River Island Plus Size: What Can You Actually Buy Up to a Size 22?

Plus size fashion at River Island goes further than I realised. The high-street retailer currently carries a sizeable selection of clothing up to a UK 22, including tops, dresses, knitwear, trousers, coats, jackets and jeans.

River Island probably isn’t the first name that springs to mind when you think of plus size shopping. It certainly wasn’t for me. But if you wear up to a UK 22, there is much more hiding on the website than you might expect.

The retailer now has a dedicated plus size section covering everything from everyday basics to workwear, occasion dresses and going-out pieces. You can shop tops, knitwear, trousers, jeans, coats and jackets as well as dresses, jumpsuits, skirts and more.

And this isn’t just a token handful of pieces buried at the bottom of the website. There are plenty of styles across the current range, with a useful selection available in sizes 18, 20 and 22.

So, is River Island really plus size?

This is where a little perspective is useful.

River Island currently goes up to a UK 22, so its range sits at the lower end of what we'd usually call plus size. If you need a 24, 26, 28 or above, this unfortunately isn't going to solve your wardrobe problems.

But for women around sizes 18–22 who sometimes find themselves caught between standard high-street sizing and specialist plus size retailers, it does add another place to look.

What can you buy?

Quite a lot, actually.

There are casual tops and T-shirts, cardigans and jumpers, smart trousers and tailoring, jeans, coats, dresses for everyday wear and plenty of more dressed-up options.

That makes River Island particularly interesting if your wardrobe sits somewhere between “I need something decent for work” and “I've been invited somewhere and everything I own suddenly looks wrong.”

There's currently a new-customer offer too

Worth adding to your plus size shopping list?

If you're above a size 22, River Island still has a considerable way to go before it becomes genuinely useful to the wider plus size market.

But if you're an 18, 20 or 22, it's worth knowing the range exists.

There are enough styles available now that River Island is another high-street option to add to the rotation — particularly for fashion-led pieces, workwear, denim and those occasions when you want something a little smarter than your everyday wardrobe.

And I'll be keeping an eye on what appears in the range, because there are definitely a few pieces here that could make their way into future Plus Mode outfits.