How plus size stores rip us off!

[Christinamo7 4,042]

not to mention the fabrics all feel terrible.

how fabric feels is the most important thing to me!

I can't wait to get to a sustainable size so I can invest in making my own clothes again and have things *exactly* how I want them.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

I love sewing but fabric costs so much now, unless you are making evening attire, it isn't even cost effective to sew anymore.

[Christinamo7 4,042]

oh, sometimes I find really lovely fabric for blouses and skirts at fabric.com or farmhousefabrics. I can do it for less than good clothes cost, and I am good enough to be making designer equivalent in terms of the quality of the sewing I've been sewing for 40 years (yikes.that's the truth slapping me in the face right there) - but when I was always trying to loose weight and now when I am actually loosing I don't want to invest the *time* in making my clothes.

I plan to make a RED wool swing coat this winter. I can hardly wait. Trying to decide what color of satin lining to use. black? hot pink? or should I find something plaid for the lining???

Edited May 5, 2016 by Christinamo7

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Hot pink would be great. Yeah I forgot to include coats as worth it. My grandmother used to make the most beautiful wool coats. I am partial to evening gowns myself.

[OKCPirate 5,323]

I can't figure out why women put up with the crap the fashion industry throws at them.

• Your sizes are not uniform.
• Many items are designed to break down after a few wearings.
• Many items are just not comfortable. (ex: High heals)

I have shoes that I purchased a year after college that have been resoled which are still great. I have books Brother's shirts from 20 years ago that still look great. I don't know why you don't demand better.

RANT: I occasionally run into Walmart to grab something, but I feel dirty when I do. I feel like I am supporting some illicit far-eastern slave trade or something. NOTE: This was a RANT. If it was supposed to be 100% completely factual content, it would have contained links. This is strictly my opinion and I'm not asking anyone to share it. END RANT

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I'm a classics style girl myself. Happily, that makes it more worthwhile for me to buy high-end clothing. But truth is that I buy clothes / accessories from all over the place -- from Hermes to JCPenney and even (gulp) Walmart.

I don't think of all clothes manufacturers and retailers as competing with each other. When I want river shoes it's Walmart, baby. When I want a yes-that's-right-bitch! accessory I don't go to Walmart.

And if I had a designer-clothing-quality sewing and tailoring skills I would also be making my own clothes. So jelly, @@Christinamo7 !

Damn, clothes are so much more fun after WLS!

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I was watching a documentary about the Holocaust last night. There was one thing I found really interesting that I hadn't heard before and it brought this thread to mind. After the camps were liberated and the prisoners were able to get food, Water, shelter, and their other basic needs addressed, it was getting to pick out and wear "real clothes" that made them feel human again. That was a very profound observation to me.

[Alex Brecher 10,512]

I think everyone who sells things is out to make the most they can…I’m thinking about food, now. When you look at food costs, the foods that are specifically marketed as “healthy” are way more expensive, even if there’s no necessary reason. One of my favorite examples is soy protein: it’s used as a filler in meat products because it’s cheap, but if you buy vegetarian “meat” with soy (like veggie burgers), you’ll pay a ton for soy Protein.< /p>

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I think everyone who sells things is out to make the most they can…I’m thinking about food, now. When you look at food costs, the foods that are specifically marketed as “healthy” are way more expensive, even if there’s no necessary reason. One of my favorite examples is soy protein: it’s used as a filler in meat products because it’s cheap, but if you buy vegetarian “meat” with soy (like veggie burgers), you’ll pay a ton for soy Protein.< /p>

Great point. It is up to us to be educated and smart consumers. Whether it's food (figuring out whether something is worth a premium -- whether it's for packaging, taste, convenience, quality, etc., or if a generic or commodity is the best choice is a constant challenge. The same goes for clothes. I tend to be willing to spend more for clothes that are classic, durable, etc. than for fads, or things that I will get little wear out of.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I was watching a documentary about the Holocaust last night. There was one thing I found really interesting that I hadn't heard before and it brought this thread to mind. After the camps were liberated and the prisoners were able to get food, Water, shelter, and their other basic needs addressed, it was getting to pick out and wear "real clothes" that made them feel human again. That was a very profound observation to me.

