City Chic Review: My Honest Take on This Plus-Size Fashion Favorite

Hey girl, are you a curvy fashionista like me who‘s always on the prowl for cute plus-size clothing brands? If so, you‘ve probably come across City Chic in your shopping adventures. This Aussie brand has been a major player in the plus-size fashion scene for over 20 years now, serving up trendy, feminine styles in sizes 12-22.

But with so many online shopping options out there, you might be wondering – is City Chic legit? Can they really deliver well-made, figure-flattering pieces that make you feel like a total bombshell? Well lucky for you, I‘ve had plenty of firsthand experience with the brand, so I‘m here to give you the full scoop in my in-depth City Chic review!

Here‘s what I‘ll be covering in this tell-all post:

• An overview of City Chic and its mission to empower curvy women
• My reviews of popular City Chic products like dresses, tops and jeans
• Comparison of City Chic to other plus-size retailers like Torrid and Eloquii
• Analysis of City Chic‘s prices and if the quality is worth the cost
• Data on the plus-size fashion industry and City Chic‘s growth
• Intel on City Chic‘s customer service, shipping and returns
• My honest opinion on if City Chic is worth your hard-earned cash

So go ahead and pour yourself a glass of wine (or two) and let‘s get into it!

What is City Chic? Inside the Brand‘s Mission

First things first – what exactly is City Chic? This Australian brand was founded way back in 1999 with the goal of providing trendy, well-fitting fashion for plus-size women. Over two decades later, City Chic has grown into a leading global retailer for sizes 12-24, with over 100 stores across Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK and USA.

But City Chic is about way more than just selling clothes. The brand was built on a mission to empower curvy women to embrace their bodies and feel confident in their personal style. As a plus-size woman myself, I love that City Chic celebrates curves instead of trying to hide them. The brand‘s marketing campaigns feature gorgeous, curvaceous models and influencers who prove that fashion is for every body.

City Chic recognizes that plus-size women have been underserved by the fashion industry for way too long. The average American woman wears a size 16-18, yet plus-size clothing only makes up 19% of the women‘s apparel market. That‘s a huge disconnect! City Chic aims to fill that gap by offering stylish, well-fitting clothing that actually caters to curves.

So what kind of clothes does City Chic offer? The brand has everything from casual basics to glamorous occasion wear. Some of the most popular categories include:

• Dresses: City Chic is a go-to for event dresses, with styles ranging from romantic lace to sexy bodycon
• Tops: The brand has tons of cute tops in trendy silhouettes like off-the-shoulder, peplum and wrap
• Jeans: City Chic denim comes in a range of fits like skinny, straight and wide leg
• Intimates: The brand designs pretty, comfy lingerie and shapewear for sizes 12-22
• Activewear: Because yes, curvy girls work out too! City Chic‘s activewear looks cute and performs well

One thing to note is that City Chic doesn‘t really do basics or minimalistic styles. The brand‘s aesthetic is unabashedly bold and feminine, with punchy prints, bright colors and lots of embellishments. If you love making a statement with your fashion, you‘ll love City Chic. But if your style is more understated, it may not be the brand for you.

City Chic Dresses Review

If there‘s one thing City Chic does exceptionally well, it‘s dresses. I mean, a great dress is a curvy girl‘s secret weapon, am I right? Whether you‘re going to brunch, a wedding or just twirling around your bedroom, City Chic has a dress for every occasion.

One of my personal faves is the Draped Maxi Dress. This stunning gown comes in the most gorgeous jewel tones like emerald and magenta. The flowy, draped skirt is super romantic and the surplice V-neckline provides cleavage for days. I wore this to a black tie wedding and got so many compliments!

Another showstopper is the So Seductive Lace Dress. If you‘re looking for a sexy date night number, this is it. The dress is made from beautiful floral lace with scalloped edging. The partially lined design gives a flirty peek of skin while still keeping things classy. I love how it nips in at the waist to really highlight your curves.

