E-shakti is a little bit unusual, but let me let you in on a secret- it's fantastically awesome, and everyone should order from them. And I'm not getting paid to say this in anyway- I feel fairly confident that they don't even know this blog exists. :) Anyway, they offer dresses, tops and skirts. I'm a little bit enamored of the dresses: many are vintage patterns, which I love- shirt wait
dresses with generous cut skirts and fitted bodices, or halter dresses with flared skirts, etc: gorgeous "vintage
type" stuff you just don't see available anywhere- particularly in plus
sizes!
Basically, E-shakti has tons of different designs showcased on their website. You choose whatever dress (ot top, or skirt) you like, and here's where it gets interesting- you can choose from their pre-determined size chart, up to 36W, or they will make the dress specifically to your custom measurements- so it's not too big in the bust to fit your waist, or too big in the waist to fit your hips, etc. But wait, there's more! Let's say you're in love with a sleeveless dress, but you're a little uncomfortable showcasing your flabby upper arms (like I am). Most (not all) styles have customizable EVERYTHING- you can choose your sleeve length and type (some styles offer tie or puff sleeves in addition to just the regular sleeve length variations of cap, short, elbow, 3/4, and long), hem length, and on many styles, even change the neckline. I have, since January of this year, purchased 7 dresses and three tops from them. I love this stuff. Also, I should note that this is not cheaply thrown together clothing as you frequently get from larger catalogs- it's well made, and well stitched, with heavy duty material. I haven't noticed a seam out of place or loose threads on any of the items I have! Furthermore, they frequently have super awesome coupons. Right now is one of those times. If you're a new customer to this store (and unfortunately, only if you are), you can save $40 on any purchase of $55 or more (before shipping). So basically, you can get an awesome vintage looking dress for 15 bucks plus shipping. In any size! There are a few things that I think are important information if you want to order:
1. I believe (at least it was for me) customization (meaning, custom size, or sleeve/hem/neckline alterations, or both) is free on your first order. For every order after that, no matter how much you customize the item, there's a $7.50 per item one-time customization fee. To me, it's worth every penny to get a dress tailor made for me.
2. E-shakti is located in India. I include this information for a few reasons: If you have some strange hang-up about buying American made only, these clothes are not (and if you do, I really hope you aren't plus sized- and let's be realistic- half the clothes you buy in a store are made in China or Bangladesh). Also, items are shipped DHL international, and shipping isn't as cheap as some stores, but still reasonable to me. It's usually in the $9.95-$15.95 range unless you buy a huge amount at one time. Also, you will need to provide a physical address as they don't deliver through the postal service.
3. Read the description of the product. Most of these fabrics are made from "old-fashioned" materials- cotton poplin, brushed cotton, taffeta, satin, etc. Very few items in their line have any stretch! The item description will tell you whether it does or doesn't. Which leads me to:
4. Pull out the tape measure! You may need some help with this step. E-shakti has a chart to tell you where and how you need to measure, but because of the materials and cuts, it's probably a really good idea, even if you're choosing not to use the custom sizing, to make sure you definitely wear the size you think you do because I'm sure most of you have come to the realization that not all size 28s are created equal and most of this stuff isn't going to stretch! Most big girl clothes I order have at least some percentage of spandex on the label, so be prepared for very little give!
5. The prices may look a little steep if you're used to buying on the cheap, but if you wait for these great coupons, it's no more, and sometimes less, than a nowhere-near-as-nice (or unique!) dress from OneStopPlus. I don't think I've ever paid more than $30 for an item from them.
Also, apparently these dresses have recently been featured in Oprah magazine, if that means anything to you.
Anyway- the coupon like I said, is for $40 off any order of $55 or more. The code is:
KRIS4RSS
Enter this in the gift coupon/referral code field. Again, it only works if you've never shopped with them before, and even if you're NOT a big girl- they have every size from 0-36, so anyone can use it!
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Super Savings: A Primer
Today's deal started with an email. If you only search the web for coupon codes from One Stop Plus at places like RetailMeNot,
you're missing part of the picture. Although sites like these are
crucial to decent savings, they don't offer nearly every coupon there is
out there. If you sign up to receive emails from the company at
OneStopPlus.com, you get new coupons several times a week delivered
right to your inbox. Some of them a waste of time, but several of them
are really fantastic deals. But first things first:
If you're not already a member, go to EBATES right now and sign up. I was suspicious of this at first, but once I realized how it worked, I was sold. It's completely free to sign up and use. Basically, it works as though you've been referred to an online store by Ebates. The company you shop at pays Ebates a small commission when you place an order, and Ebates then shares a part of that with you in the form of cash back. The percentage you get varies depending on where you're shopping, but trust me: it pays off. I've now been paid back over $150 just by going to Ebates before I place my orders, and I've been a member for less than a year. And the great thing is, Ebates is connected to nearly every major retailer there is, so it's a must for pretty much anywhere you shop online. If you place an order with One Stop Plus today, you'll get back 2.5%, and you get a sign up bonus, if you're not already a member. (The bonuses vary, and are usually either $5 or $10.)
