The Budget Fashionista

Recently, my mother, who is fabulous 50+ midwesterner, asked me what are the best jeans for women over 40. It appears that most jean companies think that after age 40 , a woman’s waist shrinks 10 inches, starting slightly below their armpits.  The only other jean options for more mature fashionistas tend to be crack exposing low rise jeans. So what’s a mature fashionista to do? Here’s some alternatives: Seven7 at Lane Bryant.  More stylish fit and a wider selection …

THIS COUPON IS EXPIRED. FOR CURRENT COUPONS AND DEALS, PLEASE VISIT TBF’S ONLINE COUPON PAGE. Save an extra 20% off with the above coupon at LaneBryant.com. Which is interesting because if you use this coupon, it actually becomes cheaper to shop online than offline. Something to think about . . . 

Finally sexy, budget friendly plus size bridal gowns that won’t have you looking like an 80s reject. Lane Bryant recently launched an online bridal section, featuring amazing gowns in size 14-28.  Folks, these plus size bridal gowns are absolutely beautiful—much better than anything you could find at a place like David’s Bridal, and reasonably priced at $149.50, less if you use this coupon. Shop Lane Bryant

Q: I am a plus-size bride in dire need of a beautiful wedding dress on a budget. I live in the New York area and everything seems to be in a size two.

A: There are many options out there for brides on a budget, including plus-size brides. Here are a few:


Lane Bryant.com
The fashionable plus size bridal company has created a line of beautiful and budget bridal gowns for plus size fashionistas. Collection features simple sleeves dresses, similar to the weddings dresses designed by J.Crew, for under $150 dollars.  Read my review of the line


The Bridal Building
1385 Broadway
New York City
This is the place where many designers have their showrooms and sales offices. These showrooms are open to the public on Saturdays and you can find designer dresses from 30% off retail prices. Tailors are available on the spot.


The Bridal Suite of Manhattan
262 West 38th Street, Suite 1701
New York, NY 10018
Tel: 212.764.3040, Fax: 212.764.3018
Contact: Bernadette Pleasant

A large selection of styles and prices. Call ahead to see if they are having a trunk sale.


Last Call Neiman Marcus
Woodbury Commons (Central New York) and Franklin Mills (outside of Philadelphia, PA.)
These outlets of the high-end Neiman Marcus store carry a wonderful selection of gowns, for up to 80% off their retail price. Sizing is hit or miss, though I have spotted plus-sizes before.


Kleinfields
8202 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11209
Tel: 718.765.8500, Fax: 718.765.8687
e-mail:


THE place to shop in New York for bridal gowns is Kleinfields, which has been in Brooklyn since 1941. Brides travel here from as far away as Washington, D.C. Kleinfields has a large selection of gowns to fit every size and price range. Call ahead for an appointment.


Jessica McClintock outlets
Reading, Pa. (610) 478-0810
Central Valley, N.Y. (914) 928-7474
Jessica McClintock outlets carry past-season styles of bridal gowns, bridesmaid’s dresses and accessories. Call ahead before making the trek to ensure that they have plus-size gowns in stock.


Local Thrift Shops
Thrift shops can offer wonderful bridal treasures, if you don’t mind wearing a second-hand dress. It’s always worth taking a look at your local Salvation Army or Goodwill stores. In New York City, also check out Housing Works Thrift Shop in Chelsea.


If you can’t find your perfect dress at any of these stores, try finding it on the internet. Online bridal shops like Watters.com and Bridal Shop at Yahoo can offer a wide range of sizes and cheaper prices because there is little store overhead. Also try eBay, which has a huge selection of plus-size bridal gowns, some new and some not so new. When using eBay, make sure you ask for several pictures of the item and purchase with a credit card that has buyer protection—not a debit card. That way, if any problems develop, you might be able to get a refund from your credit card company.


Happy Shopping,
The Budget Fashionista

Dear Budget Fashionista: Hi! I’ve just started getting into “fashion” hose and tights in order to liven up my boring lawyer wardrobe. However, I have a few problems. First, I am 5’3” and weight in at about 185, so it’s hard to find hose in this size. Second, I live in a pretty un-trendy town, and I was wondering if you could suggest some online retailers for this type of thing? Target.com Wal-Mart

Try these online stores for fashionable plus size hosiery:

Torrid.com—Although they’re fashion skews more towards the whole skater chick look, this online and mall based store has a solid selection of fashion forward, plus size legwear—from fishnets to opaque tights.

Lane Bryant.com- Good old LB has a large selection of hosiery for plus size women, including the Spanx brand. Plus you can often find coupon codes for free shipping or discounts online.

Hanes Online—Wade through the poor site design, to find an amazing selection of hoisery—both fashion and regular for a great price.

Also try the dancewear companies like Danskin and Capezio which at times carry fashionable plus size tights.  Also take a quick look in your local Wal-Mart and Target, both of which carry fashion tights in plus sizes.

Now as far as telling if a site is reputable or not, do a google search on the site and what type of information comes up. You can also check out the sites like shopzilla and shopping.com which often post customer reviews of various ecommerce sites.

There were three things you HAD to have in your closet in order to be cool in the 80’s: a pair of acid wash jeans, an off the shoulder sweat shirt, and a closet full of leggings. Fortunately, the fashion gods spared us the return of acid wash jeans and let the more fashion friendly black leggings return.  Black leggings are not only incredibly comfortable, but offer a great covering options for those days when you don’t have the energy …

Get ready for fall at Lane Bryant online. Get free shipping on orders of $75 or more or Save 20% off your purchase. Plus bring this printable coupon to your local Lane Bryant outlet store and save an additional 25% off any single item when you spend $50 or more.

The Deal: Head to the the Get Fabulous Sale at LaneBryant.com and get 40% off your order.  Use promo code 000409971 to save. The sale ends tomorrow. What We Say: Lane Bryant is a great store for plus-sized women. They always have affordable prices on stylish clothing that complement a multitude of figures. Check out some picks: Pictured: The Printed smocked top, $44.50. A new little black dress, perhaps? Embellished sleeveless dress, $59.50. The Colorblock faux wrap dress has a …

Dear Budget Fashionista, My daughter is getting married in the fall. She is having a casual wedding and I still have not bought an outfit. I am interested in either a dress or a pants outfit. Any suggestions. Color is my choice—I do not prefer black. I am in my early sixties and wear a size 8-10. I would like to get something a little more than the run-of-the-mill outfit. Can you help? I live in northern NJ and drive …