hello! I was just wondering if anyone knew any stores with clothes like abercrombie, pacific sun, old navy, american eagle .. It would be a great help! thanks!!

I'm assuming you are female. I don't know where you live but if you have a Macys and Lord and Taylor nearby, they normally have great plus size departments. Carry major brands and their own lines which are relatively affordable. Actually, they are the only two I can get plus size petites in, as I'm very short and buying clothing for me is always very difficult. Liz Claborne has great clothing, tho a bit pricey, and they are online. There is also those chain stores like Lane Bryant, August Max and Catherines but I find that their clothing is too matronly for my tastes, and again, they don't usually have petites.

I know this isn't going to be an answer to your question but I just needed to reply. I hate the fact that I have to shop in the plus size section. Sometimes I just refuse myself to buy clothes because of this. Its weird because it looks like that would motivate me enough to lose weight since I hate it so much. But no instead I just don't buy clothes inless I really really have to have something. I just wish I could lose weight or be comfortable in being heavy and all the things that come with it as buying clothes in plus size. I feel like I'm losing a battle here thats been going on for to many years.

I can relate to not wanting to shop. It is so depressing, especially because most manufacturer's don't seem to want to give the plus size market current, trendy clothing. They tend to use fabrics, colors and prints I wouldn't be caught dead in - so I gravitate to wearing solid colors mostly. I also really be on the verge of all my clothing looking like crap before I'll walk into the store because I know i'm going to be disappointed.
Thankfully, I've been working hard on getting out of the plus sizes. I've lost nearly 30 pounds in a bit more than 4 months - I've got about 10 or 15 more to go and then I can stop shopping there and get back into regular sizes. I don't know where I found the motivation this time around to accomplish this as I've never been so focused but somehow I pulled it out of me and it hasn't been much of a struggle so far. But it took me 45 years to get to this point!

Hope this made you feel better to know you're not the only one feeling down about the shopping experience - actually I bet nearly all people struggling with their weight, who are "obese" have the same issue!

WOW....That is wonderful you have lost so much weight! I'm smiling just knowing how wonderful it must feel to be 30 pounds lighter. Oh how I wish I could lose that much.
Keep up the great work and take care :)

I'll tell you it hasn't been easy and it's been VERY slow but better that than some quick weight loss scam!
I'll also tell you it's amazing how much better I feel just with that weight off me. I have so much more energy, and my whole outlook in general has improved. I can't even imagine how great I'll feel if I reach my goal of a minimum of another 25 (truthfully, I should be losing about another 65 according to all those charts but I recently read you should shoot for the lowest weight you've been in 5 years as a start and then, if you are able, to go on from there).
Thanks for the encouragement! I bet someday you will find it in yourself to be able to do the same, but don't beat yourself up in the interim about it - that doesn't accomplish anything at all but to keep you stuck in bad habits and patterns.
Good luck to you too!

Thank you.
I am trying to look within myself and find that certain thing in life that will drive me to lose weight. I am 26 years old and I know if I don't do something now then when I'm 46 I won't be able to even live. I can just see being over weight is going to be the downfall of me in the aspect of not being happy in life and I want to break that so bad. My mother is 46 and she is over weight and I know I'm going to be in the same boat she is in right now if I don't accomplish this. My grandmother weighs 200 pounds and has all sorts of problems and also has diabetes and it's so hard for her to lose weight. I just want to feel good about myself and love who I am on the inside and out.

Finding motivation, a reason to lose weight is the most difficult part. All these years flew by and I was doing it for all the wrong reasons - mostly to please other people, not myself. Pleasing yourself first, seems to be the real key to this.