For a more casual option, I‘m obsessed with the Knot Front Dress. This super soft jersey dress has a figure-flattering knotted detail at the front and a subtle flare to the skirt. It‘s perfect for brunch, running errands, or just lounging around. Dress it up with heels and a denim jacket or down with sneaks and a cardigan.

One thing to keep in mind with City Chic dresses is that they tend to be on the shorter side. I‘m 5‘10" and find that most styles hit a few inches above my knee. If you‘re tall like me and prefer more coverage, I recommend opting for the brand‘s maxi dresses or looking for styles labeled as midi length.

City Chic Jeans Review

As a curvy girl, finding a great pair of jeans is like finding the holy grail. Well call off the search because City Chic has some seriously amazing denim options! The brand offers sizes 12-24 with different fits like skinny, straight and wide leg.

My current fave is the Harley High Rise Skinny Jean. These have a super high waist that sucks you in and seriously sculpts your curves. They‘re made with a stretchy denim that feels comfortable but still looks structured. I love that they come in lengths so I can get my perfect 34" inseam.

If skinny jeans aren‘t your thing, you might like the Asha Wide Leg Jean. These have a retro-inspired silhouette with a high waist and wide flared leg. They look so chic with a fitted cami and heels for a night out. The non-stretch denim has a vintage feel but don‘t worry, there‘s a touch of spandex for comfort.

One jean I wasn‘t totally in love with was the Harley Zip Crop Jean. I found that the zipper details on the front added bulk to my hips and the crop length was a tad awkward on my tall frame. It‘s all down to personal preference, but these just weren‘t the most flattering on me.

Overall though, City Chic makes some damn good denim. The brand recently expanded its size range to include size 26, which I really appreciate. Plus, all of City Chic‘s jeans have pockets – a small but important detail that‘s sadly lacking in a lot of women‘s denim.

Is City Chic Good Quality?

Let‘s talk about quality. When you‘re shelling out your hard-earned coin on clothes, you want them to look and feel good for a while, not fall apart after a couple wears. So how does City Chic stack up?

In my experience, the quality is overall quite good but there is some variation between pieces. The special occasion dresses are stand-outs in terms of quality. Styles like the Glimmer Wrap Maxi Dress and Lace Goddess Dress are made from luxe-feeling fabrics with special details like sequins and scalloped lace trim. These dresses look expensive and wear well over time.

On the more casual side, I‘ve had great luck with City Chic‘s denim and stretchy jersey pieces. I put my jeans through a lot (chasing after kids, working from home, Netflix binges) and they hold up wash after wash. The jersey tops and dresses resist pilling and keep their shape well.

I will say some of the printed blouses wrinkle easily, so check the fabric content if that‘s something that bugs you. A few tops I‘ve bought also had loose threads that needed to be snipped. But overall, I wouldn‘t expect luxury designer quality from City Chic. I‘d place them a step above fast fashion in terms of quality and longevity.

City Chic Size Guide

As any curvy girl knows, sizes can be inconsistent between brands and sometimes even within the same brand. The struggle is real! So I always like to check the size chart before ordering from a new brand.

City Chic‘s size guide is pretty extensive, which I appreciate. It includes measurements for the bust, waist and hips for each size from 12 to 24. There‘s also a handy quiz you can take that recommends your size based on your measurements and fit preferences.

In my experience, City Chic‘s sizing is true to the size guide about 80% of the time. I‘m consistently a size 14 in the brand, but I always check the garment measurements as certain pieces can run big or small. Some styles like the Harley Biker Jacket run a bit snug, so I‘ll size up for a comfier fit. On the flip side, flowy pieces like the Sienna Maxi Dress have lots of extra room, so I can sometimes size down.

It‘s also worth mentioning that City Chic is an Australian-based brand. A size 14 in Australia translates to a size 12 in the US. Just something to keep in mind! When in doubt, I always go by the centimeter measurements rather than the number size.

Is City Chic Ethical?

In this day and age, more and more shoppers (myself included) are concerned about the ethics and sustainability of the brands we support. So is City Chic an ethical company?

