Buying size 14-16 clothes in Japan

Hi all, Can a size 14-16 western woman find clothes to fit in Japanese stores, such as uni glo...? I am considering a year long working holiday, and don't want to have to take too many clothes with me ?

In some department stores (i.e.: Daiei, Nagazakiya), You will be able to find very limited "plus size" clothing sections, but you have to be aware that a size 14 or 16 in Japan is equivalent to maybe 12 to 14 as Japanese clothes are made for the Japanese market and are therefore usually made smaller than what westerners are use to. And also, the selection being limited, you might not always find what you are looking for.

P.S.: That might be harder if you are sent to the country side so it will be plan your shopping accordingly.

Good luck to you

Uniclo's designs are mostly unisex, and you can choose to purchase men's clothing. Also you can always order on-line from overseas shops.

Thanks for replying so quickly with the info...I had heard read about uni clo and how they have cheap, western size clothes... but then I had also read that if you're large you may not fit even their clothes... So I just wasn't sure what people meant when they wrote 'large'...! In regards to ordering clothes online...would you recommend any stores in particular ? I'm also thinking of posting some clothes left behind in Australia to myself in Japan.

Regards

Fiona

Actually, what I meant by on-line is that you may have some shops from home in mind. I don't know much about Australia, but famous American department stores like JC Penny sells everything on-line from clothes to furniture.

Also, the Japanese mail order system Sumisho Otto has classy European designs and carry larger size. Since their website seems to be only in Japanese, perhaps it would be easier to ask for a paper catalog. After you arrive to Japan, call 0120-117-010
http://www.sumisho-otto.com/store/home/home.aspx

Btw, here is Uniclo's website. Scroll down and you'll find Uniclo UK in English.
http://www.uniqlo.com/L1/main.html

Happy shopping!

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I lived in Japan 10 years ago and gained a lot of weight in 4 months. I am also very tall and the only place I could find something to fit me was in The Gap's menswear department. It is not the best place to feel good about body image. Good luck!

Maybe you could consider losing weight..??

I choose this option rather than trying to find clothes to fit me and it has totally changed my life.

Japan has many great facilities for helping you lose your extra fat, so take advantage and good luck!!

Your age will make a difference in where you want to shop online for clothing in the size you need.

Blair.com for women aged 30 and up, good deals and good quality

My friend, a girl, is 170 cm (5 foot 8) and 80kg (185 lbs). She has found clothes that fit her and she likes at Uniqlo in Japan. Sometimes they are men`s clothes (unisex) and others are women`s. She was able to buy a yukata there that fits as well. She has recently be hospitalized and I needed to go buy pajamas for her. A store called Shimamura, is a chain store found in Aichi prefecture and perhaps elsewhere, that sells cheap clothing in small and large sizes catering to a mostly japanese market. You have to remember that there are big Japanese girls in Japan as well and they are able to buy clothes here so if you search you will find them.

I am 5 foot 10 and 120lbs (175 cm and 54 kg) and I don`t have too much trouble buying clothes in Japan except for finding pants that are long enough. I can buy things at Uniqlo with no problem.

One thing you will have problems with if your feet are big is buying shoes. Big feet are anything bigger than about a size 7.5 or 8 (US size) or Japanese size 24 or 25.

Good luck

Have you thought about a tailor or seamstress? You could bring a clothing piece that you wanted copied but in a larger size, plus this way you can pick your own material! Good luck!

I'm 5'7" tall and around 80kg/185lbs. I wear a size 16 US.

If you wear this size becase your waist is not slim and you have a smaller bone structure underneath you may be able to find some "queen sized" clothes if you hunt. If you are very heavy boned and slim through the waist like I am, you will find that the shoulders, sleeves, necks, are too narrow in even large size womens clothing to fit, forget about pants skirts etc, if you have curvy hips...

Shoes: I am a woman but fit best into a men's 9 1/2 extra wide, shoes are nearly impossible, but I was able to rent men's bowling shoes 27cm -go figure!

I have found a few mens clothes mostly knit tops in "L" that fit but its hit or miss, again.

I have had no luck in uniqlo. everything is too small. but I got mens tops in Commecaisme (like Banana republic).

I am living in Okinawa...

I am a 12-16 (or M-XL) in US and I can find limited clothes in Japan...

Uniqlo, Gap, Zara I can usually find stuff in. If I am lucky sometimes I can find stuff in random stores. The main issue I have is finding jeans. I saw the other day that this website has a ''queen'' section but I have never ordered clothing from online because i'm too picky about the fit..depending on the cut, I can wear one of 3 sizes.
http://www.nissen.co.jp/cate007/

Try NEXT in Odaiba. I believe NEXT is a UK brand and the Odaiba shop carries up to a UK size 16 (U.S. 14). Be careful to try on your clothes first as they tend to `tailor` some of their suits to better fit Japanese body types.

This is my biggest problem living in Japan, especially as I'm taller than average.
I was a UK 16 (US 14) and found it difficult to find clothes to fit, still do even though I lost weight(I recommend this for many reasons) to a UK 12-14. Uniqlo's tops fit but the sleeves are short, as for trousers and skirts - too short and are not cut for western hips. I find the Gap clothes ugly, but that's down to taste. Department stores L clothes are frumpy and expensive.
I either buy from mail order abroad or I stock up at home.

I'm a 14-16 and I was able to find jeans at covely. I dont know how many locations they have but I only know of the nakano one.

go out the north exit of nakano station and go down the enclosed shopping street and its on the left right before the mcdonalds. The larger sizes are on the second floor.

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/suzutan/c/0000000104/

I live in japan, I am an Australian size 12- 14.
At first I just presumed that no clothes would fit me, but after a while I got pretty desperate for new clothes and started to look.
I found it easy to buy top, jumpers etc but difficult to buy pants.
I think if you live in a fairly popular place with tourists etc then it would be easier,
but surely you will meet and make friends with other westerners over there, so make use of it!
ask them where they do there shopping etc.

Thanks everyone... I asked my question in 2004 so no longer require any more input ..... as I'm not going to Japan !!! Thanks

Hi Fiona,

I found this post useful as a soon to be traveller heading to Japan in the next month or so. So if anyone has any other tips please keep posting them as I'm sure I'm not the only one interested :)

Cheers,
Amber