Plus Size Shopping Guide for Affordable Clothing, Shoes, & Accessories

For women in their 20's and 30's, sometimes shopping for plus size clothing can be extremely expensive. Then, when you do find something affordable you may end up looking aged because of the design. A dress can cost more than $80 simply because it is a "specialty size". Not everyone can afford the prices at some plus size stores so here is a list of 16 stores--mostly with websites and in no particular order--where you can shop for affordable, plus size clothing, lingerie, and accessories that wont age you.

1) Fashionbug.com
This store is great for all sorts of purchases, shoes, accessories and clothing. In their sale section you can really find some steals, like tops from $5 or handbags from $4.99. If you need plus size jeans or pants, this is definitely the place to shop. They have great looking jeans at really low prices (like $5!). You can also find underwear and lingerie at Fashionbug.

2) Target/Target.com
Target has two brands which provide great, high quality, plus size clothing--Merona and Mossimo Black. As of publication the most expensive plus size dress at Target costs $45. Compare this to other stores like Torrid or Jessica London where a dress could set you back $70. Their sale items are also ridiculously cheap, sometimes a pair of jeans can cost $7. You can also find great deals on handbags and other accessories at Target. If you shop online and spend above $50 you get Free Shipping.

3) Ebay.com
Visit Ebay to buy well known brands (like Torrid, Jessica London, etc) at serious discounts. You can find a $75 Torrid dress on Ebay for $30. These clothes are usually being sold used, so if you have a problem with used items, then don't do Ebay. However, you can still find great bargains for shoes and accessories on this website. New or used! Always, when you shop on Ebay, make sure you read descriptions properly, look at the pictures of the item to make sure the tags are showing the label and size, and make sure the seller has had some positive feedback before bidding.

4) OneStopPlus.com
This store is great for wide width shoes, handbags and other accessories. They do sell clothing, but some of their clothing is a bit too "old" for this article's audience. Here, you can find items like leggings at reasonable prices, and if you search in their clearance section you can find a few things that are not too "old" looking.

5) Walmart/Walmart.com
Everyone knows Walmart is cheap! But did you know they are also a great resource for plus size clothing and accessories? Some people may balk at the idea of buying from Walmart, but if you want deals on plus size jeans, casual tops, underwear, accessories, then Walmart is a great place to go. It is much easier to shop on their website so check there first before going in store. Not all of their clothing is appropriate for the age group being discussed, but with a little time you can find something that you will like. Their jeans are probably the best place to start. Plus size underwear, shape-wear, and plus size sleepwear are also sold here and you can find great prices. Like a pajama set for $12. You can also find some plus size lingerie here, and their jeans range in price from $9-$23. Walmart also offers 97cent shipping, so you won't have to worry about making large orders.

6) Avenue/Avenue.com
At this store you can usually find something good to wear in their sale section. But do not do all your shopping at Avenue unless you are focused mostly on plus size professional looking clothing. If you are someone who has a 9 to 5 job in a corporate office somewhere, then Avenue is a great place to shop for plus size work clothes. For everyone else seeking plus size dresses, Avenue is still a good bet. You should know, that some of their clothing is not as cheap as other websites on this list, but their sale section has terrific deals so start there. Avenue is also great for accessories, and wide width shoes! You wont find shoes to go clubbing in, but you will find casual wear shoes and work shoes here.

6) Roamans.com
This is a great store for wide width shoes. Like its sister store, OneStopPlus, some of the clothing may make you look a bit older than you want. But, your chances of finding "younger" plus size clothing increase at Roaman's. You can also find handbags, accessories, and denim at Roaman's. Also, with Fall/Winter approaching, try Roaman's for your plus size sweaters/cardigans, leggings, and a wide variety of tunic tops to go with your leggings. For wide width shoes, Roaman's is also a great place to look--especially their clearance section. They specialize in selling boots with wider calves than other stores, so you can check Roaman's for wide calf boots.

7) Chadwicks.com
Another great store for shoe shopping. Since this store is owned by the same parent company as Roaman's, you may sometimes find the same shoes on their websites. However, they are hardly ever the same price so you can find which one costs less. Chadwicks is not really a plus size store, but they do have wide width shoes which you should see. Also visit Chadwick's for handbags, accessories, etc. Their clearance section usually has great prices on these items.

