Just Opened

Evangeline

by Aly Semigran

520 S. Fourth St., 215-922-3536, evangelineplus.com

For plus-size shoppers who won't surrender to Sears, finding clothes isn't an easy task. Luckily for the curvaceous chicks of Philly who want more than cute accessories, Evangeline has arrived. Owner Amy Wuelfing and her friend of more than 25 years, Mollie Malloy (who is also the manager), moved their store from its previous location in Chestnut Hill to, as Wuelfing calls it, the "younger, funkier and friendlier" South Street shopping area. The boutique — which carries labels such as Gayla Bentley, Spin and Kiyonna as well as the magical SPANX — reopened for business on Valentine's Day.

According to both women, better plus-size options are a must in Philly. "Shopping in Lane Bryant? I hated it. It was all elastic waistbands and polyester," says Malloy. Adds Wuelfing, "I've always wondered why plus-size women have to miss out on the boutique experience. These women need a great place to shop, too."