Crowdsourcing my wardrobe

[neadods]

The usual places are letting me down, hivemind of LJ, so I'm turning to you. I'm looking for business casual appropriate T-shirts, mostly cotton, plus size. Wide selection of colors a must, v-neck a plus.

Where would you shop for this? Orvis, Just My Size, and LL Bean have crap color selection, Dress Barn doesn't do cotton, and Land's End is apparently too sexy for my browser because I can see the main pages, but I can't select or actually order anything.

Comments

[lagilman]

might want to try Territory Ahead?

I heard about them from Sharon Lee, and ordered some linen shirts that came today (1 was too tight in the shoulders, but the other fit perfectly)

http://www.territoryahead.com/

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I'll check them out, never heard of them!

[beledibabe.livejournal.com]

Eddie Bauer generally has a good selection.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I thought they'd gone out of business. They'd be perfect, though, I'll look.

[sarah-ovenall.livejournal.com]

I like Eddie Bauer's v-neck and scoop-neck shirts for work. I find their sizes run large though. I wear an XL or XXL in most brands, but a L from them.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of being an L again!

[badgermirlacca.livejournal.com]

Have you tried CJ Banks?

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Hadn't heard of them! *googles*

[mustangsally78.livejournal.com]

I generally just hit up Amazon because with all the different vendors I can find what I like.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I looked last night, but it seems like such a crapshoot that I'm not sure I dare.

[tavella.livejournal.com]

I've occasionally gotten nice plain t-shirts at Avenue, but the styles this year on the website aren't looking that great.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. You'd think a simple v-neck would be perennial.

[neotoma.livejournal.com]

I get mine at Talbot's -- pricey, but they last for years while still looking acceptable. Often you can get them on sale, if you keep an eye out for sale and clearance.

I'm not sure what the color palette is this year. Last year every color was greyish and made me look dead, but this year they have a better range of colors.

[tchwrtr.livejournal.com]

There is a Talbot's outlet in the Queenstown Outlets. AND an LL Bean Outlet.

The Talbots outlet is still pricey, but not-as-much.

My recent stuff has been judicial purchases from Coldwater Creek, but they just adjusted their sizing, so I'm not as happy with them at the moment. That said, their coupons make their stuff worthwhile too. Well, when it fits.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I run hot and cold on Coldwater Creek. They have some stretch denim pants that I adore and have snapped up in every color, but their shirts tend to be tight across the bust, giving me a "leaning on a glass window" look.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

Link for the stretch denims? Sounds like something I might buy, and there's a Coldwater Creek store on Westheimer and an outlet 1/2-hour away, so I can check sizing and fit first.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Not able to get through to the website at the moment. Those specific jeans are under "natural waist denim brown" as keyword search; however, it's worth a trip to the store because they have a variety of stretch/cotton pants at the moment.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Talbots looks like they have some really great stuff in crew neck this year - including a couple of colors that will go with lots of the skirts I ordered. Thanks!

[jennetj.livejournal.com]

Seconded for Coldwater Creek; I really like their stuff. J.Jill also does plus sizes, but they're a bit procey. www.onestopplus.com is sort of an aggregator for a lot of plus sized lines - there may be something there.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I've had an offline vote for Onestopplus. I'll have to check them out.

I love Coldwater Creek *except* their shirts. Pants, jackets, adore. Shirts tend to be too tight in the tit, even if they clear everywhere else.

[evil_plotbunny]

Weird about Land's End...I've never had a problem with their site though I've had issues with LL Bean in the past. It might be worth another browser because they usually have a good selection of v-neck t-shirts and they have an amazing selection of plus size fashion on the site that never makes it to their stores.

I'll second Eddie Bauer also. Most of my shirts these days come from Eddie Bauer Outlets and Land's End website sales, though I still have some Old Navy t-shirts in the rotation.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I tried three computers last night and couldn't get through. Maybe they were just having an off night? I did manage to get a catalog order to "take" so I can do it the old fashioned way in a week or so.

I was convinced Eddie Bauer went out of business, which was a pity. Good to know they're still around!

[evil_plotbunny]

Very strange indeed. I've never had any problem on Opera, but then I didn't try it last night. If you order from them, their t-shirts run a little large (I've worn both L & XL t-shirts from them) and if you can get on the site, pay attention to the reviews which include a meter for whether items run big, small or true to size.

