Shopping for clothes is getting fun...

[Ang1982 4]

Well congrats girlie! I can't wait for this to happen to me.. go go banding process speeed up.

On another note, what's up with Canada/B.C.'s Old Navy then? Because I most definitely cannot shop there. I'm almost positive that our Old Navy does not go above a 18/20... It's actually pretty sad for plus size shopping up here. From my experience (unless there's some gem of a store that I have missed) our only option is Penningtons (a crappy version of Lane Bryant that has mostly "older styles" of clothes and doesn't do well a lot of the time for someone in their 20's), Additionelle (nice clothes, but expensive for what you get) and that's about it. You *may* find something at Wal-Mart but unlikely. So for anyone who complains about shopping at Lane Bryant.. it's a TREAT for me to drive across the border into Washington to go to Lane Bryant.

Oh and whoever made the comment about the glitter and whatnot on Lane Bryant clothes, it's not just them and I COMPLETELY agree!!!

[Daisalana 33]

I have become a pro at finding my odd sizes online.

First about Alloy's sleeves. Their pants, I could wear fine, even at my highest.. Their shirts? FORGET ABOUT IT. They were like 5x too small for each size, seriously. The 3xl didn't even fit on my friend who was an xl(tried to give her a shirt I ordered).

On that note, they had a beautiful pointelle tunic (long sleeve) for sale, I bought last week with my new pants. I knew my history with them, but I wanted to give it a shot. So I bought their 3xl. Not only does it fit (and fit well), the sleeves are long and billowy like they're suppose to be and the tunic is long enough to cover the poofs in my pants right now. Very pleased with that.

Ok here's my tricks. I WAS a size 24/26, 5xl, size 11 W(or WWW as big as I could get it). Old Navy's pants & shirts were big one me.

Casual Plus Fashion Clothes for Junior Plus size, Woman plus size apparel Online Store - Has really cute outfits, and VERY cheap (in comparison) Shirts list their length, so I knew if they would be long enough. Their sizes DO run small, I wore 5xl there even though I was 24/26 most other places. I still wear about a 4xl with them now at size 20/22. This place won't boost your self esteem, but the shirts are nice. I never tried their pants.

Torrid.com - Plus sizes in exciting, cutting-edge apparel and accessories for young women sizes 12-26 - SEXIEST wide width sexy shoes I ever had. I have knee-high chunk heeled vinyl boots from them.. that actually fit. I have rounded toe high heel shoes, stiletto heel shoes, etc. All of their shoes are 'made for a wide foot'. They don't look 'old lady'. I love their shoes. They have some OK clothes, not really my style.. and their sizes do run big from my experience.

alight.com - plus size clothing for full figured women + teens - sizes 14 to 32. The hottest plus size styles at the best prices. My favorite hippie clothes (thats my style). They are EXPENSIVE. 30-50 bucks for one shirt. So, I shop their clearance (which can still hurt!) anytime I go there. Their shirts list the length also, so I know which do and do not fit (they have to be 28" inseam on shirts to fit me).

They list if their sizes run small on an item.

And of course, Alloy which is where I normally ONLY get pants, until last week when I tried a tunic and it worked out great!

[Daisalana 33]

Ang- Our Old Navy in town doesn't carry plus either, their WEBSITE says 'exclusive' Women's Plus, but it sounds like some stores do have it.. Anyway, their website has up to 28 I believe.

[Danielle2649 0]

I just wanted to put my 2 cents in about Old Navy. I loved shopping there when I was a size 12-16, but once I hit the 18's and 20's it was over for me and ON... I ordered a bathing suit online earlier this year, but when I tried it on the bottoms fit (tankini) but the top was huge! (Thats another pet peeve of mine about plus size clothing, they always assume you have giant breast too!!!) So, anyway, I had to take the suit back and I wrote an email to ON telling them how dissapointed I have been in their selection of plus sized clothes. They wrote back telling me they were no longer going to have plus size clothes in their stores, only online. Are you kidding me? How many plus sized ladies buy clothes without trying them on first. It really disappointed me and I decided I wasn't going to shop there anymore, even now that I can fit into their "regular" sizes.

I think its overall disappointing in whats available for plus sized ladies! If I knew anything about fashion I would start my own clothing line for us!

[green 6]

Well congrats girlie! I can't wait for this to happen to me.. go go banding process speeed up.

On another note, what's up with Canada/B.C.'s Old Navy then? Because I most definitely cannot shop there. I'm almost positive that our Old Navy does not go above a 18/20... It's actually pretty sad for plus size shopping up here. From my experience (unless there's some gem of a store that I have missed) our only option is Penningtons (a crappy version of Lane Bryant that has mostly "older styles" of clothes and doesn't do well a lot of the time for someone in their 20's), Additionelle (nice clothes, but expensive for what you get) and that's about it. You *may* find something at Wal-Mart but unlikely. So for anyone who complains about shopping at Lane Bryant.. it's a TREAT for me to drive across the border into Washington to go to Lane Bryant.

Oh and whoever made the comment about the glitter and whatnot on Lane Bryant clothes, it's not just them and I COMPLETELY agree!!!

Yep, it is Hell being fat and wanting to look good if you live in Canada!!! And this is true even if you live, as I do, in Toronto - Canada's largest city. What we are offered are ugly, out of date, fussy clothes in ugly colours made out of synthetic blends. I figure the synthetic blends are an added bit of sadism: let's watch the fatties sweat in their plastic clothes!

And as for having drag queen sized feet - which I've got! - forget about finding cute shoes and boots for a reasonable price. Pretty shoes seem to end at size 9.5. The biggest reason I wanted the band was straight vanity. I wanted to be able to buy nice clothes again. And thanks to the band I have been successful. I can shop in the normo stores. :whoo: It's too bad about my giant feet, though.