It took several mini-crisis's in my life to get me to the place where I am now, all health related. The most major one was my husband had a triple bypass 3 years ago - and he was only 42 at the time. Then, I had my gallbladder removed, obviously due to poor eating habits (or I assume). It still took me nearly 2 more years after all that to really understand that I just couldn't keep eating the way I was I was and my husband really needed help getting himself under control as well, since I knew he was very bad at any kind of restraint when it came to his eating habits. So, one day, after he had a doctor's appointment in which he was read the riot act about getting his weight under control - somehow it pushed a button in ME to finally just do something constructive about it. From that day onward I forced the healthy eating issue tremendously for both of us.

4 months later, nearly 30 pounds for me and 20 or more for him (he still struggles with snacking attacks and poor choices when not w/me), I can honestly say that these new habits are incorporated into my psyche. So much so, that I actually now feel bad if I eat something I know isn't good for me, which I never had before. I genuinely want to accomplish this - to finally get rid of the excess weight (or most of it) for good. Having a partner in crime helps, something I never had before. My first husband hounded me constantly about my weight (and mind you I weight substantially less 12 years ago than now, hence one of the reasons for getting rid of him - I got tired of being abused emotionally). My current husband and I are in the same boat and I've never felt judged by him about my appearance at all (nor have I done this to him). It is all about getting healthy and wanting to feel good. I worry about my future health like you, my mom died rather early of breast cancer and I know there is a correlation between weight and that disease. My father went early as well, due to heart problems made worse by a bout of lung cancer (which he conquered, but sadly all the treatments further damaged his heart). He had high blood pressure his whole life (and wasn't overweight at all - rather trim actually).

I've blathered enough. Just wanted to again let you know that you can achieve it if you really get disgusted enough. I've likened being overweight to any other kind of substance abuse problem in which you need to get to rock bottom before you can climb back up to the top. Hopefully you won't have to get that low before you go forward - you are still very young and thankfully have resources at your fingertips which weren't available to me when I was your age. Good luck again!

Just wanted to say that I have found nice plus sizes at JC Penneys and Lands' End. You can order from both online.

If you have a Macy's or Younkers or a Nordstrom near you, you can find Tommy Hilfiger clothes. They fit me great and I am way overweight. Not proud to be, but am. If you can find some good clearances, you should be able to find jeans for around $20, but it seems that shirts (at least normal, non-grandma, non-preppy) aren't usually on sale. I do shop at Lane Bryant once in awhile, but they are sooo spendy on the good stuff. Target has some cute plain clothes, but jeans run small, and I refuse to buy 2-3 sizes than usual. I am big enough and don't need the bigger sizes to remind me of that. Good luck!

I don't know what kind of jean you like, but the Tommy Boyfriend Boot Cut jeans are spectacular for overweight women.

Finding motivation, a reason to lose weight is the most difficult part. All these years flew by and I was doing it for all the wrong reasons - mostly to please other people, not myself. Pleasing yourself first, seems to be the real key to this.

It took several mini-crisis's in my life to get me to the place where I am now, all health related. The most major one was my husband had a triple bypass 3 years ago - and he was only 42 at the time. Then, I had my gallbladder removed, obviously due to poor eating habits (or I assume). It still took me nearly 2 more years after all that to really understand that I just couldn't keep eating the way I was I was and my husband really needed help getting himself under control as well, since I knew he was very bad at any kind of restraint when it came to his eating habits. So, one day, after he had a doctor's appointment in which he was read the riot act about getting his weight under control - somehow it pushed a button in ME to finally just do something constructive about it. From that day onward I forced the healthy eating issue tremendously for both of us.

4 months later, nearly 30 pounds for me and 20 or more for him (he still struggles with snacking attacks and poor choices when not w/me), I can honestly say that these new habits are incorporated into my psyche. So much so, that I actually now feel bad if I eat something I know isn't good for me, which I never had before. I genuinely want to accomplish this - to finally get rid of the excess weight (or most of it) for good. Having a partner in crime helps, something I never had before. My first husband hounded me constantly about my weight (and mind you I weight substantially less 12 years ago than now, hence one of the reasons for getting rid of him - I got tired of being abused emotionally). My current husband and I are in the same boat and I've never felt judged by him about my appearance at all (nor have I done this to him). It is all about getting healthy and wanting to feel good. I worry about my future health like you, my mom died rather early of breast cancer and I know there is a correlation between weight and that disease. My father went early as well, due to heart problems made worse by a bout of lung cancer (which he conquered, but sadly all the treatments further damaged his heart). He had high blood pressure his whole life (and wasn't overweight at all - rather trim actually).

