Shopping Rant - YouLookFab Forum

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Shopping

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Shopping Rant

Thistle

Veteran

Why do stores carry my size on line but NOT in stores? How can I have a day out shopping and trying things on when you DON'T carry it?!? No, I don't want to order it, have it shipped to me and have to bring it back. I WANT to try it on in the store. No, the next size down that you do carry will NOT work for me.

Also, there is really no great shopping in Milwaukee. There just isn't. I wanted to try a new Michael Kors wrap dress. Checked to make sure Macy's carried his line. Got there, and it was teeny tiny section with nary a wrap dress. Half or more of the clothes were dedicated to teenagers.

The only good thing about a day shopping is I have confirmed I like wrap dresses on me if I can find them in a quality fabrication. I have also discovered fit and flare dresses look good on me if I can find them in a quality fabrication AND they are long enough.

I reamember why I shop on line. Hail Nordies and Zappos!

Shopping

16 replies

Latest reply was from Thistle

Loves Tea

I feel your pain, Thistle. Shopping can be horribly unrewarding, especially for those of us who aren't what a designer considers the "ideal" body shape, which oddly enough seems like most of us! I wish I could help, but I don't live anywhere near Milwaukee, so I can't offer any shopping tips.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

What a pain:(

Anonymous

Good news, Thistle - Mayfair's getting a Nordie's, although I can't remember when. 2014??

Thistle

Veteran

I heard about this, and I am crossing my fingers it doesn't fall through. We were supposed to get a Rack in Brookfield, but that did fall through.

anne

Veteran

Thistle what a pain. I can kind of relate since I live in quite a small town with limited shopping options, but I thought Milwaukee was quite a big city? (I mean I have heard about it in Australia!) Commiserations!

Aziraphale

Veteran

I feel your pain! Not many stores stock petite sizes. But at least I can have stuff altered if it's too big. It's really hard if they don't make things with long enough sleeves and pant legs.

Beth Ann

Veteran

Hey Thistle, I hear you and sing it to the heavens! Maybe we need to have a Chicago YLF meet-up, perhaps at Old Orchard in Skokie, so northerners (I'm 7 miles from the WI border) can make it, too. There's a nice assortment of shopping there.

Freckles

Veteran

I so feel for you. Absolutely impossible for me to buy closed heel and toe shoes and gah it's winter or spring or fall when you really need them...even in the summer it gets cold and buggy at night. Good luck getting a N's and soon.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

Thistle, if it makes you feel any better there are no stores carrying tall sizes at all in Canada (sans Long Tall Sally but it has a limited selection) AND online shopping is not a very viable option in Canada as well!
I would be very happy if I could shop online without a gigantic cost of international duties and taxes!
And don't let me going on finding shoes in size 12 in stores...never happens here, I don't even look anymore!

annagybe

(website)

Veteran

I'm sorry. I remember when I was plus sized and limited to Lane Bryant. Try being a hip 20 something in their stuff around 2000 before the internet took off.

rae

(website)

Veteran

Just some sympathy from a fellow gal on Team Online. :T

jayne

Veteran

I absolutely know that frustration and sympathize. I thought i had it bad here in Norway (a country with a population smaller than my home state Ohio)...but when I was home in Dayton over Xmas, I was shocked at the poor quality and selection...the nearest Nordies was in Columbus and although nice still did not have a selection like the internet.....Here's hoping to a future wear there are 'try on'' stores that stock clothes to find your size and let you order the real thing via internet! with th fabric and perhaps taloring (like skirt length) you wish! I dream!

Ingunn

(website)

Veteran

I agree, shopping the brick and mortar stores are a pain if you don't live in a big city. The selection is always small, and if you prefer anything but the latest trends (which is boho/casual where I live), the selection is even more limited.

Day Vies

Veteran

I am sorry you weren't rewarded with loot to bring back to the ranch. More often than not I am finding with brick and mortar stores is if you don't have a preference, don't care about fit or color you can walk home with with a heap of burlap sacks in a variety of colors and styles.

I have been shopping on line more and more because petite XL or petite sizes 16 and 18 are rare. When they exist they exist on line. Sometimes I just use the store to check the color and feel of the fabric. (Sad but true!)

I agree with Beth Ann -- we should have a Chicago area meet up and OO would be a perfect place -- I love the Norstrom's and the Sak's there. I don't do Macy's -- I'm still upset about the Marshall Field's debacle.

marianna

Veteran

At least Nordstrom is coming to WI soon! A little glimmer of hope.

Thistle

Veteran

I am in the spot Angie posted about. I am not plus sized as plus size tends to be cut too big, but I am not a size 12 either, and most stores only carry up to size 12.

I honestly find it poor business practice. Shouldn't a business want to sell what customers want to buy? I no longer find it strange that malls are struggling to survive. If the average size for a woman is a 14, as Angie noted, I am right in or a little above the average. It shouldn't be surprising when I went shopping that the racks were full of x-small and small sized clothes on deep clearance, where the full price large and x-larges were already getting scarce!