<p>And I have found great success with “gently used” pocketbooks on eBay.</p>
<p>NYDJ also makes dress pants now, too. I picked up a pair on sale at Nordstroms and will now buy more as I need. While their jeans and pants do not sit as low as junior jeans, they do sit below my waist, which is what I prefer. I absolutely cannot stand pants that sit at my waist (although I do have a couple of pair).</p>
<p>Another good place to look for pants that sit just below waist (and especially if you are 5’8"-5’9" or so - I’m not) is Cache. D raves about their special occasion dresses (got her prom dress from them), and I got a couple of very classy work dresses and turtleneck tops at that store. Their clearance prices are very reasonable.</p>
<p>Am I the only female on this planet who owns only ONE purse at a time? I pick my purse to last for at least 5 years of daily wear and tear and it almost becomes a part of my body, so when the time comes to part with it, I have to spend many hours shopping for a new one that would have a similar feel to it.</p>
<p>American Eagle.</p>
<p>I am happy to see this thread because I have been at a loss since my favorite store, Harold’s, went out of business last year :(. I have had some luck at Banana Republic. Bought three cocktail dresses for amazing prices before Christmas at Macy’s.</p>
<p>Bunsenburner- I am like you. I have one purse at a time. I like it simple and leather. It takes me a long time to find one I like. I don’t have much of a shoulder and I hate when the bag is constantly falling off my shoulder. I like a bag that I can do cross chest if needed.
My last handbag purchase is a beautiful brown soft leather bag from Italy. I purchased it at the wholesale price from my sister who owns a handbag store. Even at wholesale it is the most expensive piece of clothing or accessory I own.
I have never gone in Coldwater Creek or Chicos. I have always considered it the store my MIL shops at. I might need to venture in.</p>
<p>Nordstrom Off the Rack has shoes to fit me (16EEE).</p>
<p>BigG is a physically descriptive nickname bestowed by some African American friends with whom I used to play basketball.</p>
<p>I played football in college (poorly).</p>
<p>Casual Male Big and Tall supplies most of my everyday attire. Mail order and tailors handle the rest.</p>
<p>Chicos has always frightened me because of the unusual sizing!</p>
<p>Nordies, AT petite.
I do occasionally shop at small boutiques for tees and stuff like that.
Ill never forget the time my D told me a particular store was too young for me???
then we went to AT and that was too memreish for me. So whats a Mom to do?</p>
<p>Ummmm – BigG, are you male?? </p>
<p>Please say yes.</p>
<p>I tried on a dress, my D1 said, “It looks like what grandma (my mother) would wear.” Off it went.</p>
<p>Personally, I love the just below the waist fit. It’s great not to have something pressing against your waistline but still look professional. Prefer not to ever return to “higher” or directly at waist styles. I do need longer/larger belts since they are now at somewhere between my waist & hips, but I can deal with that. It sure makes diaphragmatic breathing MUCH easier!</p>
<p>I am short, so need petite/short sizing. Unfortunately, I have been creeping up to the upper limits of sizing in petite, which makes shopping difficult. I was a 12 or 14 petite all my life. Now I am a 14-16. Most petite sizes end at 14. </p>
<p>My all time favorite was Dillards but they have downsized their petite and petite women’s offerings. I shop Kasper Outlets stores for suits for work, and Kasper on sale at Dillards end of season. My new favorite is Christopher Banks and next store CJ Banks–both newly opened at our mall. I generally loose patience with smaller mall stores. But I have good luck here. They have a Christopher Banks is Misses sizes 2-16, and they have both a petite line as well as regular pants in short length. CJ Banks is the Women’s sizing X 1X, 2X, 3X etc with some offerings also in a short length. They have had great sales since fall. I am now a 14-16 at one and an X at the other 
so I have lots of choices. The clothes are separates with casual and work clothes.</p>
<p>I agree with NYDJ jeans. Wow. Jeans that fit. Often found on-sale at Dillards.</p>
<p>LOL at VeryHappy and cross-posted with sunnyflorida! Dillards is my absolute favorite store for purchasing clothing. Nordstrom is my favorite for looking, but I rarely buy anything. For real bargains, I head to Elder-Beerman, owned by Bon-Ton, who also operates stores under the names, Younkers, Bergners, Boston, and Herbergers.</p>
<p>My “wardrobe” consists of either Lands’ End or Kohl’s purchases. I absolutely hate to shop, so I take advantage of online shopping (Lands’ End) and the Kohl’s which is directly across the street from my job. I haven’t set foot in a mall since my daughter started college; she’s now a junior.</p>
<p>Oh, and I sew, so a fair amount of my closet is filled with the Mezzomom label. And I’m fortunate that my daughter never caught the shopping-for-the-sake-of-shopping bug, so she’s still very happy to accept Mezzomom “originals.”</p>
<p>Macy’s, Kohl’s, etc. - but was anyone else bummed out when Isaac Mizrahi quit designing for Target? I bought quite a few of his things and now I really miss them!</p>
<p>I work at home. For the last few years, I have only bought clothing that is soft and lightweight. I’ve found them at Chico’s (traveler’s) and Patagonia. I have to alter all my Chico’s because I am smaller than their xsmall. We have a Patagonia outlet store nearby and I load up when they have sales several times a year. My absolute favorite jacket is the Patagonia down sweater…so soft, and warm and light. I saw Diane Sawyer wearing it when she did the 20/20 show on Appalachia last Friday. Too bad this is never available at the outlet so I ordered it online.</p>
<p>White House/Black Market and Nordstrom sale racks.</p>
<p>Macy’s (Levi’s jeans for petites),Ann Taylor Loft are my favorites.</p>
<p>I am usually a TWO purse woman. A classic simple one for fall through spring and often I like to buy a fun colorful one for summertime - last summer I had an extremely cute madras plaid purse that I can’t wait to pull out again and use this summer!</p>
<p>I am also very particular about the pockets and placement of pockets on my purse. So much so that my purse I’ve had for a couple of years was about to break on the strap (already repaired it once, so wasn’t cost effective to repair a second time) so I went out purse shopping last week. I found the same “model” (pocket placement) but was having trouble deciding between the basic black-goes-with-everything and a GORGEOUS barn red (I have an ADDICTION to all things red!) . Since I know the format of this purse works so well for me, I bought them both! They were actually 50% off with a coupon I had so I figured I really only paid for one! I should be set now for awhile! And I’m using the red one first!!!</p>