Manolo for the Big Girl

Francesca here, popping in on the weekend to tell you (or remind you) about some sales that end today or soon. Here, in alphabetical order:

One of many spectacular hats of fabulosity from WomenSuits.

Alight is having a big holiday sale, and will take $8 off your order of $40 if you enter code alight878 at checkout.

Ashley Stewart will take 30% off your entire online purchase (excluding sale, clearance and Diva Deal items) “for a limited time.” Also, get a free upgrade to 2-day shipping on purchases of $50 or more.

Avenue will take 35% off your online purchase with code AV91167. This ends today.

JC Penney will give you free shipping through Tuesday with code SHINE25, or click here to print a coupon for use in-store. If instead of the free shipping code you wish to receive 15% off beauty products, use code JCPFF2009, also through Tuesday. Plus-size clothing is here.

Jessica London is having a tremendous, site-wide sale. Ending today, take 30% off your highest-priced item (if you order three or more) with  code JLE4484.

J. Jill will take 25% off any online outlet purchase, or 40% off full-priced jewelry (online or  in stores) through Tuesday.

Junonia has taken 30% off fleece and flannel items, and will give you free mittens and a hat with orders of $75 or more. Both offers end today.

Swimsuits for All will take 25% off your order with code 25NEW. This ends today.

WomenSuits.com will take 20% off your purchase of $100 or more (online or by phone) with code BLESSEDCHRISTMAS. This offer “expires soon.” Can be used more than once. FYI, Francesca has never seen a better offer than this from this vendor, so prices/deals are unlikely to get better. Francesca loves their collection of “church hats,” which remind her of the Ascot scene in My Fair Lady. The Americans are such interesting peoples.

Come back tomorrow for even more sales. xoxo

Many of the sales about which Francesca wrote on Monday and Tuesday are still going on. Click here for clothes and here for accessories and gifts.

YOOX is offering free shipping through December 23, in addition to their big sale which includes beautiful accessories, shoes, and handbags. Gift guide here. Gift Certificates available here.

Igigi has 2 pages of gifts for under $100. Their holiday dresses are here. Pictured:  Imperia Lace Dress in Black/Red.  Remember, free ground shipping on orders of $150 (or 2-day shipping for $10).

Avenue will take 35% off your online purchase, through Sunday, with code AV91167. Holiday dresses are here. Pictured: Avenue Plus Size Katherine Satin Trim U-Neck Dress.

Junonia has taken 30% off fleece and flannel items, and will give you free mittens and a hat with orders of $75 or more. Both offers end on Sunday.

Jessica London is having a tremendous, site-wide sale. And, through Sunday, take 30% off your highest-priced item (if you order three or more) with  code JLE4484. Holiday dresses here. Francesca’s pick.

Swimsuits for All will take an additional 25% OFF your order, through Sunday, with code 25NEW. See their new arrivals here. Francesca likes the new colorblock swimsuits by Longitude. Buy your swimsuit now to save money in the spring.

Ashley Stewart will take 40% off your entire online purchase (excluding sale, clearance, Diva Deals, and turtlenecks) “for a limited time.”

Chadwicks will give you shipping for flat rate of $2.95, and toss a free cardigan sweater into your order of $20 or more, with code CHDEAL09. Deals end on Monday.

Zaftique will give you shipping for a flat rate of $3.50 on orders of $100 or more, through December 21, with code FSHLDY09.

Happy shopping and happy weekend! xoxo

The weekend is coming, and it is cold outside, and you wish to look forward to Spring. Here are a few sites where the Big Girl can buy her new swimsuit! The first few sites have new collections!

   SwimsuitsForAll.com

   Torrid.com

Always For Me

Silhouettes

Land’s End

Nordstrom

Macy’s

JCPenney

Happy daydreaming and happy shopping! xoxo

Shoe clearance on women’s and kids’ shoes at Nordstrom! oh, oh oh!

(”Approval” meets Francesca’s approval! Especially at 40% off!)

Certain t-shirts at Avenue are selling now for under $10, while supplies last. Each one comes in so many wonderful colors! Stock up for next summer.

Today only, get discounted ground shipping on any order over $100 at Zaftique, by entering code FRSUMMER08 at checkout.

The bi-annual “red tag” clearance sale is going on at Coldwater Creek. Save up to 80% on over 1,000 items. (Here are the 45 items still available in Size 3X. Francesca likes this sweet gingham front-tie shirt, and this silk wrap-shirt. She is also thinking about getting this eyelet shirt-and-shorts set, for lounging around on a Sunday at home, or to cover up a bit at the beach when the sun is too strong for her.)

