Queen Latifah Essence CoverQueen Latifah is awesome at everything she does. However, her latest venture -- a clothing line spanning sizes 2 through 24W called Queen Collection for the Home Shopping Network -- may be her most successful one yet. Latifah spoke to Essence magazine about being a plus-size woman today:

"A lot of manufacturers don't respect the curvaceous woman," the January cover girl told Essence. "They don't respect our dollar or our shape ... I'm happy to make women's clothing I really like."

Amen, sister. It's been a few years now, but I remember how difficult it was for me to shop for "bigger girl" clothing prior to dropping 65 pounds. It feels like just yesterday when it so totally sucked having to compromise my personal style to find items that fit right.

Hearing her talk about being curvy and looking at her clothing line, it's clear that Queen Latifah really understands what plus-size women are looking for and what makes them feel good about their bodies. See for yourself:

First up, this ever-so-cute wrap dress:

Queen latifah wrap dress

This V-Neck Dress ($99.90) also comes in black and red. For any woman, the cascading ruffle detail on the front makes this little number super flattering. Dresses like this one sold in small, medium, and large sizes used to be my go-to, making me feel instantly tinier than a pair of pants with a number size I did NOT want to see on the back tag.

Queen Latifah Blazer

For a plus-size girl, jackets are a way to instantaneously slim down, creating a sleeker silhouette. Back in the day, I had a jean jacket I couldn't stop wearing, and I remember it made me feel like a million bucks. This Suede Moto Jacket with Leather Trim ($229.90) is nothing short of amazing and makes me think of that little gem. I love the edgy flair of this Queen number, and it comes in three other neutral colors.

Queen Latifah Jeans

Hands down the hardest thing to find when you're not Jennifer Aniston slender is jeans. At my heaviest, I used to only like the way I fit into this one certain style of jeans from this one certain store. I remember going to the mall with my dad late on weeknights whenever I needed a new pair, and shedding a tear or two in the dressing room realizing that they were the biggest size the store sold.

It makes me happy to know that there are cute options out there for women like the former me, like these Stretch Denim Boot-Cut Jeans (a STEAL at $69.90). These jeans are a great shape and shade, and are available in sizes 2 through 24W. Queen Latifah, for the win!

Whether you're a size 2 or a size 24, do you find it difficult shopping for your size?

 

Image via Essence