I've blathered enough. Just wanted to again let you know that you can achieve it if you really get disgusted enough. I've likened being overweight to any other kind of substance abuse problem in which you need to get to rock bottom before you can climb back up to the top. Hopefully you won't have to get that low before you go forward - you are still very young and thankfully have resources at your fingertips which weren't available to me when I was your age. Good luck again!

I understand completely about wanting to lose weight for all the wrong reasons. I think I will have more friends and want to do things if I was skinny. The sad thing is people do judge others tremedously by appearance alone and I am at fault of that myself. I'm sorry of all the complications you have had to go though, you and your husband both. Things like that are real eye openers about how important it really is to take care of ones self and do the best one can to prevent bad health but it's just so darn hard. I mean my grandpa and aunt both died from lung cancer and I watched them suffer and was so helpless cause I wanted to save them so bad from this hell they were going through but still to this day I continue to smoke almost a pack of cigerattes a day. I don't understand myself for anything. But its weird to you can try to do everything as healthy as possible and still get some disease as cancer..My grandpa didn't smoke but he still got lung cancer but they think it may have been caused by where it worked but my aunt smoked a long time and was in her 50's when she passed. Sometimes I just think life is a losing battle but then that slowly goes away and I relize I want to make my life as great as possible and losing weight is one of the goals I want to accomplish for myself.
You mentioned when you get disgusted enough you can achieve it..... I feel this inside. Its like my body tells me oh you gotta have McDonlds but my head is saying Yuck or maybe its the other way around. My body may be telling me it's tired of all the junk. I am still striving everyday to do the best I can do. Congratulations on yours and your husbands weight loss.
Take Care:)

Sivyaleah, How are you doing it? or rather, what are you doing differently? I am 29 and weigh 290. My doctor reccommended the South Beach Diet, I went crazy after 2 days.
I do have some news for everyone about the plus-sized clothing...I am a graduating senior at Iowa State University, and the plus-sized market is my focus. So, give me a year or two and hopefully the market will begin to change.
As for now, I like Lane Bryant's selection. Of course, I live in Iowa so I don't know what Lord & Taylor has...*sigh*
:angel:

Iowa does have a pretty poor selection of plus size clothes. I live here too. I live in the north central part, though...so my access is EXTREMELY limited! I have to either drive to Minnesota or way down to Iowa City/Waterloo/ Des Moines areas.

Sivyaleah, How are you doing it? or rather, what are you doing differently? I am 29 and weigh 290. My doctor reccommended the South Beach Diet, I went crazy after 2 days.
I do have some news for everyone about the plus-sized clothing...I am a graduating senior at Iowa State University, and the plus-sized market is my focus. So, give me a year or two and hopefully the market will begin to change.
As for now, I like Lane Bryant's selection. Of course, I live in Iowa so I don't know what Lord & Taylor has...*sigh*
:angel:

woops! sorry i hit the submit before I responded!
Anyway, how I'm doing it so well this time is by not following any fad diet. Basically, I've educated myself on how to eat properly, it is that simple. I learned a lot from this website - the "weight" area, instead of the "obese" message board has been very helpful. I have completely changed the way I eat and how I approach food. Instead of living to eat - I eat to live now.

