From the article: Plus-Size Quick Tips
Are you a budget shopper? Do you believe in well-tailored basics? I'm curious at what point do you think plus clothes are expensive, and whether or not you will purchase them at that price. Share Your Ideal Budget
Quality Is Important At Any Price
- We all love looking through women's clothing shops to find a bargain and love it more if the bargain is a good quality clothing that will fit perfectly and last year in and year out. I think everyone should try to get the wardrobe basic's in colors that never date and in the best quality you can afford. Mix and match you basics with a variety of cheaper items in colors and fabrics that are the flavor of the month (the latest fashion trend ), you don't really need to pay a fortune for these as you probably want wear them again next year.
- —plussize4you
quality
- I would rather have a few quality things than lots of cheap badly fitting things, I have a few items that are more expensive and some cheap things, I am in the UK and Asda (Walmart in the US) has very good clothes and very cheap. I also love Gothic clothes and treat myself to one or two items a year from a Gothic website , they are made to measure and she makes up to a very big size or very small, its called Moonmaiden.
- —Guest Ali
Not really into expensive clothes
- I've owned some expensive pieces that I got on sale at places like Saks and Macy's. August Max Woman used to be my favorite place to shop, and they had excellent quality at reasonable prices, but they're no longer in business. I now shop mostly at Lane Bryant, LL Bean, or Coldwater Creek. Lane Bryant and LL Bean both have good quality, long-lasting garments. I've had some of my LL Bean clothes for 6 years. I've had my August Max blouses for 7 years. I've had some of my Lane Bryant clothes for a few years now, too. They have a lot of trendy items, so they tend to go out of style before they wear out. But they carry more classics now than they used to.
- —Guest fashionblogger
Do you Buy Expensive Plus Clothes
- Not necessarily, coz i cant afford them anyway but i would if i could. However i always try to be true to myself, by accepting myself and try to work with what looks good on me. i can wear almost anything as long as it makes me look appropriate and sexy by showing off a little of those parts of my body that i feel proud of. Because of that most people always compliment my style and the fact that i look dignified. I just play with accesories just to have a final touch. Believe me i really try to stand out especially since all my friends are slim so i always find myself being the "bigger one"
- —Guest Pinky
Quality doesn't come cheap
- I probably spend too much on clothes, but I would much rather buy one very nice outfit that I adore than several outfits that don't excite me. I tend to shop at Saks and Nordstrom primarily because they offer alterations. Nothing seems to fit me perfectly off the shelf, so it means a lot to me that I can have skirts that are the right length and my jackets tailored to accent my waist. I love Lafayette 148, Marina Rinaldi and Eileen Fisher. Almost all of my suits are Lafayette 148. It's so difficult to find good suits as a plus size woman at lower price stores.
- —Guest Debra
Talbots 22wp
- I have their credit card so I get all their sales and being a petite 22 It is hard to find things that fit....these fit wonderful and last forever
- —Guest kayMI
The look For less
- I LUV Old Navy Plus Women online. Its great for basics & featured jackets, sweaters & pants. I just don't have bucks. I'm aware of Talbots, Macys Barrie Pace & those types; I can't afford them. That doesn't mean I can't look as good as those lines. Ashley Stewart is my fav. place to shop & they have layaway. Also Ii find some attractive jackets, tops & coats at Target I now live a blue jean life. I'm on a fixed income & plan nearly all of my purchases.I find good accessories online at sites that aim at the 18 to 20 something crowd. I ususally buy one to 3 pieces each season. I like only washables. I hate cleaning fluid smell. also I avoid hand washables. I'd rather spend my time having fun.
- —Blujay1966
Expensive...on clearance!
- I hunt and hunt and have landed some very expensive pieces, for very little money. I have cashmere and silk taste and I've found that it's out there for not very much, if you haunt the clearance racks everywhere. All the department stores blow things out and have extra coupons, and then there's Marshalls and TJ Maxx. If I had a bit more of a budget, I would buy a few "investment" pieces on a plan, but it's still hunt and find. I do believe in quality, but it's mostly mid-level stuff for me (Calvin Klein, Gap, Boden, Beans, Land's End, etc.) with a few things from Target, etc. I have found more eco choices for extended & plus sizes recently - they're out there.
