Inspire Me Friday - Shopping Shenanigans!

A few things before we start:

A) Sorry for the late post, this particular segment is a little more time-consuming to put together.
B) I am not and have never been compensated for a SINGLE opinion or review on this blog. If it ever happens, I will absolutely disclose that. Know though, that regardless, my honesty shall never be compromised (that being said, I'd love to review items from ANY of the stores mentioned in my blog! email me at frugalistafatshionista[at]yahoo[dot]com)

This segment will be dedicated to reviews of places to get your fatshion! I'll be looking at online stores, boutiques, independent labels...but no matter what, it'll be places that I have personal experience with. People are always asking me where to buy certain things online, how easy it is to actually purchase from a particular retailer, whether lines tend to run true-to-size, so this will be my platform to get all that information out there, one retailer at a time.


This month, I'll be talking about one of my favorite places to shop, and in fact a staple in my wardrobe since I was in high school, Old Navy.

Some of the looks I've rocked with Old Navy apparel:

Old Navy Tunic

Old Navy Blouse

Old Navy Trouser Jeans and Black Cardi-Coat

Old Navy Shorts

What To Buy Here: I buy EVERYTHING here! Jeans, blouses, t-shirts, shoes, you name it! I've never bought undergarments here, so I can't comment on that, but I buy socks here, workout apparel, swimwear...ALL of my flip-flops and most of my ballet flats (which together make up about 80% of my shoe collection)...I'm particularly fond of their dresses and jeans. Up until about a year ago, the vast majority of my wardrobe WAS Old Navy, so safe to say, I am a fan.

Website: The website is easy to navigate...everything is very well organized by genre and size, and even when you click on an item, it lets you know right away whether or not it is available in every size and color shown. The "add to bag" feature also acts as a wishlist, because whatever you choose not to buy right away stays "in the bag" indefinitely until that particular item in that size runs out of stock. The clothes are usually shown on relatively size appropriately mannequins, so you can tell it's meant for bigger women, but because there are no models, you can't really tell how a garment will fall on curves (which is about the same as any site WITH models, considering they're all teeny)...Each item has reviews and ratings listed underneath to help you decide whether or not an item is for you, or whether you should size up or down, etc.

Prices: Their prices are not at all bad considering the quality of the clothes (which some people complain about, but you're getting what you pay for, plus I still have shirts that are 5-6 years old that have gotten and continue to get plenty of use with no problem)...Old Navy tends to have sales like, every other day, so that doesn't hurt the bottom line, either. You can expect to pay $10-$20 for a top, unless it's a promotional item, like their Independence Day shirts, which tend to be cheaper...and $20-$40 for bottoms. 

Sizing: The sizing tends to be iffy...I'm used to the fluctuations, but that seems to be everyone's biggest pet peeve with Old Navy. I find that if you make sure to go over the reviews, they can be very helpful to determine whether you should order true to size, etc. As with any online shopping, know your measurements and compare them to the size chart before ordering, to make sure the items are a right fit for you.


Delivery: Old Navy is usually pretty quick...I can count on my stuff reaching me in about a week consistently when I select the free shipping, which is offered any time you spend $50 or more. They also give tracking numbers so you can see exactly when your items should be arriving.


Returns: Returns are FREE! Which is awesome, except that the reason they are free is because you can't make plus-size returns in store. That would make life WAY easier, but then again, they don't have the plus-sized line for sale in the stores either, so you couldn't really exchange anything...It would still be great in the cases where you just want your money back, but alas, as of right now it just is not happening, but the returns process is relatively painless and free, as I mentioned, so shop and return at your leisure!


Quality: The quality of some Old Navy clothes is...questionable. It used to be pretty good considering what you were paying for it, but in the past couple of years, I find myself examining every inch of fabric from each of my purchases before committing them to my closet, because the fabric of most items is thinner and might have random holes or piling. In these cases, you can return the items and get replacements, and usually the problem will be solved. Obviously this is another problem that would be solved by having the plus-sized line in-store, so you could inspect your clothes BEFORE buying them, but we're still holding out for that privilege...I say again, if reviews on an item you're coveting are available, check them out to see if there seems to be a recurring problem...you might want to skip that item altogether.


So, there's my review! I hope this helps anyone out there that is newer to fatshion or online shopping, and if you have any questions regarding Old Navy, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer them or to find the answer for you.