[Daisalana 33]

I bought my bathing suit from ON this year too.. I got a blue & white tankini set. The top fit great (I do have the boobs!), but the bottom was baggy. It was saggy on my butt, yet it was still my favorite bathing suit this summer.. Till I lost a little more weight and one day climbing on a float mom said she saw 'all my goodies'!!! :omg:

The whole spandex fit to it, was completely gone, it was hanging off my thighs and butt.

My parents keep all our old swim suits in a closet for guests if they need one.. so I dug out one of my old swimdresses from when I was a kid to wear. Heh!

[mumof2boys 71]

Sorry to hear about all of the problems in Canada with the Plus Sized clothes. I don't have much of a wardrobe (yet) because I really hated shopping. The Old Navy jeans that I just got were not from their "plus" sized clothes...they don't carry them in the store, only online. I guess that's why I was so very excited. I don't care if they do run big...to me, it's a great accomplishment. I usually buy my "plus" sized clothes from Fashion Bug Plus or JC Penney. JC Penney has a great selection. They are the same clothes are the "misses", just a couple more dollars. You can see their stuff at JCPenney... they are pretty true to size too (at least I think...others may disagree). Happy shopping, ladies.

[Ang1982 4]

Unfortunately, I do not think I could shop for clothes online as I would be constantly returning things I am sure. Some things do not fit me properly and I definitely need to try stuff on before I buy. Especially with a lot shirts (thankfully these days the style is longer) as I am only 5'7" but I have a very long torso.

[blahblahblah 4]

Ang1982...

It was me who mentioned LG and their glittery shirts. I'm so glad I'm not the only person. My tastes are very plain...certainly not glitter and sequens (how the heck is that spelled?). I also don't want buttons on the neck that have no purpose...little ties at the neck (I'm a woman...not a child) or anything else....

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Rain

[Cerrin 3]

The thing that gets me is the funky gathering above the boob line. I HATE that like my boobs are that high

[Ang1982 4]

Ang1982...

It was me who mentioned LG and their glittery shirts. I'm so glad I'm not the only person. My tastes are very plain...certainly not glitter and sequens (how the heck is that spelled?). I also don't want buttons on the neck that have no purpose...little ties at the neck (I'm a woman...not a child) or anything else....

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Rain

Not only that.... but the FUGLY silk screen designs they are putting on shirts these days.. I'm an overweight 25 year old, I do not need my shirt advertizing some kind of "made up" rock shirt or stupid saying. Commmmmme on people!!

[green 6]

Ang1982...

It was me who mentioned LG and their glittery shirts. I'm so glad I'm not the only person. My tastes are very plain...certainly not glitter and sequens (how the heck is that spelled?). I also don't want buttons on the neck that have no purpose...little ties at the neck (I'm a woman...not a child) or anything else....

I'm glad I'm not the only one!

Rain

Yah, that was my problem, too. I like very plain, elegant, chic clothes in adult colours (no pink or baby blue for this grrl), in linen, cotton, leather, wool, silk, or cashmere. I want no sequins, glitter, nor cute appliquees. I want nothing which reminds me of Disney World and I do not want to see flowers or gamboling kittens or puppies on my clothing. Avoiding these clothing disasters is damn tough when you live in Canada. Once you are fat there is this assumption on the part of either the manufacturers or the store buyers that you have either bad taste, old lady taste or infantile tastes. My favourite looks are the Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn thing. Try to find those kind of clothes in the fatty section of any store in Canada. :help:

I guess I sound very bitter but to tell you the truth I have been ranting about this for a number of years now. Then I heard about the band and even though I was one of the lower BMI folks and I had to pay my own freight (as one does up here in Canada) I jumped at the opportunity to shed my hated big grrl skin. This has worked out well for me personally but I still feel like I want to fight for clothes' dignity for other over-weight Canucks - you Americans seem to get much better treatment than we do, eh, but I would be willing to include you in my bellyaching.

[green 6]

The thing that gets me is the funky gathering above the boob line. I HATE that like my boobs are that high

Gathering above the boob line is only going to make a big grrl look even bigger. This style is works well for a very thin, flat-chested chick and nobody else. It is a style which could be added into the Hide My Anorexia From My Family line of clothing.

[green 6]

Not only that.... but the FUGLY silk screen designs they are putting on shirts these days.. I'm an overweight 25 year old, I do not need my shirt advertizing some kind of "made up" rock shirt or stupid saying. Commmmmme on people!!

Oh, yah. This is a big problem for all of us. Now that I fit into normo sizes I still have to deal with this badness. My experience of this is as follows: I find myself poking about the racks looking for long-sleeved cotton Ts or sweaters, ones in acceptable colours, but then find that I am ambushed by a bunch of stuff which has all been messed up with a mix of advert for the designer and inane material silkscreened onto it. I don't want to be a corporate billboard. And I am also aware that hipness can only be personal, not store-bought.

I guess my response would be, that is if I was still in my 20s, to buy some of these corporate creations and then mark these items up before wearing them. This activity is called graffiti. You might want to get some of your friends involved in the fun. What Green is suggesting is kind of counter culture and is also quite creative. Ya could have a lot of fun. Now, if you do decide to go ahead with this exercise and take back the t-shirt, evil Green sure would appreciate some feedback. :bounce:

[Cerrin 3]

LOL

YES! that is it on me it looks like my boobs have fallen and the shirt is going to choke me for it.

I only have about 10 shirts I like 3 sweaters and 2 pair of jeans. I know everyone is tired of my clothing at work. But I refuse to buy nice clothes for a body I wont have much longer.

(I havent been banded yet I am waiting for insurance approval)