- —Guest Karen
I do!
- Down here in New Zealand we are quite limited with the range of places you can get good priced, even slightly on trend curvy girl gear. We don't have the range of stores like Nordstrom, Lane Brant, Kiyonna etc you lucky people do in the States. Then I discovered www.zebrano.co.nz, they have not one, but two stores in my city. They carry labels Chocolate, Cafe, Euphoria, MOSS, N.I.C, Mela Purdie to name a few and it is pure blissful heaven to go in either one of their stores… http://www.zebrano.co.nz/index.html?Action=Commerce.Product&ID=348643 (luvvvv Euphoria!) I mean girls, I get endless compliments when I wear this. A girl I work with who is a size 8, was gushing all over this and asked “Oh that is so beautiful, where can I get it!”. It was a little mean, but it kinda felt good saying… “Ahh sorry love, they don’t cater for your size, these start at a size 14” :0) However beauty does come at a cost… this was roughly $US450. There is also another store www.thecarpentersd
- —menawahine
Constant sales & coupons at Lane Bryant!
- Thats how I buy things! They are always having coupons online and in FIGURE magazine. I gather as much as possible to get a good deal. I always watch out for their sales also.
- —angelaH12
It is hard to buy green for plus size
- As we know plus size clothes are not cheap if you want something that will last. It is obviously not ideal to obtain an entire wardrobe from somewere like dot's or Maurice's so unfortunatly we are forced to spend more dough on good quality wardrobe staples with will carry us through the seasons. I find that while I can buy more items at a cheapoer price point, those are the same items that are quickly disposed which ends up being less cost effective than purchasing spendier pieces. Although I can appreciate a good bargain, It's quality and closet life that determines whether it is expensive or not.
- —dzinermama
Always look for bargains
- I only buy expensive plus-sized clothes when I have no choice. But if what I want is on sale or in a thrift shop, I always prefer to buy bargain items! Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult for truly large women to find attractive bargains (in other words, not stupid horizontal stripes and wacky colors). Therefore(unless you're rich)it is also very hard to look as good as slimmer women (clearance racks are full of small sizes)!
- —Guest Carol
Cynthia
- I don't like to pay $100 for something unless it's a classic dress I will continue to wear or something for a special occasion. I try to keep an eye on things I like to see when they go on sale. I enjoy looking at the expensive clothes, but we had construction done on the house, so the budget is limited at the moment
- —catlady3
I guess that I would spend too much. :)
- I really want my clothing to fit well. I like to purchase tailored basics that will last and have them fitted as necessary. I have also had garments made. Etsy has been great for that - I can get offbeat clothing that fits (not that there haven't been some problems). So I guess that it depends on the garment. On the other hand I hate to spend a lot on clothes that won't last for more than a season either because they are too trendy or will wear quickly.
- —etaureau
Budget/sale shopper
- Budget shopper, usually wait for sales. I stick to well tailored plus size basics from Gayla Bentley (recently on sale for $32 - $120 at Neiman Marcus), skirt & dress from IGIGI (to $108) & casuals from Kiyonna, Lane Bryant, Dress Barn, JC Penney & even Wal Mart ($6 tank tops). This is a very good time to have joined the plus size club!!
- —PatriciaNM
not now but did
- back when i was not intending to lose weight in the immediate future i have bought a real cashmere cardigan for about 150 dollars from lands end (it was a bargain given it was a real cashmere but it was a lot of money for me) and a shirt from Marina Rinaldi that was about 150 dollars too (needed a very good hirt for a new job). marina rinaldi closed their shop in my country so i am no longer tempted:) i am in the process of losing weight now PLUS i am on a budget so that these days i buy inexpensive things only. i was quite lucky with the old clothes though, as they fit my mother exactly, so that she is happy she has good quality clothes and i do not feel like i have wasted them (they look new even if they are about 4 years old)
- —kjana
Depends on the item
- The price point changes with the item. In mind mind it is higher for a dress than it is for a top.
- —Guest Moe
