Over 40 crowd, where do you buy your clothes?

heart-of-dixie · 03-07-2010, 01:18 PM

I used to love buying clothes but now it is frustrating.
I am too old for some styles and then the other styles are too old for me. In the winter I wear jeans/top and in the summer I prefer light weight dresses. I need a place that I can get clothes preferably online.

Over 40's, where do you shop for apparel?
A place that has consistent sizing would be wonderful.

hookilau · 03-07-2010, 04:08 PM

I like myshape.com.

It's not inexpensive but *everything* I purchase fits the way it should. I'm petite so I either have things hemmed or have straps on dresses shortened to fit better.

It's a bit of a pain in the butt to start with because you have to measure a number of places on your body, however, once this is done, they group items that will look good on your shape.

Essentially it's shopping for 'your' particular shape. You can shop according to designer, style, all sorts of different criteria.
Returns are easy peasy. I love it.

Suburbanbushbabe · 03-07-2010, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hookilau

I like myshape.com.

It's not inexpensive but *everything* I purchase fits the way it should. I'm petite so I either have things hemmed or have straps on dresses shortened to fit better.

It's a bit of a pain in the butt to start with because you have to measure a number of places on your body, however, once this is done, they group items that will look good on your shape.

Essentially it's shopping for 'your' particular shape. You can shop according to designer, style, all sorts of different criteria.
Returns are easy peasy. I love it.

Another vote for myshape.com. I Haven't bougt a lot. I put stuff in my wish list and wait for the sales. Got a great Zelda blazer, beautifully tailored for 30% off, and a Kenneth Cole sweater that I just want to wear every day, for $21 (orig price $89). Also got 2 nice tops from macys.com.

rhiannon · 03-07-2010, 09:11 PM

Have you tried Chicos? I love it. You can buy at chicos.com or in a store. (myshape sounds interesting, I have to say - I'd never heard of it before.)

jeepcurlygurl · 03-09-2010, 08:45 AM

I still buy some of my clothes in the Juniors department - trendy tanks and sweaters, some jeans.
My favorite Vigoss jeans - I buy most of them on Ebay.
Yoga pants, bras, unders, sweaters, bathing suits - Victoria's Secret and Newport News.
I also buy things at Goodwill and Thrift stores.

xcptnl · 03-09-2010, 03:28 PM

I am kinda all over the place with clothes buying. I will pick up tanks/tshirts etc at Target or Gap. I can sometimes get shorts there too (I like the longer bermuda shorts that are style now). I like both Ann Taylor and Ann Taylor Loft. Also Banana Republic too. I tend to lean towards a more tailored look so those stores fit that kind of style. I recently got some sweaters from LL Bean.

VTmom · 03-09-2010, 05:36 PM

I HATE shopping. If I absolutely have to do it, I pick up bits and pieces here and there...macy's, eddie bauer, dress barn, anywhere there's a sale.

Spiralli · 03-09-2010, 07:12 PM

I like J.Jill occasionally.

One of these days, I am going to buy something from myshape.com. I did all of the measurements, now I just need to keep a wishlist (can we do that on the site, sbb?) to follow sales also. And what makes returning so easy -- is it free or do they send you the "smart label" that overcharges for postage and deducts it from the value of the returned merchandise?

Suburbanbushbabe · 03-09-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curls2grow

I like J.Jill occasionally.

One of these days, I am going to buy something from myshape.com. I did all of the measurements, now I just need to keep a wishlist (can we do that on the site, sbb?) to follow sales also. And what makes returning so easy -- is it free or do they send you the "smart label" that overcharges for postage and deducts it from the value of the returned merchandise?

Yes I keep my wishlist on the site.

I also shop at Ann Taylor Loft because they have size 18 in the store.

heart-of-dixie · 03-09-2010, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepcurlygurl

I still buy some of my clothes in the Juniors department - trendy tanks and sweaters, some jeans.
My favorite Vigoss jeans - I buy most of them on Ebay.
Yoga pants, bras, unders, sweaters, bathing suits - Victoria's Secret and Newport News.
I also buy things at Goodwill and Thrift stores.

I wish I could still buy items in the Junior department but I am too hippy (bottom heavy)!!! Good for you Jeepcurlygurl!!

I checked out myshape and liked it. Now to take the dreaded measurements.

Thanks everyone for the stores. I did check out Chicos
today and ordered some tees. I have to shop online because going to a store totally frustrates me.

I used to love Ann Taylor Loft but they made me very mad a year ago and I have not done business with them since that time.

I am looking forward to checking out the other stores mentioned - JJill, Banana Republic and the others.

Thanks again!!

rbb · 03-10-2010, 06:49 AM

hookilau, that is exactly what i am looking for!! i know my shape, and would love to be able to 'cut to chase' and just see what works for me instead of wading through everything. i know the nordstrom's site let's you look at dresses and i think bathing suits according to body type, but i rarely shop there.
i passed it on to a friend who also will use it.
thanks for the helpful info!!
where i usually shop -- mostly banana republic, gap..... on occasion, bloomingdales, nordstrom, lord & taylor, ann taylor loft.
i generally hate to shop, but do wish i could just open my closet and have things that look nice on me!! so this is a great start.

jeepcurlygurl · 03-10-2010, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by heart-of-dixie

I wish I could still buy items in the Junior department but I am too hippy (bottom heavy)!!! Good for you Jeepcurlygurl!!

