2. Rose Gold Arrow Ring, Lisa Freed

3. Crystal Cluster Necklace, J.Crew

4. Sheer Panel Flare Dress, Elizabeth and James

5. Chaos 105 Silver Leather Sandal, Manolo Blahnik

6. Fiona Earrings, Stella & Dot

7. Studded Military Shirt Dress, What Goes Around Comes Around

8. Tatumn Denim Shirt, Club Monaco

9. Peony T-Shirt, J.Crew

10. Calvin Leather Jacket, Isabel Marant – Etoile

When I do find a good store, I like to spread the word because I know a lot of curvy girls in the same situation. So here’s my list of plus-size clothing stores and the experiences I’ve had shopping at them, both in person and online.

CANADA – NATIONAL STORES

In Canada, there are a few national stores that carry decent and somewhat stylish, plus-sized clothing.

Old Navy

UPDATE Aug. 2013: Old Navy just started selling their PLUS SIZE clothing line online in Canada!

Old Navy is great for buying cheap staples like tank tops, t-shirts, and button up shirts as well. I prefer wearing 100% cotton, which many of their items are made with, but they’ve also got polyester and rayon blends for some items. If you like to stick to cooler cottons be sure to read the fabric details before you add to cart.

(Avoid acrylic blend sweaters from here or anywhere – you’ll be sorry as soon as you wash it. The pilling and weird spider-webbing effect that happens with acrylic turns a new sweater into a thrift store giveaway all-too-quickly.)

Old Navy also has some good jeans too, with a nice amount of stretch (not too much, not too little). For jeans fit, I prefer the Sweetheart style (rounder hips, thinner waist) but they have a few different fit styles to choose from.

• Website:  OldNavy.ca

The Bay

The “women” section at The Bay can be a maze of frump and dump, but keep your eyes open for the in-house label Style & Co. I’ve had some luck finding a few good staples. (But remember to keep your frump filter on. Just because it fits, doesn’t mean it looks good.)

The Bay carries designer labels in plus sizes too, including Liz Claiborne, Jones New York, London Fog, INC, Calvin Klein, Ellen Tracey, and more.

They also have really good late-season markdowns, but they typically shove all their sale clothes onto a few circular racks, forcing you to really dig to find the gems. Be careful to check the item thoroughly if you pull it off a sale rack. Things get really wrecked on there. Especially watch out for holes in shoulders of sweaters that have been hung up and stretched out.

• Website: TheBay.com

Sears Canada

I’ve ordered a few things from the plus section of Sears.ca online and have been happy with some of them, but not others. The quality of the clothing seems a bit on the cheap.

Note: if you buy a size 16 from the “regular” section (rather than from the plus section), expect it to be on the small side. For a roomier fit, make sure you’re shopping in the plus section.

I haven’t shopped much at Sears in person and I will probably keep an eye on their online selection, but it’s not a store I will go back to regularly to update my wardrobe.

• Website: www.sears.ca 

Reitmans

In recent years, Reitmans has upped their style quotient along with their brand marketing and are now producing some pretty classic staples every season. They’re not always that fashion-forward, but they are consistent.

I love the scooters (or skorts, aka skirts with built-in shorts) that they carry every summer. I hardly wear regular shorts anymore. Get the ones with a bit of spandex in the cotton blend, especially if you plan to wear them for activities like gardening or canoeing or hiking, like I do. They’re so comfortable, and they’re also quite flattering because they look feminine, camouflage your bum and hips, and still give you the confidence to run around and not worry about your hemline.

Bargain Note: Try not to buy things at regular price because they get marked down pretty quickly at Reitmans. And at the end of the season you can often pick up some good cotton t-shirts, tank tops and other staples for super cheap, $6-15.

Reitmans usually uses cotton or cotton blends for most of their casual clothes. They also carry a few business casual items and sneak the viscose, polyesters and other synthetic fabrics in that I personally find uncomfortable.

• Website: www.Reitmans.com

Addition Elle & Penningtons

I have a like-dislike relationship with both Addition Elle and Penningtons. (By the way, Reitmans, Addition Elle, and Penningtons are all owned by the same company, Reitmans (Canada) Ltd.)

On one hand, some of their clothes are pretty frumpy and made out of uncomfortable, synthetic fabrics in un-hip patterns. (Acetate?!) Definitely not stuff I’d expect from a specialty plus-size clothing shop.

