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Jody Martins swishy black capri pants are puddled around her ankles. She looks up as I walk in, hollers a greeting in my general direction, then dashes into a dressing room.

A minute later, she pops out again, now properly modeling the wildly patterned blue dress shed been pulling on over her clothes. She twirls. Shows it off. Asks me what I think before dashing back to the fitting room to wriggle into the same dress in basic black.

After more twirling and consideration, Martin opts for the classic, plain look. She came off as flirty and fresh in the blue dress but seems unsure she can pull off such a bold pattern.

Maybe if youre a size two. But bold or risky statements arent always best when youre a plus-size shopper.

Im sorry, Martin says of shopping at some chains that cater to plus-size women, but I cant see myself in a thong.

Im overweight.

So are 63 percent of adults in this state, according to the most recent profile of North Carolinas health from the states Department of Health and Human Services. And from 1990 to 2005, the percentage of obese adults here grew from 13 percent to 26 percent.

With more plus-size women, the natural next step for retailers is providing more places to buy clothing larger than size 12. Department stores still offer racks crammed with larger clothing, but women seeking plus sizes in Greensboro also can find apparel at chains including Target, Wal-Mart, Talbots Woman, Catherines, Lane Bryant and Cacique.

With growing competition from such major stores, it seems as though local retailers might be struggling to keep their plus-size shoppers.

But Martin, who opened Linneas boutique on Battleground Avenue in 2000 to serve women sizes 12 to 26, says shes still getting plenty of traffic from shoppers who want to dress well and feel good about what theyre wearing.

Enough traffic, in fact, that Martin has opened a plus-size consignment store, in part so her longtime shoppers could make room in their closets for new items from Linneas.

Rubenesque for Less, located just off Battleground near Cook Out, opened in March and is filled with gently used clothing and accessories ranging from bargain-priced shirts and pants to dresses, wedding gowns and the occasional high-priced designer handbag.

The name says it all: Plus-size womens clothing at lower prices, with a bit of style.

Still, it took Martin a few misses before she hit on rubenesque. Other names she tossed around included Pleasingly Plump Shop, Full Figure Consignment and Big Beautiful Women, she says.

Her husband, Jeff, came up with the final name, which references Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens and his penchant for painting full-figured women in various states of undress. Martin expanded on that theme by hanging Rubens prints in the store. Shoppers like the name, she says, once you tell them what it means.

And why not? Its flattering to plus-size women who might not feel sexy or curvaceous shopping in a plus-size section of a store or wheedling clothes off the crammed-together racks at a department-style store or a discount chain.

While explaining the challenge of dressing plus-size bodies, Martin motions with her hands around her own stomach and hips.

Her outfit black pants, a sleeveless top under a sheer, black and white blouse, black shoes is understated.

It doesnt cling to her, but it flatters her curves and draws attention to her slim legs, her blonde hair, her dark eyeliner and her shimmery purple-pink finger- and toenail polish.

Martin, who used to sell ads to area womens clothing stores and realized few of them catered to plus-size women, is a reflection of her shoppers. Shes 49 ; they range from 34-years-old up to about 60. Many of what Martin describes as my women work, have children, are often on the go.

Like her, they want clothing that doesnt cling like spandex or show too much skin. But theyre fashion-conscious, and they dont want to wear shapeless sacks, polyester pants or the same styles their mothers and grandmothers wore.

At Linneas, Martin provides them with natural fabrics, many of which are made in the United States and most of which come from designers who make the same pieces in traditional, smaller sizes. She gives them looks their friends wont have by buying only a few of each piece. And she sells most items as separates, priced between $30 and $125 or so.

The prices at Rubenesque are a bit lower maybe $8 to $80 or so, with designer items fetching more money. Martin lowers prices on most items every three weeks.

Shoppers have shown enough interest that shes considering another Rubenesque location, possibly on High Point Road in the next year.Martin also has thought about making the store into a plus-size franchise.

Visit Rubenesque at 2505-C Carroll St. between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday to Friday or between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday.

Visit Linneas at 2403 Battleground Ave. between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday to Friday or between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday.

Do you have retail news for Michelle Jarboe? Call 373-7075 or send e-mail to mjarboe@news-record.com