 Many women who wear plus
sizes have a difficult time finding clothing that is not expensive. Most
department stores charge more for clothing in sizes 14 and up. Still many
stores that cater to larger women are also quite expensive. That leaves many women searching for the best
deals in plus size clothing.
Discount Clothing Close to Home
Women of all sizes who
want to save money on clothing search in their own neighborhood. Many thrift
stores sponsored by different charities have a good variety of clothing in all
sizes. Most neighborhoods have Salvation Army thrift stores that regularly
stock items and often get new merchandise from some stores. Some designer
clothing can be found at incredible prices at thrift stores.
Consignment stores are
also great places to find good deals on clothing. Some consignment stores cater
to plus size women. Women can also make money by taking their clothing to the
consignment stores to be sold. The stores give the sellers a part of the profit
from the sale for good, clean used clothing.
Clearance sales at local
department sales are also great ways to find bargains. Most of the clearance
sales are seasonal and are an effort made by the stores to get rid of seasonal
merchandise. Still, if you don't mind buying a year or a few months ahead,
clearance sales are great ways to save money.
Online Shopping
Many women choose not to
fight the crowds at department stores and malls and search online for great
deals in plus size clothing. Most of the stores found in a mall have websites
that sometimes offer clearance sales only to online customers. Many of these
websites also feature online coupons.
There are some downsides
to ordering online. What looks good on the models online may not look as good
on you. Be sure to check the return policy before ordering online. Also sizing
may differ from store to store. Most online stores offer a sizing chart so you
can measure yourself and determine what size you need to order. Also beware
that there is an additional cost for shipping and handling in most cases but
some stores will waive it if the order is large.
Some of the most popular
stores are:
Lane Bryant: This store is
found in most major malls across the United States. The website offers
merchandise found in the malls. The online store does not have a clearance
section but does feature sale merchandise. Lane Bryant has a variety of
accessories as well, including jewelry and socks. The website is www.lanebryant.com.
The Avenue: Featuring
comfortable casual clothes and trendy business attire, The Avenue is one of the
favorite stores for plus size women. The website features a clearance section
where some items are as low as 50 percent off. The Avenue has a special
shopping section for women who are sized 28 to 32. The website is www.theavenue.com.
Catherine's: Catherine's
is also a popular store for plus sized women. Many of the clothes are made for
older women and some will not appeal to women 35 and younger. Customers can
also purchase a gift card online. The website features an outlet with items up
to 60 percent off. The website is www.catherines.charmingshoppes.com.
Catering to a Younger Audience
In 2001, Hot Topic created
a new store, Torrid, to cater to young women who are plus sized. While many
malls have still not added the store, the online store features the same
merchandise found in the stores. The store features most of the same trendy
outfits and accessories available in the Hot Topics Store. Torrid also has an
extensive clearance section, with some clearance items in season. The store
also has shoes, jewelry and other accessories such as socks. The company caters
to women sized 12 to 26. The company's best known model is American Idol Jordin
Sparks, who modeled for them before she was on the talent show. The company
conducts and annual model search. The website is www.torrid.com.
Other stores have also
begun to cater to a younger clientele. Goody's,
Wal-Mart and most recently K-Mart have featured larger sizes for juniors.
Many of these items are also listed on the company's websites.
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