Level Up- your favorite clothing sources?

terribletimingtoday · 2020-06-09T13:14:07+00:00

I would recommend ASOS, Topshop, J.Crew, Anthropologie, or Urban Outfitters. Zara is nice too. They have nice clothes that look youthful and have some sex appeal without looking like an IG model lol just be prepared to spend. ASOS is probably the most affordable out of all of these but you’re still looking at $40 a piece minimum. Just look into contemporary brands and you’ll find real quality clothing.

AyyyDHD_lmao · 2020-06-09T13:10:45+00:00

Dude I feel you. I just lost a good amount of weight and I'm like, of course I do it in time for baggy stuff to come back in style 🙄😂

I'm really partial to Express though, I've always loved their clothes and they've been decent quality in my experience as well as Nordstroms/Nordstroms Rack (they're also the best place I've found for bra fitting). Express's sizing can be a little wonky, I once ordered two tops in medium, when I arrived I definitely should have gotten one as a large and one as a small! But I like the overall style and they're a great option for professional clothes for work.

sterne_arctique · 2020-06-09T14:39:41+00:00

I hate shopping and never was into online clothes shopping, because it feels like more trouble to me to order, wait for it, try it on and return it but since I shop at Everlane I don’t return anything anymore. Everything fits just right, the reviews make it quite easy to find your size.

It is a bit pricey but excellent quality clothing, on top of being ethical conception.

Now I’m pretty athletic and muscular, being a gardener, but Everlane never fails to make me look and feel flawless and fabulous.

Delicious-Scholar · 2020-06-09T14:20:21+00:00

I think r/femalefashionadvice and r/femalefrugalfashion are some great subs for your questions.

gcthrowaway2019 · 2020-06-09T14:11:42+00:00

Idk how tall you are but if you're at least 5"7, I highly recommend Alloy Apparel. It's still of the mass produced ilk but they actually do have TALL sizes and not that so-called "long" bullshit seen in brick and mortar stores. Their high waist slacks and jeans are my favorite (up to 37" inseam, sometimes even 40"!). They have beautiful dresses, outerwear and jumpsuits too. They don't seem to sell blouses, shoes or jewelry anymore tho.

For higher end brands with lower end prices I like Nordstrom Rack. I love Old Navy's dresses.

crafting-ur-end · 2020-06-09T14:38:05+00:00

I like reformation but they’re very expensive! Still you can check it out for one or two well made dresses

HottPinkSlug · 2020-06-09T14:59:55+00:00

I like Madewell a lot, and also Everlane which has an philosophy and business model I'm happy to support. Uniqlo is good too. I also love Free People but that's a lot of exactly what you don't want.

ItsAnonCat · 2020-06-09T14:27:08+00:00

Nordstrom rack, Nordstrom, Macy’s, if you want to find some really girly pieces I copped a few pieces from the Lauren Conrad collection at Kohls. I also really like loft for a few things, Venus is another nice place to go for very feminine pieces. If you have time to sort you can grab a few contemporary pieces from lower end places like f21 that you built onto other brands from actual contemporary stores like the ones I mentioned above. I’d also recommend you take a look at Pinterest for some idea on pieces to shoot for and there are some nice staples at NY and Company.

m00n5t0n3 · 2020-06-09T15:00:34+00:00

I think you'd (all) like COS. It's a bit "older" but in a GOOD WAY, and you can get professional/tailored/structured pieces that are still contemporary and modern.

cremeblushers · 2020-06-09T16:33:55+00:00

I’ve been obsessed with Princess Polly lately! They have the cutest dresses and skirts and they’re super good quality too. It might seem a little “Instagram girl” esque but they’re super flattering, especially with all the lace and ditsy patterns they have out for summer.

fuckCharDMacDennis2 · 2020-06-09T16:49:16+00:00

I have a very similar issue with my chest when it comes to finding clothes that look nice. What you should think about doing is getting a thin belt or two to accent your waist when you purchase a dress that has little to no shape. Don't follow any trend that does not suit you.

If you really want to level up invest in timeless items that will withstand years and years of wear. They are usually expensive though, but totally worth it. Items like a well made little black dress and a leather jacket are good examples. I honestly wouldn't bother paying attention to what's "in" or what other people are wearing unless being on trend is a hobby for you.

DoodleJack · 2020-06-09T15:20:31+00:00

Seconding Nordstrom Rack and I love Madewell, JCrew's sister store. They can lean into the baggy boho but I have a few things from them that aren't like that and I love them.

In the exact same boat when it comes to bust/athletic shoulders and curves. I can never find dresses that work for me, so when I do, I just have a rule that I buy it if it's less than $100.

It's taken me a LONG time to work on my wardrobe. As much as I like the style of some Urban outfitters things, they do not gel with my body type. They also have apparently made some political decisions I don't agree with, so I don't shop there.

Thredup is a great online consignment site.

Good luck!

rayne_chi · 2020-06-09T15:24:13+00:00

Macy’s has some really nice flattering summer dresses on sale right now! I got like 6 of them lol

curlygirl507 · 2020-06-09T18:50:36+00:00

Yes - I have a bunch of baggy Johnny Was pieces so I know what you're talking about. What about a nice v-neck top with a high-waisted skirt (I need the stretchy kind but maybe you don't)?

icequeen_401 · 2020-06-09T13:31:04+00:00

I second Asos and J Crew but also Modcloth has a variety of styles. Some can be expensive but they are good quality. J Crew Factory also has tons of sales.

enharmonia · 2020-06-09T17:34:05+00:00

I'm built just like you except the larger bust: I have HUGE, wide shoulders (I joke that my body type is "linebacker") and proportionally wide hips, but a small waist and long arms and legs. I can't wear anything that's baggy or not fitted because of the exact issue that you described: it hangs off my shoulders and makes me look huge all the way down.