And in the summer, many of their cute, light, flowy sun dresses are almost all made out of polyester and rayon. Where’s the summer cotton?

On the other hand, I’ve gotten some awesome bathing suits from both stores, specifically the tankini suit, a very flattering style on us curvy girls. 

I’ve also found some amazing gems (skirts, jackets, blouses) at both stores that really hit it out of the park. That’s why I keep going back, even though I’m often disheartened by what I see on the racks.

Buyer Beware Note: Beware of any sweaters from these stores (including Reitmans and many others) made with acrylic. It is terrible at pilling (worse than wool) and also does this weird spider-webby thing. It looks great on the shelf, but after you’ve washed it once or twice, it’ll look like an old thrift store sweater. Don’t be fooled. Don’t waste your money.

• Websites:
  • Penningtons.com
  • AdditionElle.com

Winners

When Winners first came on the scene a few years ago, I couldn’t get enough of it. They had some amazing designer brands like Liz Claiborne, Jones New York, Anne Klein, Bill Blass, and even Levis jeans, all in my size. I nearly went bankrupt shopping there! Thank goodness they were discounted prices.

Nowadays, however, I’ve been pretty disappointed every time I go to Winners. Either it’s supremely picked over before I get there and I just have bad timing, or they’re just not getting in as good stuff as they used to. I still do find a gem there once in a while, but instead of coming out with 5 or 6 items like I used to (still only spending about $100), I now only come out with 1 or 2. I’ve even left empty-handed a few times recently. Quite heartbreaking!

• Website: www.winners.ca No online shopping or catalog, but good for finding locations and getting deal alerts.

Vancouver Area Independent Shops

Since I live in the Vancouver area, I frequent a few local shops that also cater to the plus-size market:

bodacious

Located now on Granville Island, bodacious carries a lot of unique clothes from local designers as well as a more broad spectrum. I love to support them, even though the prices are more expensive compared to the bigger chains like Reitmans. Understandably it’s because the clothes are small production runs and often hand-made by the designers themselves.

I usually save my Bodacious visits for when I’m looking for something special, like a dress to wear to a wedding, job interview, or party. I recently bought a t-shirt there (while on the hunt for a September wedding frock) that had a scoop neck, and a stitched on collar made from satin, with pintucked stripes down the centre. I totally love it. It’s casual, like a regular t-shirt, but with fantastic and unique details that totally punch it up to fabulous.

It’s these kinds of unique pieces that the ladies at bodacious really have an eye for.

• Website: www.bodacious.ca No online shopping, but there’s usually a selection of seasonal items shown.

Babs

On Granville near 8th is the store-front for a local designer who creates beautiful, flowy outfits from silk, linens and cotton, in styles inspired by the Far East. Her clothes are on the expensive side as well, but she uses good quality fabrics and very unique styles. Not really everyday wear, but worth a look nonetheless, especially if you want a unique jacket or skirt to build an outfit around and make a splash at a special occasion. She also does custom orders.

• Website: www.babs.ca (Includes a few images from recent collections. The site isn’t updated very often so it’s best to go into the store.)

USA

The internet is a great place to find new stores to shop at! Unfortunately, if you live in Canada and you shop at American stores online, be prepared to pay extra. A LOT extra. Not just the exchange on the dollar, but also duty, and some pretty steep shipping charges.

That said, there are some good stores to check out if you’re willing to pay the extra fees. All of these stores below ship to Canada.

Eddie Bauer

I put Eddie Bauer down here under the US merchants because their website is American and, though they have stores in Canada in some major city centres, when you shop online, you’re shopping in US dollars and paying duty and international shipping fees. (They automatically calculate and charge you duty on your items when you click into the international shopping cart.)

Most people are familiar with the style and quality of Eddie Bauer clothing so I won’t get into it too much. Their plus selection is somewhat limited (i.e. not everything in regular size is available in plus), but they do deliver quality items and good wardrobe staples.

In Canada the stores don’t seem to carry plus items, but they do carry XL and XXL in tops, which are about the equivalent of 1x and 2x. 

Online, check the clearance section since they do cut the prices pretty steeply. It’s a great way to stock up on staples like long sleeve/short sleeve shirts and tank tops. 