Thanks, ISG -- I'd never heard that, and it hit me hard, too!

How we present ourselves to the world and to ourselves is a really big deal.

"Dressing ourselves" is something even small children value, not to mention teens who manifest their individuation passages through their fashion choices.

Small surprise that those of us traveling the WLS path find such delight in creating our new wardrobes.

[Renkoss 420]

I've always been "plus size" and when my attempts at losing weight were totally fruitless, I just resolved myself to be happy with who I am and concentrated on how I appear to others. I take pride in how I look and therefore I will spend just a bit more on my clothing. Besides, it has always made me feel good about myself. The main reason that I finally did WLS is because of my diabetes and how out of control it was regardless of the lengths I went to trying to keep it under control. So far I've reduced the amount of insulin I'm using, and hoping as more weight comes off I will be able to get off the insulin completely. Until then, I plan to continue dressing myself for success, which means I will continue to spend a bit more on myself, because I deserve it!

[Anna Nim 196]

@@OutsideMatchInside It may be a different cut for larger clothes, but that is what a larger clothing store sells to. It isn't THAT much harder to make a larger size/cut. Clothes from different stores are cut different/same size, so every clothing maker has their own patterns. Comparing Lane Bryant to Wal-Mart isn't a equal comparison, but comparing similar quality clothing with LB is a decent comparison. They are overall charging more. Worse, they love to have hideous patterns. Plus Size clothing makers MAINLY charge more not because of the rocket science of making larger science, but because they know they are a niche market. Where else are we going to go! I drop the cash at LB on their bras, jeans, pants because they are worth it-although it does make me cringe.

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

@@Anna Nim

The prices at similar stores are the same and or higher. The prices at New York and Company are the same as Lane Bryant. The prices at the Limited are the same also. If you don't believe me go to the websites and do price comparisons. Lane Bryant was or is still, owned by The Limited. Look at the prices at the Limited. They quality of the clothing is the same. And some of the construction at Lane Bryant is better because they sew over the seams for added strength.

Women's specialty clothing brands cost the same. Plus size stores are not charging that much more if anything.

A bra at Soma is $60, the average bra at Lane Bryant is $45.

[Anna Nim 196]

Have you gone to The Limited website, since they are owned by the same parent company? (That does not mean same quality, although The Limited tends to be well made). Most manufacturers have their own cut and patterns-making it larger/slightly different than smaller size is not rocket science My point is the argument for different patterns or cuts does not justify a higher price. I've actually noticed that they have with coupons etc, became cheaper (ish) and I think it is due to online shopping cutting into what was once a corner on the bigger size market.

Edited May 10, 2016 by Anna Nim

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

Have you gone to The Limited website, since they are owned by the same parent company? (That does not mean same quality, although The Limited tends to be well made). Most manufacturers have their own cut and patterns-making it larger/slightly different than smaller size is not rocket science My point is the argument for different patterns or cuts does not justify a higher price. I've actually noticed that they have with coupons etc, became cheaper (ish) and I think it is due to online shopping cutting into what was once a corner on the bigger size market.

If you have ever made clothes and used sewing patterns, you would know that larger sizes are harder to work with on a bolt of fabric. It is not the same, you have more waste, they are harder to fit and you use more fabric, period. That isn't debatable, it is a simple fact. It costs more. Visit a fabric store.

There is a huge difference in the cut and feel of a $10 tshirt and a $90 tshirt. Just because once person doesn't appreciate the difference doesn't mean that other people don't.

There is a reason why I pay $90 for jeans, because they fit and feel better than $20 jeans.

Edited May 10, 2016 by OutsideMatchInside