Happyfat:
Where is the best place to find plus size clothes. My local boutique is very expensive and I am outgrowing things faster than expected.
Where is the best place to find plus size clothes. My local boutique is very expensive and I am outgrowing things faster than expected.
Penney's seems to provide decent quality for the dollar, even the house/store brand. Macy's would be okay too, as long as you don't purchase any of their store branded stuff (which seems to be of poorer quality).
I've had BBW tell me they think Torrid is both costly and is of poor quality, which is unfortunate because for casual wear, they make a lot of nice looking stuff.
Of course, I don't know what the local boutique charges for their clothes, or what you consider "expensive." However, new clothes are typically the most costly part about gaining, beyond possibly what food you're eating.
It honestly depends on your taste and requirements. Most folks, there's usually at least some kind of clothing articles they'd never wear. As for requirements, an example are how at some jobs, you have to wear suits. Other jobs, you might need something that will stand up to wear and tear and you don't mind if they get dirty.
If the location in your profile is correct, it seems you're near Baltimore which implies there should be a LOT of shopping opportunities including anything you may find only in shopping malls. You may have to drive some ways, but that's just suburban life.
Thrift and consignment stores for clothes are terrible advice unless you have a LOT of time to go shopping, and you're fine if they don't have anything suitable. Their appeal to some is their largest downside; they're never the same store twice. This might encourage impulse buying as you wonder if it's still going to be there next week. Maybe you have time to go and check out Goodwill every day; I don't.
I've also noticed there's usually a reason why something ends up in a thrift store. It's garish, ugly, or was part of whatever fad from yesteryear. It's almost never anything that's timeless or doesn't change much. Why? Because that's what folks really want, and what they keep until they're worn to tatters, at which point they're unfit to even sell in a thrift store and may then see life as rags around the house. But who knows? If you're lucky, there's a gainer nearby who's blowing up out of her clothes and she disposes of her smaller clothes there. But I wouldn't count on it.
At traditional retail, selection doesn't change as often so you can take your time looking around. Traditional retail can also provide you with the opportunity to try something on, even if it's not the desired color so you can see how it fits. You could then special order the size and color.
If you're already familiar with a brand, you might already have a good idea of how it fits. If not, go to a store that sells it, and bring a tape measure. Vanity sizing is a severe problem after all, making it more difficult to figure out what exactly you're getting.
Wal-Mart has very cheap clothing and a consistent selection, but it mostly looks like crap and it looks cheap and tacky. I don't know if that's acceptable or not. I know nothing of your day to day life, your job, or the amount of pretentiousness you may have to deal with.
Also, if you feel confident about your rate of gain, there's something to be said for getting the next size up, ahead of time. It also saves money if you get new clothes half as often. As you grow heavier and softer, sizes also become more flexible. Ever noticed that for men's trousers, for larger than a 34" waist, they're in increments of 2, not one? Some places will see 32s, 33s, and 34s but will not sell 43s, just 42s and 44s.
Anyway, look around. A lot more brands go up to size 18-20 or even 24 nowadays. Hopefully they expand their size offerings soon. They'll have to eventually, or risk going out of business.
I remember when Express didn't go above size 10. They were facing dwindling sales until they expanded that.
4 years