Back to the shopping: The coupon I received in my email today was for 50% off the first three items you purchase. The coupon code is: OSPSHOWER. This coupon expires today (April 28, 2013) if you're planning to use it, so don't wait! The good news is, even if you're happening on this blog too late for those savings, OSP sends out coupons like this at least once every couple of weeks. I found two shirts and a pair of shoes I wanted to purchase, for a total savings of $44.98 using the 50% coupon.
Another thing I love about OneStopPlus is they have something called the "shopper's club." You pay $19.00 and for one full year, you only pay $2.99 for shipping on every single order. Not so great if you're only going to order once or twice a year, but perfect for frequent shoppers, and crucial to saving even more. I'll explain why in a moment. First, I was going to renew my Shopper's Club membership today anyway, but I remembered seeing coupons in the past to get the Shopper's Club for free or at a discounted rate, so I decided to Google "OSP shopper's club coupon" and found one on the aforemention RetailMeNot. (code: OSPSHOPCLUB) I saw a note from another shopper in the comments that it was stackable with another coupon. Stackable coupons are rare, but are a great opportunity when they happen. Basically, this coupon gives you $19.00 off your merchandise total in exchange for you purchasing the shopper's club- essentially, you're getting it free.
By using both coupons, I saved $44.98 on my items, $7.00 on shipping, and was able to renew the shopper's club to use for the year, which is something I planned to do anyway.
Now, the Shopper's Club comes in handy for another reason. Let's say you wat to purchase six items today, but your coupon is only good for three. You could find a coupon that's good for a percentage off for your whole order, (coupon code JLE3167, for example would save you a paltry 15% off your entire order) or you could use that reduced shipping wisely! Many of One Stop Plus's coupons are "one time use only," but a whole bunch of them aren't. The code I used today was: I could have saved 50% on three more items. Admittedly, you have to pay the $2.99 shipping again, but you still save a whole lot more than you would if you used another coupon. Even if you only buy a $10 item, you'd still save more by purchasing it in a separate order, and most of OneStopPlus's items are a great deal more than $10.
One important caveat: These coupons aren't good for every item you see on the site. They work with any Roamans, Woman Within, or Jessica London items only. Unfortunately, by combining all these stores for convenience, OneStopPlus has made shopping the site a little more confusing, but pretty much any item that says it ships direct from the manufacturer is not eligible for these coupons, unfortunately. This includes Avenue, Ulla Popken, and Torrid. You WILL still save on shipping from those sites with the Shopper's Club, though. However, in my experience, you save more by shopping from those sites directly and searching savings sites for their coupons.
So, to tally today's savings, $44.98 on clothing, $7.00 on shipping, and $1.12 in cash back for a total of $53.10. I saved more than I spent. And this doesn't even take into account all the future shipping costs I will save by signing up for the Shopper's Club! I hope I saved at least one person some money today! Well, one person besides me, that is!
If you're not already a member, go to EBATES right now and sign up. I was suspicious of this at first, but once I realized how it worked, I was sold. It's completely free to sign up and use. Basically, it works as though you've been referred to an online store by Ebates. The company you shop at pays Ebates a small commission when you place an order, and Ebates then shares a part of that with you in the form of cash back. The percentage you get varies depending on where you're shopping, but trust me: it pays off. I've now been paid back over $150 just by going to Ebates before I place my orders, and I've been a member for less than a year. And the great thing is, Ebates is connected to nearly every major retailer there is, so it's a must for pretty much anywhere you shop online. If you place an order with One Stop Plus today, you'll get back 2.5%, and you get a sign up bonus, if you're not already a member. (The bonuses vary, and are usually either $5 or $10.)
Back to the shopping: The coupon I received in my email today was for 50% off the first three items you purchase. The coupon code is: OSPSHOWER. This coupon expires today (April 28, 2013) if you're planning to use it, so don't wait! The good news is, even if you're happening on this blog too late for those savings, OSP sends out coupons like this at least once every couple of weeks. I found two shirts and a pair of shoes I wanted to purchase, for a total savings of $44.98 using the 50% coupon.
Another thing I love about OneStopPlus is they have something called the "shopper's club." You pay $19.00 and for one full year, you only pay $2.99 for shipping on every single order. Not so great if you're only going to order once or twice a year, but perfect for frequent shoppers, and crucial to saving even more. I'll explain why in a moment. First, I was going to renew my Shopper's Club membership today anyway, but I remembered seeing coupons in the past to get the Shopper's Club for free or at a discounted rate, so I decided to Google "OSP shopper's club coupon" and found one on the aforemention RetailMeNot. (code: OSPSHOPCLUB) I saw a note from another shopper in the comments that it was stackable with another coupon. Stackable coupons are rare, but are a great opportunity when they happen. Basically, this coupon gives you $19.00 off your merchandise total in exchange for you purchasing the shopper's club- essentially, you're getting it free.
