Fashion hasn’t always been my thing. When I was in high school, bands tees and jeans were pretty much my everyday go-to. College wasn’t much different, as comfort is definitely key when you have a 8 a.m. class or have to be on campus all day.

Then I started gaining weight— a lot of it. I know now why, but at the time all I knew was that my body was changing uncontrollably, and jeans and t-shirts just didn’t flatter it anymore. I couldn’t shop at some of the stores I used to frequent. I was at a loss. How could I dress this new body of mine… and where could I find the clothes to do it?

That is where these stores come in. They have helped me feel comfortable and confident because they offer amazingly cute clothes in a wide variety of sizes. From business-wear to dressy to casual, these stores will suit your need and, hopefully, your own unique style.

ASOS Curve is where I turn when I want to try out a new trend or purchase some staples for my wardrobe. Their brand of jeans fit so well, you will want to cry. They run a size or two big, so you need to size down, but once that is out of the way you will love the way these jeans make you feel. Their dresses and tops are great, too, and run from casual and trendy to so dressy you don't know if you will ever have a chance to wear it. And, of course, you have all kinds of accessories to choose from in both the plus size and straight size sections.

ModCloth is just the best. It is where I purchased a last-minute dress for my friend's wedding (remember that?) and I've made a couple of other purchases since then. Everything is great quality, and the t-shirts are so soft-- and as an added bonus, ModCloth lets other people upload pictures of them in the clothes. So you can just swipe through the gallery and find someone similar in size and shape to you and see if a piece is your style or not!

Torrid used to be the only place I would shop. And while I still love a lot of their stuff, now I mainly purchase jeans and blazers. Seriously, if you need a blazer for any reason, they will have you covered-- and still looking good. But their dresses and tops are gorgeous as well, and you can almost always find a sale or coupon code to use!

rue21is a recent favorite of mine. They just opened a store nearby and, boy, was I in for a shock when I went in. The plus sized clothes were front and center-- not in a dark back corner somewhere (you know what I'm talking about!). And there was so much to choose from. I ended up leaving the store with two tops, to pairs of pants, two pairs of flats and then some, and I have been wearing them all out ever since. And right now they have some really nice plaid shirts for fall... which reminds me, I need to stock up.

Honorable Mentions: SimplyBe, pricey but unique and cute; CJ Banks, more conservative, but good for basics; Ulla Popken, for more conservative women who still want to look cute as hell.

Ladies, where are your favorite places to shop? Any surprising finds?