Like many fashion brands, City Chic has room for improvement in this department. The brand isn‘t super transparent about its manufacturing practices or supply chain. There‘s no information on the website about factory conditions or worker well-being.

That said, City Chic does seem to be taking some small steps towards sustainability. In 2019, the brand launched its first sustainable swimwear collection made from regenerated nylon waste like old fishing nets. A portion of the proceeds also went to global ocean conservancy charities. More recently, City Chic released a "Mindful Collection" of earth-friendly pieces made from organic cotton and recycled fibers.

While these capsule collections are a nice start, they make up a tiny portion of City Chic‘s overall product line. The vast majority of the brand‘s clothing is still made from conventional materials like polyester. I‘d love to see City Chic take bigger strides towards using sustainable fabrics and ethical manufacturing across the board.

City Chic vs Torrid

If you‘re a plus-size fashionista, you‘ve likely heard of Torrid. The American brand is one of City Chic‘s biggest competitors, with a similar focus on trendy styles in sizes 10-30. So how do the two brands compare?

First, let‘s talk size range. Torrid goes up to a size 30 (equivalent to 32 in City Chic sizing) while City Chic stops at a 24. So if you‘re on the higher end of the plus-size range, you may have more options at Torrid. That said, I‘ve found that City Chic dresses tend to be cut more generously than Torrid‘s, so the actual measurements sometimes work out pretty similarly.

Aesthetic-wise, I‘d say Torrid skews a bit younger and more casual than City Chic. Torrid has a lot of graphic tees, distressed denim and pop culture collabs while City Chic‘s vibe is more feminine and polished. If your style is edgier, you might like Torrid‘s offerings better. But if you‘re into florals, lace and pretty details, City Chic will probably be more your jam.

Personally, I shop at both retailers pretty regularly. I love Torrid for comfy basics like leggings and tees. Their intimates are also super cute and well-made. But when I need a head-turning dress or statement piece, City Chic is usually my go-to. I find the brand knocks it out of the park for special occasion wear.

City Chic Review Final Thoughts

We covered a ton of ground in this City Chic review, so let‘s recap! Overall, I‘m a big fan of City Chic and think they‘re a legit option for curvy girls who love fashion. The brand really excels in the dress department, with gorgeous options for every event on your social calendar. I also love their high-quality jeans that fit like a dream.

While City Chic isn‘t the cheapest plus-size retailer out there, I do think you get what you pay for in terms of quality and style. The pieces I‘ve bought have held up really well and make me feel like a million bucks when I wear them. Just be sure to keep an eye out for sales – the brand has them pretty frequently!

One area where City Chic could improve is expanding its range of styles. I‘d love to see some more basics and casual everyday pieces in the mix. It would also be great to see the brand take bigger steps towards sustainability and ethical manufacturing.

But overall, I think City Chic is absolutely worth checking out if you haven‘t already. The brand is doing a lot to empower curvy women and spread the message that style has no size limit. And as a plus-size babe myself, I‘m here for it!

I hope you found this super honest City Chic review helpful! Have you shopped the brand before? I‘d love to hear about your experience in the comments. And if you‘re new to City Chic, happy shopping – I hope you find some pieces that make you feel like the total goddess you are!

FAQs

1. What size range does City Chic carry?
   A. City Chic carries Australian sizes 14-24, which translates to US sizes 12-22.

2. What is City Chic‘s return policy?
   A. City Chic allows returns within 60 days of purchase for a full refund or store credit. You can return online orders for free by mail or in-store.

3. Does City Chic run true to size?
   A. Based on my experience, City Chic runs true to size about 80% of the time. I recommend checking the garment measurements and size guide before ordering.

4. Where are City Chic clothes made?
   A. City Chic doesn‘t provide information about its manufacturing locations or supply chain on its website. The brand has stated that its clothes are designed in Australia.

5. Does City Chic have sales?
   A. Yes, City Chic has frequent sales both online and in-store. You can find discounts of 20-60% off on end-of-season styles and holiday promos.