Dress Barn Revisited
I’ve had the “we’re rethinking Dress Barn” tagline in the rotation for a while now, and I finally stepped into a Dress Barn this weekend to see for myself.
You see, I am going to be doing a reading at this event at Colorado State University. (If anyone is in Colorado and is interested in coming by, let me know! I have three poems in the exhibit, and they’re all from my thesis manuscript, Curves, which is all about the body and so is related to this blog kind of!) Anyway, I didn’t have anything to wear, and I found myself having to park in front of the Dress Barn because the Trader Joe’s parking lot was full, so I said what the hell and went inside.
First impression? “Ugh.” Lots of incredibly ugly two-piece sequined stuff in the “woman’s” section of the store. But then a dress caught my eye, peeking out from the all the applique crap and caftans, an incredibly cute black dress with hot pink piping and a crinoline peeking out from underneath (with more hot pink piping) and it was $50 and I was like hell yeah, I’ll try that on! Long story short, it is adorable. I ended up also picking up a cropped satin jacket to wear over it (looks perfect) and a second dress that I couldn’t resist. And a shawl in case the jacket doesn’t work out.
I’ll definitely take a picture of myself in the dress so you can all admire the fashion, but if you want to see it live and in person, and you happen to live in Colorado, this is your lucky…month!
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Art, Cold Hard Cash, Fashion, Meta, Personal
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Finding “normal-sized” clothing (I refuse to call it plus-sized when over half the American population is size 12 or above. That’s not plus, that’s “half”). Anyway, as I was saying, I agree that finding normal sized clothing is a nightmare – it’s either old and frumpy or gaudy and ridiculous. I’ve actually had to resort to shopping in the maternity section (I’m NOT pregnant) just to find decent clothes. But I’ll give Dress Barn a go now, thanks for the tip!
-B
So now the tagline can read “Rethinking rethinking Dress Barn.”
I have a love/hate relationship with that place. When I was a size 24, I was ok with it, because I could find reasonably priced clothing that fit. Sometimes, it was even moderately trendy, so, bonus!
Now that I’m a size 4/6, it’s usually so horribly “suburban soccer mom” in there. Every now and then, if you dig, you can pick up a piece or two. Glad to hear you found a great dress! Sometimes it’s the thrill of the hunt that gives it that extra zip!
LOL @ “it’s usually so horribly “suburban soccer mom” in there”. I seem to get that at the Kohl’s – they all have the same haircut too, for some reason.
Just the name “Dress Barn” gives me mental images of a large red barn full of outmoded mumus being ravaged by large Normandy farmer’s wives with kerchiefs on their heads. They should “rethink” the name of their store.
(No offense to any northern French farmwives out there.)
Kind of random but does anyone know if Dress Barn carries jeans in long lengths?! I want some trouser jeans! Thanks! :)
Emily – I know Gap has longer inseams? How long are you talking about?
I have that love-hate relationship with dressbarn, sometimes you can find super clothes with super deals and other times it’s a total ‘ugh’. I can’t wait to see you styling the dress, unfortunately I cannot get on a plane to go to Colorado.
I’m late in replying but I am 5’9″ so I always wear the tallest inseam. GAP jeans always fall apart on me for some reason! Thanks though!
Mm. This store is probably not your demographic – I agree, as there’s a Dress Barn near my office, and I’ve popped in from time to time, tried on a bunch of stuff, and been defeated. Never say die! But it’s largely just not my style, and this is one of the stores that generally maintains the same types of styles from size 2 to size 22, and if that’s not you, time to put on your shopping goggles and bear down. You’ll always find *something* in even the least obvious stores :). And a lot of the time, these types of stores have the kindest, most knowledgeable salespeople. Believe me – there’s a dress in the Dress Barn window these days I’m itchin to try on, also because the ladies who work there are de-lovely and I am trying to give them my business.
By the way – @fatfighter – I expect the store door do go “moooo” when I open it, like my old Fisher Price farm.
Ross, a discount store in PA, is pretty sweet when it comes to deals. I suggest you go there, they carry plus sizes there.
I shop at Dress Barn, almost exclusively. I don’t go crazy for all the stuff that’s displayed at the front of the store, but some of catches my eye.
It’s one of the few stores where the clothes actually fit me.
And I can always find something there. I see lots of larger body shaped women (who are different in style from me) also shopping successfully there. I like the store.
i have worked for this company for over 13 years – our fashions have gone from kind of stuffy clothing to very trendy in most locations – you must remember that we do not all sell the same merchandise. I would suggest you shop at different dress barns. they have alot to offer especially in the dress barn women collection. and yes, some of the stores are starting to sell jeans and pants in longer lengths.
I had never even thought about going into a Dress Barn, but while I was shopping with my niece during the Holidays we walked by one and they had beautiful evening dresses. I HAD to go in, and they were only about 50 as well. My size was the only one they didn’t have in this amazing black and red number and so I didn’t get a chance to try it on,but I think I would have bought it right then and there. Later I completely forgot to go back and look again, and now I’m searching the net for dresses from there as I have a wedding to go to in Feb! I drove by it a few weeks ago, and all the dresses were gone. :(
EMILY:
Some DB stores do carry long lengths in pants. I’m not sure how long they are, since my store does not carry them, but I know they’re out there! Customer service at http://www.dressbarn.com might be able to tell you which stores carry them, and if you have a DB near you, and they don’t carry them, you can tell them which stores do, and have them ship some in for you to try on with no cost or obligation to you.
I love Dress Barn. I am a size 18W, and can walk into this store and choose things off the racks that will fit me. I find the slopers are consistent from casual jeans to dressy outfits, and the tops are the same. However, I did try a top for a teenage friend that did not fit her as well.
I would like to know if anyone can tell me why when you wear a large size companys think you are short and wide ? Everything I buy is way too short in tops that is.I wear a size 22 and the larger the size the shorter it is.We are not all short and wide.
@ Sally:
I think we need to trade stores. I am average height, but anything that fits me in the rear assumes that I am over 6 feet tall. I’m getting a bit tired of having things hemmed (though I must admit getting things hemmed is better than trying to piece fabric on…)
A friend recommended Dress Barn to me for inexpensive dresses (we were going to Hawaii for work). I never, ever would step foot in there otherwise. CAn you say mooo? Anyhoo. I am a 12 and found some great buys that fit well! I have been there twice and have had the same problem — the employees are, how do I say, kind of slow and weird? I mean, like a freak show of weirdness. And slow to ring up. Very. This store is in SoCal. Does DB have a policy where they hire special needs adults?
Yes they have long leg jeans I got a pair and they were a size smaller then I normally ware P.S I love the dress barn
Dress Barns are located all over the US and for those that didn’t know, they don’t all carry the same thing. The one by my office carries suites but the one near my home does not. Check w/your local store for details.
Love, Love the Dress Barn, find many good
bargains on the racks & almost always fit.
Am a grandma, but don’t appreciate old style
clothes, never have a problem at the DB in
South Dakota