I was getting frustrated finding jeans that I like. I have a smaller waste and bigger hips and a butt and Vigoss jeans fit me so well. I love them. If you come across a pair in a store somewhere (they are found in both juniors and misses departments) give them a try! Ya never know!

wavyblonde · 03-15-2010, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepcurlygurl

Quote:

Originally Posted by heart-of-dixie

I wish I could still buy items in the Junior department but I am too hippy (bottom heavy)!!! Good for you Jeepcurlygurl!!

I was getting frustrated finding jeans that I like. I have a smaller waste and bigger hips and a butt and Vigoss jeans fit me so well. I love them. If you come across a pair in a store somewhere (they are found in both juniors and misses departments) give them a try! Ya never know!

My favorite jeans are Vigoss! I got them in the junior's department at Stage (which I believe is a Southern chain).

KurleeEdna · 03-15-2010, 07:51 PM

I can usually find jeans that fit me at JCPenney, preferably Lee. Though I do have a pair of corduroys I found at the GAP that hug my little butt.

I usually stick to tops and skirts instead of dresses.
I can usually find tops at discount stores like Ross or Marshall's, but it can be time-consuming. (I found a $100 Michael Kors skirt for $20 at a local discount store!)

Dresses are a pain. Though I'm short, I'm somewhat top-heavy. Went to Ross the other day and tried on eight dresses. I couldn't get half of them over "the droop sisters"! I finally found one with a long zipper in the back, so I don't have to pull a muscle trying to get it over my head. (I just need someone's help to zip it up!)

caramix3a · 03-16-2010, 10:44 AM

Second-hand stores mostly - I have very good luck a lot of times, plus my style is eclectic anyway. I do however look for quality unless something is a trendy accessory or something. For those, I hit up discount stores like Forever21 and moving up, H&M - a surprising amount of cool accessories and fun things. I almost NEVER buy new jeans, as I find smaller sizes easily at the second-hand stores. What I look at in the way of clothes is less of advice on what mature women "should" wear, and pay MORE attention to what looks good on my shape, coloring, etc. Since I'm on the small side, I do have to pay attention to proportion, otherwise things can overwhelm me and be like a tent - LOL! So, the basic answer to the question, a variety of sources, but includes exactly NONE of the catalogs that are aimed at our age group. Most of those are so dreary, or simply not my style, period. I'm so not into generic clothes!

mandyv · 03-16-2010, 10:39 PM

I found a pair of jeans at JC Penney too and more recently at Costco for $25!

I now do most of my shopping at Nordstrom on sale, esp clothes for work. I used to like Ann Taylor but they've gone downhill, their styles don't do anything for me and i'm not sure about the quality. For casual stuff, Target is pretty good. I've gotten pants at Victoria Secret and REI.

Robin-in-FL · 03-17-2010, 04:50 PM

I love love love the Express Editor pants for work pants. Pretty much just buy them in different colors, I try other brands but nothing else has the superbly flattering shape, and THEY ARE LONG ENOUGH, even the regular length, which is a big deal for me. Like I can wear heels even.

Other than that, I like Eddie Bauer shirts but they are pricey. I apparently have sharp elbows 'cause if I buy cheap shirts I bust the elbows out, and also I have long arms so really need to get tall sizes in shirts.

I do like Gap stuff, when I find a good sale, don't like it enough to pay anywhere near full price.

Unlike some who posted, my waist is bigger in relationship to everything else, not my butt, and I do not have much boobs (they worked fine to nurse 4 kids but have never been bigger than A cup, really.) And also I'm sorta tall. So these recommendations are maybe not for the ubercurvy.

But style-wise, Express (the work clothes, at least) and Gap have a good style for adults, not too young but not too old. Eddie Bauer is more old ladyish but their shirts just hold up so well, can't get that quality easily.

And you can always find cute clothes at Target!

anonymous_22139 · 03-19-2010, 06:33 AM

I like the clothes at "soft surroundings." They are selected because of their style and comfort.

http://www.softsurroundings.com/

They often feature curlies as models and that doesn't hurt either.

winifred · 03-19-2010, 07:14 AM

Shopping for clothes is really difficult because stores simply do not cater to our age group. I buy the least youthful stuff at J Crew and the least matronly stuff at Talbots. I also do online shopping at LL Bean and Boden, following the same rule of avoiding the matronly at Bean and avoiding the very youthful at Boden.

banjocurl · 03-19-2010, 06:22 PM

i get dresses from vendors at music festivals. hiking clothes and socks from campmor or ebay or EMS. jeans from chicos or llbean, often via ebay. shoes are either birkenstocks or keens or crocs or danskos or hiking boots from ebay or sources above. as an old hippie who is self employed, i have not been subjected to tailored clothes and hi heels. i love homemade clothes and second hand clothes. oh, and underwear from (boo hiss) walmart!! i like boy short underpants and camisoles for on top. body type is chunky but fit!