I never know if all y’all who read the blog actually watch the videos when I share them, so I feel compelled to repeat myself in both so you won’t miss One Sparkling Gem that I have to share. Heaven forbid.

So, as I explain in the 10-minute video below, I recently massacred two of my favorite summer dresses (this one – my heart! – and this one) by washing them oh so carefully…delicate cycle, cold water, no dryer. And still, they shrunk. The Grapes of Wrath dress to the point of being unwearable…and the lavender field dress is wearable but is no longer like wearing magical gossamer wings. Now it’s a little snug in the waist and bust and definitely shorter…so I may not be spinning in it in flower fields anymore. I’m so so sad. And that loss of two of my favorites led me, in some desperation, to the internet. I might have “forgotten” to pay a medical bill this month and bought two dresses from Asos instead. Don’t tell anyone. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

As I also explained in the video, I’m always forgetting how to convert my usual US size to UK size…and when the two dresses I wanted were out of my size American, I took a chance on UK sizing. My long-time fave black dress that I’ve worn 3.2 million times is an Asos UK 28 (US 22). But, it’s a swing dress so a little roomier than a “waist-ed” dress. Both these dresses were available in a UK 24 (which is a US 20, which I KNOW is too small for me but I got confused. BUT WAIT.) so I took a gamble.

Dress 1: ASOS Curve ASOS DESIGN Curve Floral Print Gingham Button Through Sundress

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Ugh. Ha. Nope. Just nope. You can see how charming the dress was on the model (shocker) by clicking the link above. Even the colors in the print seemed more subdued on the website than in person.  But the point is the size. Clearly too small. Way too snug in the sleeves, shoulders, bust and waist. UK 24 (US 20). I would have to go up a size or even two to get this to fit nicely.

So then I tried on Dress 2 ASOS Curve ASOS DESIGN Curve casual midi tea dress. Same size – UK 24 (US 20). Same maker “ASOS DESIGN.”

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And it’s GI-NORMOUS. I realize it has that sort of depression-era slouchiness, but this is far beyond that. This was just huge. You can see it more in the video than in the still shot here. Same size as dress above – UK 24 (US 20). I would have to go DOWN a size…or maybe even TWO to get this to fit nicely.

How are people supposed to shop successfully online when sizing is so inconsistent like this?? Using the “size guide” on retail sites is useless because they put one set of measurements – for all their products, across the board! Both these items, when I checked the size guide, gave the same measurements. Clearly…so clearly…they are not even close to the same measurements!

And I get that this situation is difficult for everybody, but for size categories that are so poorly represented in brick-and-mortar stores, it is especially egregious. I am non-plussed!

Big. Sigh.

So. Moving on. Yesterday I called my local Loft store to ask (again) if they were carrying plus sizes in store yet and I learned that while they still do not technically (yet) carry plus sizes in stores, they do accept returns of plus size items at the stores. So she told me that I was welcome to come in and browse the return rack which had about 80 returned plus size items on it. She also told me they will be stocking plus sizes in stores soon (yay) and I’m on a mailing list for an in-store event in August when they will have an array of plus sizes to try and buy.

So, Loft Plus, one step forward (thank you)….ASOS, one step back. I still love you, ASOS, but you’re going to need to work a little harder to keep me.

I did find a few of the returned items to try on at Loft…

Loft Plus Bar Back Sleeveless Swing Dress, size 24-26. I did like this very much. I love the color – I love non-colors and in-between colors. Colors that are hard for people to identify (is it grey? is it green?). It was a slinky swishy rayon-spandex blend and had an interesting back detail…

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But…it would need something over it (can you say BLACK CARDIGAN…AGAIN???) for work and I’m feeling weary of “the black cardigan over this and the black cardigan over that” right now. I’ve got enough of those already. And it’s no replacement for the lavender filed dress, so…..pass.

I had this LOFT PLUS STRIPED SQUARE NECK TEE, size 24/26, in my online shopping cart during the last sale but I just wasn’t sure about the sleeves. I’m okay in sleeveless. But cap sleeves and little tiny ruffle or flutter sleeves, just don’t work for me (note to self). Plus, snugger in the belly than I like. Oddly, Loft dresses fit me well through the hips and belly…but tops are too snug. Pass.

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These next two I can’t find on the website, possibly because they were returns that might have been purchased awhile ago and so may no longer be available online.

This sweet little black and white geometric print was right up my alley, but…again, too tight in the belly. Pass.

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And this, I ADORE. It’s either a heavy silk or Tencel, chartreuse (chartreuse is my JAM!!!) band collar utility jacket. They just had the one in a size 20, so too small…and it was a little pricey. I’ll keep watching the site for a possible return and a price markdown because I would love this for fall and spring.

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So that is my little try-on and mini sizing rant. How do you deal with sizing issues?

Watch the video to see the dresses in action.

Thanks for reading and commenting and all the things!

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