After finally dropping some baby weight, or at this point I should probably call it toddler weight, I need to update my clothes. Something that I used to love doing has now become increasingly harder. I now find myself trapped somewhere between the sorority girl style and the “frumpy old lady” style — I feel like there are very few clothing options in the middle. Seeing my friends always looking so well-dressed and put together, I went to the experts for help and asked for suggestions. Now, I’m on a journey to take their advice and try to find something fitting to my “young mom style.” Along for the ride are my older sister (34), my cousin (23), and my mom (63, sorry mom), so I have a good panel of judges.
The challenges
Being shorter than the average 14-year-old, I am met with some challenges. Normal adult sized clothes don’t fit me well, and I do not remotely fit the style the high school kids are wearing nowadays. Being a stay at home mom of a child with special needs, I also try to keep the clothing budget down. I also have to make sure to NEVER wear anything strapless or loose-fitting, otherwise the top of my shirt will end up around my waist thanks to my son.
Online shopping
Stitch Fix: I know people who swear by Stitch Fix, so when it was suggested, I thought I would try it. I typed in Stitch Fix and began the quiz. After completing the quiz, I realized I signed up for the wrong subscription company and promptly canceled my subscription. I then went to the correct site and began the correct quiz. I can safely say, with help of the experience of my mistake, the Stitch Fix quiz was a lot more in-depth and actually gave examples of outfits and asked if it was my style. They also offered a $20 credit, so the initial styling fee was covered.
ModCloth and Unique Vintage: These websites were suggested to me with the disclaimer that they are on the pricey side. I immediately went to the sale section on both sites, but I think it is still a bit out of my price range, though the clothes are very cute. They offer both traditional and plus sizes. Both sites are definitely worth a look!
Amazon: Shopping on Amazon can sometimes feel overwhelming because it has just about everything. If you feel the same way, check ads for outfits influencers have worn and go to the #FoundItOnAmazon section of the site and app for inspiration.
*If shopping for anything on Amazon, look into AmazonSmile. Amazon will donate 0.5% of your qualifying orders to the charity you choose. It costs nothing extra for you and it is a semi-guiltless reason to spend money!
Shein: I have shopped Shein before and most likely will use them again. It seems every time an ad pops up, I add items to my cart (which sit there until I actually commit). I have been pleasantly surprised by items I have ordered through this site. I have also been surprised by how short or low cut some things are, but they make it very simple to return and refund items, and they do so in a timely manner.
In-store shopping
Target: Who doesn’t love a trip to Target? Not living super close to Target, it is not a store I go to as often as I would like. Not having shopped there in a while for adult clothing, I was surprised at how much I liked the clothes. There seems to be a good selection for many sizes.
The Outlet Mall: It was recommended that I go to the outlets and just try on clothes. Luckily for me, my cousin came to visit and shopping is a hobby of hers, so that is just what we did. I was also told to shop the mannequins to get ideas of my style. I did my research over Memorial Day weekend when there were a lot of sales.
- Victoria’s Secret: I made a quick stop by Victoria’s Secret and was pleasantly surprised by the prices. They seem to have a lot of inventory and a variety of sizes. They were also able to measure me, so I could get the correct size.
- Old Navy: Looking to stay on budget, I found myself in Old Navy. I had never shopped there, but I was surprised to find a lot of items that fit me well and were reasonably priced. The bulk of my items came from Old Navy.
- Loft: The Loft outlet store is one of my favorite stores, in fact, both my mom and I love to shop there. We mainly shopped the clearance rack to find some good deals, and I would say we succeeded in that department.
The Takeaway
My most successful experience was shopping the mannequins and trying on all the things at the outlet mall. I definitely understand the appeal of trying on clothes at home, but going to the store does not require spending money for purchases up front and having to go back to the store to return the items. It was also very apparent to me that everyone has their own style, which was a benefit when it came to my panel of judges; this also made me realize that if it was something I liked and felt good wearing, other’s opinions didn’t necessarily matter. The most important thing is finding the style that makes you feel the most confident.