If you have a fatshion store/boutique you'd like me to review, or if you would like to be a Featured Fashionista, please contact me at frugalistafatshionista[at]yahoo[dot]com

Related note: I am willing to do product reviews. Just send me an email at frugalistafatshionista @ yahoo.com. My reviews are always 100% honest, & I will only accept items that are relevant to my blog.

Inspire Me Friday - Shopping Shenanigans!

A few things before we start:

A) Sorry for the late post, seeing as it's Saturday. I hope you'll forgive me ;)
B) I hope you like the alliteration in the title lol
C) I am not and have never been compensated for a SINGLE opinion or review on this blog. If it ever happens, I will absolutely disclose that. Know though, that regardless, my honesty shall never be compromised (that being said, I'd love to review items from ANY of the stores mentioned in my blog! email me at frugalistafatshionista[at]yahoo[dot]com)

Moving on...

I wanted to add another segment in the rotation for Inspire Me Friday...this segment will be dedicated to reviews of places to get your fatshion! I'll be looking at online stores, boutiques, independent labels...but no matter what, it'll be places that I have personal experience with. People are always asking me where to buy certain things online, how easy it is to actually purchase from a particular retailer, whether lines tend to run true-to-size, so this will be my platform to get all that information out there, one retailer at a time.


This month, I'll be talking about the first plus-size retailer I ever truly embraced, Torrid.

Some of the looks I've rocked with Torrid apparel:

Torrid Graphic Tee

Torrid Tube Top and Blazer

Torrid Corset Belt

Head to Shin Torrid (cuz the shoes are Old Navy lol)

What To Buy Here: I like to get damn near everything here, actually! LOL They don't have much in the way of basic tees, but they have all sorts of pants and jeans...Source of Wisdom jeans in particular are probably my favorite thing on earth right now. SO comfortable and they come in 5 different inseams! I love Torrid for casual and cocktail dresses, though their selection of the latter tends to be limited. Every swimsuit and board short I own is from Torrid, as well. I especially like their range of wide width shoes and boots, though I had to return both a pair of knee high and thigh high boots because they were too tight around the leg for me.

Website: The website is very well organized. There are different categories for types of apparel, what's new to the site, and a clearance section. Each section is organized into subsections, which can be further broken down into different price points and by size. I love this, because there's few things worse than seeing something amazing and realizing it cannot be yours because they only have the smallest size left...With this feature, out of sight, out of mind LOL You also get to keep an infinite wish list which lets you know when something is out of stock, but leaves it to you to remove the item at your discretion.

Prices: To be perfectly frank, I buy from Torrid literally 2-3 times a month...but only when something is on clearance, or better, when clearance is half off. I stalk the items on my wish list until they are discounted, then pounce. I don't recall EVER buying anything full price on Torrid. This can be tricky though, because once an item in on clearance, it cannot be returned, so this might a strategy best left to someone that has been shopping Torrid for 5 years like me (LMAO or maybe not quite as long as me, but someone that is experienced with their sizing, etc).

Sizing: Basically, if it's so cheap that you won't cry if it doesn't fit, or if you KNOW it'll fit, clearance all the way. If you're unfamiliar with Torrid, you should probably order a regular priced item so that if it doesn't fit, you can return or exchange it. In my experience, Torrid runs true to size, and they will usually let you know in the description of an item if it tends to run small, which is AWESOME. As with any online shopping, know your measurements and compare them to the size chart before ordering, to make sure the items are for you. Torrid runs from size 0-5, which is an equivalent of 12-32. Again, check the size chart for conversions.


Delivery: I've never had a problem with Torrid being crazy late with a package, or getting a package lost, in the 5+ years I've been buying from them. I don't have a Torrid near me for over 300 miles, so every single thing I've ever bought from them has been online, and it has been A LOT over the years. They send you email alerts when your items ship, and a tracking code so you can follow your package all the way to your door.


Returns: I've only had to return those boots I mentioned earlier, and since I had never gone through the return process with them before, I decided to send an email to a customer service rep. She got back to me within a few hours and explained the process to me very nicely. You do have to pay for return shipping, which is taken out of the refund amount, but the process is very quick. I got my money back 2 weeks after I initiated the return, which is way faster than any other return I've done elsewhere. I have had just this one experience, so it might have been a fluke, but I was satisfied with it.


