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Buzz Feed
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
39 Fashion Pieces Plus-Size Reviewers Are Obsessed With
A linen-blend dress because sometimes comfort is the wardrobe priority, and this dress delivers with a roomy, oversized fit, large pockets, and a wide scoop neck. A bestselling pair of high-rise jeans boasting a tapered ankle length just perfect for casual Fridays at work or an outing with the besties. A seamless compressive bodysuit, which delivers timeless style. Reviewers are obsessed with the amount of support it offers without sacrificing comfort! It's already HOT as Hades, but pairing this bodysuit with a pair of shorts or a skirt this summer will be even HOTTER. An off-shoulder jumpsuit with just enough stretch to keep you comfortable whether you're running errands, going out for a last-minute date night, or even heading out on a much-needed vacation. You'll feel confident as ever in this versatile wardrobe must-have, which you can dress up with pumps and a blazer OR keep it casual in your favorite Crocs. (BTW — flight attendants swear by it for travel!) A lightweight cover-up that's perfect for summer since you could wear it as an extra layer from the sun, over your bathing suit, or simply out and about with whatever you've got on. It doesn't hurt that it's available in 43 colors either, so you could get a solid one and a print one and be set! A pair of leggings if you've been on the hunt for the perfect comfort bottoms, but can't afford Lululemon prices — these budget-friendly, moisture-wicking pants have reviewers purchasing different colors for their stretch and ridiculously soft material that makes it feel like you're wearing next-to-nothing. A sheer demi underwire bra designed with breathable mesh cups that allow for a supported, natural-looking lift. Just because you have big boobs shouldn't mean you can't have cute bras! A go-to tee by Universal Standard created with a premium cotton blend that gets softer with each wash and offers just enough stretch to deliver the perfect, slouchy fit. If you're in the market for your new favorite tee — look no further! A patterned cocktail dress boasting a faux wrap bodice, a tie belt, and pockets (!!!), so you can get gussied up and dance the night away in style at your next wedding, work event, or even a first date. A sleeveless racerback bodysuit, which offers a fitted silhouette without having to bother with tucking and untucking whenever you want to wear your favorite jean shorts to happy hour this summer. A pair of pull-on Levi's jeans because comfort is the name of the game when it comes to adding apparel basics to your wardrobe. These must-have jeans will complement basically any top or tee in your closet, and you won't have to worry about any buttons gaping or digging into your belly by the end of a long day! A notch-neck blouse just perfect for those special occasions when you need an elevated style that doesn't sacrifice comfort. A high collar adds a sophisticated touch to your style, so you could truly wear this with any bottoms from jeans to a leather skirt, and look fabulous. A floor-length gown designed with a ruffled off-shoulder neckline and high slit, so all you have to worry about is which pair of pumps to choose and show off! The Bombshell Everyday strapless underwire bra — it boasts lightly lined cups and most importantly, no-slip silicone piping along the band to help it actually stay put while you wear it! No more spending all night on the dance floor readjusting and holding the ta-tas in place! A pair of high-waisted palazzo pants which deserve a spot in everyone's closet because how how breathable and versatile they can be. Pair these with any top in your closet and have an event-ready fit in minutes! A sophisticated bodycon dress just perfect for any occasion that requires dressing up. It boasts a vintage-inspired silhouette with a peplum accent along the pencil skirt that adds some playful dimension to your style. A pair of semi-sheer tights designed with a high-waist to help make sure your hose isn't falling down or constantly needing readjusted while you wear it. A floral wrap dress that's perfect for any event or occasion, with its colorful ditsy pattern! Plus, it's designed with hidden pockets, so you can carry your must-haves on you without needing to pull off a balancing trick in your hands. Girlfriend Collective's bike unitard, which is just perfect for working out, running errands, wearing underneath dresses (goodbye chafing!), and even lounging about the house. All those times