The last two posts were about wardrobe solutions. Now, where do you go find these solutions for a good price? You can comb the stores at the mall for what you are looking for, but I’ve found that Amazon has pretty much anything and everything you need for a good price. Also, with Prime you get them in two days!
But, with Amazon shopping, there is a bit of a risk involved. How is the quality? Does it look like the picture? Most importantly, how is the fit? Obviously, with in-person shopping, you can try things on and see for yourself about quality. This situation is where my plus-size status actually puts me at an advantage.
You see, most plus-size items are exclusively online. Even stores like Old Navy and Target, who sell plus sizes, only offer them online for the most part. Again, if you are going to have to order something, why not get it in two days?
OK, so let’s say you need to find a dress. I am going to show you three different t-shirt dresses I got on Amazon and include tips for finding what you want and need without the disappointment.
Step One: The Search
OK, so you go on Amazon and do a general search and a gazillion items show up. My first tip is to narrow your search as much as possible. Definitely limit things to Prime only to start. Now, if you don’t find what you want, then unclick that Prime box, but for now, keep it clicked to keep you wait time and shipping costs to zero.
Tip for Plus-Size, put in an extra big size, like 4xl. Even if you aren’t looking for something in that larger size, you will tend to get more items that come in actual plus sizes that way.
Step Two: The Quality
Next up, you want to check the quality as best as you can. Scroll to the information about the product. This information is below the different color choices for the product. What is it made of? Does it have any stretch? Find out by checking for spandex content. If no spandex is listed, then you can be sure that it does not have any stretch. If the fabric is a cotton t-shirt material, then this isn’t as important, but for something more formal like a pin-up dress, then some give in the fabric is crucial. As you can see from the picture below, there is some spandex in this dress, which was great news! Buy your own here.
Also, check out the photos of the product, lined up on the left side of the main picture. If there is a short video, like there is for the dress above, even better. Look at them, zoom in as much as possible. Watch the video. It is an extra 10 seconds and will show you how the dress moves.
Tip for Plus-Size, look at the model if there is one. Is she a plus-size like the model below? Buy this dress here. If so, then you are on the right track. If not, then take extra care with the next step, which is…
Step Three: The Fit
How on Earth are you going to know if you are getting the right size? Well, first off, see if the actual numerical sizes are listed, like the dress above. Probably not, the sizing is usually XS, S, M, L, XL, 2X and so on. Then you want to take a quick look at the left side and see if this vendor has a size chart posted, like the picture below.
This is crucial. Do not go by the Amazon size guide! It is almost never accurate. I am not sure why they even have it posted, to be honest. Go by the vendor’s size guide or the numerical size listed, if applicable. Here is a close-up of the vendor’s size chart for the dress above. Buy your own here.
If not, then last option is to look at reviews at the bottom of the page about accuracy of sizing. Almost everything on Amazon runs very, very small. Do not be surprised if you end up ordering 3 sizes bigger than usual. This is pretty normal. If the item you want just does not have the size you need, then look at the bottom of the page for some similar items. I do recommend you start down that rabbit hole. You can almost always find what you are looking for in the size and color you need.
One last note about sizing, take a look at these three dresses, all from Amazon and their pages are in this post.
Dress on top left is a size 22W. The one under it is a 4xl. The one on the right is a 2xl. They all fit me perfectly. These pictures were taken in the same month, so my size did not change. I wear these dresses all the time. So, you cannot get held-up on the size on the tag. You’ll miss out on some great finds.
Links for each dress are in the post, so Happy Shopping!
Love, Kim and Benji
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