Quality: The only problem I've ever had with quality at Torrid has been with their shoes, a pair of which broke in half upon first wear a couple years ago. The top of the wedge completely came off mid-step. I had gotten the shoes on clearance, so they were unreturnable. Other than that though, I've never had a complaint about quality in all the years and all the orders Torrid and I have had together LOL Then again, keep in mind that I DO NOT pay full price for Torrid garments EVER, so I am comparing quality for what I get them for. If you pay full price, you might be expecting more. Again, if you are unfamiliar with Torrid, try them out with a non-clearance item so you can return it if you aren't satisfied, but once you are familiar with your size there, you'll find you can order boxes and boxes of clearance things and never be let down :)





 So, there's my review! I hope this helps anyone out there that is newer to fatshion or online shopping, and if you have any questions regarding Torrid, please let me know and I'll do my best to answer them or to find the answer for you.


If you have a fatshion store/boutique you'd like me to review, or if you would like to be a Featured Fashionista, please contact me at frugalistafatshionista[at]yahoo[dot]com

Forever 21/Faith 21...I WANT to love you, but you make it so difficult!

I went to the mall last week and was pleasantly surprised to find that the Forever 21 had moved to an anchor position in the mall in order to make room for their Faith 21 department. The store was CRAZY huge! The section of the store was small compared to the size of the overall store, but there was plenty to choose from, and it was great to SEE and FEEL the fabrics before deciding what to buy.

My sister (who is nowhere NEAR plus sized) even had her own little shoppers discrimination moment, as I call them (LOL), where she found something she LOVED (a beige sweater with puppies painted on it, in this case) in the plus size department, and after frantically asking 3 different employees if they had it available in straight sizes and getting resounding NOs, she said to me "so this is what its like for you to shop!" LOL YES MA'AM! Sucks to be in a straight size store, find something really cute, and know it will never fit! Now the shoe is on the other foot! She has a newfound appreciation for my shopping experience, and she made me proud when she said "whatever! I'm gonna make it WORK!" and bought it in an XL anyway, deciding she'd belt it and wear it oversized. Good girl!

When I got home, I realized that one of the dresses I bought didn't fit quite right in the chest area (damn these larger than average breastases! LOL) and that one of the other dresses I bought, which I had been coveting for weeks (its no longer available online, but it's the cute dress that had a purple plaid sheer top and a high waist black skirt) was RIPPED. I'm talking a rip that I could fit my arm through, right across the chest. Completely unfixable and unwearable!


CUT TO THIS WEEKEND...

At the earliest I could, I went back to the store with my sister to get my money back for the above mentioned dresses. Receipt in hand, I walked up to the counter and explained my situation. The douchebag Pauly D. lookalike tells me they can't take back the purple dress cuz it's ripped. Um, no shit, Sherlock. Didn't you hear me just tell you that's why I'm bringing it back? Well, they can't resell it in that condition, so they can't give me my money back. OH! SO SELLING IT THAT WAY IS COOL, BUT NOT RESELLING IT, HUH?! Basically, the guy told me in his own way that I could shove the dress up my ass for all they care, but that they didn't give a crap that they sold me a faulty product.

When I ask about the other dress, the guy has the BALLS to tell me "Yeah, that one I'll let you return." OMG THANK YOU! Fucking asshole, as if you're doing me a favor. But it gets better! He busts out with "so what do you want for it?" Excuse me? "Yeah, what are you exchanging it for?" Um, your JOB in a minute. I told him "straight up, with the service you're NOT giving me and the piece-of-shit quality of these clothes, why the FUCK would I want anything else from here?" I made sure to say it nice and loud too, so all the other shoppers would be made aware of this ridiculousness. I keep it classy, but I am NOT ABOVE causing a scene to get a point across.

They refused to give me cash back so I settled for store credit. To use online. I still haven't heard anything back from THEIR returns department, but I FOR SURE am not giving that store any more of my money. Fuck that.


So, yeah. All you Miami-ans, for top notch service as described above, go to the Forever 21 in Dolphin Mall, and give 'em a big UP YOURS from me. Thanks.

Faith 21 wish list/review

They seem to have posted some new stuff between yesterday and today, and although my experiences with Faith 21 have been very hit or miss, there's some stuff I just love and would love to try out in store soon!

