Something I have longed to do, but I guess could never afford or just didn’t know to look at, was Vintage Clothing!
You always see the most fashionable of people wearing something vintage that doesn’t always strike you as vintage, but maybe just classic or unique or something! I’m thinking “Kramer” from “Seinfeld” or those gorgeous gals on “Mad Men” or just some random person on the street. I read BUST magazine and they always show someone (either a local designer or someone on the street, too) and it seems vintage is the THING to have lately. I’ve always admired some people’s knack for combining modern and vintage or just going full-force vintage and embracing it completely.

But what about us plus size peeps? Are there vintage shops for us? You bet there is! Now I can’t say that I’ve been to a specifically plus vintage store (Oh wait! I can, but can’t remember the name. It’s in Portland, OR though!) or that I have found and purchased any vintage clothing, but what I can do is offer some web links to get you started. I have not bought a single thing from these shops, but I have browsed/window shopped and like what I see.

ballyhoovintage.com they carry mens & womens clothing. I like that you can choose a certain era. No-brainer for me to click on 40’s vintage dresses. But wait! There’s a little button at the top that says, “For Curvier Sizes” so I click and oh yeah, more what I’m looking for. The only bummer (besides price, but vintage is not cheap) is the sizing doesn’t go up to DEATHFAT and so I must keep looking for that perfect vintage dress I’ve longed for. The mens section does have a lot of cool stuff! Hmm…

dandelionvintage.com this no-frills site gives you some unique styles and great descriptions & real pictures of the items they carry. There is a link for plus size vintage. I click it and find very reasonable prices! WOW! Limited selection, but I could see myself checking back here a few times a year to see if anything grabs me. And now that I see that they have vintage bags & aprons? Well…I have a lot of looking to do. Ha!

etsy.com/shop/BettesBargains while their plus size selection is small today, I was excited to see so many vintage hats! I’m a sucker for them! Very reasonable pricing, too!  I’m putting this shop in my Etsy favorite sellers list!

daddyos.com They have a lot of good stuff. I believe it’s vintage reproductions, but they look like good quality. A little high on the pricing, but it’s new stuff so it’s expected, I guess. Very cute dresses. They go up to a 3x and for dresses that’s a 46″ bust size. Not bad, but no good for moi! This is a great place for guys, though. Lots of bowling & rockabilly style shirts and accessories. For gals there’s so much! This would be a great place to buy a unique special occasion dress that is sure to wow ’em when you arrive! I’m thinking high school reunions and the like. Where your entrance matters! Ha!

stopstaringclothing.com Pricey end of the spectrum, I’d say. But some of their dresses are drool-worthy! Huge selection. Check out their retro bathing suits, too! If I could afford to dress like this? Well, I’m a married gal so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. Ha-ha! Love their stuff!(even have a goth dress section!)

heyviv.com If you’d prefer to focus on just the 1950’s, this is your site! Maybe you’re putting together an outfit or costume or just want to add come 50’s punch to your outfit, this would be the place! From crinolins to neck scarves, you’ll be in poodle skirt-heaven! Not a lot of plus sizes and the sizing stops at 42″ waists, but still, fun.

lavintage.com this is what I’m talking about! Plus size Vintage done right! Well, I think so anyway. I like this site. It’s easy to get around and find what you’re looking for. At the top I click clothing, then women’s clothing and then towards the bottom-left plus size. What you see are some cute retro (seems very 80’s) clothes on a cute model! Not a twiggy model, but not a deathfat, either.  The pictures? OMZ! The pictures are where it’s at. When youc lick on an item you get different views, measurements and an eyeballed size. This will be my fave for vintage stuffs so far. WOW! You can even shop by size or bust measurement…and more! So I click on the dudes clothing just to see what I’d find. Some pretty cool-ass 80’s stuff. Nice!

lanetzliving.net When all else fails, you can always sew your own vintage inspired pieces of clothing. Here you can find vintage and out of print sewing patterns! I don’t know how to read patterns yet, but this makes me want to learn! Those gorgeous lines! Those elegant illustrations! Oh my! Yes, definitely worth a check. So go check it!

What do you think? Lots of options, depending on what you’re looking for. I know there’s more out there. This was simply my first run-through of some sites that I’d found. I’m thinking I may have to start researching some local plus size vintage shops…see what I find. Hmm…