Summer Clothes in Winter

[jennshane]

So I am am a newbie and am so so excited! I am already planning every detail and believe I will probably be a cruise addict :D One question I have is what do people do when they go on a cruise in "winter" for clothes. I am trying to loose a lot of weight and have been successful so far but worry by the time I get to November I will still need to buy new sun dresses, shorts, etc. Was going to go a month early on a day trip to Texas to the outlet malls but still not sure if they would have summer clothes. So I guess my question is does places like Galveston TX have a lot of shops that are resonable priced for things like this, what about further north in Texas, do people buy mainly online or how do people usually go about buying clothes?

[panoramaofthepast]

So I am am a newbie and am so so excited! I am already planning every detail and believe I will probably be a cruise addict :D One question I have is what do people do when they go on a cruise in "winter" for clothes. I am trying to loose a lot of weight and have been successful so far but worry by the time I get to November I will still need to buy new sun dresses, shorts, etc. Was going to go a month early on a day trip to Texas to the outlet malls but still not sure if they would have summer clothes. So I guess my question is does places like Galveston TX have a lot of shops that are resonable priced for things like this, what about further north in Texas, do people buy mainly online or how do people usually go about buying clothes?

 

Since Texas is so warm [read - HOT] most of the year, light weight clothing is usually available year round in major stores, although the selection may be more limited. Galveston has plenty of places selling summer clothing, but it is a resort, so the prices may be higher than you would like to pay.

 

Have you considered catalog shopping? Off-season clothes are usually nicely reduced!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[cb at sea]

You will be able to find plenty of "summer clothes" in Tx....and, you'll probably be able to find some things online before your cruise, if you need them.

 

I prefer trying things on, so I don't do much clothing shopping online....just too much of a hassle if they don't fit, or aren't as pictured...which can happen!

 

At your home, if you have discount stores, like TJ Maxx, Marshall's or Ross, you will be able to find last season's clothing at deep discounts a bit closer to your cruise.

[kitty9]

You can also purchase things online. Look at the websites for the TV home shopping channels such as QVC and HSN. They carry summer weight clothes year round.

[lamchops]

At your home, if you have discount stores, like TJ Maxx, Marshall's or Ross, you will be able to find last season's clothing at deep discounts a bit closer to your cruise.

 

"Red Tag clearance" at 10-20% of MSLP. You really score when you find a "Yellow Tag" as that's the give-away price.:)

[sherilyn70]

What I did was get dresses in a size smaller or that were sized S/M/L instead of by numbers. I found shorts always available at JCP.com that I loved as well. So when it was time for the cruise in February I was able to leave the size 18 women shorts from the end of summer at home and take the size 14 misses I had with me instead. Keep up the good work on losing, I lost 105 pounds and the cruise in 2011 was my reward from going from a size 24 back down to a 14.

Edited June 11, 2012 by sherilyn70

[jennshane]

Thank you sooo much everyone, Great Ideas! Way to go Sherilyn70 on the loosing the weight!

[FromSJU]

Congrats on the weight loss! I just recently lost 80 myself so I know how hard it is. I really want to maintain during our August cruise, so thinking through what my plan of attack will be :). I had to replace my entire wardrobe as well.

[jennshane]

I hear ya! Which although it sucks to have to go out and buy all new clothes when I have clothes that I haven't worn that much isn't it a great feeling to buy clothes that are smaller :) I already have it planned that every day on the cruise ship I will get up and first thing go and work out...hopefully I can stick to it and not slack because I am on vacation!

[mszpolaris]

Definitely check buying clothes at the end of the summer when many places will be putting their summer clothes on sale to prepare for their next season/shipment of clothing. You'll find a lot of deals.

[sjcruiser]

Most stores have red tag, discounted or clearance items of off-season wear throughout the year. We pick up items all year long, and put it away for the cruise. Then the problem comes that we've got too much to take for a week or so cruise, and what to pack or not to pack.

[FromSJU]

Yes, having to replace the wardrobe due to weight loss is a good problem to have :)

 

Also, I know it's not everybody's cup of tea but I've found great deals at the secondhand store, oftentimes new with tag item extremely cheap which made it easy to buy a size or two down. Also if you buy items with stretch to them you can wear them for a few sizes. Skirts I found I could still wear a couPle of sizes down (would start at the waist a bit snug and I would stop wearing them when they were just reaching the hiPbone. Also stuff that "wraps around" they are easy to adjust as you go down. These are a few of the items I would feel comfortable buying on sale a few sizes down since I knew I could adjust how they fit. My weight loss was pretty steady so I could estimate more or less what size I would hit when but know that your body type could change a bit (in my case from pear to hourglass so items bought in advance may fit differently than you envision them too. Ok I will stop babbling, have fun!

