The One that ALMOST Got Away
So. The story. Two years ago I went to plusBKLYN for the first time with my blogger buddy Marcy Cruz cuz we’d heard amazing things. No lie, it was a great shop! It’s where I found my beloved Junarose dress I’m sure you’re all sick of hearing about. We both tried on a bunch of things cuz it’s rare that you have an opportunity to try, in person, so many darling plus size things.
But…I was right in the middle of six weeks of radiation at the time and didn’t have much energy or endurance…so pretty quickly I had to sit down while Marcy continued chatting and trying and modeling – which was fine, *I* just didn’t have anything left. And even though I really really liked another dress I’d tried on that day, I just….I was done. I didn’t have the physical energy to stay on my feet…or the mental energy to make another purchasing decision, so in the end I walked out with just the one dress that day.
But I always regretted not buying that other dress.
And by the time I was like I NEED that dress, it’s so ME, I couldn’t find it anywhere. Not in shops or online. It was gone, I’d missed out. Very rarely do I have non-buyer’s remorse like I did over that dress. Which was another Junarose dress, by the way. A soft blue and grey plaid with a loose smock-style waist seam, sort of a schoolgirl shirt dress with a loose, flippy skirt. I knew it would be perfect with bare legs and little white sneakers. But, it was not to be.
Jump ahead to the following summer, 2018…and I’m looking for a new summer dress or two…and what I really want is THAT dress. And it occurs to me to start searching the online used clothing sites – ebay, Poshmark, Thred Up, Swap.com. I start doing regular searches whenever I’m reminded of The Dress That Got Away. And a couple times I spotted it…but never in my size.
But just last month – Guess What? I found it, new with tags, in my size, for like…$8 on Poshmark! I grabbed that puppy right up! Now, there’s a little more around my middle now than there was two years ago but…for once I don’t even care!
After much searching and never giving up, I finally found my other beloved Junarose dress…and I love it with this soft grey cardigan and my little white sneakers…and I think it will be cute with my shorter golden yellow cardi as well!
So, the moral of this story is this: don’t forget to search the used sites online for clothing, especially the items that got away. Thrifting can be a frustrating challenge for plus sized ladies, as there is very little inventory at the higher size ranges. I’ve pretty much given up going into thrift stores to look for clothing for me. But online is a whole other story.
Know your measurements and ask questions of the sellers before bidding/buying. Many clothing sellers don’t accept returns so be sure what you’re getting. Don’t just go by label sizes, ask for actual measurements, especially if it’s a pre-worn item that has maybe been washed and shrunk slightly. Don’t be afraid to ask for pictures of items in better light so you can see true color – yes, it’s annoying to ask and even more annoying for the seller (ha ha, I know, I used to be one of them!) but many sellers photograph clothing in poor light where it’s impossible to see the true color.
Have you ever found a missed treasure long after you’d given up hope? Not just clothes, but anything!
What I Wore:
- Junarose plaid smock dress. It’s still around here and there, here it is in a size 16.
- Old Navy light grey open-front cardigan, size 2x.
- Superga Cotu backless sneakers
Pictures by me and Tri.
This post contains affiliate links, which means that I may receive a small commission if you click on them and/or buy something as a result of clicking that link.
Nancy
Well see! The sun is shining on you! It’s a amazing dress and looks fabulous on you!
bettyewp
Thanks, Nancy!
Iris
Oh WOW, love this story and love the dress AND love the place where you’re taking the photos (is that your apartment in the background?).
So glad you found “the” dress. And, really good reminders. I think Swap.com is the only one of the sites you mentioned that I’ve shoppped at – I’m going to try the others.
Grace & Peace,Iris
http://www.IrisOriginalsRamblings.com
bettyewp
Ha, nope, not my apartment. Landscape design firm’s office. Little back story, many many years ago I took some landscape design courses at a local college, and the owner of this firm was the instructor and I had quite the crush! And now I’m sneaking into his parking lot to do photo shoots, hee hee.
I don’t think I’ve ever bought from Swap.com, but I have SOLD there. It’s easy-peasy, nothing like selling on ebay. I wouldn’t BUY things to sell on there, but if you have things you’re letting go of anyway, it’s nice to get a couple bucks for them with practically no effort.
jodie filogomo
I have to tell you Bettye, that it’s a fabulous fit on you. I read that you said there’s more around the middle, but it’s nice to see something a little more fitted.
I’ve only had regret once….when I bought a skirt for a suit instead of the pants. And I have looked a couple of time on Poshmark, but I need to try again. You have inspired me!!
XOOX
Jodie
bettyewp
The beauty of a dress like this is that it only LOOKS fitted. It’s still not a “fitted” waist. So I don’t have that “LOOK! HERE’S MY GIANT BELLY PROTRUDING OUT FROM UNDER THIS SEAM!” look, it just sort of floats away from my body enough that it doesn’t create that maternity look. I am not emotionally OR physically comfortable with a snug waistband.
julia
It is a cute dress with even a waistband! That fits! I expect we’ll see lots of walking photos with this. And you found a pretty little area to photograph with Tri. Are you having fun exploring your new area now that the weather is cooperating?
bettyewp
The thing is, it’s not a waistBAND, it’s just a waist SEAM. It’s not fitted or elastic. It’s a loose, smock-style empire seam. When the WONDERFUL dress fit me right, that seam didn’t even touch me. Now, shrunk, it does…and this one does (they’re a very similar pattern, the two dresses), but it’s not tight or clingy. It’s just not a popular style in retail, which surprises me for plus sizes, cuz it’s a nice blend of loose/swing and fitted. You know who always has a lot of smock-style dresses, though….ASOS 🙁 Maybe it’s more of a British thing.
This pretty location is the same landscape design office I’ve shot at several times before. I go after hours and it’s RIGHT on a main road, so while yes, I am TECHNICALLY (ha, and even non-technically) trespassing, I’m kinda not really? I don’t sneak inside their yard or anything, I just stay right on the edge of the parking lot…and I shoot SUPER FAST and then hightail it outta there 🙂
Haven’t had much time for exploring. Adding ebay to my list of weekly tasks has just pushed me over the edge. For the past month-ish I’ve been selling things for a friend, and I’ve really wanted to get through them so I can get back to my OWN stuff and start getting boxes emptied and outta here. And once I’m back to my own stuff I’ll be okay just getting like 5 things a week (I’ve been listing 10 things a week for her) listed on ebay and hopefully I won’t feel as time-crunched.
Karen
What a cute dress~ I would so buy this too. I really wish you could find your favorite Junarose dress (unwashed so unshrunk) too somewhere but I suspect you are looking! Love how you styled it with the long cardigan–my favorite look.
bettyewp
Ha, yes, I always have an eye out for that other dress, too, but that one REALLY vanished. This plaid one I still see around on retail sites now and then, just not in my size. The other one was a magical unicorn that materialized one shining day in Brooklyn Just For Me…and then vanished forever. If only I could get one of these dress-makers to RESPOND to me, I would have a similar one made in a different fabric. I never understand this situation where someone places an ad to buy or sell or do something…and then they never respond when you write to them.
Tina von Tinaspinkfriday
Hey you got it 🙂 . You look amazing Bettye!
bettyewp
Thanks, Tina – I’m Really Happy with this outfit!
store survey
Hey it is really beautiful and inspiring story and i liked it very much. thank you for sharing and the dress is really cute and beautiful and your better outfit also. it suits you very well.