INDIANAPOLIS -- Plus-size clothing is big business for many retailers, with sales that reached $47 billion last year, but finding a stylish look can be a challenge.

The latest fashions are easily found in fliers and on mannequins in store windows. The models are thin, but most women in Indiana are full-figured.

On average, Hoosier women typically wear size 14 to 16 clothing. Black is the most popular color for women who want to look slimmer, Staying Healthy's Stacia Matthews reported.

"That's the most we all have in our closets," said Debbie Moseley of Sherezz Fashions, a boutique on Indianapolis' northwest side. "It works every time, every woman, every size, every occasion, every season."

Clinton Kelly, a TV host on "What Not To Wear," told Matthews in an interview provided through Macy's that black isn't necessarily the magic color for plus-size women.

"Black can be a great option if it fits well and if it's cut well. But, if it's just baggy and oversized, you might look like you're wearing a Hefty bag, and that's not slimming, is it?" Kelly said.

Kelly said fit and fabric is key when camouflaging flaws. Women should stay away from clingy fabrics and move toward larger accessories.

"They (smaller accessories) make you look bigger in proportion to them. So, keep the accessories a little bit bigger," Kelly said.

Kelly and Moseley agreed that designers are trying to accommodate the plus-size market with more chic styles that flatter the fuller figure.

Kelly said full-figured women shouldn't be afraid of belts. They can be a wonderful way to accentuate an hourglass figure.