• Website: EddieBauer.com

Sealed With A Kiss Designs

I got hooked on SWAK’s fabulous dresses and outfits at jaw-droppingly good prices (especially when on sale). And with the Canadian dollar doing well, there are some really great buys to be had.

I ordered 3 dresses from SWAK when I first discovered them and all of them are keepers — very flattering for curvy ladies, with waist-defining details and comfortable fabrics.

The SWAK selection is not huge, but the quality is there. They also have customer reviews, which is fantastic for when you want to find out how something actually fits. I’ll be adding my two cents to the reviews for the items I bought.

One thing to note is that you really should pay attention to the size charts (it’s different for each item of clothing) because I got my normal size in one dress, and went up a size in two other dresses that were described as fitting small. One of the bigger-sized dresses is a bit too roomy while the other is snug (but good). May have to get them tailored a bit, but nothing is ever perfect, no matter where you buy it.

• Website: SWAKDesigns.com

Always For Me

Mainly a swimwear site, Always For Me carries a lot of really pretty, classic-looking, curve-flattering bathing suits, as well as some active wear items and lingerie. The prices are about average for bathing suits. (No matter where I shop, bathing suits always seem to be $75+ for some reason, unless it’s the end of the season.)

I bought one tankini bathing suit from here online this summer and it was fantastic quality. Unfortunately, the size was way off. The top was too big and the bottom was too small, even though they were a set and labelled as the same size.

I am probably going to see if I can get the top tailored because I really love it. I have something else I can wear on the bottom, which is why I love buying tankinis. As I said before, it’s a flattering style and you can also mix and match!

Unfortunately, bathing suits and lingerie are usually non-returnable, so you need to be very careful about buying these items online. Pay attention to the measurements provided, and any customer reviews that are available.

• Website: AlwaysForMe.com

•  

Torrid

Torrid has some great fashion-forward and trendy items for relatively low prices. The styles are pretty funky and fresh, though some are too bling-y and nightclub-y for my taste.

The one thing that killed me with my Torrid purchases (as with all of my US purchases) is the shipping fees. For both of my shipments, I paid nearly $30 each in shipping (duties, tax, handling fees) to Canada. So now when I buy something, I make sure I really want it and consider the extra cost on top of the price.

• Website: Torrid.com. They also have real stores in a few US cities. Check the website for locations.

Macy’s

Macy’s has started shipping to Canada. I have yet to try anything from Macys, but from what I can see in their online catalog, they look to have a really nice selection, including plus sizes from DKNY, Steve Madden, Anne Klein, Ralph Lauren, Dollhouse, and Jones New York, among others.

And they get bonus points for actually having clothing photographs on real plus size models! It makes such a huge difference when you’re trying to shop for plus size clothes online. It’s always hard to gauge how something will look when the photo only shows the clothing on a stick of a woman.

Other things I like about the Macys site are that they have customer reviews (critical again for shopping online), and that they actually show you prices in Canadian dollars (if you have the website set to your country). Very helpful! What I don’t like is that they only show swatches of the colour options, not the full colour item, but that’s more of a website thing, not a clothing or selection issue..

• Website: Macys.com

Unique Vintage

Full of vintage-style dresses and gowns that are utterly gorgeous, many of these beautiful dresses are available in 14-16, and some even go up to 6x. There is even a small selection of lovely, classic-looking wedding dresses too.

Whether you want to channel Veronica Lake, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Paige, Ingrid Bergman, or a curvaceous Audrey Hepburn, this is the store that can outfit your desires with a collection that’ll surely make you feel movie star glamorous.

If you do order a dress from Unique Vintage, please read the measurements provided for each dress very carefully. I noticed that some dresses are cut so that a tag 3x is actually about a size 16, while others are 18 or 20.

• Website: www.uniquevintage.com

IGIGI

Recently I came across IGIGI, which appears to be a clothing line designed by one woman, Yuliya Raquel. The website is full of fancy dresses in flattering styles and I’m in love with quite a few of them. I’ve also noticed that MaximumWoman.com and LoloandGigi.com carry some of the items too, so if you’re in Canada, you might do better ordering from them instead to save on shipping and duty charges.

Since most of the items on the IGIGI site are pretty dressy, I probably won’t be shopping there much. I’m a casual dresser and I work in a casual field so I only need to dress up once in a while.