you couldn't figure out an outfit? This one-piece has you covered. A two-piece set featuring a short-sleeve tunic top and matching biker shorts, so you can throw on an effortless summer 'fit and get out the door in no time! A pair of Thigh Society cooling shorts — these ultra-thin shorts boast a lightweight, moisture-wicking material because the enemy is chub rub, and there's no reason you should have to suffer every time you want to wear a cute dress. Orrrrr these moisture-wicking bike shorts created with quick-dry material to help prevent inner thigh chafing and butt sweat from ruining your time outdoors this summer. TBH, you could wear these solo with a casual top, but also underneath a dress! A floral maxi dress for anyone who loves a pattern and want to step out in style and comfort this summer. A square neckline and shirred bodice offer a touch of sophistication to this vacation-ready outfit, and the climbing slit up the leg makes it a great flirty option for date night! Torrid's bestselling Foxy Cami, which is designed with a stretch material to deliver a bodycon-inspired fit that looks great tucked or untucked, solo or as a layering piece. Trust me, I own several. A contoured, racerback tank–sports bra hybrid boasting a high-neck and four-way stretch material to make sure you can exercise, stretch, or even lounge in total comfort without worrying about spillage or uncontrollable bounce when it's time to knock out a few burpees or high-knees. A sophisticated blazer if you want to transform any outfit into a statement-making one — this will upgrade your go-to leggings and t-shirt outfit or bodysuit and jeggings. Seriously, this deserves a space in your closet ASAP. A versatile, neoprene pencil skirt created with an elastic waistband and medium stretch, so you can enjoy a curve-hugging style and still be comfortable. If you've been wondering what's been missing from your this. A pair of bike shorts that, once you put them on, you'll probably go back to buy a pair for every day of the week because they're *that* comfortable. Seriously, from lounging around to getting your workout in — you will never take these shorts off. Plus, they have pockets! A pair of overalls made with an oh-so-comfortable cotton-linen blend so that you can step out in such chic style, everyone will think you've just emerged from creating high-class art in a fancy studio if you're just on a quick snack run between meetings. A versatile slip dress just perfect for any occasion since you can dress it down with a pair of platform sneakers or look a little luxe with some pumps and accessories. A Glamorise front-closure underwire bra that boasts a moisture-wicking fabric and cushioned band to help keep you cool, comfortable, and supported, so you don't have to worry about whether or not everything's sitting high and pretty throughout the day. A pair of paperbag pants designed with a comfy elastic waistband, so you can wear them with your favorite tops cropped or tucked! A simple faux-wrap dress to keep you comfortable during those summer outdoor wedding receptions when the weather turns out to be much hotter than anticipated. 🥵 Whether you choose to pair this with heels or flats, you'll look and feel great dancing the night away at the reception. A pair of ankle pants that look like they just came back from the tailor with a slim-fit silhouette and four pockets — now you can crush it at that work conference and get straight to happy hour without having to even think about changing! This viral Skims soft lounge dress if your wardrobe is lacking an anytime, anywhere piece that's comfortable but also shows off your curves in all the right ways. It's loungewear, sure, but it also makes an effortless outfit for running errands or meeting a friend for dinner if you pair it with a jacket and platform sneakers or sandals! A pair of very colorful wide-leg pants that reviewers loooove for how much stretch they have, so if you need a new pair of statement-making bottoms that are also no further! A relaxed-fit tee featuring contrast bell sleeves for a unique look that pairs perfectly with your favorite mid-rise jeans or shorts. A super chic flannel jacket because the name of the game is layering, no matter the season, and this option offers a perfect final touch to any outfit. A casual V-neck maxi dress that takes the term "relaxed fit" to a completely new level with its flowy skirt and delicate spaghetti straps. This dress doesn't need much to make a statement, but it's so versatile you could wear it practically anywhere and still turn heads. Oh — and it has pockets!
