Any decent shopping tips?
 

I desperately need some new clothes, mainly for work, but I can't find anything I like in the shops. I've tried New Look, Mark One, Evans and even Tesco but have drawn a blank. Obviously I don't want to spand much as I'm planning on buying smaller clothes eventually but I'm really running out of things to wear. If I don't wash everything I've worn all week I'm stuffed - help!:?:

I got my last work wardrobe from Evans at the same time my sister bought much the same from Asda but half the price.

Ooh and welcome to the forum :D :welcome3:

Try looking online. Places like kayslifestyle and littlewoods online often have sales on and discounted items as they are end of lines. I'm pretty much the same, I dont want to buy new clothes until I am a size I am happy with. Unfortunately, I think this is going to be another couple of months yet.

You know veggie I was about to say Asda. I was in George in Leeds the other week and they had a ton of fashionable plus size stuff

I got a couple of things from asda but its tops i need more than anything and theirs aren't long enough for me. I'm only 5'6" but my boobs need a lot of coverage, i'm lucky if George tops reach my belly button. I miss Etam, they were always good for a sale! I'll just have to up the exercise and get into a smaller size!:carrot:

Thank you:D

Try Simply Be online and also Ebay - you can pick up some surprisingly good quality stuff!

Definitely have a look at eBay. ;) Just be careful that you get accurate measurements from the seller cos a lot of the new clothes are seconds which have come up large or small on manufacture. For instance I recently bought three pairs of brand new with tags Evans jeans. The seller said they were labelled as a 22 but when they arrived they were more of a 24 (which was okay at the time).

Some of the more business-like sellers offer a refund/exchange if you buy something which is too big/small for you and, of course, you can always sell on your clothes when they don't fit any more.

I too am sad at the demise of Etam, they did the best jeans, Darn that Phillip Green, buys em then shuts em down.

Some bigger Tescos have introduced a plus size range. You could try the charity shops, I buy a lot, especially tops from them. My favourite is Sue Ryder in Ramsbottom, they're so fabulous!!! I take all my fat stuff in there to repay them!!! I'm wearing a lovely marks and Spencer shirt from there today.

M & S larger stores do good larger clothes, their plus range is either hopeless or fantastic.

What size were you? Might go in & buy all your fat stuff as I'm only down the road from Ramsbottom :D lol

The new Tesco at Haslingden sometimes has some decent stuff in - got my Xmas party outfit from there but its very hit and miss.

Oooh, you must be nearby!!! I've walked to the Haslingden Tesco, only once though and it was a long way!!!

I was a 26 - 28 (OMG!) and now I am an 18, the fact that I ahve bought two size 16 things, does that mean I can call myself a 16 - 18???

All my stuff has gone now, but there are other fat chicks that donate in Rammy, there are there pretty good charity shops, hit and miss of course, but that's the nature of the beast!

If you come to Rammy we'll have to meet for a skinny latte at the coffee shop!

Definitely a 16-18 Miss Kylie!

I'm in Padiham, only a 10 min drive down the road but am relying on my bf for lifts at the mo until I sort a new car out. There's only 1 charity shop hree and the only big clothes it has in are the ones I donated!

Well done on dropping 5 dress sizes, I'm so jealous! Last time I dieted I lost 3 stone & only dropped from 22 to 18. I was doing 3 gym classes a week too so it was a bit disheartening. :hug:

Hi Dawnie

I am new here so hi everybody

In answer to your question have you tried Simply Be or Fashion World they both have stylish larger size clothes that wont break the bank. They both also have websites you can order from and delivery is quite quick. I wont put in the link as perhaps thats not allowed but you will find them both by a google search or I can email them to you if you need it.

Hope this helps

Hi Friskipixie :welcome2:

What? Etam gone? Damn. I used to love going to the one in Ilford but only got down there to visit a nearby friend. However, there is now a Monsoon there instead. Yay!

The dastardly Philip Green, he of the Arcadia group who own BHS, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Evans, Burtons etc, bought it, shut it down (as it competed with Evans) and the only bit of the business he retained was the Tammy brand (for teenage girls) which he merged into the BHS stores.