But that’s not to say I don’t have my eye on some of the items! (In fact, they’ve got the Annette dress I saw at MaximumWoman.com on sale for $49.95 USD, while at MW, it’s $149 CAD. Where’s my calculator?! Add up exchange rate, shipping, duty…)

One thing I really like about this website is the “Shape Stylist”. Click into one of the product detail pages and look at the box on the right side of the product description. You can choose your body shape (diamond, hourglass, triangle, etc.) and the site will filter outfit suggestions to suit you! If you don’t know your shape, you can click “calculate my shape” to find out.

• Website:www.igigi.com

Land’s End

At the other end of the spectrum from IGIGI is Land’s End. It’s all about comfort and tradition, and less about fashion-forward style. The clothing products they carry are pretty “preppy” (is that still a term used these days?) but it’s a style that is accessible for families and just about everyone.

They also carry CASHMERE sweaters! Unfortunately, most of them look like something my grandma would wear. Sigh.

I have purchased a few items from Land’s End and have been more or less happy with them. The sizes are usually right, but  some things turned out a bit snug. It’s a bit of a gamble. I purchased a jacket recently one size too big because I like to layer, but it was way too big, even with a bulky sweater underneath. Sent it back. (Returning items is quite easy with Land’s End.)

Make sure that you are browsing the “plus” section (X, 1X, 2X etc.), and not the regular section of the site, which also has sizes 14-18. Same thing here as with Sears.ca: the regular sizes 14-18 are definitely not roomy enough for curvy girls.

By the way, Sears and Land’s End are owned by the same company, but I find the Land’s End clothing to be much better quality than Sears.

The nice thing about shopping at Land’s End is that if you enter the site through LandsEnd.ca instead of .com, they’ll add duty onto the purchase price in the cart so that you have a better idea of what you’ll be paying in total. (Unfortunately, this also means there’s no chance you’ll get a break on duty if the customs officer happens to be falling asleep when your package passes under his nose, which has happened to me a few times.)

Land’s End also seems to constantly be running promotions. Mostly it’s discounts, sometimes it’s free shipping. I get their sales alert emails and it seems like there’s one almost every day. Be aware that they will put you on their printed catalogue mailing list (as does Sears) so you may want to call them up and ask to be removed if you aren’t interested in them. (I received 3 different catalogues in one day a couple of weeks ago!)

• Website: www.landsend.ca (Canadian shoppers) or www.landsend.com (US shoppers)

Nordstrom

Nordstrom has a decent selection of plus size clothing, much of which includes designer labels like Hilary Radley, Jones New York, Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole NY, Anne Klein, and more. This means that the prices are also designer prices, however.

The nice thing about their site is that you can choose to look at things in Canadian dollars, which helps a lot to avoid sticker shock when you get your credit card bill. Also, right now (mid-November 2009) they have free shipping to Canada on orders over $100, which is a real deal considering I’ve paid $30-40 (USD!) for shipping from other stores in this list.

I’ve shopped at Nordstrom in person (Seattle) and found lots of things that suit me. Online, it’s a bit hard to tell. I don’t like the way they mix non-plus photos into the plus size section, since you end up looking at very thin, straight-shaped models wearing something that apparently comes in a plus size. It’s just too hard to imagine how some of the things are going to look filled out with womanly curves. 

• Website: www.nordstrom.com

That’s the end of my list for now. If you know of any other plus size clothing stores, please share!

To the app store!

Though I’ve had my iPad for some months, I’ve been humming and hawing about downloading a wardrobe app because it knew it was going to be labour intensive. A key step in the journey to complete closet organization is that you have to upload photos of everything you own.

After a bit of research online, I bought The Wardrobe Manager by PowerJab for 99 cents at iTunes. I figured if the app wasn’t good, at least this wasn’t a big price to pay.

Step one

First, take the photos. I had to find a clean, bright background so I could take pictures that accurately reflect the colour and shape of my clothing. I found the perfect spot in my hallway – a white wall in a brightly-lit area. I took the hanging pictures off their nails and found that the light sconce served as the perfect hook.

One by one, I started to take pictures of all my shoes, then all the pants, skirts, jackets, dresses and tops. I was planning on stopping there, but thought I’m in this deep I might as well keep going. I hung up all my sweaters and took pictures of those, and then went through the T-shirt drawer and did the same there. 

My blue-black dress

But before I raided the panty drawer I came to my senses and drew the line. I would only photograph clothing that would be seen in “public”, so no undergarments, no old sweatpants and no gym gear.

