Life after Lands End - plus-size skirts with pockets edition

March 16, 2016 10:09 AM

Lands End used to carry great cotton jersey plus-size skirts with pockets. I lived in these skirts eight months of the year. Their quality has gone way downhill, and they rarely put pockets in plus-size skirts now, except on skirts that are shorter than I would like. I can't find anything like the skirts I used to buy. Very picky details inside.

The fabric doesn't have to be cotton jersey, but it does have to be of high quality, and I'd like fabric to be of medium or heavy weight. I prefer simple styles, plain, solid colors and something just below knee length (I'm 5'5"). Prints would be OK if they're not super loud. Also, I have one denim skirt and don't want more. Last year, I bought some skirts from ModCloth, sort of like this one. I liked the available colors, but the fabric was cheap and snagged easily. The style of that was OK, but I'd prefer something that doesn't fluff out as much. I like this skirt from Travelsmith, but I think it's on the way out - they've restyled it to a shorter version, and there's not much color or size availability right now. Plus I'm not a huge fan of the buttons down the front. I would like to pay less than $80, but if my best option turns out to be custom sewing, I'd be willing to pay more for something that would last. Comfort and easy care are very important to me. The pockets are a necessity, and the skirt has to be available in a 2x or 3x. Any help?

posted by FencingGal to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (7 answers total)

Best answer: I would strongly recommend finding a local person to make them. In fact, you might go to whatever your nearest decent fabric store is (JoAnns, probably, in the US), browse the patterns to find 2-3 you're really into, browse the fabric just to get a feel for the names of what you like (unless you find something you Must Have, in which case check the pattern to see how many yards per skirt and get 2-3 skirts' worth), and then chitchat with the staff. See if they have a bulletin board or personal recommendations for a seamstress/sewing-person. They will know basically every related craftsperson in town, if you talk to the right employee.

There's really no better way to do something for your local economy and also get exactly 100% what you want.
posted by Lyn Never at 10:16 AM on March 16, 2016 [10 favorites]

Sahalie might have what you are looking for. They have a number of styles of knit, plus size midi skirts. Their sister sites also show longer knit skirts at the bottom of that link. I haven't ordered skirts from them, so I can't vouch for the weight of the knit fabric.
posted by sarajane at 10:43 AM on March 16, 2016

Best answer: Depending on your customization options (fabric, length, adding pockets and/or drawstrings, etc.) most skirts from Decent Exposures are going to meet your requirements. They're comfortable and I've found them to wear well in a variety of fabrics, although I haven't tried all the options. Color options are somewhat limited, but suit me well enough, so I basically live in them in the warm weather in either the knee or calf length variety. (The ankle version nearly killed me once or twice getting on or off a bus; I think I am exactly the wrong height for that length, or something.)

I believe based on some fine print that they may be able to do additional customizations beyond what they offer for all skirts, but I've never inquired about that, so I don't know if it ratchets the price up or has any other big drawbacks.
posted by Stacey at 10:44 AM on March 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

This probably won't reassure you _very_ much, and it amounts to second-hand info from a biased source, but I've been told that Land's End has been made more independent from Sears (or whatever parent entity held them together). I asked a sales person about it after I noticed that the quality of design and fabric of the dresses and tops I was seeing had gone way up last spring.

Anyway, I'm thinking about ordering a skirt from them, thanks to your question.
posted by amtho at 10:44 AM on March 16, 2016 [1 favorite]

Stacey, DE will adjust hemlines to order.
posted by brujita at 10:58 AM on March 16, 2016

Best answer: You want Ureshii Design.

I am plus size, and I love them. So so so much. I have a number of their pencil skirts, and the quality is top notch. They make them to your measurements, and their customer service is AMAZING. Feel free to memail me if you'd like more info or pictures. They're wonderful.
posted by bibliogrrl at 3:54 PM on March 16, 2016 [5 favorites]

Best answer: Decent Exposures is my default standby, and I love how their stuff holds up.

I haven't ordered skirts from them, but Kobieta Clothing Company has been my solution for Lands End not carrying the draping cardigans I like (and Kobieta has ones with pockets! So I can wear them with dresses that don't have pockets!) Nice fabric weight, nice range of colours, fully customisable re: length and sleeves and so on.
posted by modernhypatia at 9:05 AM on March 17, 2016 [1 favorite]