At Swimsuits for All, Find Great Deals on The Hottest Styles on Sale Now at get 20% off any Plus Size New Arrival by entering code NEW20. Or get 50% off any Women’s Christina Style
by entering code CHRISTINA50.

Always for Me is having a swimwear sale, with many items 25-50% off. (The style to the left is available here, at 25% off.) Please note: no returns on sale items.

Labor Day sale at Lane Bryant for six days!

Through September 1, get 15% off your full-price purchase at J.Jill by entering code HBC241 at checkout. Women’s sizes are here. Tall sizes are here. Francesca notices that many beautiful items in the Women’s section are on sale — and therefore not eligible for the discount code, but at excellent prices on their own. This dress here is available up to size 4x and is great for work.

Through September 5th, use code FALL2008 to get 10% off your purchase at WomenSuits.com.

Win a $100 “shopping spree” at the HolyClothing Webstore: Send an email to contest@holyclothing.com with a photo of yourself in a HolyClothing garment, telling them “a bit about yourself, where you enjoy wearing it, compliments you’ve received, etc.” Entries will be judged for the “best photo and text combination,” and winners will get more clothes and have their photo featured in an upcoming Holy Clothing newsletter.

Lots of new items at the Overstock section of Land’s End.

Happy shopping!

xoxo

From Francesca’s mailbox:

Click here before September 4 to enter a contest whose winner receives a $500 gift certificate to Igigi and a personal consultation with their “style guru”! Also, check out their bold new “mod” dress. Francesca loves!

And here, Lane Bryant is having a Sweepstakes – enter to win $77,000 in cash, a trip to Las Vegas, and tickets to a show. They are also giving away a pair of jeans every day. Also, for a limited time, buy one top, get the second 50% off.

New designs are available by “Not Your Daughter’s Jeans at Nordstrom. They run up to size 24W!

There are new clearance items at Swimsuits For All in both Plus and Women’s sizes. Francesca says: Buy a swimsuit today, at markdown, for next summer in your current size. That way you will have something pretty to look forward to, and no pressure to “lose the weight by summer” as all the ladies’ magazines would have you do. Have fun in the sun exactly the way you are!

Shop “Final Sale Items” at Kiyonna, and get an additional 40% off by entering code EXTRA40 at checkout. Offer ends August 27. This dress is still available in “sizes 0x to 5x, and can be yours for $61.20, a savings of over $66! (But, please, wear it with a bra!)

Through tomorrow, get 20% off everything at Evans.

Shop at J.Jill before September 1 and enter code HBC214 at checkout to get 15% off your order!

Until August 24, buy at least $100 of items at Coldwater Creek and get $25 off by entering code WXH3908 at checkout. And did you know that Coldwater Creek has over 1,500 items in their Outlet? So many clothes, so little time.

Through August 25, get 40% off your highest-price item when you order from Woman Within and enter code WW20264. Francesca says: Beware, my petite sisters, the clothing at Woman Within run very long!

Old Navy has just introduced their Fall Plus line, which you can see Chic Peek—New Fall Collection in sizes 16-30, only at here. Lots of colorful new things!

Roaman’s has announced a “50 items at 50% off” sale. You can see those items here. Some are terrible, but some are superfantastic. It is worth a look-see.

Francesca received a press release announcing the founding of a new company which provides clothing for women who wear bra cup sizes C-DD but are otherwise of “thin or average” size (which, to them, means a waist up to 33″ and hips up to 43″). She is informing you as a courtesy to our racktastic sisters, but sincerely hopes they soon realize that many buxom customers are lusciously large everywhere.

Today and tomorrow: Everything is marked down (some items more, some items less) at Holy Clothing. If you like the Gothic or Renaissance look, this sale is your dream.

A dear internet friend writes in with a conundrum:

Dear Francesca,

From pool-side in the middle of the hot summer, I ask: where might a 38DD find a cute bikini?

When I say “bikini”, I’m talking completely bare middle here, not a tankini set or skirted bottom or other (very pretty but not what I’m looking for) additions to the bikini swim basic. When I find lovely swim retailers with suits larger than a C-cup (several linked from your site), they all want to hide the middle! So now I am lost when shopping, as my experience is that I’m too large for the average store or juniors and then too small/very badly shaped for the “ladies stores.”  I’m 23, 5′8″, size 14/15, flat-bottomed Apple (so all of the attention is up top. Which I’m fine with, so no need to de-emphasize, but only to securely support.)