Metallic Beaded Tube Dress
$27.80

Drape Front Top
$19.80

Abstract Empire Dress
$19.80

Bundled Up Cardigan
$24.80

Longline Cardigan Vest w/ Leatherette Belt
$24.80

As far as my last online purchase from them, I'm sending 2 of the 3 things back, and that third thing is sticking around by a very narrow margin. The printed belted dress was ALMOST kept, because I loved the length and the front, but the belt doesn't go all the way around (it's just stitched on the front) and that makes the back look weird. The woven surplice dress is the keeper, because I managed to find a bra that wasn't visible due to the low cut. The classic ponte dress is the one I was most excited about, but the one that most undeniably needed to go back. There wasn't enough room in the top for my boobs, and that made the whole thing look awful (an empire waist giving you four-boob is NOT a good look, no matter what size you wear).

So, yeah. I'm waiting on all these returns before I bother shopping there online again, unless something phenomenal because exclusively available on the website.

Review - Catherines, Loop 18, Cacique, Lane Bryant and Fashion Bug

So, I received my package from all of the above this week (they're all affiliated, so you can buy from all five stores at one website, and they usually give some sort of deal/incentive when you shop from a combination of stores), and I'd like to review the clothes/service.

First off, I love that I can shop at such different places all in one spot, AND get discounts as a result! Catherines and Lane Bryant are more sophisticated clothes, Cacique is all undergarments/lingerie, and Fashion Bug is a bit more accessible clothing. Loop 18 is a plus size juniors boutique, basically a younger version of Lane Bryant.

From Loop 18, I got the black mesh skirt I wore yesterday, and a red plaid/black tunic I'm wearing today (OOTD to follow later!)...I'll definitely be shopping at Loop 18 more, they have really cute stuff. From Fashion Bug, I got a black mesh cocktail dress (GORGEOUS, idk why my fascination with buying formalwear when I have no upcoming occasions to wear them. It's always good to have just-in-case formal wear, but I have like 4 dresses just waiting for a party!) and I also got these awesome leggings that I'm wearing today. They are the Sistine Chapel of leggings. They are super heavy duty material, they feel more like pants. They don't cling at the bottom, and are the perfect length. LOVE!

From Cacique, I got 2 bras, as they were buy one, get one 50%. Lovely, as always (I used to buy all my lingerie at Cacique). At Catherines, I picked up a pink silk pencil skirt with a black lace overlay. BEAUTIFUL, but almost too nice to wear to work. We'll see what occasion I wear this to.

The last item, a pair of pinstripe wide leg work pants, SHOULD have been wonderful, but they were too big on me. Too wide, too long, just wrong all over. Those will be going back. The awesome thing is that these can be returned in store, so I don't have to go through the mission of mailing them back and possibly getting charged for it.

Overall, very good shopping experience. I've always been a fan of Lane Bryant/Cacique and only stopped shopping there because it was so expensive for a shopoholic like me, but now that I've been introduced to these other brands (esp. Loop 18) and I know where to find all the deals, I'll definitely be hitting this place up more often!

Exchange?

Items I'm exchanging for the Faith 21 things I'm returning, so it totally DOESN'T count as a violation of the shopping ban ;) right?

Printed Belted Dress, $19.80

Woven Surplice Dress, $22.80

Classic Ponte Dress, $24.80
 

I'm telling you, I REALLY want to love this store! One more chance, and that's all!

Faith 21...hit and miss, as is the concensus

I ordered 7 items from Faith 21, and when the order arrived yesterday, it was decided almost immediately that half the items would be going back :sad face:

2 of the items that I'm keeping are leggings, and it's pretty hard to mess up leggings, so maybe those should be excluded...3 of the 5 legit garments simply did not make the cut.

Funny enough, the one item that I figured I wouldn't like (the woven cap sleeve dress) is one of only 2 garments I'm keeping. I'm actually wearing it right now, and I'm a bit upset because I think a Pumpkin Spice Latte fiasco this morning might have ruined it (damn you, Starbucks!) and if that is the case, I'll rebuy this dress. Promise. It's THAT cute. It's the perfect length, just above the knee, the material, although a little rough, is heavy duty stuff, and the exposed zipper in the back is ADORABLE.

The other item I'm keeping is the floral trim tunic. Very cute, but VERY low cut, so I'm going to need to wear it over something.

The grommet trimmed dress felt like it was made out of burlap and the shape did nothing for me (I should say "what shape?", but I digress...), the button trimmed tunic was completely see through, which sucked cuz I REALLY wanted to love it, and the slit goes up to your belly button so idk what the hell I'd wear it with even if it weren't so crappily made. The electric stripe top I almost kept, because I love the belt that comes with it SO much, but the top was made of this really unflattering material that served to show off the curves in all the WRONG places, so back it goes. I'll miss you, pyramid belt.

