My Brutally Honest Review After Testing City Chic Dresses as a Size 16

After a decade testing the latest apps and websites at top Silicon Valley companies, I have crazy high standards. If your UX contains even a tiny glitch or slow load time, I‘ll call you out quick.

So when I recently turned my expert evaluator skills towards plus-size clothing brands, faults became obvious instantly. Ill-fitting dresses with major quality issues abound in this category. But could the popular Australian brand City Chic pass my rigorous examination?

I spent over $750 of my own cash and hours of testing to find out. Keep reading for my unsponsored and unfiltered take as a size 16 shopper.

Background: Taking City Chic From Aussie Boutique to 200+ Global Stores

Back in 1999 long before I ever tried them myself, City Chic started off small – just a single Sydney shop launched by owners Gary Perlstein and Ian Miller. But their mission to make trendy plus-size clothing struck a major chord even from the beginning.

Word of their figure-flattering and femme styles spread quickly. City Chic began expanding beyond Australian borders to serve curvy fashionistas worldwide.

Today, City Chic now operates over 200 retail stores globally across the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Impressively, they‘ve achieved all this largely through word-of-mouth buzz and social media.

But could their clothes truly live up to all the internet hype? With my tightest pair of Spanx firmly in place, I decided to order a range of City Chic items and judge for myself.

Sizing Up the Truth: My Experience Trying 10 Different Dresses

Thanks to my day job testing websites, running an experiment of this scale didn‘t faze me one bit. Methodically, I selected 10 popular City Chic dress styles spanning different seasons, fabrics, and silhouettes.

In true excess, my cart total exceeded $750. But when scientific testing calls, no price is too steep! I clicked purchase and awaited the influx of fancy frocks.

As soon as the shipment arrived, I began meticulously evaluating each dress on my size 16 frame. Over several weeks, I rated everything from construction and quality to versatility and comfort on a strict 1-10 scale.

Here‘s my detailed breakdown of how each City Chic dress measured up:

Formalwear: Mostly Glam with a Few Snags

I first tried two of City Chic‘s popular sequined evening gowns – the black Glimmer Nights Maxi and the ruby red Luxe Glimmer Nights. Both dazzled me right out of the box with their megawatt shine! Slithering into them felt deliciously fancy.

However, their slim shoulder straps dug into my flesh painfully, no matter how I adjusted. This satisfied bling lover in me but made my practical side groan. Considering I just spent over $350 between these two delicate dresses, I expect total comfort.

But after donning some pashminas over my shoulders, suddenly I felt ready to sparkle confidently all night long. Perhaps I could overlook slight wardrobe malfunctions when I look and feel this fab.

Glimmer Nights Maxi Dress
Price: $100
Rating: 7/10

Luxe Glimmer Nights Gown
Price: $100
Rating: 8/10

Next up was a similarly flashy sequined pick, the Eternal Shimmer Maxi Dress. Rather than thin ties, this gown featured a thicker halter neck that felt far more supportive of my chest. The overall construction also impressed me with sturdy seamwork and structured boning.

Twirling before my full-length mirror, I decided this little black dress deserved VIP status amongst my wardrobe. It became an instant classic I know I‘ll rewear again and again for years. Worth every penny of its $180 price tag!

Eternal Shimmer Maxi Dress
Price: $180
Rating: 10/10

Wedding Guest: Pretty But Wrinkle-Prone

Having tested my fair share of ecommerce sites for clients, I regularly attend weddings across the globe these days. Finding cute plus-size guest dresses usually requires an exhaustive search.

So I felt hopeful unzipping the blush pink English Garden Dress from City Chic. The sweet floral print and off-the-shoulder smocked neckline seemed ideal for summer ceremonies. I could already envision wearing it boozing at receptions in some glam vineyard or beachfront venue.

Slipping it on, I adored how the silky fabric skimmed my curves without frumpily draping over them. It flattered my hourglass shape while still remaining professional enough for even church events. Truly a versatile wedding guest dress!

My only gripe was the polyester shell material wrinkled easily during shipping. But thankfully a few minutes with my steamer smoothed things out beautifully. At $68 on sale, I‘d happily stock up on multiple colors for my heavy wedding circuit.

English Garden Dress
Price: $68
Rating: 9/10

Casualwear: Comfy Yet Boring Basics

Given my flashy red carpet tastes, I typically scorn basic casual dresses. But in the spirit of thoroughly testing City Chic, I selected two of their best-selling casual options:

Casual Sweet Fling Dress: An unexciting but comfortable ribbed tank dress. Great for grabbing Sunday brunch with friends but I likely won‘t reach for it often.

Price: $36
Rating: 7/10

Cocktail Love Pleat Dress: Awkward midi length with an unflattering pintuck skirt. Matronly peach shade does me no favors. Destined for Poshmark almost immediately.

Price: $57
Rating: 3/10

Suffice to say, City Chic‘s casual selection failed to impress me overall. If I want true weekend wear, I‘ll stick to leggings and oversized tops for maximum comfort.

How City Chic Compares to Similar Plus-Size Retailers

As an seasoned expert reviewing all types of online businesses, I always benchmark companies against their competitors. So I plotted City Chic‘s prices, size ranges, and construction quality against two popular alternatives.

Here‘s an at-a-glance visual comparison to help you decide the best brand for your needs and budget:

Key Factors	City Chic	Eloquii	Torrid
Size Range	12-24	14-28	10-30
Avg. Dress Price	$50-$250	$100-$300	$60-$120
Construction/Fabric	Mid-grade	Premium	Low to mid-grade
Style Selection	Broad	Modern trendy	Young edgy styles
Shipping Time	7-14 days	3-4 days	5-10 days
Return Policy	90 days	30 days	30-60 days

My verdict: For shoppers size 14-24 seeking trendy dresses under $150, City Chic comes out as the winner thanks to affordable pricing paired with decent quality. If you‘ve got the cash and smaller proportions, splurge on Eloquii instead for luxe fabrics and construction.

Speaking of Cash – Tips For Scoring Deals at City Chic

Now just because I emptied my bank account testing City Chic clothes doesn‘t mean you have to! Take it from a seasoned online shop pro – use these smart tricks to save major money:

• Check the sale & outlet section first
• Sign up for email alerts – I get 20-25% off coupons regularly
• Buy out-of-season items on clearance
• Shop gently used at Poshmark and Mercari resale sites
• Time purchases right before the biannual sample sales for crazy markdowns!

Pro tip: If you see something you love, grab it fast because sizes and inventory go quick!

My Final Verdict: Yay or Nay to City Chic?

After putting 20+ outfits and over $750 worth of clothes to the test, I reached an ultimate verdict. Drumroll please…

I hereby declare City Chic an enthusiastic YAY!

Now don‘t get me wrong – they aren‘t without flaws. A few casual dresses totally missed the mark style-wise and needed alterations for the best fit. I also think they could step up fabric choices to compete with premium brands like Eloquii.

But considering the mid-range price bracket, City Chic ultimately won me over with:

✅ Modern glamorous styles perfect for dates and events

✅ Smoothing and supportive fits

✅ Trend-forward prints, textures and colors

✅ Size inclusivity up to size 24

So if you‘re a fab plus-size fashionista on a budget, I strongly encourage giving City Chic a try yourself. Find me gazing adoringly at their newest arrivals and raving to all my curvy friends!

Have you shopped City Chic before? Share your reviews and questions in the comments below!