I'm all over the place when it comes to their sizing - there's a dress I'm trying to find the time to go into a Sears store to try on rather than getting into an ordering and return cycle with them while I figure out the right size. But I'm right on the cusp between regular and plus sized with them and when I can stay in regular sizes I find the fit is better.

[benbenberi.livejournal.com]

I just got a catalog from Eddie Bauer, so they're def. showing signs of life!

[starmalachite.livejournal.com]

I've always been very happy with everything I've ever ordered from Jessica London (http://www.jessicalondon.com/).

Ulla Popken (http://www.ullapopken.com/category/plus+size+tops/plus+size+knit+tops+tees.do?nType=2) is also quite pricey, but beautifully made. OTOH, they have terrific clearance sales, though that doesn' help you now. http://www.ullapopken.com/category/plus+size+tops/plus+size+knit+tops+tees.do?nType=2

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Ooo, thanks for the links! *runs to check*

[themis1.livejournal.com]

I got most of my plus size clothes from
http://www.homeshoppingdirect.com/shop/
who are cheap but perfectly adequate, IMHO.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Cheap and adequate is perfect (says the person who shops at Just My Size for that very reason!)

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

I get my v-necks from Old Navy, but that might be a little more casual than you're after.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I used to buy a lot from Old Navy, but then they stopped carrying my size in the stores. Do they go up to large sizes online?

[darthfox.livejournal.com]

They claim to - and there's a lot of stuff even in the size ranges they do carry in the stores that is only offered online. It's all part of their model now, I guess.

[fyrdrakken]

I was just buying from Woman Within last weekend -- I was there for black cargo pants but I did a little bit of top-shopping, and they had a good color and style range on plain shirts. (As well as being cheap.)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I never even thought of them - thanks!

[fyrdrakken]

I've also gotten a lot of work tops from Winter Silks, but it's a bit pricier and the color range isn't always what I'd like.

[shezan.livejournal.com]

Don't you start with Lane Bryant???

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I was in one, but it didn't have a lot of selection of classic stuff, and only a few day-glow colors in the Ts. At least in the store I went into.

[benbenberi.livejournal.com]

Another vote for Coldwater Creek and Talbots. Very good quality at both, suitable to wear to the office with appropriate jackets & accessories. Good colors too this year.

Coldwater Creek is a bit pricey -- their selection turns over faster than most catalog places, and if stuff is still available at all after a couple of months it's likely to move into the clearance/sale category, so timing a purchase there is a bit of a gamble. As of a couple of weeks ago they had a lot of nice cotton T-shirts, several styles, in a great range of colors. They often have some plus sizes actually in the stores. So does Talbots - some of their stores have big depts for womens & women's petites. The Talbots stores at outlet malls have a different selection than the regular stores & catalog/website, & that's where I've had the best luck finding great classic T-shirts in good colors at decent prices.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I adore Coldwater's stretch denim pants - what I'm looking for is shirts to go with them! (Coldwater's knit shirts tend to cling to my bust in a "don't wear this at work" manner.)

I hadn't thought of Talbots, having passed through their store and not seen much last week. But it turns out that there's a much larger selection online.

[stlscape.livejournal.com]

It's been a while since I've done this so things might have changed, but at my nearest Sears (in-store) I can order Lands End (on an on-line connection) and have it shipped to my house for free. If you can *see* what you want and you like Lands End/know how it fits, it might be worth a trip to your nearest Sears.

[harmonyfb.livejournal.com]

Chico's. Their t-shirts are cut for women, not for teens, the cotton is strong and soft, and they're not hideously expensive (especially if you catch the sale rack.)

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I gave up on Chico's years ago on the belief that they didn't go up to my size.

[harmonyfb.livejournal.com]

I don't know 'bout the stores, but online you can get larger sizes.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That's turning out to be true everywhere, and I find it annoying. Even if they don't have all the colors, I'd like to try on representative samples!

[tavella.livejournal.com]

That's one thing I'd recommend Avenue and Jessica London for; at any given time you can find 30-50 percent off coupons, plus they run sales all the time. Between the two, I can often get stuff so cheap that I don't even bother to return it if it doesn't fit, I donate it instead.

Makes online shopping considerably less annoying.