Shopping for clothes has never been my favorite activity. Most retailers don’t offer plus sizes lines, and often those that do only sell them online. Local options are even more limited. There are a few places in the nearby malls to buy clothing, but many of those seem to stock items better suited to older more mature women. I’m just not ready to start dressing in ugly prints and polyester stretch pants!

Because of the lack of variety, online shopping has always been the way I acquire the majority of my clothes. I’ve been a size 24 for over 10 years, so I’ve gotten a good handle on sizing for the online retailers I frequent. I know I’m a 1x in Full Beauty brands. I know I’m a size 3 at Torrid. I know to size down at Asos, putting me in their size 22. I know which cuts of jeans at Old Navy fit me best. The problem is that I’m no longer a size 24…and clothing shopping has become a nightmare!

Retailers generally offer measurements to guide sizing, but those usually leave me scratching my head. I’m not sure how to handle a guideline that tells me I wear 4 different sizes, especially when some of those sizes are larger than I wore before I starting losing weight. For instance, one retailer says that according to measurements, I should be wearing a size 28 in their jeans, but I have those same jeans in a size 22 (purchased a couple months ago) and they are starting to feel loose. What a confusing mess!

I have had some luck simply sizing down, but even that is a hit and miss option. Doing returns for online stuff can get expensive, as not all retailers offer free returns. It can take several weeks to get a return processed, meaning the money I spent is in limbo during that time. When doing an exchange for a different size, things often sell out and I’m left with nothing. Given all this craziness, I’ve been forced to resort to nearby stores.

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