There are some standbys (most designers love size 8s) but...

Jones of New York, Anne Klein, clothes from Nygard in Canada.

Some Michael Kors and also Foley and Corinna (Jennifer Hudson wore on red carpet)

Sarah,
It sounds gorgeous! I'd wear it everyday I could, til it just didn't fit me anymore! I saw a lot of blue at the mall yesterday. It seems to be really big this year.

Citrus,
I'm in Denver. Do you live far?
My advice is to skip the friday after thanksgiving shopfest. The best sales are after christmas, with the very best being the president's day sale, and post president's day clearance sales. Dillard's has the best ones I've ever seen here in Denver. Their clearance stuff goes 50% and then 75% off. It winds up that you can get really great stuff for 87.5% off. $200 shoes? 25 bucks! $400 coat? 50 bucks! My husband and I both have a shameful number of ecco shoes thanks to the dillard's after president's day clearance sales! I have a gorgeous winter coat that I am hoping still fits me through this winter (2X) that I bought at Dillard's for 87.5% off!

Pen,
Yep!
I have a lot of Jones of New York.
Anne Klein has been good to me, too!
I'll check out the others. Thanks!

Talking about sales. IMO, Talbots has some classic looks and they have an extensive women's and women's petites selection. Some of their clothes were indispensible for me at work, travelling or just looking sharp - especially their cotton blouses with stretch in them. They keep their shape, and they emphasize my shape. I always get compliments.

Anyways, Talbots is kind of pricey new - but they ALWAYS have big sales... and they go down to 75% off.

They're super boring if you want something exciting - but if you want a decent suit in a 12 women's petite, or in an 18 women's or whatever - the sales are amazing.

You can sign up online and they'll tell you when they have a sale. And btw, while there is ONE Talbot's womens (with womens petite) around here - the online store has much bigger selection anyway.

Their clothes are probably way too boring for some - but here's an example:
http://www1.talbots.com/talbotsonli...A36BA1&h=T&sk=O

This jacket WAS $212, and it's 83% off to $34.30. And it's available in 12WP - 24WP.

Their stuff is quality looking, and like this blouse (I have these in sleeveless, short sleeve, and long sleeve) - it is the crispest looking thing in my closet. And this one is marked down from $48 to $17:
http://www1.talbots.com/talbotsonli...A36BA1&h=M&sk=T


I never ever buy fun clothes there - cause I think they're too boring and too expensive. But I've loved buying suits there.


Sarah

Love the Jacket!
Love the blouse!
Do you think they would look better with my navy blue or my gray heather sweatpants?

wait for it

gray heather... LOL!!!!!!

As long as you wear them with flourescent Crocs

Oh, Pen, you know me too well!
Although I have no true flourescent crocss, I do have lots of different colors of crocs...(well, airwalks~ payless's version)
and I wear them with wool socks in the wintertime...
whenever I'm not wearing my uggs....
with my sweatpants

I love fitted jackets like the one Sarah shows. They make a woman look like a woman. I've been afraid of buttons since I gained weight. They always pull, unless I buy, like, a mens xxl flannel shirt from llbean!

Great thread!! And ladies please NEVER ever wear sweatpants in public!!! If you are go camping, that is the exception :P. Otherwise they are a NO.

Oh, wow, NEVER ever wear the leggings and big t-shirts again! I used to do that. I saw a woman today in them. You know, you look in the mirror and the T hangs down to your crotch so you think its long enough, but it's riding up over your butt in the back showing all the lumps and bumps. It's not a good look for anyone! Can't believe I used to dress like that and thought I was covering up!

Aahhhh....sweet memories! It makes me want to walk up to total strangers and hand them my copy of DANDR!

Here's a question for Pennink that's been bugging me....

How do you know if it's okay to wear a "classic"? In Style mag. always has these classics that you can spend a mint on and wear forever. But Clint and Stacy rag on people all the time for their outdated clothes. Now, I can understand how a big set of shoulder pads may make something look very 80's, but how do you discern the difference between things that are classic and dated?

For example, my sister gave me a beautiful cream colored coat---light-weight, trench-like. It's Anne Klein, but it seems to be 80's to me. Loose fitting, shoulder pads (but not too large). To Wear or Not to Wear?