To whomever it was who said that Modcloth is iffy on quality: you were 110% right. Some items are GREAT, others I tried on, laughed, and put straight into the "return" pile. Here's the breakdown of each thing, for anyone who's thought about buying or is just curious:
The tunic tees are FANTASTIC (someone here said they had one and loved it). I like the black one best, but I'm probably going to keep both. The material is silkier than I expected. I thought they'd be basically super long T-shirts, but the material is thin and drapey, which is also fine. They're shorter than I expected based on pictures, but I'm also 5'8".
The saddle shoes are even cuter in person. I may buy higher quality laces for them at some point because the ones that came with make them feel a little like bowling shoes. My first impression was that they're a bit snug, but I'm wearing thick socks, which I won't be normally. They're a little stiff, especially in the back, but I think they'll be fine once they're broken in.
The skeleton tank is NOT as good as it looks in the pictures. It's extremely thin and see-through. I'm debating on whether I want to keep it or not because it would be wearable with a camisole. I'll have to sleep on it. (Not literally, of course.)
The Mew Yorker tee isn't quite what I expected but it's still good. It looks like a very solid black but it's more an extremely dark gray. It does fit pretty well. I wear a L/XL in unisex shirts and bought a 2X and I'm REALLY glad I sized up.
And now the HUGE disappointments...
The tomato red tunic is... workable. In the past I would have bitten the bullet and kept it because it's just so pretty, but I'm striving for perfection, here. It's too tight across the chest and shoulders and makes me feel mannish. It isn't a bad piece, it just doesn't suit my body type. It might work in a size up, but I'm thinking I can find something similar later on that fits me better. I'm very reluctantly putting it in the send back pile and knowing I'll feel better later when I'm NOT staring at it, willing it to be better because I spent money on it.
The white tunic was the worst of the bunch. Super duper tight across the chest, causing gaps where the buttons are. The material is thin and transparent, and it's such a tight fit that all it does is highlight all my lumps and bumps. NOT flattering at all + low quality material = a very solid nope. I would NOT recommend this one.
My olive jeggings from Torrid are GREAT (as expected) and already being worn. Sorry I don't have any pictures yet--I'll try to get some this week of all the new stuff I decide to keep!
So, this pretty much confirms it for me: I HATE online shopping. It's too unpredictable, I don't like the hassle of having to send things back, pictures are incredibly deceiving, so are reviews (none of these had particularly low ratings), and although as a plus size woman I have fewer in-store options, it's a much safer bet. For Modcloth specifically, I think I'll stick to accessories in the future. I'm okay with ordering from Torrid because I've found their sizes and quality to be really consistent, plus I can return things in-store and it's much easier.
That isn't to knock online-shopping in general! If you enjoy it, keep doing it. Different strokes for different folks, right?
I'm a bit disappointed, but also thinking about what I can get instead once I'm refunded. The two tunics together are about the same price as a pair of white Converse, or those plus the tank (which I'm debating on) are the same price as a pair of jeans. And I probably need bottoms and shoes more than anything else. Silver linings!