But we love Monsoon, even if it is on the expensive side, the clothes are gorgeous and they go up to a 22, in a few lines.

Oh Monsoon clothes are beeyootiful but a tad out of my price range. Maybe when I get into a smaller size that I can maintain I'll invest in a few pieces. Evans is ok for shoes but its not cheap and the clothes are mainly sooo frumpy. None of my local stores carry the Seven range, are they still doing that? I hate Philip Green, my local Etam has been replaced by a Topshop of all things, Miss Selfridge has also opened in Topshop's old premises. Great if you're 14 and size 8!:?:

I hate shopping for clothes. I hated it when I was thin and I hate it even more now I'm larger. In particular I hate changing rooms and getting changed. I particularly hate it that, because I live in the middle of nowhere, my husband has to take me to buy clothes. Shopping (for anything except car or home electricals) are the only times that he and I get close to arguing - and shopping for clothes is the absolute worst. The pressure to chose quickly makes me flustered and I always end up with something unsuitable or which doesn't fit properly which sits in the back of my wardrobe until I sell it on eBay. :mad:

So nowadays I buy almost everything off the net unless I know EXACTLY what I want and know exactly where I can get it - or unless I can think of a clothes shop which is next to a Halfords. :?:

I love shopping for clothes, even when I was a size 26!!! It is sooooo much easier in England than Australia. And I for one actually adore Evans. Now that I don't *have* to shop there, I find myself buying the odd thing there, especially now that I can fit into an Evans 16!!!

It definitely helps shopping in big Evans, the one in Manchester has such fab stuff compared to the one in Bury, for example. Life is easier now that I fit into Wallis, Dorothy Perkins and Principles oh and the normal bits of M & S.

I give DH a £20 note and stick him in the nearest pub when I go shopping. he is fine if I am focussed and know exactly what I want. but if I am browsing or looking for a whole outfit, he's done for!!!

Hi
I definately love ebay, you can pick up loads of good stuff that people who are losing weight want rid of. Maybe we should have a but on here where we can sell our old clothes, make a bit of cash, or us northern chicks should have clothing parties where we can bring all the stuff we have slimmed out of and swap around, get new outfits. I also love torrid.com. It is a US site but shipping is not too expensive and with the exchange rate you can get some cool stuff and reasonable prices, if you keep going back to the site every few weeks they do 50% off clearance which is when I get all my stuff!
I'm quite lucky with shopping because my bf loves it...in fact I usually get bored before he does!!! Plus, don't tell anyone, but we wear the same size in jeans, he is quite hippy so women's jeans fit him better so I just get him to buy them!!! Oh if only his mates at the pub knew!!! He is also 6'4" but we have the same inside leg.

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'll keep looking. Went to Evans in Halifax the other day, quite a good sale on but I was gutted at the trousers I bought. Tried them on in the shop & could only just do them up. Wore em for work today, spent 8 hours hitching them up & took them off without undoing them when I got in - stretch cord is baaaad!:?:

what about primark I don't know what sizes they go up to but they are surprisingly generous. i'm a size down in primark on what I am everywhere else and its good quality for what you pay and they do office wear.

Primark only go up to a size 18. I think they may have done larger sizes in the past, but the Manchester store certainly only goes to 18. I have found their sizes quite tight, perhaps as they scale up, they get less generous. They do have great clothes though!

they do 20s here but maybe they are 18-20 because everything I like is always in that size and it drives me crazy its an orange sticker anyway

I went today and saw 20s but only in a couple of things. I couldn't see anything I liked. It's all summer stuff everywhere, short sleeves etc. Ah well, will just have to stick with the charity shops for a while yet!!! I can't wait to shop in Australia!!!

I love charity shops a couple of weeks ago I needed new jeans. The cheapest nice fashionable ones I could find in the high street were new look at £26. I then went to about 10 charity shops it always takes a bit of shopping but it pays off I got a pair of levis really nice dark blue ones with zip pockets for £4.50 and a pair of next jeans which look unworn black with fading for £3.50 and a pair of next cropped jeans for £3.

I think they would all have been at least £30 new. I just don't understand why people charity shop them instead of selling them on ebay.