My diet currently consists of lean protein, items naturally low in fat (not those lowfat items which substitute sugar for fat, which are just as bad in the long run), more fruits and veggies, and laying off fast and junk foods, sodas, etc. Also, learning what a portion really looks like has been a huge help. I had been totally mis-estimating everything prior. Staying away from foods with trans-fats and too much sodium as well. Tying to drink more water (something I struggle with since I don't like it too much but I force myself). I still allow myself a treat - but rarely. I don't believe you can be successful if you totally cut out all the food pleasures, but I still make better choices when I do (i.e.; no Big Macs, but I will allow myself a regular burger if once or twice a month, if that - only if I'm really craving it). I've also learned to listen to my emotions and not eat just because food is in front of me or because I'm upset, bored or angry.

Trust me it was a tremendous struggle the first couple of weeks and I can't underestimate what I mean by tremendous. I thought I would go crazy, all I thought about was food and how deprived I was. But, lo and behold, after a couple of weeks it almost seemed as if all the craving went away (I guess I was having withdrawel LOL) and it became easier as each day went by and as I educated myself more and more.

I'm only 5' and I topped out at around 225. I'm currently 193 (I had lost a few pounds prior naturally as my health problems started leveling out since I had more energy to move around again), but when I started on this journey seriously I was at 220. 100 pounds overweight according to the charts (which, BTW, I have no desire to follow strictly - I think hoping to ever be that low again is unrealistic especially since I am not an exerciser). I am currently giving myself mini-goals. 200 was the first one. 180 is the second, by early October when my brother-in-law's wedding is. After that, we'll see how it goes. I read recently you should shoot for the least you have weighed in the past 5 years as a real goal - which would be 169. I'd be thrilled to get there but really would like to get to around 150. Still overweight, but sure not morbidly obese. Being thin was never my goal - being healthy tho is.

I still have times where I struggle. Mainly those times are when I don't feel well but I can honestly say I haven't had a single day in 4 months where I totally binged out. I try to stay within a 1350 calories range, with no more than 30 grams of at - and shoot for around 25% fat, 25% protein and 50% carbs - which seems to work for me personally - this would change for each person individually. I know that it sounds really minimal but it isn't - at least not for someone of my height and the physical activity during the day. I've been losing about 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per week - occassionally 2 and occassionally plateau inbetween (which is frustrating but I just tough it out!).

Anyway, my point is this is a difficult journey but is achievable for most people. Who can say how long I'll be able to hold onto my new ways but all I know is the longer I stick with it the more it is being incorporated into my core way of being.

Good luck to you as well! Keep trying. Even failure can be a step in the right direction because eventually you will come upon something which will work for you!

I saw that you posted this on another board. Which I replied to. I'm just not sure if you've seen my response, so I'll post it here too.

I'm 16 and I shop at a few stores. (Yes, I know it's harder to find plus sized clothing that actually looks like something a teen would wear.)

But anyway, I shop at the following stores:
Old Navy (The one here carries up to a size 24 pants and XXL shirts.)
Fashion Bug (They have started carrying more professional/semi-formal clothing for plus sizes than they do casual though.)
Torrid (There are some stores out there, but I do all of my Torrid shopping online.)

And my all time favorite:
Goody's (They carry pretty much any type of plus size clothing you could want. There casual clothing is great. Plus, the prices aren't too bad either.)

Also another store you could look into is Cato's. I don't really shop there much because it's just not my style. But you may find something you like there.

Hope this helps!

-Britt

Hi! Old navy has plus sizes up to 26+. There are also plus sizes online for certain stores like gap, etc. Try gfla.com, delias.com, and also lane bryant has some cute stuff too!

old navy does have some larger size clothes. i don't know what plus size is really though. like technically.

wow, I live in central CA and have not heard of a lot of those stores mentioned here!
We have The Avenue (used to be Lerner Woman), Catherine's (used to be a ton of things), Fashion Bug, and Lane Bryant. LaneB seems to have the most stylish clothes, but they are expensive, but quality. I haven't been to Catherine's in years. The Ave used to be MY store, great for the solid casual staples. They get some funky things in sometimes, so don't base your style on what they have alone! Fashion Bug has good deals sometimes, but the quality is not great. I haven't shopped for business type wear in a long time at any of these places.
Macy's does have a decent section. I refuse to shop at Sears. They hide the plus clothing upstairs by the kids clothing and lingerie, nowhere near all the other clothing!! One day I was looking for it, and a saleslady told me where it was, I just walked out! I even wrote them online because their online pictures of plus size wear is utterly rediculous!!!! They have a tall stick of a woman "wearing" the plus sized clothing they are trying to sell to large women! I thought I would give the online thing a chance, but after repeatedly seeing these crazy pictures I felt totally disrespected and disgusted. Basically they told me that "research" shows that we don't want to see larger women in ads.

