Did you know that Amazon isn’t only a place you can buy whatever your drunk mind thinks you need at 3 am on a Friday night, but also a great place to shop for affordable plus size clothes? No, this post isn’t sponsored. This is my reality. I freaking love amazon shopping.
See this dress? It was $11. It’s mind blowing that I can look this fancy for the same price as New York takeaway lunch. It’s comfortable, flattering and just really dang cute. And when I find deals like this, I get so excited I want to tell everyone.
Is it just me? Because every time I find a good deal I literally want to call every female in my phone and just blab at them about it. It’s the thrill of the bargain. It’s shopping adrenaline. Its a badge of honor. It’s just the best.
And I want you to have those feelings. I really do. So I have rounded up some of my favorite plus size bargain dresses from Amazon. Also, shortly on YouTube, I’ll be doing a fun haul featuring some of the dresses below. Again, I didn’t get paid to say this- it’s the thrill of the conquest that’s driving this post. So go forth and save!
Other Awesome Bargain Amazon Dresses
$22.99
$39.99
$18.99
$36.99
$37.99
$32.99
$18.99
$14.68
$34.99
$11.99
I earn affiliate commission on some of the above links which helps support my blog.
Sequins have such a troubled history. Once the darling of decorating, then the mark of cheap fast fashion, and now who knows. Sequins are very much a teenager again- figuring out just who they are in the world. For me sequins are a statement- best used in unexpected ways to add charm and adventure to an outfit. This plus size sequin oversized biker jacket from Isolated Heroes is a perfect example of this. I paired it with a velvet crop top from Fashion to Figure, a velvet skirt from Eloquii, a faux fur stole from Amazon, and my favorite green velvet boots from Asos (alternative).
Sequins started their foray into fashion as literal pieces of currency worn by Egyptians as a way to showcase their wealth. I imagine King Tut strutting around the pyramids declaring ” I’m so wealthy I can sew all this glittery cash money on my coat”. In fact, the name sequin comes from “sikkah” the Arabic word for coin.
Now the 17th century brought to life the sequins we know today- smaller in size and used for ornamentation versus ostentatious displays of wealth. Sequins were broadly incorporated into textile designs until the 1920s when sequins began to coat fabric entirely leaving them dripping in sparkle. However these dresses were covered in thousands of pieces of metal. They were heavy. Too heavy.In the 30s, things got weird. Because the metal was so heavy, designers started using gelatin (like jell-o, jell-o sequins folks) to make the shiny accents. These sparkles were finicky and would pretty much dissolve if exposed to heat. As a result, sequins became primarily winter wear. Also, better not make out with a girl in a sequin dress, because you might get caught sequin handed. There was a popular phrase that “missing sequins could tell tales” because women and there dance partners were often judged at the end of the night by where on the dress the sequins had dissolved.
Modern sequins came about in the 1930s when Herbert Lieberman in partnership Eastman Kodak ( yes the camera film company) created sequins from acetate stock. However less likely to melt if people got frisky, acetate sequins were still incredibly fragile. In the 50s Dupont invented Mylar which coated the acetate sequins giving them strength and greater durability.
Acetate sequins were used primarily until vinyl eventually took over, because they were cheaper and more durable. However, sequin pros will tell you nothing shines or holds it’s shape as well as a acetate sequin coated in Mylar. Nothing. However, as I am not made of money- just fashion dreams- I’ll be over here appreciating just how magically sparkly this jacket and it’s vinyl sequins are.
I have heard it time and time again from my internet friends and many kind old ladies in retirement homes, that I have a face of a 1920-1940s film star. Maybe the 20 year span is a reflection of the length of my career had I been born then and wasn’t completely rubbish at acting. One never will know. Well, unless we invent time travel and I am alive and rich enough by then to afford such history spelunking.
