MY OPINION
Evans to me feels like a store that values its…read morecustomers. There are few highstreet retailers who design solely for plus size women, and Evans is the best of them all. The clothes are actually designed and modelled in the design stage by plus size women, and all the literature contains the same models. The shops are always centrally located, with disabled friendly access. The store's are all fitted out pretty much the same, with wide spaces between the stands, racks and display tables, which is good for both the larger lady, wheelchairs and buggies. The changing rooms are large lady friendly too, bigger rooms, large mirrors and comfy stools, with buzzers for assistance.
I've always found the sales advisors to be professional, offering useful and honest help and advice where needed and have always seemed knowledgable of current fashion trends. I was recently in store looking for a wedding guest outfit and a member of staff spent over an hour with me helping pick out an entire outfit- shoes, tights, trousers, top, bag and jewellery. She walked around the store with me as well as running around getting different items for me to try to complete the look. I think that's a true example of customer care and actually wrote to Evans HQ congratulating them on her excellent service. All the staff seem to appreciate that larger women are likely to have body image issues, and don't push certain styles on you, instead work within your comfort zone clothes wise. I think it's brilliant how many larger ladies actually work at the store too, you get to see the clothes on real life women, and they appreciate your position too and know what's truley flattering and what's just fashionable.
ONLINE
Evans are also online, which is great if youre very busy or can't face the shops. The site is easy to navigate and you can buy everything that's instore, with the bonus of internet only offers.
LINES AND VARIETY
Offering workwear, sportswear, going out and casual tops, jeans, wide fittings shoes, boots and sandals, dresses, skirts and trousers, lingerie and nightwear and hoisery, swimwear, bags, jewellery, belts and accessories both online and instore, it can be a one stop shop for wardrobe needs. There are dozens of designs of any item eg tops, so it's not to find something you like and there are also choices of colour within the same design on some lines, so variety is very good.
PRICING AND QUALITY AND SIZING
I find as with many the things the more you spend the better the item, so with knitwear I buy items with wool added, and have been very happy with some £20 jumpers I bought, whereas I bought a £10 acrylic only jumper which creased and bobbled quickly, but it's to be expected from the fabric and price. I find the jumpers to come up large, so buy a size down. The t-shirts are great value at any price, sizes are spot on, the fabric seems much of a muchness, washes well, keeps its shape and are from £5 for plain tops upwards to £25 for logo tops. I am too tall to wear any of the trousers which only go to a 33inch leg, so cannot comment on them. The skirts however avereage £20-£30 and are excellent quality, long lasting and well sized. Daywear dresses are around £30, well fitting and good quality, though mostly fashionable styles so don't expect a season to season dress. I always buy macs from Evans, at around £50 I think it's excellent value, and they are water resistant. I do howvere by a size up as I like to have room to move rather than semi fitting styles. The lingerie is beautiful for plus sizes, very pretty or very functional depending on your needs and well priced with sets coming in around £30-£40- remember to get measured everytime you go. The nightwear is well sized too, around £15 for a nice nighty, or £20 for pjs and again I buy baggy styles for bed but the actual size fits me well enough, I'm just fussy.
To summarise, it's good value for what you pay, well fitting, reasnobly priced, the staff are excellent and the store is easy to navigate- and there's the online option too.
