Shopping at Consignment Stores as a Plus Size Woman

"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start." ~ Nido Qubein

New year for me means truly looking at my closet and planning ahead on what I will add and remove. I used to be that girl who bought on impulse if something was on sale. And while it felt good to score a top for $3, I maybe wore it twice and then threw it back in the closet.

This was my way of thinking from a poor person's perspective. When you don't have much money and tons of responsibility, you tend to lose your worth in the process because everything comes before you.

BUT... I have learned that it's not only okay to invest in yourself via your clothing but also, even if you don't have a ton of money, there's always a way to score some quality-made clothing that does not have a low price tag.

Also, I just got tired of having tons of clothing I never wore simply because I bought them at a low price. To me, that made no sense. I'm more mindful of my space and want less clutter. I want my money well spent. And I want to make sure I wear everything I own multiple times and truly love what I am wearing. A low price point should not solely direct my fashion buy choices.

One of the things I started to do was shop secondhand. While shopping for plus size clothing secondhand is not always easy, especially if you're over a size 24, if you do the research, it is possible. Sometimes you'll find that unicorn at Goodwill but there's places now dedicated to plus size consignment.

At Plus BKLYN

When I travel, I also seek out consignment places to shop as I'm in New York City, which surprisingly is not a plus size shopping mecca. To be honest, I find more clothing outside of NYC. You'd be surprised at what you find when you look.

In LA, I love visiting the Plus Bus, where I can buy and sell my clothing. They also host body positive events and you never know who you will run into, while there. While in San Francisco, my friend Tigress took me to Out of The Closet, where their plus size section was actually decent! I racked up on some much-needed quality sleepwear separates where they were like $3 a piece.

Me with Troy of A Bear Named Troy at The Plus Bus

In Portland, I shopped at the Curvy Chic Closet bi-annual event, where I got so many amazing things including new with tags stuff from Eloquii, under $10! Their next event is May 7-10, 2020 and I will definitely be there.

Also in Portland is Fat Fancy, a consignment store dedicated to plus sizes for both men and women. If you're looking for funky pieces, they got you! I saw a green sequin purse there that I still regret on buying. I also found many Torrid pieces there, as well as Chubby Cartwheels and other indie brands.

At Fat Fancy - I should have bought that purse!

Outside of Chicago in Rockford, IL is Secondhand Curves, which is one of my favorite places to shop. Low prices, great finds and extra large dressing rooms. They also have an annual event called Secondhand Curves Con every fall, which includes a fashion show and keynote speakers.

Me with Secondhand Curves owner Rachel Cadie

I have never been to Cake Plus Size Resale in Minneapolis but it's on my bucket list.

Then when I come back home, I love stopping by Plus BKLYN to see what I can find. They carry plus size vintage too, which is a definite plus. I'm still on the hunt for anything from Beth Ditto, especially her collection with Evans a decade ago. And I am confident I will find it at Plus BKLYN one day!

Plus BKLYN

Lastly, I have been shopping and selling my clothing online via the Blogger House Curvy Closet. It makes me feel good to know I can help my other size 24+ sisters get access to clothing in their size on a budget. I am one of the few sellers that offers up to a size 32.

At BHCC, nothing is over $40 so you can rack up and not feel guilty. They have 2-3 sales weekly on Facebook and also an FB group where they hold flash sales and members sell items that may not have fit.

They also just introduced their +style boxes where you can get a box full of 3-5 items for one low flat price. All boxes have items per size so yes, there were style boxes for my size 26/28/30 ladies!

See, shopping consignment as a plus size woman over a size 24 is possible.

Next up on the blog this week, I will talk more on how I have been shopping at a higher price point while on a budget. It's all about investing in yourself and not just treating yourself. Those treats are for the immediate moment but investment is for a lifetime.

I believe in living in the NOW but I want to look good while doing so. A $5 Starbucks coffee a few times a week versus a dope moto jacket? I think I will take the jacket, thankyouverymuch!