So yeah. The first (and only other) time I ordered from Faith 21, I ordered 2 tops, one of which I LOVE and the other of which I didn't but kept anyway because it wasn't worth the hassle to return...so based on my experience, one is expected to hate 50% of the things they order online from Faith 21 LOL I'm packing everything up tonight so I can make the return hopefully on Monday.

If anyone has a favorite item from Faith 21, I'd love to hear about it because against my better judgment, I'm really really trying to LOVE this store.

Newport News...wah wah waaaaahhhhh!!!!!

So I got my package from Newport News last night...and here's what I have to say about THAT...

Pros: RIDICULOUSLY quick shipping...I ordered on Monday and received the package on Thursday! That MUST be a record somewhere! LOL Also, they sent a little sample bottle of Caress body wash in the package, which was a cute little surprise, and I heart freebies.

Cons: The clothing was, for the most part, misrepresented. The dress was nice, though the material was duller than it looked in the photo. The leggings were longer than they were in the photos as well. The bathing suit (which I haven't tried on yet, so I might not even keep it) was a dingy moss color instead of the shiny jewel tone "peridot" that was promised. The jeans were just AWFUL, they're absolutely going back. And the red skirt was RED, not dark red as listed. It also was WAY longer than promised...even wearing it high waisted, it hit mid-calf. Not a good look.

So, in short: The jeans and skirt are MOST DEF going back, the swimsuit depends on the fit, but just based on the color, it should be returned, and I'm keeping the leggings and dress. Depending on the service I get on the return, I may or may not shop here again...On top of the fact that the stylish choices are limited, they also misrepresent the majority of their clothing, at least based on my experience.

Oh, Alloy...

So, a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a single, solitary top from Alloy.com...

I have a mild obsession with Batman, and a not-so-mild obsession with raglan tops, so imagine my excitement when I saw they had THIS in my size!

Now, imagine my disappointment when I open my Alloy package, open the inner pouch labeled "Batman Top", and find...A PLAIN BLACK TEE WITH A BANDED HEM! You know I HATE banded hems!!!! ARG!!!!!!

So, yeah. I'm going to have to return it. Sucks. The good thing is that Alloy has prepaid return labels in the packages, so I SHOULD be able to just re-tape the bag it came in and send it back. I'll do that tonight, send it tomorrow, and keep you guys posted on the service I get from Alloy, which will determine whether or not I keep shopping there.

A review of my recent purchase from Kohls.com

Hello, my fellow frugalista fatshionistas! I have returned, and I bring you a review of the items that ended my shopping ban...
This is one of the work tops I purchased. LOVE! The belt is removable so it can be worn with or without it (I like it with, but it's nice to have the option)...it is very light but has that layered look that's always popular in the fall, which is great for me because I live in Miami, FL...meaning that while most of America is feeling the crisp air, seeing the leaves turn colors and enjoying temperatures of 65-70, I'm melting in humid, nasty 93 degree weather until possibly January.



One word: EW. That sums this up to a tee. I hoped it would be just gray fabric and not that weird metallic fabric (I was let down), but mostly it was the fit. The size was right (BTW, my fellow BBW, don't EVER rely on the size of a garment, always check the measurements to make sure a garment will fit, particularly if it's a place you've never shopped at before...though I always keep my measurements in mind while shopping seeing as some places :cough cough Old Navy cough: can vary several inches in the same size depending on the garment)...the problem was the FIT. The material was very clingy but because of the band at the bottom (which was my bad...I HATE tops with banded hems and I didn't realize this was one) it was just snug enough around the hips to make the rest of me look like I was wearing a sparkly garbage bag. This will DEFINITELY be going back, and luckily Kohls accepts in store returns for online purchases (unlike SOME stores...:cough cough Old Navy cough:)


Another great faux-layered top. This one is slightly sheer, so I'm going to have to be mindful about throwing it on over a pirate-print red bra (which I just did LOL). I like the material, it doesn't feel cheap, but it is definitely light enough that I won't regret it in this climate.

Overall, pretty good shopping experience online at Kohls. I might not feel the same if they didn't accept online returns in store, but that extra service redeemed them in my eyes. I'll definitely shop here again, though most likely I'll stay in the Juniors Plus department for a while.


I'll be back with more sales tomorrow, I'm still getting back in the swing of things after my vacation!