Of course, because I’d created quite the mess in my bedroom, everything that came out of the closets and drawers had to be folded properly and put back in. Some hours later (hours I’ll never get back) I had 162 photos saved on my iPad.

My tan boots

Step two

Now, time to upload all the photos into the app. But with the Wardrobe Manager, items can only fall into three categories: footwear, bottom wear and top wear. There’s no separate option for dresses so I decided to lump them into the top category. The process was slow and time consuming, as you have to tap each photo and place it into the right category.

Once everything is uploaded, you can ‘create’ outfits by scrolling through each category until you find pieces that look good together. You can also upload a photo of your face, to see what you look like in each outfit. Despite this initial time commitment, the theory is you’ll save time getting dressed later by having your outfits pre-planned.

My pleated skirt

99 cents and many hours later…

But the Wardrobe Manager isn’t everything I hoped it would be. And for 99 cents, perhaps you get what you pay for.

For one, I find it difficult to remove select photos. (An issue when you accidentally upload two identical photos or when you decide to get rid of wardrobe items.) A couple of times I thought I’d actually deleted everything as all columns appeared blank. I threw down the iPad in despair, only to return to it later to find all the photos miraculously, returned.

I would also like a few more categories – say sweaters, jackets and dresses. Lumping all tops together and having to scroll through each item can be onerous. Finally, the app itself is not very aesthetically pleasing, which is surprising considering the whole thing is about appearances! 

App screenshot

Simply seeing three photos all stacked up together isn’t going to be enough to get me on any best-dressed lists. But if there is one thing I’ve learned from this time-consuming, slightly inane exercise (besides the fact that I’m really good at wasting time on inane exercises), it’s that a lot of my clothing looks the same, especially when looking at it from the vantage point of a postage stamp-size photograph. It becomes very difficult to tell one black shirt from another and one pair of jeans from the next…something I’ll keep in mind the next time I’m shopping.

Please send me app suggestions!

Has anyone tried Pocket Closet or any others? If you have a better wardrobe app to recommend, I’d love to hear about it!

And don’t forget to check out our new wardrobe videos we’re trying out for a few season 3 episodes. Here are some of mine below:

Join the conversation

I’m not great with putting on eye makeup, but one thing I’ve perfected is the black liquid eyeliner. I moved from a waxy pencil eyeliner to a liquid one because it’s more likely to stay put. (Anyone with oily eyelids will know what I’m talking about.)

I find this made-in-Japan product the best of the bunch. It comes with a brush that tapers to a very fine point, making it easy to create a thin line. Go over it a few times and the line can become thicker and more inky. Plus, it comes in a tube, which means it stays ‘fresher’ longer. (I find liquid liners that come in a pot tend to dry out and crack over time.)

At $30 a pop, it is a bit of an investment, but I’ve had this one eyeliner for over two years and I use it a few times a week. (Check their website for info on where to buy.)

2) Mario Badescu’s Glycolic Eye Cream

Some people will tell you that you don’t need to buy a specific cream just for the eye area. But since I have very sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and break-outs, I rarely use a night cream on my entire face. An eye cream is pretty much the only thing I do use regularly.

This cream is rich in emollients and I feel like I’m really moisturizing those fine lines around my eyes. And after applying it, I put whatever is left on my finger tips onto my lips, for a perfect before-bed lip balm. The best part about this cream is that it doesn’t cost a fortune. (It’s around $24 at Vancouver’s Beautymark.)

3) Bobbi Brown’s Sheer Color Cheek Tint

If there is one thing I don’t leave the house without makeup-wise, it’s blush. I tend to look a little sallow and sickly without it. I’ve recently migrated to cream blush, after testing Bobby Brown’s product in Sheer Raspberry, a nice youthful plum colour.

I love the texture and the colour, it gives me that healthy, moist, just-been-to-the-gym glow. The only downside is that you don’t get very much in the small tube. (Though this does make it good for traveling.) I bought it earlier this year and I’m almost finished!

4) Hanky Panky underwear

Okay, now I’m really letting you in on my deepest darkest secrets. When it comes to underwear, I hardly ever wear anything else. I have about 20 pairs of these g-string panties, both low rise and regular, in a rainbow of colours.