Because of this, I gravitate towards form fitting stuff. I wear a lot of wrap dress and "fit and flare" dresses, anything that is fitted at the waist works super well. I'm not particularly concerned with being "trendy" but I definitely don't want to be dowdy.

I like to shop at J.Crew, Banana Republic, Loft, and larger department stores like Macys and Nordstrom. Anthropologie somethings has things that I like but I find they trend towards oversized and baggy. Old Navy has also stepped on their game tremendously in recent years, although their vanity sizing is ridiculous, so depending on your overall size, you might be sized out. I'm 5'8 and with 19.5 BMI and their XS tops are always too big on me, but some of their dresses fit perfectly.

loudest_gusset · 2020-06-09T18:50:21+00:00

My go to is Topshop, Free People, Urban Outfitters and anything I can find at Nordstrom. Especially at Topshop, the clothes are interesting, cool, edgy, and very flattering.

I also admit to occasionally shopping at Hollister and the kids section at the GAP for some wardrobe staples like T-shirts, turtlenecks, leggings, etc, and the boy's section in Foot Locker Kids for exercise gear like joggers, and quick-drying athletic shirts.

notochord · 2020-06-09T20:40:51+00:00

TrashyDiva makes excellent dresses for curvy women. Don’t let the brand name fool you.

Also, for fit and athletic bodies, check out Prana.

You mentioned being busty, have you checked your bra size at r/abrathatfits? That can make all the difference in your overall shape as well! Good luck and don’t feel like you have to buy everything’s ok at once.

freerollerskates · 2020-06-09T21:33:31+00:00

I've said this before, but invest in yourself and your appearance and get a stylist/personal shopper session.

I paid about £250 GBP (on a promotion) and I got basically a style that I could use to shop for myself and always look put together, even on a budget.

My stylist sent me a questionnaire about what I wanted a wardrobe for (I was starting a new job and had lost a lot of weight so needed everything bar shoes and a coat really. I needed clothes that I could wear to the office but also to a work dinner or to a bar). She asked me about what basics I already had, what was my budget, what stores I already liked, what celebrities had styles I admired. Then I spent an afternoon with her going round stores where she had already picked out a lot of items for me to try on, then she sent me a pdf of a report telling me what styles, fabrics and colours to look for when shopping for myself, and how to put the outfits together.

It's so worth it if you can afford it - I reckoned that I would save the amount that I spent on not buying clothes I wouldn't wear and I wouldn't just buy the same black sweaters and navy camis.

Inaproproo · 2020-06-09T21:52:40+00:00

OOOH I love giving clothing recommendations.

Thredup (online thriftstore) Amazing place to shop for higher quality items from brands I love, without paying retail price. I fucking love this website, you can search by brand/size/type. I've discovered some new brands that fit so well, and gotten to try fun things.
Bailey 44 - Expensive af, but I go through thredup. Their clothes are *so* stretchy and soft but don't pill badly. Good for work and nice-casual. Some stuff is really classy, or fancy for work, some is okay for everyday wear. I have two dresses from them that I get compliments on *all* the time, fits like a glove.
Uniqlo - good for basics like tank tops, jeans, t-shirts, etc. Higher quality than Zara/H&M but similar pricing.
Aerie for underwear. It's less branded than VS, but still kinda cute!
Shoes: Rothys. I have 2 pairs I've had for 2 years. Machine washable. Comfortable. Sweat-proof. Expensive but worth it, they're my only flats and I wear them for work and dates.

Also would highly recommend getting things tailored. It makes a huge difference in terms of fit! Even if it's like a $25 pencil skirt, if it fits that much better then it'll look that much better, and you'll wear it more often so the extra cost works out!

Watchyourback1121 · 2020-06-09T23:08:16+00:00

Modcloth!

Complete_Thought · 2020-06-10T01:51:28+00:00

I've been getting into revolve, topshop and lulus lately. A bit pricey but its worth it to invest in pieces that will last you along time. I like shein too about 30% of the time as I have some very good quality items from them.

Hedy__Lamarr · 2020-06-10T02:07:34+00:00

I've gotten some amazing dresses at White House Black Market, Dilliards, and Nordstrom Rack.

no_therworldly · 2020-06-10T10:56:44+00:00

Do you have Monki over there? It's my personal favourite

ETA: for shoes, maybe dr. martens? not the boots, they have more styles than that, even comfortable heels

yuyumiestro · 2020-06-23T04:13:13+00:00

Nordstrom has a great selection of tops, dresses, shoes and jewelry, and they frequently have sales. Look for peplum or wrap tops; tops that either fit your form or cinch in at the waist. Aritzia has a few quality basics, Zara has great dressier shorts and dresses, and Madewell has really nice jeans. DSW has a huge selection of affordable shoes, and if you sign up for their list they’ll send ace coupons. Flat sandals or heels instead of sneakers helps enhance a feminine vibe. Subtle jewelry can really elevate an outfit. Drip drip.

Consider making a Pinterest wishlist board, get the pin button for your laptop, and cruise those websites. If you see anything you like, add it to the wishlist and see how it all looks together. Even if the item sells out the photo will be there on your board. It helps to visualize your style and consider your options before following through with a purchase. Sometimes I internalize what I pin and notice those kinds of items when I’m out shopping later, like when you think about red cars and suddenly see lots of red cars.

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