Toni Plus The Core
I had the wonderful pleasure of attending the Toni Plus grand opening at The Core in downtown Calgary this past weekend. I was so excited to welcome and, most importantly, celebrate the addition of a plus size retailer in a city where plus size fashion needs more cultivating. The fashion scene in Calgary is new and dynamic; however, little attention is being paid to plus size consumers. This has plagued me since moving here from the extremely diverse fashion world of Toronto and I have been working really hard to show Calgary that plus size women have style too. With the addition of Toni Plus to the Core, plus size fashion is now perfectly positioned to begin influencing the voice of fashion here within the city.
One of the first things that struck me about this store was the level of luxury that was felt almost immediately. From the gold and brass accents to the crown molding and intricately laid tile floors, this store brings a level of elegance to the plus size shopping experience. This is really important because as a plus size women, the shopping experience can quickly become overwhelming. We often times find ourselves sifting through racks of the same kinds of cookie cutter clothing in a dimly lit back corner labeled “Special Sizes”. Toni Plus brings our needs to the forefront, curating unique collections and fostering a positive shopping experience.
Toni Plus’ retail philosophy circulates around providing the most personal shopping experience. With new stock arriving weekly and all merchandise available displayed at the front of the store, you are getting a unique boutique-like shopping experience for high end clothing options right in the heart of downtown. Without even touching the pieces, I could immediately tell that they were great quality and made to stay in your closet through many season. I would define the pieces offered by Toni Plus as luxury plus size clothing, falling into the realm of Hey Gorgeous NY and Universal Standard without the big department store feel.
One of the coolest parts of this new store is an area that is often taken for granted – the change rooms. As a plus sized woman, Lord knows the amount of lack luster change rooms that have nearly brought my to tears. I have walked into that were not big enough for me to even twirl around in, change rooms with weak lighting and change rooms with mirrors half the size of my thighs. The change rooms at this Toni Plus location cater to the plus size woman, providing spacious and beautifully lit spaces were one can truly appreciate the piece you are shopping for. It is actually quite amazing how much more confident you feel when you are able to move around comfortably when trying on piece. As a huge proponent of fabric movement, being able to walk comfortably within the change rooms in front of a fall length mirror allows me the luxury of seeing how a piece will flow and how it will move with me, all in the privacy of beautiful change rooms.
I’d like to extend the warmest thank yous to the ladies at Toni Plus The Core. Thank you for inviting me into our beautiful store and for shinning a light on plus size fashion here in the city. If you want to treat yourself to something nice or want a blazer to slay an interview in, this is the store for you!