So even though I may never get to be a flapper (other than at some weird murder mystery theme party), I can incorporate elements of those swinging 20s into my wardrobe. However, I’ve never liked literal translations of fashion inspiration. Instead I like to use elements of an era to drive my creativity. So when sitting down to create this 1920s/1930s themed look, I couldn’t help but be inspired by the Art Deco movement.
Art Deco was a 1920s art movement characterized by precise and delineated geometric shapes paired with bold, saturated colors. While Art Deco was predominately seen in the architecture and interior design of the time, it also bled in the era’s jewelry and fashion. Art Deco not only stood for glamour, it also symbolically represented faith in social and technological progress.
Lets discuss how this art movement is fully manifest in this awesome look from Modcloth. First, the bold jacquard print of this blazer mirrors the saturated, luxe hues that would have been used in upholstery, curtains and anywhere one could drape in fabric. The bee- often used in art to symbolize the power of community and personal progress- included in the print could be interpreted as subtle reminder of faith in community. This isn’t any jacket, it’s a blazer of hope.
The shoes’ Arts Décoratifs nod is more subtle. The line of the slingback leaves the gold block heel exposed, showcasing the bold geometric lines that were popular during this era. However, the overall style of the shoe remains far too plain the fully fit in the 20s, making it a perfect mixture of modern elegance and vintage charm.
Lastly the earrings in this look leverage a geometric print that was very popular during the era. Art Deco incorporated elements of many ancient religions- including those from China, Mexico, Egypt and Persia. The triangle, used by many of these regions’ endemic religions as a proxy of strength and knowledge, was often incorporated into many designs of the 1920s as symbol of power. This final touch polishes off an outfit of hope and celebration, that recognizes the thoughtful design of the Gatsby era in a deliciously modern way.
When I received this skirt I just wanted so bad to style it in a way that wasn’t formal. Luckily the pieces just sort of came together in my head and the next thing I knew I had created a look I was proud of. Sure I create a lot of styles I think are good, but few do I step back and marvel at. This was such a bizarre mix of items that, when jumbled together, worked in such a delightful way.
The orange beret is from Amazon, a rare midnight ” I can’t sleep” find- and yes it comes with the netting. The sweater is from Zara. It’s not plus, but I find their XXL to be fairly true to size. The distressed metallic skirt (on super sale right now!) from Macy’s I am I wearing accents the sequins in the sweater, and really makes them pop. To bring out even more color in the jumper I added a yellow neck scarf from Modcloth and a bright red lip from bite beauty. For my final accessories I added one of my favorite bags from Min & Mon and the most amazing wide fit booties (seriously the insole padding is amazing) from RWN by Rawan.
Velvet or Velour is one of those weird fabrics that seems to only to live at the polar ends of the dressing spectrum. It’s either pieces fit for pajama lounge time or its found in elegant gowns and fancy waistcoats. Until this season, that is. Playful in-between velvet items have been popping up all over the place and I couldn’t help but share a few looks to inspire you all to look at velvet a little bit differently.
Urban Cool
This fun and functional Torrid velvet skirt adds a kick of sass to this awesome ‘Thick Hunny” t-shirt from Luella. Thrown on with my favorite gold sneakers (similar) and a pair of classic gold oversized earrings, this outfit is your go to for casual cool.
Romantic Country
One might argue that a velvet dress is automatically formal. I say, “NAY.” The tiered seams of this Simply Be velvet dress add a low key feel, while the black boots from Modcloth add a slight nod to the current equestrian trend. Velvet can be heavy, so to keep this look visually light, I added a gold accent belt (similar) for definition and my favorite black tassel earrings from amazon.
Eccentric Indie
I love this Modcloth pinafore because it’s such a unique use of velvet and matures a clothing item that is often reserved for children. I paired it with fun striped trumpet sleeve shirt I snagged at Primark in the UK (only available in store) and some comfy ballet inspired flats from Target. It’s a 3 piece look that is anything but simple.
