City Chic Plus Size Review: Four Dresses, One Sizing Identity Crisis
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I recently ordered four dresses from City Chic, and this City Chic plus size review ended up being about a lot more than just fit and fabric. My body has been changing over time, and for a long while I'd settled into wearing a size 26. This particular order was genuinely an experiment: my measurements seemed to be trending closer to a size 22, so I ordered accordingly, uncertain the entire time whether that decision was correct. If you've ever found yourself unsure what size to order because your body doesn't match what you're used to anymore, this review might resonate with you as much as it's meant to help with the actual clothes.
I filmed the full try-on process on YouTube, so if you want to see how each dress actually fits and moves, the complete video is linked in this post. If you're reading first, here's the full breakdown, plus some general information about City Chic as a brand for anyone considering shopping there for the first time.
What Is City Chic?
City Chic is a plus size focused fashion brand known for feminine, often occasion-ready pieces, tiered skirts, wrap silhouettes, tie details, and a lot of genuinely romantic, wearable designs. If you're someone who leans toward dresses that can transition from casual to dressed-up depending on how you accessorize, City Chic tends to deliver on that versatility. Based on this order and my prior experience with the brand, City Chic's sizing has historically run a little generous, meaning their listed size 24 has usually been roomy rather than snug, at least in my prior experience wearing a size 26.
Why This City Chic Plus Size Review Is Also a Sizing Experiment
Before diving into each individual dress, it's worth explaining the context a bit more, because it directly affects how you should read the fit notes below. My hips are currently sitting closer to what used to be my size 26 fit, while my bust has shifted closer to a 24. That kind of in-between, non-uniform body change makes shopping genuinely confusing, since a single size on a chart doesn't necessarily reflect every part of your body evenly anymore. I ordered a size 22 for this haul specifically to test where I actually land with City Chic right now, and the results were genuinely mixed, which tells its own story about their sizing.
The Dresses I Tried
I expected this dress to be a bright coral pink based on the product photos, but it's actually a more muted, cinnamon-toned red, which I ended up loving regardless. The fit told me a lot about where my body currently sits: it was tight through the hips, since that part of my body is still closer to a 26, while the bust was generous, closer to fitting a 24 comfortably or even slightly loose. The lining isn't stretchy, which meant no squatting or sitting comfortably in this dress as-is. If I were a consistent size 24 throughout my whole body, I think this would have been a genuinely perfect fit. The stretch through the bust and sleeves was excellent, the tiered skirt detail is beautiful, and it does have pockets. This is a case where the dress itself is well made, it simply didn't align with my current in-between proportions.
This tropical print, fully wrapped maxi dress is genuinely gorgeous and perfect for a vacation setting, but I could not get the bust area to sit modestly enough no matter how I adjusted it. I'm not sure if sizing up to a 24 would solve this, or if it's simply how the wrap style is structured regardless of size. If the top layer wrapped a bit further, roughly six inches more coverage, I think this dress would be flawless. As it stands, I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing it as a standalone dress, but it would make a genuinely excellent swimsuit cover-up for anyone comfortable with that level of coverage over their suit underneath.
This one is cute and quite short, worth noting if you're taller than my 5'2" frame since it will likely run even shorter on you. My dress arrived with one button missing, which was a noticeable quality control miss, though an easy fix if you plan to keep the piece. The front buttons all come undone, so you can adjust modesty level to your preference, and there's stretch through the sleeves plus a waist tie for cinching. It's a fun, breezy summer dress, though I'd recommend chafing shorts or shorts underneath given how easily it can reveal more than intended.
This dress looked more structured in photos than it felt in person. There's a faux stitching detail on the front that's a cute touch, but the overall proportions felt slightly off to me, almost like the bust portion runs a bit too long or comes up strangely high. It didn't fully cover my bra as intended. On the positive side, the lining is properly stitched into the slit portion of the dress, which prevents that awkward see-through lining issue I've run into with other brands. It also has pockets. Of the four dresses in this haul, this is the most formal option, though the Ariella dress could also be dressed up depending on styling.
Overall City Chic Plus Size Review Verdict
Here's the honest truth: I ultimately couldn't tell whether these fit issues were about the garments themselves or about my body currently being in an unpredictable in-between stage. What I can say confidently is that this experience reinforced my belief that City Chic runs a size larger than listed. Based on this haul, I'd estimate I'm currently closer to a true size 24 at City Chic specifically, even though that number will likely keep shifting for a while longer.
If you're shopping City Chic and your body has stayed relatively consistent, I'd still recommend sizing based on the more generous end of their chart rather than assuming true-to-size. If your body is currently changing the way mine is, expect an experimentation period, and don't be discouraged if the first order isn't quite right.
Final Thoughts
If you've been curious about City Chic, or if you're navigating your own confusing in-between sizing season like I currently am, I hope this honest, detailed review helped. And if you want to see all four dresses in motion, including full try-on footage, check out the complete video on YouTube here.
If you enjoyed this kind of honest, detailed review, I have several other plus size brand try-ons and reviews on the blog covering everything from everyday basics to special occasion pieces. Feel free to browse around and see what other brands I've put to the test, sizing notes, fit quirks, and all:
Dangerfield Plus Size Review: Plus Size Alternative Clothing
Affordable Plus Size Amazon Dresses
Plus Size BloomChic Review: Pool Day Try-On, Honest Fit Notes
Until next time,