Q

For the last couple of years (basically since I’ve graduated college and sloppy jeans and a t-shirt are no longer an acceptable every day uniform) I’ve been going through sort of a clothes revolution. Which I love. My wallet, however, is not so in love with the clothes revolution. How do you feel about consignment shopping for the plus size girls and how difficult of an endeavor is that at your average thrift store? Am I doomed to never find a size close to one I actually wear? Is saving five dollars not worth the five hours I spent finding that cute retro tee?

A

I love a good bargain. Who doesn’t? It’s not always easy to live on a budget and be as stylish as you want to be. The options for a stylish wardrobe at an affordable price are even fewer when you are looking for plus sizes. But there are a few things you can do to not break the bank when supplying your closet.

Prioritize your wardrobe wishes. Do you want to save money no matter the sacrifice? Then maybe driving that five extra miles to save five more dollars is a good idea. Do you want to build a long-lasting wardrobe over time? Then pay close attention to sales at department stores and shop quality brand names: Liz Claiborne, Nine West, Sabby Anand (y’all know I had to throw her name in), etc.

Budget in a set amount each month. Be realistic with your budget and stick to it. This is MUCH easier said than done. I will timidly raise my hand and say that I’ve not been completely successful on this front, but I do realize that budgeting is completely necessary for sustained affordable apparel acquisition.

Try shopping thrift stores to stretch your dollars even further and add cool vintage pieces to your wardrobe. I wrote about thrifting for the plus gal a while back. You can read that entry here.

Because shopping plus size is already limited you can rest assured you’re going to have to do some fancy footwork to get out on the cheap. Just because it’s more challenging it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.