[sherilyn70]

Also if you buy items with stretch to them you can wear them for a few sizes. Skirts I found I could still wear a couPle of sizes down (would start at the waist a bit snug and I would stop wearing them when they were just reaching the hiPbone. Also stuff that "wraps around" they are easy to adjust as you go down. These are a few of the items I would feel comfortable buying on sale a few sizes down since I knew I could adjust how they fit. My weight loss was pretty steady so I could estimate more or less what size I would hit when but know that your body type could change a bit (in my case from pear to hourglass so items bought in advance may fit differently than you envision them too. Ok I will stop babbling, have fun!

 

That's pretty much how it worked for me as well. I stuck with the S/M/L stuff that would accomodate multiple sizes better and bought shirts that would look good if they got a bit loose. It also helped that I still had some boxes of smaller clothing sitting in the basement to work as filler.

[OCruisers]

As mentioned by "fromSKU", a consignment store is a good option for those changing sizes.

 

Not all consignment stores are created equally. We have one here that only accepts the nicer brands of new or very lightly worn clothes.

[tangerinebunny]

I shop the end of summer sales for our winter cruises; at that point you'll have a good idea of how things are going and the prices are sometimes really good.

 

For me those become next summer's 'new' clothes.

 

Keep in mind that on a cruise no one else is going to noticing your clothes; so you can wear the same few things.

[Yti82]

Hey Jenn :D I didn't think of it earlier when we were chatting but I might take the advice I read somewhere in the forums here (I wish I knew before... perhaps?) and buy a few clothes when we stop in Cozumel. But you know fashion is not one of my strong suits.

[Naomigruis]

It's the dead middle of winter in Australia and I could not find summer clothes anywhere in the shops

 

With no time to shop in LA before getting on the boat I have used eBay to buy great clothes very cheap in brands I'm familiar with so I know they will fit.

 

I've purchase shorts, dresses and tops. So I'm all set to go :)

[LuckyLXE]

I just had the same issue, as I realized I "grew" a size since summer, and will be going on a cruise in a week. I've had good luck at the local thrift shops, honestly.

Best of all though, at least for big girls, is the clothes rental service I recently joined called Gwynnie Bee, that is like Netflix for clothes. They offer a free month trial, and unlimited free shipping. The selection is vast, and growing. (no pants or formal gowns).

http://*******/0QcxXG

 

The clothing also tends to be travel friendly since the ship it all over, and you aren't expected to do any ironing or washing. They send each item with a pre-paid plastic postage bag. If you're in the USA, you can take it on vacation, wear it all you want, and drop in in the mail. When they get it, they send another item from your cue, until you cancel your membership. It's fairly brilliant.

[horsegal]

Keep up the great work! Last year I had the same "problem" I lost 90lbs right before my cruise in January (I lived in Massachusetts at the time) went from a 16 or 18 to a 2 or 4.

 

I had some luck at the local salvation army. I also had really good luck at Kohls in January they still had a lot of summer stuff on clearance, it did take a lot of patience and time to go through all the racks but I think I spent about $60 on clothes that was worth $550 on the receipt. Bathing suites was the hardest thing for my to find, they finally put out the ones for the next season maybe 2 weeks before my cruise so I had to get them at full price but with yours in November you might be able to still find stuff from last season.

 

Good luck and have fun when you replace your wardrobe!

[Cuizer2]

So I am am a newbie and am so so excited! I am already planning every detail and believe I will probably be a cruise addict :D One question I have is what do people do when they go on a cruise in "winter" for clothes. I am trying to loose a lot of weight and have been successful so far but worry by the time I get to November I will still need to buy new sun dresses, shorts, etc. Was going to go a month early on a day trip to Texas to the outlet malls but still not sure if they would have summer clothes. So I guess my question is does places like Galveston TX have a lot of shops that are resonable priced for things like this, what about further north in Texas, do people buy mainly online or how do people usually go about buying clothes?

 

I would think that price wise you would be much better off if you shopped in Houston rather than Galveston.

[kitty9]

I'm guessing the OP has already taken her cruise since this thread is a year and a half old.