Anna Scholz is still one of the most interesting plus designers out there in that she’s among the very few that design true plus size couture. While regular readers of this blog know that I don’t necessarily agree with some of her interpretations of modern style, for the most part I think she’s a genuinely good designer who mostly respects her target clients. And American philistine that I may be, I suspect that some of my international readers are among those who would share my assessments the most closely. In mainstream fashion, Europe and Japan usually set the trends - but in plus size fashion, all trends are almost culturally universal if you live in the West.

It’s hard to guess at any artist’s inner vision, and it seems like the 2008 summer line is according to trend - I see a lot of ruffles, and prints - both items that regular blog posters here object to, and with which I usually agree. I still contend that a print can actually be a figure flattering phenomenon when done correctly, but given the extreme variations in body type amidst plus sizes some of the pieces in this collection would require a whole lot of tailoring to make that happen, and with pricing ranging in what would be roughly $3-500 a piece, the population that can buy any of these works will probably have a tailor on-hand - but for people like me who would buy the piece on consignment, that’s a further complication and expense most easily avoided by avoiding prints.

But, beyond splash and ruffles there is as always some just plain awesome design, and given the manageable navigation of the site, it’s not hard to pick them out from the jungle of prints.

This is my hands down favorite of her summer line. It’s a jersey wrap in a color I love (easy to accessorize) and the sleeves are a fabulous design touch. It looks both elegant and comfortable. If I weren’t saving my money for custom-width boots, I’d totally be combing consignment shops for this (or seeing what I could do to bribe a Nordstrom’s employee.)

OK kids, before you start, let me remind you that we at Fat Chic do not think for a minute that darker colors are more figure flattering than lighter ones. It’s all in how you carry yourself and how you take care of the garment. I’m always on the lookout for good linen pants in the summer - I hate how I look in capris and I am not about to wear shorts at my age. Anna does us a wonderful service by providing lovely linen pants. For the bargain hunters among us, think of it as a trickle-down effect: now that she’s reintroduced such a comfort to plus size fashion, the consumer-fashion producers in your budget ranges can pick it up.

I think the way this was photographed on the model on the website against a dark background made it lose a little something. Artistic photographs are wonderful, but it’s still important to actually see the clothing (a conversation being had in increasing frequently with the photographers at W.) That said - this is one of those long-term potential garments, that you can keep in your closet and wear for many many years because it’s highly adaptable to both office and social situations. I personally am picturing wearing a ruffled-wrist lace blouse underneath and playing pirate, but I’m sure the more conservative can think of a way to wear it that wouldn’t involve an eye patch and pillaging reception.

Out of curiosity I went through the clearance section and this top jumped out on me because it is materially different from just about everything in the Scholz line. I think it’s interesting, and it would definitely appeal to the indie/punk set - I’ve seen instructions in T-shirt surgery books to do exactly this kind of thing. I like it because it incorporates ruffles without placing the ruffles over the most unflattering zones; it’s all about visual interest and challenging the assumptions about clothing with a very slight shift.

Look past the prints, and you will find treasure. Remember, this is couture - it’s about quality, which matters so much more than price. (And when in doubt, it’s about knowing where the best consignment stores are.)