We could imagine portly women if the descriptions had been set up for us, say in a literary passages. I won't aspire to that high level. Briefly, however, if you imagine a very large woman with finishing school posture, impeccably groomed in very expensive business dress--a thousand-dollar-suit and three times that in accessories--she'd be well on her way toward being considered portly. Throw in a deep alto-toned voice, an air of dignity, a soupcon of middle-agedness (lord, I need a synonym for middle-agedness!), and, voila!, you've got a portly woman!


*Excuse my not looking for French accents. I'm a horrible laze in that regard.