Anyway, I had no idea Old Navy has plus sizes, last time I was there with my niece I didn't notice that. That's been a while though also.
Good luck shopping!!!

well i have a question about clothes too

im not that fat but i have to buy bigger clothes because i am 6ft 2 and have a large body frame... but do any of you know of any stores that are like made for tall people?? like extra extra long pants and sweatshirts that have long arm lengths?? i know that the Buckle carries extra extra long pants but they are way expensive and since i have such long arms i went to the guy section to try on this sweatshirt that i thought was cute and that would look good on girls too and the dang thing was 70 dollars!!!!!! i couldnt believe it i need a store that makes clothes for tall girls!! do any of you know of any stores?? or websites??

well i have a question about clothes too

im not that fat but i have to buy bigger clothes because i am 6ft 2 and have a large body frame... but do any of you know of any stores that are like made for tall people?? like extra extra long pants and sweatshirts that have long arm lengths?? i know that the Buckle carries extra extra long pants but they are way expensive and since i have such long arms i went to the guy section to try on this sweatshirt that i thought was cute and that would look good on girls too and the dang thing was 70 dollars!!!!!! i couldnt believe it i need a store that makes clothes for tall girls!! do any of you know of any stores?? or websites??

I have a friend built like you and she has a really tough time finding clothes. But for just casual stuff like jeans or sweatshirts, she usually buys men's clothes. I don't know if that look is too 'casual' for you, but it seems to work for her - especially for jeans because unlike women's jeans that each size comes in petite, average, or tall, men's jeans come in many different inseam lengths for each waist size. And unless they're cutesy little half-shirt skinny people sweatshirts, most sweatshirts look alike to me as far as how they fit, & I know men's ones have longer arms.

I'm a newbie sneaking in...

Honestly, I love shopping at Lane Bryant. I would like to find some other plus-size stores that are trendy and whatnot. But shopping for clothes for me seems to be more work than enjoyment. I'm petite too, and finding jeans that fit perfectly is such a hassle! I like jeans with a fitted thigh and flared legs. L.B. does carry clothes for petite women. They are fashionable and even though expensive, very much worth it because the clothes last for a long time.

sorry for the double post...

Hi! I know that Lane Bryant (in their mall stores) has fashionable clothing - Like Express, Old Navy, etc. The latest styles and great deals in their CLEARANCE departments!!! :blob_fire

Also, you can find great Plus Size clothing at eBay - but, you have to be careful to inquire about the measurements and know what your measurements are.

I hope this helps. :wave:
TJ

hey, i know this is an older post, but I do know of a lot of plus size clothing stores that carry trendy clothes...old navy now carries a plus size line up to size 26 and its mainly online..some stores do have thoseclothes actually in the stores...there also is lane bryant and dots..also I love torrid.com and bandlu.com...

hey, i know this is an older post, but I do know of a lot of plus size clothing stores that carry trendy clothes...old navy now carries a plus size line up to size 26 and its mainly online..some stores do have thoseclothes actually in the stores...there also is lane bryant and dots..also I love torrid.com and bandlu.com...

Wow! I forgot about Dots...there isn't one near me anymore. Do you know if they have a website?

yea, they have a web site but unfortunently they do not sell clothes online, but if you want to check it out anyway its www.dots.com...I recently moved and I have no Dots by me anymore...I hate it....I loved that store!