Ask Angie: Can you help me or refer me to a personal shopper in my area?

Hi Angie,

I started reading your blog about 3-4 years ago but never joined. I'm sort of a shop aholic and I am currently in week two of a 30-day plan not to shop (just got back from vacation in St. Thomas and bought a couple of pieces of jewelry but otherwise no real shopping) and I want to keep it up. In the past I have spent over $25k in a year on shopping but you couldn't really tell it from my selections. People tell me I look nice all the time but not the really fashionable folks I admire. I feel like I'm constantly hunting but unable to find the good looking pieces that catch your attention. I'm 45, african-american, 5'5", 104 lbs. For health reasons I went on a gluten-free diet about three years ago and lost about 20 lbs. And trust me I do eat, but without the carbs its hard to build up any weight although i have a pancake at least twice a week and I eat sweet potatoes, but it's mostly meat and salad, maybe a sandwich once a week. Anyway, I'm a size 32AA but wear 32B's because I have trouble finding the other sizes and i just feel like it's a better fullness, although i'm beginning to realize I just need to face reality, lol.

I'm reaching out to you because I really need someone to shop for me or at least give me better guidance on where to find things in my size. I get tired of everyone always saying I bet you have no trouble finding clothes, but the truth is I can't even find a decent suit that fits. I do work with a local tailor and find that helpful. I live between DC, Annapolis, MD and Baltimore. Do you know of anyone with real skills in this that can help me? I find that people at the brand stores are just used to working with average sizes and have no idea how to help with this dilemma. Thanks in advance for your help.

Lorita

10 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Hi, Lorita. And welcome to the forum. I'm afraid I can't help you find a fashion stylist in your area, but I'm pretty sure I can help you find clothes that fit your frame. Which brands do you typically wear?

They also make your bra size on bare necessities.com.

Anonymous

Have you had a good professional bra fitting since you lost weight? I used to think that I was a 32AA. Members on this site and Angie kept talking about getting a bra fitting. I finally got up the courage to go have one at Nordstroms. Now I wish I'd done it long ago. I found out that I was wearing the wrong size and am a 30D. If that 32 band is loose, go get fitted! It makes a big difference in how things fit.

Suz

Veteran

Welcome, Lorita! I second Joy's advice to get that professional bra fitting. Like her, I was wearing 32As for years because that's what people told me I should wear....turns out it is all they had in the store...I'm really a 30D. Makes a huge difference to get the right undergarments. If you are 104 pounds at 5'5" you might even need a 28 inch band. Hard to find but not impossible with the wonders of online shopping.

Angie's brilliant at finding clothes to fit a slender frame (or any frame). Some brands that come to mind that mayt work well for you, if you haven't already tried:

Fast fashion: Zara, H&M
Mid-range: J. Crew, Club Monaco
Higher end: many designer lines may work.

retailgirl

I thought I was a 34B or 34C and got professionally fitted and found I was a 32 D. Which astounded me! ( because I have been trained to fit bras and have done that for years!) But I look better in my clothes and feel more comfortable. If you are near a Nordstrom, check them out, if not, many towns have boutiques that specialize in foundations.

Keix

Another data point from a small-chested person: I've fit myself with multiple online methods and had professional fittings at both boutiques and Nordstrom. I went from a 32A to a 32AA/30A to a true 32A or 32B if the cup runs shallow (Natori Feathers and Timpa Duet... strangely, I own two other styles of Natori bras that fit perfectly in 32A). My underbust measures around 31" so I could potentially wear a 30 band, but I prefer the looser fit of a 32; and my largest-point breast measurement is something like a 31.5" because of how the breast tissue flattens out when measured, but a good bra does wonders.

Ornella

Hello Ravina,
Welcome. On top of the bra advice, I'd say while personal shopper is a good road, until you find the right one for you (which can take time) how about joining forum and letting the group help you in the meantime? I never shopped with personal shopper, but I guess there are similarities with yoga teachers - you have to 'click' with each other in order for your time together to be truly productive.
Joining the forum and posting has helped me hugely with wardrobe focus, discipline and direction. Some people know instinctively what's right for them, I had to slowly learn style alphabet before putting together sentences confidently. But it was fun and I promise you - what you learn while taking control of your wardrobe will surprise you in many other areas of your life.

Summer

Welcome, Lorita. I'm sure that Angie and the other ladies here will help you get your wardrobe into perfect shape.

Thanks Joy and Suz for chiming in about bras. Lorita, it IS possible that you're wearing the wrong bra size. I thought I was a 32C for years and I'm a 28DD or 30D in a very small cut - only wear Simone Perele bras because their fit is vey narrow. Other size 30D bras do not fit - not even Chantelle. Remember that cup sizes are not created equally. A 30D is a much smaller bust than a 36C.

Your frame and size sound similar to mine - and yes you will absolutely be sized out in some cases. But there is plenty to fit your frame. I also have a 4ft 10 friend who wears a size 00P or 000P and we can find items that fit her too.

cloud9

Hello Lorita, if at all possible, you could fly to Seattle and hire Angie! :).

Ps. That's my secret dream to do this myself one day, LOL. Or better yet, have Angie come to my closet and do it "What Not To Wear" style!

Cloud9, you're a honeypie.

Ravina69

Member

Wow, thank you everyone for the warm welcome and kind suggestions. I will study your feedback and try to better pin down my actual size. My go to places are H&M, Aerie (for bras), Nordstroms, J Crew, and off Saks. I've had a few fittings and as Suz mentioned, I have also been told I am a 32A (because that's all they have in the store). I think I'm going to need to go to one of the stores that offers hard to find sizes in order to get an accurate fitting.

Seattle is on the list of places I'd like to visit. Hope the stars align one day!

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