alone stores.
If you want to learn more about the eloquii line and The Limited's revamp, check out this Fox 59 segment.
Recently, I made a trip to the Castleton Square mall to check out the newly revamped store. Upon close inspection, I realized the eloquii line was much different than the stuff they sell at other plus-sized stores, and I've been to many. I could absolutely tell that the designs would appeal to any stylish woman.
Within a couple of minutes, I checked out with a few finds of my own from The Limited's collection; some figure-flattering cropped dress pants for work, and a super comfortable printed top that was only $12.99 (!) and perfect for the fun. concert I had tickets for a couple of days later. I might have to start taking more trips to the mall....
Full disclosure: The Limited partially funded my recent shopping spree :)
With my sister Rachel inside the fun. concert