Other Great Velvet Items
Here are some other great unexpected velvet pieces that might be fun to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe.
People tell me all the time things I shouldn’t wear- often before I’ve tried it on. This patterned skirt is a great example of something many people warned me not to wear. It’s light colored. It’s vertical print. It’s short. In some sort of plus size fashion rule book, that is stored in a very secret box, that only the pure in heart can access, whose words are now passed through our society through verbal storytelling by judgemental people, it says this. In any case, that book is very very old. It probably references bloomers. And cod pieces. And chastity belts. And Isn’t it about time we got a rewrite?So, ancient rule book be damned! I bought the skirt anyways. Not to be controversial. Not to make a statement. I bought it because it looked like a sweater I had purchased Data for the winter and I wanted us to match. It’s funny because often times people think I wear things for the shock value, but most of the time its because of one of 3 things: I think its it’s pretty, I can match my dog or it’s outside my comfort zone and I want to challenge myself to make it work.
As a plus size women there’s all this meaning put behind usually meaningless decisions. I need to wear clothes. I buy clothes I like. I wear those clothes. While usually I am wearing what I like and what spoke to me that day, the world sometimes interprets it into a grand statement. I’m brave or bold. I’ve broken the antiquated rules. I went out of the house with something that actually shows the shape of my body . In my heart of heart I can’t wait until the day when my fashion sense is praised without the caveat that I’m plus or body positive or wearing something society says I shouldn’t. How about just- ” this girl is wearing a cool outfit.” That would be nice. I’d like that.
Sequins have such a troubled history. Once the darling of decorating, then the mark of cheap fast fashion, and now who knows. Sequins are very much a teenager again- figuring out just who they are in the world. For me sequins are a statement- best used in unexpected ways to add charm and adventure to an outfit. This plus size 
Sequins started their foray into fashion as literal pieces of currency worn by Egyptians as a way to showcase their wealth. I imagine King Tut strutting around the pyramids declaring ” I’m so wealthy I can sew all this glittery cash money on my coat”. In fact, the name sequin comes from “sikkah” the Arabic word for coin.
Now the 17th century brought to life the sequins we know today- smaller in size and used for ornamentation versus ostentatious displays of wealth. Sequins were broadly incorporated into textile designs until the 1920s when sequins began to coat fabric entirely leaving them dripping in sparkle. However these dresses were covered in thousands of pieces of metal. They were heavy. Too heavy.
In the 30s, things got weird. Because the metal was so heavy, designers started using gelatin (like jell-o, jell-o sequins folks) to make the shiny accents. These sparkles were finicky and would pretty much dissolve if exposed to heat. As a result, sequins became primarily winter wear. Also, better not make out with a girl in a sequin dress, because you might get caught sequin handed. There was a popular phrase that “missing sequins could tell tales” because women and there dance partners were often judged at the end of the night by where on the dress the sequins had dissolved.
When I received this skirt I just wanted so bad to style it in a way that wasn’t formal. Luckily the pieces just sort of came together in my head and the next thing I knew I had created a look I was proud of. Sure I create a lot of styles I think are good, but few do I step back and marvel at. This was such a bizarre mix of items that, when jumbled together, worked in such a delightful way.
The
Velvet or Velour is one of those weird fabrics that seems to only to live at the polar ends of the dressing spectrum. It’s either pieces fit for pajama lounge time or its found in elegant gowns and fancy waistcoats. Until this season, that is. Playful in-between velvet items have been popping up all over the place and I couldn’t help but share a few looks to inspire you all to look at velvet a little bit differently.
So, ancient rule book be damned! I bought the skirt anyways. Not to be controversial. Not to make a statement. I bought it because it looked like a sweater I had purchased Data for the winter and I wanted us to match. It’s funny because often times people think I wear things for the shock value, but most of the time its because of one of 3 things: I think its it’s pretty, I can match my dog or it’s outside my comfort zone and I want to challenge myself to make it work. 
