depressing day of shopping

[cbrtls5]

I thought I'd spend the afternoon shopping for a gown. :mad: :mad: It went terrible. I found ONE gown that fit.. it was okay. I didn't just love it. I did love some of the other gowns but none in my size!! The ones that were in my size looked too matronly for me! I guess I'll try try again.

[crucero-amante]

I always find things when I'm not really looking. It's like when I have money to spend I can't find a darn thing and when my budget is tight; that is when I find the perfect dress...shoes...handbag...earrings...necklace...bracelet...jacket... are you getting the idea?

[caribbean dreams]

I thought I'd spend the afternoon shopping for a gown. :mad: :mad: It went terrible. I found ONE gown that fit.. it was okay. I didn't just love it. I did love some of the other gowns but none in my size!! The ones that were in my size looked too matronly for me! I guess I'll try try again.

 

I know what you talking about, i have looked all over and can't find a gown that i really like, at this point i am very tempted to just wear the same one that i did last year.

[AZPam]

I always find things when I'm not really looking. It's like when I have money to spend I can't find a darn thing and when my budget is tight; that is when I find the perfect dress...shoes...handbag...earrings...necklace...bracelet...jacket... are you getting the idea?

I can totally relate to this statement! EVERY time I go just to look around I find a million things to buy. But when I actually have a little money to spend, I can't find a darn thing. Never fails.

[Host Star]

 

I know what you talking about, i have looked all over and can't find a gown that i really like, at this point i am very tempted to just wear the same one that i did last year.

Hanging in a guest room closet are some 'cruise clothes' that go from cruise to cruise.. and in between I hope the closet doesn't shrink them :D

[sandybeachbum]

"It kind of makes you wish you were a man"

they wear the same suit over and over and no one notices!

but when we wear the same dress EVERYONE notices.

 

just cant win!

[Trevoli]

No kidding. When I hit the stores with $$ in my pocket, I can't find a darned thing.

 

When I'm shopping with somebody else, and/or the budget is tight, the perfect clothes practically fly off the racks and throw themselves at me. I have to admit to pulling out the credit card on a few of those occasions.

 

My closet shrinks stuff too. I didn't know that happened to other people. Must be awful humid in there.

 

T

[mrgabriel]

I went over to Talbots the other day and EVERYTHING fit ... that was truly depressing because I'm not supposed to be buying clothes!!! I'm going out tomorrow to buy an interview outfit, and you can bet that I'll find nothing that I like and will have to settle.

 

I don't know what you're looking for, or your budget, but did you see those Fashion Bug dresses that were posted earlier this week? I was surprised by what they had, and am planning to take a look in there tomorrow. There were some really nice, inexpensive dresses. I'm in the middle of a weight loss program, so won't buy anything that requires an investment until I'm at my goal weight ... those less expensive dresses are pretty intriguing.

 

Hope you find what you want!!!

[Kat_in_Texas]

crtbls5 - I had the same experience as you. I don't like to think of myself as a "large woman" but when I go shopping I realize that I obviously am! My problem is that the 14-16's are too tight in the hips and the plus sizes are too big. Makes me crazy. I usually buy separates, but that makes buying formal wear more challenging. I shopped for evening dresses until I was blue in the face, and came home so depressed every time!

 

Fortunately I finally found a very "flowy" black crepe below-the-knee skirt in the formalwear area of Dillard's - actually it's pants (capri length) but you'd never know it to see it on - and I found two separate tops that worked really well for our cruise two weeks ago. And the bonus was that it was extremely comfortable because it was separates. Another advantage is that I can wear it time and time again with different tops.

 

So you might try looking at separates if you haven't already. Good luck!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

I have not found a gown that fits me. Even most dresses don't. It is a question of proportion. If the top fits, the bottom doesn't, etc., the waist is too short, sleeves too long and so on.

 

What works best for me is separates. Luckily it is quite easy to find formal separates...lovely tops and beautiful formal skirts or flowing palazzo pants or even my favorite tuxedo pants. (Many formal outfits are on sale now.)

 

This arrangement has two advantages. You can take one long skirt on a cruise and two tops, for example.

 

I know a gown can be so fabulous and glamorous. Unfortunately, manufacturers don't seem to make them for me.

[cbrtls5]

I love palazzo pants! I'm going to get me a pair in black~

[Norfolk Brit]

I had the same problem until I discovered that formal-wear hire shops also sell their clothes (new and nearly new). As that's all they stock, they have a huge range, the staff are v. knowledgeable, and one is spared the confusion of department store layouts where you have to check all the different franchises for what you are looking for. They also stock every size known to man (that should really be woman).

 

Regards, Mary

[Nliedel]

Been there, done that. Hate those days. I always end up overeating after a bad day of shopping. Which defeats the purpose entirely. I'm sorry that happened to you.

[Happy ks]

I have the best luck with separates as well. The girls are just too big and too far south to look good in a "gown" anymore. So, needing a well supporting bra, I find evening jackets work best for me. I've gotten several over the last couple of years, the nice part is they look great with both dresses and skirts, one even goes over a LBD to change the look. I can wear the dress one night with the jacket, one without and cut back on packing.

 

We've all had those shopping days, though. The good part is, it's an education and can save you time in the future. ie... there is a manufacturer that I love the look of, but everything looks horrid on me, so I know to avoid them. You can also know who's clothing fits you best of all and can narrow down future shopping trips.

 

Finally, I want to state that you should never take the number on the tag too seriously. Sizing from different manufacturers can vary so widely, I have clothing all the way from a regular 14 to a 2X. The first time I bought a top in a 2X was very depressing, but it was the manufacturers sizing, another top from a different source was too big at an XL. The good part is, I find quite a bit of this particular 2X stuff on sale, it's too small for the plus sizes it is intended for and I think most missy sized women would shy away from it, because of the tag size.

[cbrtls5]

So true. It's just hard to be in your 20s and everything your size looks much older. It's not that I want to dress skimpily.. I don't. But I don't want to be more matronly looking. I found tons of fabulous stuff in my size that I could wear but it was "older" looking. I don't have a problem with that but I kind of want to look my age. I think it's sad that if you are fluffy and in your 20s it is so difficult to find somehting to wear!

[ladymanor1]

I have one piece of advise.....find yourself a good seamstress/taylor!!!!

I am 5'...large on top, but tiny on the bottom...it is basically impossible to find anything that fits right, espically in the dress catagory! And I just got plain tired of buying seperates, and it was impossible to find a good suit in the seperate departments.

Always buy what fits the largest part of your body, and A good taylor, can shorten the sleeve lengths, the hem, take it in along the middle to bottom, and make any adjustments you need to make the dress fit like it was made for you!

Buy a few good pieces, have them altered for your body style, and you will have them for EVER! Believe me its worth the cost!

 

Happy Shopping

 

Debbie

[sweetpea-2]

:confused: maybe this is why I like Free style cruising,lol...;)

[Doug&Suzy-Q]

Oooohhhh......Host Star, I think we have the same house builder:confused:

I have one of those closets too...and I thought it was the dryer..now I know it's the dryer AND the closet that are shrinking my clothes:D

Went shopping today w/Dgranddaughter...poor thing her feet are bigger than mine, and she is only 11 y.o. All we wanted were new colorful flip flops..I know I am not a size 9, but that's what I had to buy. She bought 2 pair in size 10:eek: . My poor baby.. I hope her feet quit growing fast:(

There is another reason NOT to look at sizes to hard.