They’re not cheap, usually about $25 a pair. (Though I have found them on sale here and there, and I often buy them when I’m in the States and even on eBay, as they tend to be more affordable there.) That said, they’re uber comfortable, cute/sexy depending on the colour and they last for years.

I even chuck them in the washing machine and just hang to dry. I’ve yet to throw out a pair. (Available online at Bare Necessities)   

5) J Brand Houlihan Cargo Pants

You’ve seen them in the magazines, you’ve seen them on celebrities and now I’ve seen them on practically half of the city’s women. Cargo pants were getting dangerously close to the un-cool list until J Brand single-handedly reinvented them this past spring. Now every denim company and clothier on the planet, from Current Elliot to Le Chateau, are coming up with their own versions.

J Brand Houlihan cargo pants

I think the original is still the best. The Houlihan’s are slightly fitted, slightly stretchy, slightly cropped, wearable with everything from cool sneakers, to rocker heels or tucked into boots. I can’t wait to get my hands on a satiny black pair for the holiday season.

Your Favourite Things?

Have you got products you just can’t live without? We’d love to hear about them and test them out!

Not only does the owner, Lisa, do an incredible job of buying just the right selection, she and her staff understand body types and are quick to get the lowdown on their customer’s lifestyle. They never push anything that won’t work. They often suggest pieces I would never pick myself but that wind up being my favourites.

New favourite party dress

And no matter what I’m buying, I always ask the girls who work in the shop how they would wear it. Their combinations are always fun and fashion-forward, if not slightly zany. (Which I like!)

I spent 2 solid hours in the tiny shop where most items were 30% off. I picked up pieces from Joie, Elizabeth and James, Gary Graham and Love Heals (yes, they sell accessories too). It was worth it to break my Boxing Day ban on on shopping. I barely made it to the airport on time to return home to Vancouver.

And while Primitive sells exclusively women’s clothes, men don’t need to be left out. Feel free to go there and buy us gifts!

Store info:
Primitive Culture
814 16 Ave. S.W.,
Calgary, AB, T2R 0S9
403-244-4404

So why bother saving anything? My high school boyfriend’s motorcycle jacket just wouldn’t cut it these days. Compared to the cropped, fitted numbers on sale today, it would look oh-so-dated. And to think I carted it around with me for all those years as I moved from one place to another, waiting for the day it would be cool again. What a waste of closet space.

So is nothing worth saving?

Style Keepers

I’ve decided there are indeed a few items that, even though they willcome back in a slightly different form, your old stuff will still becool. And sometimes even cooler. 

Here’s what to save:

✓ Pointy-Toed Stilettos

Even though other shapes come around, the pointy toe will never leave. And you know what? Pointy toes makes you look taller. 

Choose black, tan, navy, red or silver for shoes that will follow you through decades. Regular or patent leather are always the best choices. 

Keep: pointy-toed stilettos

The time to pitch pointy toed shoes is when the toe gets so scuffed it can’t be fixed.

Toss: anything that is beyond repair

✓ The Little Black Dress

Every girl needs one in her closet. The Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress will take you through the ages. It’s especially great for those whose weight might fluctuate a bit. The little black dress is easily updated with accessories.

✓ The Designer Handbag

Even if you’ve chosen something uber trendy (and of course it’s always smarter to go with a basic style, shape and colour), nothing retains its style and resale value better than the designer bag. And this is a great item to buy at a consignment shop if you don’t want to buck up for something brand new.

✓ The Pencil Skirt

Black, or a subtle pattern variation for a change.

✓ The Scarf

Like the designer bag, I think it’s cooler to have old ones over the latest and greatest. The Hermes scarf is a big investment, but if you’re a fashion slave, this accessory will make you proud. And it can be so much more than a scarf. Wear it as a top, a sarong, a hat or a belt. Take care of it and this item will keep you fashionable for your entire life.

And even better, it is fabulous on young and old alike. If you shop for a second hand Hermes scarf, remember to check authenticity by ensuring the edges have been hand rolled. 

How to Choose a Keeper

When shopping for investment items that you’re hoping to keep for some time, always consider fabric and colour/pattern:

• Leather is always a better bet than other fabrics for items like shoes and bags.

• Generally speaking, pattern is what dates things fastest. Choose solids.

And remember: certain trends never look good on some body types. For me, it’s shoulder pads! I’ll be skipping that trend every time it comes around.

What trends do you feel strongly about saving for their future comeback? Please share!

Join the conversation