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Universal Standard Relaunches Mystery Boxes Ahead of Price Increases
Universal Standard is bracing for the impact of tariffs by bringing back mystery boxes. The size inclusive denim brand said it is reviving the popular program while it can offer value to consumers. More from Sourcing Journal 'With the current tariff environment shifting rapidly, we're facing a lot of uncertainty—especially when comes to our future inventory and pricing. The reality is, we can't predict the future. But we can take action now—and that's exactly what we're doing,' Polina Veksler, Universal Standard CEO and co-founder, stated in an email to customers. The boxes are a way for Universal Standard to shed excess inventory and for consumers to save up to 85 percent. Mystery boxes contain 2-4 unknown pieces curated by a theme or type of product. Consumers pick the type of box they want and the size. The boxes retail for $84-$448. Veksler said the boxes feature pieces already in Universal Standard's warehouse and new styles that haven't launched yet. Boxes fall into three 'box experiences.' First Look Boxes include new styles that haven't hit the website yet as well as exclusive colorways. Heritage Boxes focus on Universal Standard's signature pieces that are rarely deeply discounted. Final Few Boxes include last-chance style that the brand is retiring. Themes span the Denim & Dreams Box, which includes two jeans to the Summer Luxury Box with three warm-weather wardrobe essentials and the Travel Box featuring three versatile and comfortable pieces. The Surprise x4 Box is described as the 'ultimate mystery experience' with four styles that encapsulate the Universal Standard wardrobe. While the styles can span casual to elevated, Universal Standard said all are timeless, comfortable and versatile. Universal Standard, which recently launched in Nordstrom, is already feeling pressure from Trump's tariffs. Veksler said the brand has already made small price increases on some style restocks. She added that it will likely need to make another price adjustment this month. 'The situation is changing daily, and we're actively exploring ways to absorb rising costs in addition to working closely with our global partners to renegotiate pricing and terms, so we can continue offering the same high-quality pieces, made responsibly and priced fairly,' Veksler said.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As tariffs pummel stock prices, venture investors anxiously wait for the impact on consumer spending
Around the time that President Donald Trump proudly displayed his master list of tariffs in the White House Rose Garden on Wednesday, a group of founders and investors gathered at the Public Hotel in Manhattan for a summit hosted by Red Sea Ventures on consumer tech. While many venture firms and operators have abandoned the sector for the higher-margin fields of B2B software and ChatGPT wrappers, New York remains a hub for consumer tech, though the direct-to-consumer goods boom of the 2010s has inevitably given way to AI-enabled apps. Consumer goods as a category haven't completely vanished—just look at Pepsi's recent $1.95 billion acquisition of the prebiotic soda brand Poppi—and I was curious whether tariffs would have a more outsized and immediate impact on the sector. When I've asked VCs over the past few months whether the political instability of the Trump administration—from regulatory shifts to tariff threats—is impacting their investing strategy, I've typically gotten the same answers: We stay out of politics, or, we think in long-term (think 10-year) time horizons, or, Trump's bluster is mostly a negotiating tactic and will blow over. At the summit, I moderated a panel with a heavy-hitter line-up of consumer investors, including Red Sea Ventures, FirstMark, General Catalyst, and Left Lane Capital. The question, given the blaring red stock tickers responding to Trump's announcement, seemed even more dire. Still, the panelists all continued to echo the similar rhetoric, while acknowledging that import costs could impact some of their physical good-focused portfolio companies. I was surprised by the muted response. Gathered in the room were companies producing everything from baby formula to pet food to eyeglasses. For startups operating with tight margins and limited runways, any shift in prices can be calamitous. After the panel, Polina Veksler, the founder and CEO of the inclusive clothing startup Universal Standard, came up to me. She said that her business was getting hammered by the slapdash tariff announcements. In a follow-up email, Veksler told me that she's spent years finding global manufacturing partners. 'The announcement of the new U.S. tariffs now jeopardizes this vital network, our business, and, most importantly, our communities,' she wrote, adding that she'll have to decide whether to eat the costs or pass them on to customers, potentially costing the company millions of dollars. On Friday, I caught up with Scott Birnbaum, the founder and managing partner of Red Sea Ventures, who told me his firm has still been grappling with the fallout. While he's invested in physical goods brands—including Sweetgreen, whose founder recently joined as an investing partner—he said that only a small group of his portfolio companies, like Universal Standard, will be impacted by tariffs directly. Still, he said, that doesn't include the second-order effects, such as whether specific customer bases will have less money to spend. 