Where are people buying affordable plus-size clothes now ranges are shrinking?

[FFSToEverythingSince2020]

H&M used to go all the way up to 4XL; now they’re slowly phasing it all out and the biggest size is now 16 or XL. Same with at least two other sites I’ve seen (Gap, Mint Velvet). I gained a ton of weight whilst on steroids and it’s going to take a while to lose it now that I’m actually able to. I used to feel I didn’t deserve any clothes until I lost the weight, due to some bullying from my ex and his second wife, and I’m trying to work on that feeling. I’m just barely starting a phased return to work, WFH in a field with very few online calls, mostly live in loungewear, but would like to look a little less like I just got out of hospital (mostly because I spent the last year constantly just getting out of hospital), so I can afford at most £50 per piece (in a perfect world, I’d love to do £30), and it needs to not fall apart in five washes.

Is that possible? Would I do best on Vinted? I have good luck with cotton, cotton blends, linen, linen blends, jersey, bamboo, viscose - polyester might be fine in shirts or dresses, but not trousers. Can you share where you shop, if it carries sizes over XL or 16 and you don’t have a shitload of money AND you don’t want SHEIN shite? Also… is it going to go back to being hard to find plus-size clothes now that weight loss jabs are so popular? Seems like?

Try Roman OP.

Am size 24 shortie, buy almost everything on vinted now (and some ebay), because I am mean/a bit broke and I don't like polyester etc. If you are branching out from what you know you may have to do a degree of reselling (although some ebay sellers do do returns.) I don't notice a reduction in bigger sizes really - I have noticed for decades that brands periodically dump them and then come back to them. Most of these I would never dream of paying full price for. All of these go up to 24 , some more than that

M and S
Fat Face
White Stuff
Monsoon
Seasalt
Poetry (v expensive full price, but good second hand - generous - go a size down)
The Wrap (sister brand and ditto)
Lucy and Yak
Studio Eight (smallish sizing - go one size up)
La Redoute (go one size up)
Joe Browns - don't use this one but pretty sure it goes to 24
John Lewis - carry a variety of brands to size 24
Next - same

Specific plus size brands - they are consistantly crapper quality than above so don't use them much -
Live Unlimited - overpriced for what it is (v cheap second hand though) you can find the odd thing
Simply Be - you can find some decent basic bits and bobs
ASOS - ditto
Yours, Evans, BM - all pretty terrible quality, better to buy second hand I think

If you also have v wide feet (I do..) - Next, clarkes and M and S do lots of wide and extra wide. Fitflop rally trainers are great - expensive but cheap on vinted).

Local charity shops are fairly useless if you are probably plus size sadly

These are my go-to websites as I'm a size 24/26 due to steroids as well, otherwise I look at menswear for socks, tshirts, hoodies and trainers. Mens leggings if I can find any long enough without cuffs (apparently most men are shortarses since most leg lengths stop at 29", guess their height comes from their torso).

I'm still on the hunt for a towelling robe size 26, one that will dry me after a shower (like at a spa). Womens are all fluffy fleece and mens are fleece or waffle, both with hoods.

Man, did we all get fucked by steroids? Unfortunately, I tried tracking my calories, and it’s more that my body treats every gram of carbs, even if it’s in a potato, as if it’s a full bar of Lindt chocolate. I struggle with low carb though because I have to limit my fat intake (dodgy gallbladder, no idea what caused it - maybe the steroids too?). Low carb and low fat is difficult but not impossible; we’re working on it right now, since this is probably how I need to eat for life. And @INeedAnotherName - I’ll keep an eye out for a drying robe for you in the right size 👍

Still plenty of Joanie bits on Vinted though. I just bought new with tags dress and jumper for £15 and £20. Im trying to snap bits up I want as they really are fantastic quality and will last me a lifetime!
When I was bigger I mostly shopped from JD Williams, they had some nice stuff. Also abit of Joe Brown. No shops though coz I didnt have the self confidence to drag my giant hideous body out into public (I know, I know!).

Sympathy to anybody on steroids....they make you blow up like you've had an allergic reaction to shellfish and that weight superglues itself on!😩

Shein
Vinted.
Ebay.
Simply Be.
I like Yours for underwear but not really the clothes.

I drape myself over a rock by the sea most evenings - don't you?!!

