Most ski and snowboard jackets fail curvy women. That's not because ski jackets are hard to make. It's because they've been made for one body type for decades: straight cut, narrow shoulders, nothing going on at the hip. If you've ever wrestled into a jacket that fitted your shoulders but pulled across your chest, or looked fine on the hanger but strained over your hips on the chairlift, that's the jacket's fault, not yours.
Here's what to look for, and the one jacket we'd stake our reputation on.
What makes a ski jacket work for a curvy body
Curvy women, meaning those with a fuller bust, a defined waist-to-hip ratio, or hips wider than their shoulders, need specific features that most technical and even most inclusive ski brands skip.
Bust fit. A straight-cut jacket pulls across the chest when you move your arms, which is most of skiing. Look for articulated panels or bust gussets that give you room to move without the jacket riding up.
Hip coverage. If your hips are wider than your waist, a standard hem will ride up when you sit or crouch. A dropped back hem and hip gussets solve this.
Waist shaping. You shouldn't have to choose between fitting your shoulders and swimming in fabric around your waist. A drawcord or cinch system lets you shape the jacket to you rather than to the pattern block.
Size range. A token UK 16 or XL as the largest option doesn't count. You want the same cut across an inclusive size range, with consistent sizing all the way through, graded specifically for curvy and plus-size bodies.
The Anna Snow Jacket
Our Anna Snow Jacket was built for exactly this.
Discreet, lockable bust gussets let you open up room across the chest and cup as you need it, and give you full arm movement without pulling across the front. A bigger bust no longer means sizing up for your chest and swimming in the jacket everywhere else.
Hip gussets on each side let you wear your actual size and widen the hip without undoing the front zip. If you've got wider hips, you no longer have to size up or put up with a jacket bunching over them.
The back hem drops lower than the front, so it sits properly over your hips when you ride, sit and move. An internal waist adjustment lets you cinch to your actual waist rather than the seam.
Technical spec: 20,000mm waterproof, 20,000g breathability, fully seam sealed, helmet-compatible hood. That's the same spec as jackets selling for twice the price in ski shops that didn't bother to fit you.
Available in UK 6 to 24 in nine colourways: Black, Iridescent Gum, Sun Dusk, Hope, Montana, Prism Split, Leopard Lick, Splink and Lumi Noir.
Prefer a pullover shell? Our Sesi Snow Anorak has the same 20K/20K spec and adjusts to your body shape.
How to choose your size
Our full range of plus-size ski wear runs UK 6–24, jackets included. The Anna runs true to size across the range. If you're between sizes, size down: the internal waist system brings it in without compromising fit across the shoulders or chest, and the gussets give you room where you need it.
Not sure? Our ski jacket size guide will help you find your size, based on years of fitting experience.
What to wear with it
If you carry your weight through the middle with an apple shape, our Beatrice Snow Pant was designed for you, with extra room through the waist and a tapered leg, in Short and Regular leg lengths.
For curvier hourglass and pear shapes, our Zali Snow Pant and Mila Snow Pant come in Short, Regular and Tall leg lengths. Both also come as salopettes (bibs) if you'd rather have the extra coverage. Our plus-size ski trousers guide explains which style suits which shape.
Every style here runs UK 6–24. Browse them together in our plus-size women's ski and snowboard outerwear, see the full range of ski and snowboard jackets and anoraks, or build a full kit with our outfit creator. For what goes underneath, read our guide to what to wear skiing.
The barrier was never the woman. It was the gear.