How To Save Money When Shopping For Plus Size Clothes

Plus size clothing isn’t always the cheapest to get hold of. Firstly you have the fact that many fast fashion shops don’t cater very well to plus sizes (I’m looking at you Primark) and then you have the fact that shops that do have a plus size range often charge more for items that are more or less identical, just because they are a larger size. Does this mean that you can’t get affordable plus size fashion? Not at all – It is possible to save money when shopping for plus size clothes; you just need to be a savvy shopper.

Use Clearance Websites

Not everyone knows but there are clearance websites that can save you plenty of cash when shopping for plus size clothes. They’ll generally be out of season items, but when it’s basics you’re looking for who cares? Crazy Clearance is a great website and stocks ex Simply Be items, so you know you’re getting decent quality items, but with a price tag that is much less than when they were listed on the Simply Be website initially. Websites such as Everything Five Pounds have slightly fewer options when it comes to plus sizes but works in the same way and sometimes has a bargain, so it’s worth keeping an eye on.

Buy Second Hand

Buying second hand is a great idea not only for your bank balance but for the environment. Lots of people will tell you that charity shops have a poor range of plus size clothes and in many cases, they’re not wrong – but that doesn’t mean that buying second hand plus size clothing is impossible. Head to Facebook and look for plus size selling groups, you’ll find that there are plenty. You’ll find plenty of plus size women (and men!) selling items that they no longer want – usually in decent condition and most of the time for a bargain price! Look out for any plus size bloggers that are selling items on their pages too – you’ll often get items that have never been worn, but for much less than they were for sale for originally. 

There are sometimes plus size swaps that take place in cities such as London and Leeds, which can be worth visiting if you’re nearby and want a unique way to freshen up your wardrobe. Social media is your friend when it comes to finding out about these events, so follow local bloggers and you should see a couple of them talking about any arranged events in advance so you can take yourself along.

Take Advantage of Voucher Codes

In many ways shopping for plus size clothes isn’t rocket science and you can save money in ways you can when shopping for anything else. Of course, shopping in the sales is always a good idea – although try and stick to things you would have bought or need anyway, otherwise it’s a false saving. Voucher codes are always a good way to save money – they can give you a percentage off, free postage or even sometimes a free gift. These do vary depending on the retailer you want to shop with and can be limited timing so they’re worth using as soon as you see them. 

Voucher codes are often changing so you do need to do some research and see what is out there. Sometimes, if you add the item you want to your basket (you’ll need to be logged in) and then leave the site you’ll find the retailer sends you a “you forgot this item” reminder with a discount code, which can be another way to bag a code that’s going to give you some money off.

Ignore Sizes

Ignoring sizes is one of the biggest ways to save money. Did you know that there are no standardised sizing guidelines for women’s clothing? Men’s clothes tend to be sold in inches and so you get a better idea of the size and the fact it will fit – women’s clothing is nothing like this. A size 24 in one brand could fit much different to a size 24 in another – which is why ignoring clothes sizes is vital when shopping for a bargain. This is much easier to do when shopping in-store because you can hold up items and see how stretchy etc. 

However, it is still possible online. Following plus size bloggers online can be a good idea, as they’ll often talk about a brand, how the fit is and whether they needed to size up/down for items. Most websites will also have a size guide for items which will give you a rough idea of inches for each item, so you can see what might fit you. If a website offers free returns then you may want to try a couple of sizes at a time and send back what doesn’t fit.

Always Return Items

If you are shopping online then you have to be motivated to return items. Shopping online is designed to be an easy process, so it’s easy to get carried away and shop for more than you need. If you don’t get into the habit of returning items that aren’t suitable, then you’re essentially paying money for something that you’ll never use – which is a waste & not going to save you money at all. Lots of retailers offer free returns so make sure you take advantage of this and send back anything that you aren’t 100% sure you’re going to wear.

Being a savvy shopper for plus size clothes is very similar to shopping for anything else. Only buy what you need and avoid spending money on frivolous items that you choose to buy on a whim. Look out for sales and voucher codes to make sure that you save as much as possible. If anything isn‘t suitable then return it for your money back and before you shop check in with others in a similar position to see if they have already bought the items and what their thoughts were.