How to Find Specialty Sizes

Do you have trouble buying clothes or shoes off the rack? You're not alone if you fall outside the limits of what the fashion industry considers standard sizes. Here are some resources for finding clothes and shoes that actually fit.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Catalogs
• Tailors

1. Start with local retailers, especially department stores and specialty stores, such as Rochester Big and Tall for men's clothes. Nordstrom is known for its wide range of shoe sizes and extralong ties, and its willingness to search for the size you need.
2. Ask stores if they will custom order items for you from the manufacturer. Salespeople may also recommend other sources.
3. Take advantage of online and catalog shopping. EddieBauer.com, LandsEnd.com, JCrew.com and JJill.com, for example, offer clothes in tall sizes, but sometimes in their catalog or Web site only. Take advantage of search engines, chat rooms and newsgroups to find retailers that carry your size. Sites that let you search multiple merchants at one time, such as Yahoo Shopping, are also good resources. Check out ShoesOnTheNet.com, a portal for online shoe sites.
4. Find brands that cater to your size. For example, New Balance athletic shoes come in varying widths, and Birkenstock has a mismatched and single-shoe service. Liz Claiborne makes lines of petite and plus-sized women's clothing. JCPenney's, Sears and Lands' End also carry clothing in a wide range of sizes.
5. Consider having shoes or clothes custom-made if you have difficulty finding your size. There are several sources for reasonably priced custom-made jeans, including Levi's and Lands' End (see How to Buy Clothes Online). Some higher-end stores will tailor custom clothing, especially suits. Working one-on-one with a tailor gives you more options and control over the design (see How to Hire a Tailor).

What to Look For:

• Helpful salespeople
• Department stores
• Informative Web sites
• Brands that cater to special sizes
• Custom-made shoes or clothing

Tips & Warnings

• Understand the return policies, especially on custom orders. Just because an item is the right size doesn't mean it's going to be comfortable or fit well.