8) BCOutlet.com (Online Outlet Store for Roaman's, Woman Within, Jessica London)
Once you hear outlet store you know what that means. Serious Discounts!! If you love Jessica London, but don't always have the money for their prices, then try BCO. They are basically a website where the 3 mentioned stores send their unsold merchandise. This means ridiculous prices. Of course, like any outlet store, you will have to do a bit of legwork (mouse work?) to find the right pieces for you. But you will be glad you did!

9) Macy's/Macys.com
For the purpose of this article (i.e. affordable plus size clothing) it is suggested you only shop in the Sale section of the Macy's website. You can venture over to their regular priced items, but the prices there are a bit steep. In their sale section you can find many plus size items with designer names at lower prices but in limited sizes (they are on sale afterall). You may have to search a bit, but you will find something there. From plus size dresses, to cardigans, to tops to winter coats.

10) OldNavy.com/Old Navy
Old Navy's plus sizes are sold almost exclusively online. This means they are accessible to everyone regardless of location! You can find some great deals in stores, but their website is the best place to go! Old Navy places heavy focus on things like jeans, casual wear tops and dresses, hoodies, sweaters, etc. If you are looking for a plus size party or club dress, then this might not be the best place to go. They do have great sale prices for plus size clothing for daily wear. With Fall/Winter fast approaching visit Old Navy to find cardigans/sweaters and jackets for the cooler months. They may not be as cheap as some of the other websites on this list, but you can find steals in their sale section.

11) Rainbow Shops
This store has a website where you can preview some of their plus size clothing, but you will have to go in store to make any purchases. You can find a simple vneck sheath dress for about $7 on sale and $14.99 regular priced. This store is great for buying cheap accessories too! Rainbow follows trends very closely, so you will have to make sure that you don't buy too many items with an expiry date. Whenever there is a sale at Rainbow you could end up spending less than $50 on 6-8 items. Try them in store, but see some previews at the Rainbow Stores website: rainbowshops.com

12) Fashion To Figure (currently only for residents of the NY/NJ Area)
FTF used to have a fully functional online store, but it has been down for quite some time now. They are working on creating a new one, so unfortunately you can only find their deals in store--for now. Their website will be back up soon. If you live in the NY/NJ/CT area they have a few stores open that you can check out and they have really great deals. This is a great store for tops and dresses! Some of their clothing might be a bit too trendy, like Rainbow, so stay away from items that will look dated in about 3months.

13) Burlington Coat Factory/BurlingtonCoatFactory.com
Another store that is great for in-store shopping. Their website only sells winter coats, and you can find great prices on high quality long lasting plus size winter coats. But, if you want their huge savings on clothing, shoes, and accessories, then try them in store. You can also get really good prices on designer name handbags like Kathy Van Zeeland, Guess, Gucci, etc. For instance a $150 Kathy Van Zeeland bag can go for $50 at Burlington.

14) Ashley Stewart/Ashleystewart.com
Another website that when compared to the others on the list may seem a bit pricey. However, the few extra dollars are well worth it. If you want to always look like a plus size model, then this is the store for you. For daily plus size wear to WOW people around you with stylishness, this is the store! Dresses and tops are your best bet. You can also find great deals on their bottoms, like $15 jeans! Ashley Stewart is a great store to shop at overall, if you are willing to spend a few extra dollars. They have physical stores all over the country, but if there is none close to you, then visit their website. For "dressy" plus size clothing, this is the store. Also see their shape-wear section for slimming camisoles and tights.

15) Fredericks of Hollywood.
For plus size lingerie, this is the place to go. If you want to look sexy for that special someone then visit their website. You can find a baby doll for $10! They also have some plus party size tops for sale at around $19.99 so you should browse through their clearance section to find deals. Their regular priced items are a bit pricey for this article's purposes.

16) Alight.com/Alight
This store is one where you will really have to search to find a good deal and a great looking outfit. Their better looking clothing costs a bit more, but if you are willing to spend extra time searching for a great looking item then definitely try this store. Do not fall into the hole of buying something you do not like simply because it is cheap. The great thing about Alight is that most of their clothing is hand made of 100% cotton, so it is great for casual wear or daily wear. If you are looking for dressy plus size items, this is not the place.