By using both coupons, I saved $44.98 on my items, $7.00 on shipping, and was able to renew the shopper's club to use for the year, which is something I planned to do anyway.
Now, the Shopper's Club comes in handy for another reason. Let's say you wat to purchase six items today, but your coupon is only good for three. You could find a coupon that's good for a percentage off for your whole order, (coupon code JLE3167, for example would save you a paltry 15% off your entire order) or you could use that reduced shipping wisely! Many of One Stop Plus's coupons are "one time use only," but a whole bunch of them aren't. The code I used today was: I could have saved 50% on three more items. Admittedly, you have to pay the $2.99 shipping again, but you still save a whole lot more than you would if you used another coupon. Even if you only buy a $10 item, you'd still save more by purchasing it in a separate order, and most of OneStopPlus's items are a great deal more than $10.
One important caveat: These coupons aren't good for every item you see on the site. They work with any Roamans, Woman Within, or Jessica London items only. Unfortunately, by combining all these stores for convenience, OneStopPlus has made shopping the site a little more confusing, but pretty much any item that says it ships direct from the manufacturer is not eligible for these coupons, unfortunately. This includes Avenue, Ulla Popken, and Torrid. You WILL still save on shipping from those sites with the Shopper's Club, though. However, in my experience, you save more by shopping from those sites directly and searching savings sites for their coupons.
So, to tally today's savings, $44.98 on clothing, $7.00 on shipping, and $1.12 in cash back for a total of $53.10. I saved more than I spent. And this doesn't even take into account all the future shipping costs I will save by signing up for the Shopper's Club! I hope I saved at least one person some money today! Well, one person besides me, that is!
A little about me...
Hello, all. I'm not exactly new to blogging, but I'm new to "deals" and fashion blogging. I see a lot of plus size fashion blogs around, and well... I like to think I have a decent sense of style, perhaps leaning more toward "classical" than adventurous.
I'm a 30 year old plus sized woman who loves shopping, is maybe a little obsessed with clothes, and loves to save money! As far as my clothes, I love vintage cuts, lace, ruffles, and right now, florals. I suppose you could call it something like "retro romantic." My problem is that I'm very particular when it comes to what I wear and have a really hard time finding things I love that fit me, since I'm on the large end of "plus size." Depending on the store, I'm either a 4x or 5x, or 30-32.
I'm hoping that I can help some of you other larger ladies out with finding cute clothes, not to mention saving some money, as (as all us big girls know) plus size clothes are expensive! What actually brought me to the wonderful world of plus sized and savings blogging is... Well, I've learned they don't have to be! Depending on where you prefer to shop, of course, you can save a mint.
I'm sure every big girl out there has heard of One Stop Plus- it's a conglomeration of several plus sized catalog retailers conveniently lumped onto one website. If you know a few tricks, you can clean up with the savings at this place! That's actually what bought me here. I just got another fantastic deal by knowing how to use (exploit?) their coupon codes! That's why I'm starting this blog- to share my savings with the other plump pretties out there, and maybe some of you can even offer your tips to help me save even more! I'll be offering my first savings exploit in the next entry- don't want to overwhelm everyone with a super long entry right out of the gate. Happy shopping!
I'm a 30 year old plus sized woman who loves shopping, is maybe a little obsessed with clothes, and loves to save money! As far as my clothes, I love vintage cuts, lace, ruffles, and right now, florals. I suppose you could call it something like "retro romantic." My problem is that I'm very particular when it comes to what I wear and have a really hard time finding things I love that fit me, since I'm on the large end of "plus size." Depending on the store, I'm either a 4x or 5x, or 30-32.
I'm hoping that I can help some of you other larger ladies out with finding cute clothes, not to mention saving some money, as (as all us big girls know) plus size clothes are expensive! What actually brought me to the wonderful world of plus sized and savings blogging is... Well, I've learned they don't have to be! Depending on where you prefer to shop, of course, you can save a mint.
I'm sure every big girl out there has heard of One Stop Plus- it's a conglomeration of several plus sized catalog retailers conveniently lumped onto one website. If you know a few tricks, you can clean up with the savings at this place! That's actually what bought me here. I just got another fantastic deal by knowing how to use (exploit?) their coupon codes! That's why I'm starting this blog- to share my savings with the other plump pretties out there, and maybe some of you can even offer your tips to help me save even more! I'll be offering my first savings exploit in the next entry- don't want to overwhelm everyone with a super long entry right out of the gate. Happy shopping!
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