In all of Thailand there is only one place that caters to plus sized women. In an article in Compass Magazine, a Chiang Mai publication for ex-pat residents of Thailand it was mentioned. That shop was located only half a block from our Chiang Mai hotel. Now I ask you, how could I not visit the only store in all of Thailand that sells large sizes. The store is called XXL, and the merchandise, although large, has no sizes written on it. You just have to look the garment over and if the size looks promising, you try it on. There were no labels on the clothes, either, which made me think that they were hand made for the store. Too bad my Thai and the owner's English didn't allow the discussion of such matters. First a green print blouse that was in the window appealed to Carlos, but it just didn't look right on me. There was a really gorgeous black knit top with feathers and sequins around the neck, but it had a band on the bottom of it, and I don't like those hip bands. I looked the length of the blouse over and realized that if I had the band removed, the blouse would be shorter than I like a top to be. Then I found a pretty salmon colored top that is not my usual style, but Carlos liked the color and when I tried it on I noticed that the style is very slenderizing. So I bought it. The owner of the shop was a lot of fun, and she and Carlos went on and on about how he had to have a discount and she offered him a 9 baht discount, which is about 11 cents US. Before we left, her friend arrived and we visited with them for a while.l Her friend wanted to take a photo of us, and we suggested the owner pose with us. After taking that photo, she insisted on taking a photo of us by ourselves. In spots around the shop there are photos of large sized Thai women. There is a poster of the contestants in Miss Jumbo Thailand and a photo of the winner. I wonder where all those jumbo women buy their clothes. I guess they keep the seamstresses busy.
Click a picture to see a larger view.
The Window of the Shop
The Blouse Carlos Liked
Carlos and the Owner
Pretty Flowers in the Shop
The Salmon Blouse I Bought
Joking Around in the Store and in Front of It
Lovely Large Thai Ladies
Miss Jumbo Thai Contest
