Comments on: Shopping on the INTERNET?! Surely you jest!

By: definatalie

definatalie — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:26:00 +0000

You can subscribe to Zoe's posts only by going to her profile and following the RSS feed there if our other valued contributors are too dull for you.

We've had some great feedback though, so it's in our best interests stick to the same formula for a while.

By: jamiefat

jamiefat — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 14:20:12 +0000

hey zoe,
i finally made it to your site. i must say, this post is probably your best. ITS HILARIOUS!

Anyway, despite your belief that i am ridiculously shallow (which i clearly deny), i actually like your site and i think it would be in your best interest to make me an honorary member.

you should keep them similar to this format. the others are a bit dull

By: Mahal

Mahal — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:30:41 +0000

I get that looking-down-nose reaction at shoe stores. It really irritates me – sure, I'm overweight, but dude, I still fit shoes, you know?

By: Liz P.

Liz P. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:31:07 +0000

Me: “… it would be if I could find anything to fit, that wasn't ugly as hell and that every single other fat girl isn't wearing.”

Seriously. ;D Too too true.

By: wrap

wrap — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:44:08 +0000

Hi. Just wanted to let you know about Work Rest And Play Plus Sized Clothing: http://www.plussizedclothing.com.au

We are an Australian plus size clothing company for funky, fashionable women sized 12-36 and offer free express post on all orders over $50 Australia-wide.

If you are not happy with your clothing for any reason (so if it doesn't fit correctly or if you don't like it for any reason) then you can just send it back to us and swap it.

We have a size chart on our website and carefully size all our clothing accordingly and have very very few returns due to the care we take.

We hope you find something you like in our online store.

Thanks.

WRAP Plus Sized Clothing
www.plussizedclothing.com.au

By: Kath

Kath — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 05:02:21 +0000

It's not even that they're actively rude, they're more… cold. They just ignore fat customers.

In the US, it's so friendly and encouraging, and they WANT to help!

By: amydoll

amydoll — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 01:38:28 +0000

Definately agree with what you are saying! All my clothes shopping is done online now, because my local town closed down the one real plus size store and relegated it to a small selection in a department store. Even online, i don't have much choice UK wise. I have never ordered from abroad, I am always too scared of getting the sizing wrong and shipping usually costs a bomb. At least with places like evans.com and simply be, they offer free returns, so if something doesn't fit I am not out of pocket. I also never order just one thing for this reason, because if you order 2 or 3 items +, you are more likely to find something that fits, and you don't end up forking out shipping for nothing. I really envy the people that don't have to even think about all this stuff, and can just "go shopping"

By: Zoe

Zoe — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 18:41:09 +0000

Oh, asos.com is pretty hit and miss for me - I can just wear a size 20, even though my waist is about three inches larger than the size chart. I took a real risk on that coat; generally I wear a size 22 in UK stuff.

I find nicer stuff on average too, generally, when I shop online. What I want is the option to be able to find decent stuff - not gorgeous or unique or spectacular - just decent, in stores.

Being in the US, it's probably hard to imagine just how atrocious plus size offerings are here. I can name four or five mid to large-scale chain plus-size stores in the US, that sell only plus-size clothes, off the top of my head (Lane Bryant, Avenue, Catherines, Torrid). In Australia, I can think of two: Autograph and City Chic.

I usually end up spending more in online shopping than I would in a retail store because of the exchange rate, although not by much as clothing is quite expensive here.

It's kind of hard to articulate just how shit things are in a country that's purported to be (OMG!) one of the fattest in the world. I dream of even having half the options a lot of USA fats have.

(I don't mean to come across as bitter or snarky; rather that scarcity is more of an issue for non-US based fats generally).

By: Mulberry

Mulberry — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:56:34 +0000

I can certainly commiserate with you, even though I live in the US in an area with a selection of large-size shops. I looked at the Asos website and their stuff is a bit too small for me anyway, even if I wanted to pay their prices. I would probably take a UK 26 or so.
I also find nicer things on average when I shop online. The prices are also somewhat lower than they'd be in retail stores, so I don't mind the shipping so much. Although there has been much improvement around here in the past few years, I can remember when I weighed much much less than I do now and couldn't find a damned thing that wasn't polyester and garish or depressing.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:37:43 +0000

Oh man, I can't wait to visit the US one day actually have sales assistants NOT look down their nose at me.

Okay, I don't get it that often, but it's mostly because I am impervious to sneers, and superfabulous.