Look, I mean, we ALL obviously drape ourselves over rocks in the sea at least M-F evenings. But sometimes you do want to wear your clothes without (additional) seaweed and brine. When I eventually go full sea witch, I want there to be no doubt that it was intentional, and not just accidental clothing placement. 🧜‍♀️

A bit of artfully placed bladderwrack works wonders, I find, for those slightly toooo revealing outfits ... 😁!!!

and Scarlett & Jo for long, smart dresses (look at vinted & their Facebook group), I also get dresses from Joe Browns via Simply Be. They always have to be maxi

Marks and Sparks had a good range of smartish but soft work-appropriate trousers last time I browsed. Straight legged and elastic waists but enough tailoring to not feel pyjama-ish.

Like this?
https://www.thehouseofemily.com/products/100-cotton-terry-towelling-bathrobe-with-belt?currency=GBP&variant=39442766233718&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=90a5672fc16a&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23724669799&gbraid=0AAAAAD_IlTjF8ZMxN5HqkRbebjOQLrkjA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-tOF5s7RkwMVhJNQBh3VxSV6EAQYCSABEgLf3vD_BwE

Also not cheap but a few robes here
https://www.ullapopken.co.uk/en/bathrobes/c/articlegroup_260?query=%2a&filter=CategoryPath%3ABathrobes&srsltid=AfmBOopsYiUi8YJ-ixaogMOHCcSO8jHUkMGV0GarScGzffVoLke-SveL

TrustPilot reviews about that site are pretty terrible. I wouldn’t risk ordering from them.

a colleague showed me how you could use vinted by searching cotton for example

Better review but only in white
https://amzn.eu/d/0c8ZO5b8

More colours
https://amzn.eu/d/046DTlHk

I’ve found loads of good stuff on Vinted. I’ve gone for Boden (lots of cotton).
Before you go off buying, I’d look at why you’ve got and design a capsule wardrobe of sorts. Buy enough to make a couple of good outfits.

To add:
Ive had some very good stuff of SHEIN in the past. It was all about finding the right fabric, looking at the design etc. A lot harder now and labour intensive.

I'm not quite plus-size, I don't think (16 - ish!!) but fully empathise at how shit some of the "specialist" ranges are. Dowdy & awful fabric seems to be the norm all too often. They just seem to either scream "hide yourself away, fatso" or go the other extreme of bright stripes & polka dots so that the look is "eccentric jolly kids' TV presenter".

For really good-quality, classic with a bit extra pieces, I'd highly recommend M&S Autograph. Knitwear, denim, coats & jackets & trousers especially. I get mine in the sales or eBay/Vinted. Loved their brushed cashmere jumpers this winter (still wearing one today as it's freezing here in Edinburgh!!).

And I haven't seen any of this range in the flesh, but when I was looking at holiday clothes for a size 24 PP, the JD Williams Anthology range cropped up a lot? It's meant to be their higher-end, wardrobe staples, with lots of natural fabrics - sort of like their version of Autograph for M&S? So, pieces like this denim dress, the black cotton & crochet insert dress, a denim tux shirt, a cotton gauze midi skirt .... Would be interested to know if anyone has tried/bought anything from this range, as I wouldn't normally go near JD Williams!

https://www.jdwilliams.co.uk/shop/p/hv800
https://www.jdwilliams.co.uk/shop/p/qq045
https://www.jdwilliams.co.uk/shop/p/hx562
https://www.jdwilliams.co.uk/shop/p/pa113
https://www.jdwilliams.co.uk/shop/p/xl567

Thank you all, sorry to have hijacked your thread OP

For the best cosiest cotton-mix towelling robe EVER, I'd recommend this Christie one. It says men's but they're unisex. Currently reduced & worth every penny of £48.75. Great colours too as well as white - & longer than they look online. Mine is L/XL & comes to midcalf (Im 5'9"/10).

https://www.christy.co.uk/products/super-soft-cosy-robe

Please don’t apologize! If anything, I’d like this thread to help other people, of any size, who are having trouble finding something. MN is lovely for this, because some other MNer will always know something you don’t. I’m so grateful to everyone who has commented with ideas and might get one of these robes for DH!

Next, M&S (sizing can be small on waist), simply
be.

Im a 20, sometimes 18 in trousers depending on make. It’s sad that it’s getting harder.

H&M sizing has also changed - the XL’s that used to consistently fit me are now snug at times.

TU at Sainsbury’s also quite good.