The only style note is that I like bright or solid colors or funky patterns in my two-piece, not so much the floral, conservative frills my mom would love. For example, I like some of the trendier swim suits that you’d find at Target in the juniors department, but their idea of an XL top seems to max out at a C-cup. (The women’s section, sadly, seems to offer little in curvy support even when the correct size, and always with the stomach covered and the bored floral pattern.) I also love shopping at Torrid (my average style tends towards the Tripp selection), but all of Torrid’s (very cute!) swimsuits persist in covering up the middle. As for shape (halter top, string set, bra-style cups, etc.) – I’d love to try them all, if only I could find a place that sells them in my size!

Thank you, and the other wonderful bloggers of Manolo for the Big Girl, for highly entertaining and useful information,

B.

Ah, a Big Girl of confidence who will flaunt her abdomen! Francesca approves!

But, ayyyy! Francesca has been searching for bikinis that meet all of B’s criteria — 38DD, actual bikini, with secure support but no florals — and indeed it has been a frustrating endeavor!

Unless Francesca has missed something, she believes that dear B. will have to look outside of the United States for what she requires. Thankfully, Bravissimo does sell a few bikinis which meet all these criteria (and a 38DD in England is the same as an American 38DD).

See, here is an underwire plunge bikini top (matching panties sold separately; just scroll down) in the bright, solid color which  our reader prefers:

Happy summer, and remember the sunscreen!

xoxo, Francesca

Tomorrow night, Thursday June 12, from 5-9, the Monif C. boutique in New York City is having a cocktail party at the store. Get personal shopping advice, treats, open bar, music, etc, and 25% off the clothes! Address: 325 West 38th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues) Suite 1007. Phone number: 212-842-1641.

Lots happening at Lane Bryant:

1) Make a purchase before July 1, and get a $100 coupon and entries into their $100,000 sweepstakes!

2) Cacique bras are “buy 2, get 2 free” and Cacique panties are 5 for $25, through June 28

3) Summer sale on tops, tanks, tees, and capris.

Be sure to click through the button at the right of our site for more savings!

June clearance sale at Nordstrom! (Though it seems you all have bought out the Plus Sizes. Not much left!) AND, if you order $200 or more from the online store, you get free shipping within the USA. Francesca, herself, has ordered this flap bag by L.A.M.B. to use in lieu of a briefcase, at 40% off,

and the bold 4″ heel snakeskin slingback by Linea Paolo, also 40% off!

Holy Clothing has brought back their lovely “Riona” corset dress, so pretty for Apple shapes! They are selling on ebay, for example here, and are available in many colors!

Summer sale at J.Crew going on (x-large and tall sizes available), and if you enter code SEASHELL today at checkout, you get free shipping within the US and Canada.

Francesca is known, she hopes, for her classic and classy style, so it may surprise you to know that she avails herself, sometimes, of plus-size lingerie offerings at Fredericks.com. Yes, they have plus sizes, and not all of their merchandise is best suited for a college spring break scene on a souped-up set of CSI: Miami. At the moment they have many nice items for the classy woman who wishes to let her hair down, at reasonable prices, such as this satin-and-lace chemise which Francesca recently ordered in the “hibiscus” color. And now through Sunday, there is free shipping on orders of $95 or more within the continental USA.

Another promotion code for you! Buy swimwear at Junonia by the end of the day on Friday, enter code 06118, and save 25 percent! For the Size 14+ woman who spends much time in the pool or at the beach, Junonia offers swimsuits in categories like “chlorine resistant,” “water sports,” and “full coverage.” Pretty colors, too!

Finally, two more important announcements for the Poor Girl:

Summer clearance at the Coldwater Creek Outlet! Major deals, here, and many clothes available in plus sizes. Excellent for the poor girl! (And yes, they have items appropriate for the younger womens. Just look carefully and you will find!)

And, through Friday, enter code RD13899 upon checkout at Roamans.com, and save 25% on your highest-priced item. Look! Now you can have this pretty blouse, very nice for Apples, for under 19 of the American dollars.

Happy shopping!

xoxo,

Francesca

Monif C. has introduced a line of swimsuits, and they are very, very pricey and very, very sexy. Francesca likes!

This swimsuit makes Francesca want to become an Angel of the Charlie. Apparently, there are ties at the legs which allow you to adjust it so you can show more thigh, or less. Francesca does not understand how that works, exactly, but is intrigued by the idea.

Wow!

Happy shopping!

xoxo, Francesca