'We're focused on product offerings that get to core necessities of life,' he told me, pointing to startups like Range, a wealth management platform. Even if the ever-optimistic VC class proves right, and the tariff tempest proves to be a passing blip, it has still spoiled the banner year of public offerings and acquisitions that investors dreamed of. Two consumer startup bellwethers, Klarna and StubHub, have reportedly delayed their long-anticipated IPOs. Filing sector that seems to be doing ok? You guessed it: crypto. As the stock market tanked last week, Bitcoin remained relatively stable, though it dropped over the weekend. My colleague Ben Weiss and I dug through recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings to look at the performance of top crypto venture firms, including Polychain, Multicoin, Paradigm, and Haun Ventures. The data is from 2024, so it doesn't reflect the volatility of the past few months, but it still shows substantial growth in the assets under management for the VCs. You can read it here. Leo SchwartzX: @leomschwartzEmail: Submit a deal for the Term Sheet newsletter here. Nina Ajemian curated the deals section of today's newsletter. Subscribe here. This story was originally featured on Sign in to access your portfolio
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Now You Can Shop Universal Standard In 20 Nordstrom Stores
Now shoppers can try on and purchase a curated assortment of the brand's beloved wardrobe staples in sizes 12 through 32 from coast to coast. Locations include The Mall of America in Minneapolis, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Houston Galleria in Houston and Brea Mall near Los Angeles. The partnership comes on the heels of the brand reporting consistent profitability and over 30% year over year growth. As many fashion companies have quietly scaled back or shuttered their inclusive-sizing and plus-size offerings both online and in stores, Universal Standard maintains its commitment to championing size inclusivity in fashion. The partnership with Nordstrom will launch online and in stores with one of the most comprehensive size ranges from a singular women's apparel brand. 'We're excited to be growing our partnership with Universal Standard," says Emily Crandall, Senior Vice President and Head of Women's Apparel at Nordstrom. 'We're committed to making sure we can deliver great styles across the size spectrum that make customers look good and feel their best. Our partnership with Universal Standard is enabling us to make more progress in this space.' This is good news for plus-size shoppers in particular. Even though most American women are in the plus-size category, trying on garments in-store can be difficult to come by if you're outside the standard extra-small to extra-large size range. Even at the height of fashion inclusivity, many brick-and-mortar fashion brands only offered extended sizing options online. This reality requires plus-size customers to bring the experience of the fitting room to their home through having items shipped. This means more planning, longer waits, bigger spends and decreased access to the immediacy and spontaneity that straight-size shoppers are typically guaranteed. For a hypothetical plus-size shopper who's been invited to a special event and wants to wear something new, her options for shopping in-person are limited. If she has room in her budget, she can purchase multiple identical items in different sizes online, hope something fits, and return the things that don't. If her budget isn't as flexible, she may opt to purchase one item and risk the garment not fitting, which means she's starting from zero again. If the event is time-sensitive, it's easy to imagine that the experience becomes more stressful. At the time, Nordstrom was the only retailer willing to partner with the brand. It was 2017, and Veksler was traveling the country hosting size-inclusive styling pop-ups at Nordstrom locations. Today, this more integrated partnership is the first iteration of a more significant strategic wholesale push from Universal Standard, which is now set to launch with Anthropologie, Macy's, Wantables, nearly 50 boutiques across the country this year. 'I could not be more thrilled to partner with Nordstrom, one of the world's most well-established retailers, to expand our mission and make exceptional fashion accessible to more shoppers than ever before,' says Veksler. Since its inception in 2017, Universal Standard has had a strong vision for what the future of fashion should look like. This has included initiatives like developing a size chart that reflects the reality of American consumers' sizing and launching 'See It In Your Size,' a first-of-its-kind website functionality that allows customers to view core products on models of every size 00 through 40. The brand has consulted and partnered with global brands about how to be more inclusive, and introduced 'Fit Liberty,' an exchange program that allows a customer to replace pieces when their size changes. Tk Universal Standard Here's a list of locations where customers can shop in-store for Universal Standard staples:
