Plus Size Fashion, How Far Would You Go?

Hi!
My name is brigitte and i’m from montreal, canada! Your right! When i’m going to New York, i’m planning everything…not to miss every single plus size store i want to go…Always so excited to go to the states for plus size fashion. For exemple, here in montreal, we do have Forever 21, but we don’t have the plus size section… It is very hard to find nice cheap plus size brand here… The grass is always greener as you said it….

I’ve gone so far as to order an online-only-in-the-UK clothing line from H&M. I had it shipped to a friend in London, who then shipped it to me. I justified it by saying it was an exclusive plus size collection, thus worth the long wait and extra cost. Everything arrived and it was just as beautiful as I expected… but none of it fit. Not a single thing – WAY small, even though I went by the sizing charts. I won’t do that again anytime soon.I do order from those with US shipping like SimplyBe and Evans. No problem with that.

I do occasionally buy internationally, but I find that the shipping costs drive me nuts. Not so much the getting-them-to-me shipping costs, but the this-doesn’t-fit-me-and-I-need-to-return-it shipping costs. I’ve immediately donated brand new items to Goodwill simply b/c it wasn’t cost effect to send back some things that didn’t work out.

I shop internationally online often. Always search for coupons via email, facebook, and other blogs. Also try coupon sites like Retailmenot.com. Even if they are expired, try them. I’ve had some work that way too.

However, I always figure out the exchange rate to figure out if it is worth it. My rule is that it’s only worth it if it is an item I would never find here in my size. (i.e: I don’t by jeans, t-shirts, accessories, etc.) Also, since you live in NYC, you should visit Re/Dress more often as more PSPs sell their international pieces to them instead of dealing with shipping it back. I’ve bought brand new pieces because someone bought something online that ended up being too big/small for them but perfect for me.

Yes, I definitely buy internationally. I sign up to be on my favorite sites email lists so that I can get email blasts about sales. That way, if it doesn’t fit, I won’t feel so bad if I got it on sale.

Hi, I actually do a lot of international shopping. Because I’m in Europe (Portugal) I only buy on European sites, and most of all from UK (Dorothy Perkins, Next, New Look, M&S, Westrags, ASOS, Pepperberry)but I buy only things on sale (or great deals). Like TT said, if something doesn’t fit, the loss isn’t so bad…In Portugal we are now starting to have more offer, but mostly I buy on H&M (BiB) and on LaRedoute – Tailissime (do you have it in the US?)
Unfortunately I prefer not to buy from US sites since we have to pay an extra Tax rate when it arrives…

WOW! Loving the lingerie on Marisota – I’ve tried creating an account though, and it appears they DON’T actually ship internationally. Major sadface. Am I missing something?

Hi Oderixi,
If it’s like us in Portugal, Marisota store is called Simply Be… You might me able to order from http://www.simplybe.com/

i would never thought to buy internationally. What if i have to return it?….too much

I buy a lot of things online but I actually don’t frequent too many plus size stores unless I’m looking for something specific, like when I got my graduation dress at Lane Bryant. I actually buy the majority of my clothes from Aeropostale and American Eagle. I’m one of those girls that is for the most part too big for the regular size clothes at these places but wear the smaller sizes at the plus size stores, which can be really annoying. Generally though, except for jeans, I can go into any Aeropostale store and buy from the rack. And they go up to a 2XL on their website.

Jeans I’m in the largest size at these places, so they only sell my size online. However I am about 5’0 on a good day and these stores are the very few that sell jeans in short inseams. Even if I would buy my jeans at plus size stores I know I’d have to do the awful rolling the cuff thing that I hate so much, so it’s nice to know that I can wear the jeans the way they’re meant to be worn. I know that there’s finally a plus size Forever 21 store in NYC now, so I may have to stop in there one day but I don’t think I could ever leave my beloved Aeropostale and American Eagle!

Genuinely useful bless you, It looks like your current followers may possibly want further blog posts along these lines continue the great hard work.

Hey…really luv your blog and cant get enuff of it! Anyhoo I’ve been trying for days to register w/Marisota and not having any luck at all! I’m so disappointed 🙁 I have even tried to call cust serv but cant get thru…anybody have suggestions out there on how to help me with this matter? Truly appreciate any & all comments. Thanks in advance.

How did you register with Marisota?? The web site will not take a US phone number!!

How did you register with Marisota?? The web site will not take a US phone number!!

Actually, what I think matters if whether or not they have US distribution and operations. Asos and Evans might be overseas, but both have distribution centers in the US that allow you to quickly and easily get your items.
Simple Be is slower, but again, has a dedicated US online portal, which matters.
My WORST online shopping experience was with the French retailer JMP who sent me an item that didn’t come, when I wrote back to them, they said it somehow got stuck in customs and they were resending it, it NEVER arrived, and then they didn’t refund my money or respond to multiple emails I sent to let them know. And by that point, it was too late to get the money back from Paypal.
So I don’t recommend them to anyone.
But the whole distribution system they have matters in terms of getting what you paid for, getting it in a timely manner, returning it if necessary, and most importantly, getting your money back if something goes wrong.

Superb post.Ne’er knew this, thanks for letting me know.