I have big boobs, a big bum, and a big belly - which can make shopping for clothes on the high street a little difficult , not just because of the low availability of plus sized clothes in some stores, but also the indignity of waddling out of a changing room in too-tight jeans to ask for a larger size .

So, when I saw an advert for Fashion World telling me that their clothes went up to a size 32, I figured that this might be just the place to get some funky new kit to cover my size 22 body .

The company are part of the J D Williams group, a large range of online/home shopping companies - and once you have an account with one, you can use that account to order from any of their websites - something I found pretty useful - more on that later .

The site is fairly simple and uncluttered - The sites logo in a nice got pink colour in the top left, and clear links to the various departments along the top and side . In the centre of the page the latest special offers are highlighted, and further down there are links to other shops under the same parent company . Although fashion world does sell menswear and home furnishings, the main feel of the site is distinctly female .

In the top right of the page there are links to your wishlist, your shopping back, and checkout etc .

Clicking on any category will bring up a list of subcategories - for example, clicking on womenswear will then give you a selection of choices, including lingerie, skirts, trousers, jackets etc . From there, click on what you're looking for, and if you find a product you like, there's usually the option to see it in all colour variations by clicking under the photo . Then, if you like it, simply add it to your cart.

Now, click on checkout - if you don't yet have an account, this is where you'll be prompted to sign up for one , a simple matter of home address, email address, contact phone number etc . You'll then have two options, pay by card, or set up a customer account to be paid off in monthly installments. They offered me a £150 credit account straight away , which, although I welcome, seems a little odd that I wasn't subjected to any credit checks.

If you do go for the customer account option, as I did, you'll be sent a monthly statement, although I find it much easier to pay it off online - especially as the site helpfully remembers my card details, so all I need remember is my security code .

You can also track your orders which is useful, since you can tell when items have been despatched to you , and also when items you return have been recieved by them .

The variety of clothing I find quite good - there are all kinds of styles - evening wear, casual combats, comfy summer dresses - and they all went up to my size . Lingerie shopping in particular was more fun for me than usual, as they had plenty of nice bras that could comfortable house my mega-norks without making me look like I'd stolen the bra of my grandmother. The fashion is quite up to date, and I definately feel the site is primarily aimed at women below 50.

The ranges in other sections are not so huge, but the main reason I used fashion world was for the clothes . Ordering was simple, although I did find my mouse would occasionally select the wrong size from the scrolling size bar thingy , so I had to keep double checking. Everything I ordered
generally arrived within 3-5 days , although I did order one item that was despatched directly from the manufacturer, and this took 6 days (the site does inform you it will take longer though, so no hidden shocks).

All my clothing packages arrived in good condition, and I was very happy with the products . I did have to return one item due to it being a little too tight, and this was simply a case of sellotaping a returns label to the parcel and dumping it off at the post office .

I did recently order a chest of drawers that got damaged in transit , and I phoned them up and arranged for the courier to come and collect it . They came the next day, and took it away with no problems, even though my attempt to get everything back in the box hadn't been too successful and it was roughly the size and shape of a small hippo after my attempts to get it all secured . The credited my account back with the money immediately, and, as the product had been faulty, refunded the delivery charge too .

I do like shopping on this site, although for me, it wasn't quite the same as browsing through an actual catalogue - so, I asked them to send me a catalogue too, which they did, and update every few months . I like the site and its simplicity, I like that it remembers my card details making it easier for me to pay. I like that I can make a wishlist of things I intend to buy for the future .

What I REALLY like is my account being spread over all the other sites owned by the same company, and that the website links to them . I've found one I particularly like, Velvet Affair , which sells some slightly more risque items (adults only) and I've ordered a few things from there . This is where the wish list comes in handy - it stretches across all the sites, so I can add things on various sites and then order through one at the end . Very very simple - and with the sites offering all sorts from home furnishings to clothes for the larger man (which my fella undoubtedly is) i'll definately be using the cross site feature again in the future .

Overall, I've had a very positive experience shopping through Fashion World . Orders arrive quickly, and are easy to return if they are incorrect or damaged . Customer services staff on the phone are extremely polite, and, when I returned the damaged furniture item, they even gave me a 10% discount code to redeem against my next order with them

I'll definitely be shopping with them again in the future, and recommend them highly . The only thing I'm slightly doubtful off is the instant offer of 150 to spend on the site , which may not always be the best thing for people struggling with finances . Overall though, a very positive shopping experience .