so where do all you successful people shop?

I started right after surgery when I was dropping sizes very quickly to shop at the local thrift store and now, 2 years out, I still shop at the thrift store.

I just bought three pairs of pants for $4 each and they are reitman and denver hayes brand.  I only do brand shopping and will not buy anything that I can purchase at the lower end stores like Old navy or walmart.  

3 pairs of pants and two blouses - grand total $15.02 ( It was a 50% off day)

I'm right there with Sandpaper Sandy on the local thrift shopping.  I live near Thornbury/Collingwood and it's AMAZING what some people donate.  I scored a gorgeous shearling coat in September (it didn't fit me then) for $12!! Came home and checked the Italian brand name only to find I would need to remortgage the farm to buy it new!  Since my sizes have changed so much, I'm a dedicated Value Village shopper these days ... and I find lots of good brand names. I've gone down to a size 16 in pants and just picked up 4 dress pants, 3 jeans and 3 skirts at VV this past weekend for $150 (Oh, and my husband picked out a Columbia shirt too).  I previously would have spent that on two pairs of jeans and a t-shirt at Penningtons!  Never going in there again!!

Cheers,

Sandy

My stand by are:  Reitman's, Old Navy and Joe Fresh (really love Joe!).  You can also find in the clearance some good stuff at Banana Republic, Ann Taylor and believe or not J. Crew.  

And, yes I love finding bargin's. 

Good Luck.

Anywhere you want, lol!  That may be stretching it, but shopping is so much better!  That said, I'm a pretty simple kind of dresser, I like Reitman's Mark's and Costco.  The first 2 mostly because they are convenient for me as they are available locally as I live an hour from a city.  I also have a lot of luck at Costco.  I work at a very casual place where nice jeans, heels and a pretty sweater or blouse are pretty much standard, with the odd dress up for meetings or after work suppers and lots of skirts and sundresses for the summer.  It is so much fun to dress now!

Honestly, I am wearing clothes that I previously outgrew but also buying gently used clothes at Talize and Salv. Army - separates.  They are a life saver because I outgrow clothes so fast.  People at work comment on how much I must be spending - and I don't say anything. I visit regularly and am picky - I like clothes that have the price tags on too.  And it's a good cause. 

Just came back from Cuba 3 weeks ago, NONE of last summer's clothes fit, had to buy all new.  For now, the above helps a lot and is affordable.  I'll buy when I do my shopping trip w/the girls   !

Value Village is going to get all my business. They have the best selection of all sizes, are ALWAYS very gently used and almost always high end brands.

My teenage bots love it there, they get DKNY, Aeropostale, Diesel, Affliction, etc for next to nothing,

Until I am completely where I want to be (can be), I am just going to keep trading down.

It really is too bad we couldn't arrange to have a semi-annual enormous swap meet in a centralized location. I would be so fun to meet people AND get some clothes.

I make most of my own dresses and can't wait to be able to buy what ever I want.  I'm a fan of value village and the SA but  reading this post makes me smile because I have not worn pants in public for over twenty years.  I can not believe that I will have so many options and those options will not include cover ups tent like or bag like  , it's been so long I will not know what I like or maybe I'll keep making my own just smaller, I've gotten pretty good at designing my own oh my the wait is hard