So I just got home from Old Navy where I just bought three fitted dresses in size XL (OMG YAY). As I've been starting to hit the low end of my usual places - Lane Bryant, Torrid, etc. - I'm realizing I have NO IDEA where people buy clothes. I mean seriously, besides Target and Old Navy, where do people get clothes from?!?!? I have shopped at plus size stores since I was in 8th/9th grade (i.e. for just about 20 years/my whole adult life) so I really am at a loss as to where to go to find clothes once I'm no longer in the plus section...

Did anyone else have this existential crisis when they hit this stage? Where do you even go to get clothes now?!?!?!? HAAAALLLPPPP!

I mostly shop at stores like Ross Dress for Less, Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Steinmart. I also really like Dillards which is a chain but I do not know if they are in Minnesota. Chicos and Soma are pretty pricey for what the clothes are but I buy stuff on sale there, plus Soma has fantastic bras.

If you know what size/style/brand of something fits you you can also find great deals on eBay. Enjoy!!

You wait! You just wait! I am also in existential crisis about this - and several other things. Now I am a size small, I can shop ANYWHERE!!! or, perhaps is should say, everywhere!

When I got in non-overweight weight range, there was this weird mental thing I noted. As a big girl, if a decent piece of clothing fitted and looked half way decent, I bought it. Having a decent work wardrobe was important, and not much looked ok. But now - everything looks ok. Everything fits. And I had to learn to undo the “oh it fits, buy it” mental model. I am having to learn what my style is, what I like most, what sort of things are good for this body shape. I hadn’t anticipated this!

As for the sort of shops - if you are like me, you’ll start noticing clothes shops that you mentally glazed over before. And it is a nice thing!!

Edited November 3, 20187 yr by Biddy zz

Just wait it'll soon be how do I stop buying clothes, lol.

I shop a lot at Nordstrom Rack, J Crew and pretty much anywhere I see something I like. I used to look at all the clothes stores and try to figure out where I wanted to shop as I worked Dien towards my goal. I spent too much on the in between sizes as you speed down through them. I waited to invest more after I was stable for awhile. And when my jeans get tight I reassess my diet to see what changed.

This has become a new addiction, not proud.

Oooh, I love Dillard's too! Some of my suggestions to get you pointed the right direction is J. Jill, Chico's, Anthropologie, and stuff like that. They are a lil pricey but good quality and simple cuts with a sometimes lil funky edge (specially Anthropologie). Sign up to get the coupons and sale emails and basically cut your spending in half! Totally makes them affordable.

I shop the high end stores but only off the clearance tracks. Macys Christopher banks, Dillard's, Belk etc

I love White House Black Market, but really I shop anywhere I want now because I know I will fit into the sizes they have. Plus, (I was so thrilled about this) you will come to know what stores/brands run true to size. I tried on a pair of size 6 pants at TJ Maxx and although I could button the waist button, the hips were too tight and I couldn't do up the zip. Not because I gained weight, but because their size was off. The clothes were at fault, not me!

Thanks for all of your responses! I look forward to trying out all of these new places, but I know it's going to take a pretty major mindset shift to change how I approach shopping but hopefully it'll be fun and exciting along the way (and not include me spending WAY too much money...).

I’m almost halfway to goal and I’m finding Kohl’s is good for the sizes on the way down. Not pricey. Good selection. No longer need to go to the Plus department—yeah!!

On 11/04/2018 at 14:37, lzucks said:

I’m almost halfway to goal and I’m finding Kohl’s is good for the sizes on the way down. Not pricey. Good selection. No longer need to go to the Plus department—yeah!!

I love kohl’s! Always good discounts!

No Kohls , No Target in my benighted little city, We Are Stuck with Wal-Mart, and that alone instead you count the Marshalls we got 2 years ago!!??

I started off shopping online at the instagram stores until my weight stabilized. You can get cheap, trendy pieces or work clothes that won’t break the bank. When you get to your goal weight transition to the high end stores. I shop at boohoo, fashion nova, misguided, Zara,shein, romwe for cheap trendy clothes and shoes. Nostrum Rack, Macy’s, Dillard’s, H&M, TJMaxx for my more permanent more expensive pieces. My weight changed so often in the beginning I learned the hard way not to spend too much. I would have clothes that got too big so fast I never got to wear them. Also thredUP, for new/used clothing. You can usually find some great pieces on ASOS it is great. You find every brand on there. Happy Shopping!

Universal Standard is an online boutique that lets you exchange some of their clothes if your size changes in a year. I used to buy Nic + Zoe, Eileen Fisher, and similar brands. I'm pretty loyal to the stores and designers that made plus size clothes I like and plan to keep shopping them. Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor, and Nordstrom are faves.

But while I'm losing, I'll be finding stuff on eBay and Poshmark. Happily I kept some of my smaller clothes from when I lost 80 lbs. on Phentermine.

On 11/3/2018 at 10:14 AM, Biddy zz said:

You wait! You just wait! I am also in existential crisis about this - and several other things. Now I am a size small, I can shop ANYWHERE!!! or, perhaps is should say, everywhere!

When I got in non-overweight weight range, there was this weird mental thing I noted. As a big girl, if a decent piece of clothing fitted and looked half way decent, I bought it. Having a decent work wardrobe was important, and not much looked ok. But now - everything looks ok. Everything fits. And I had to learn to undo the “oh it fits, buy it” mental model. I am having to learn what my style is, what I like most, what sort of things are good for this body shape. I hadn’t anticipated this!

As for the sort of shops - if you are like me, you’ll start noticing clothes shops that you mentally glazed over before. And it is a nice thing!!

I think we are the same person!

I'm a Walmart girl. Prices are affordable and while I'mlosing weight I can afford a new pair of pants until the next size change. Plus I am happy rockin cheap clothes. I will go to a Goodwill too if it wasn't far so that trip is a little few and far between.