The Curvy Girl's Guide to Boxing Day Shopping

Good Morning Everyone!

I hope those of you celebrating had a wonderful Christmas! I know I did. Peter and I spent a lot of cherished time with family and made lots of happy new memories; I hosted my first ever turkey dinner, which was a great success and a lot of fun; my nieces were so full of joy all day, and it reminded so much of my own childhood Christmases. All in all it was a lovely celebration. And there is still more celebrating to do! I have a party to attend tonight, and of course there is New Year's Eve coming up in less than a week.

But before all that we have Boxing Day. "What's that?," those of you from the US might ask... Well, it's sort of like Canada and the UK's version of Black Friday. Epic sales abound for those whose pile of presents under the tree did not yield the goodies they so desperately coveted. Shoppers sometimes line up for hours outside of electronics stores hoping to score awesome prices on things they want or need. But luckily for us, we are tech savvy divas on a dime, so there is no need to brave the insane crowds of the malls (and the resultant headaches from parking, food courts with no seats left, or families of ten who decide it's a good idea to stop right in front of you and block the whole corridor when you are walking briskly to the next sale behind them. Grrrr...

Boxing Day sales are a good way for retailers to liquidate what they didn't sell over the holidays, and a great way for shoppers who are still craving some things from their lists to bag them at a bargain price. Here is a quick run-down of all the sales being held online that I think are worth checking out. I've put the links in order of how good I think the sale is.

City Chic - Lovely, youthful plus size stuff (I especially like their dresses/tunics and jackets). 60% off sitewide. Epic.

Dorothy Perkins - Pretty good sale going on right now!!! Yup, gonna have to do some shopping on this site. Gorgeous dresses and tops. Free international shipping on orders over 30GBP for a limited time. This link will bring you to the items they have left in sizes 14-18US (18-22UK).

Forever 21 - Wow. F21 almost never has sales. At least, not ones that are worth bothering over. So, this is pretty big for them. Free shipping, no minimum; Free duffle bag with orders over $50; A large and extensive range of items are BOGO free; A few "yellow tag" deals. Check this one out.

Lane Bryant - Buy two bras, get two free (and I swear by their bras). Up to 60% off in the "After Christmas Sale."

Torrid - Up to 75% off everything. Clearance is marked down an additional 50%. Also, get 10% off your entire order by using this link and entering code 12AF11OFF at checkout.

Ashley Stewart - Some items up to 75% off. I see a couple of items from my wishlist in the sale! =D

Alloy - I like their tops best, but they also have really good jeans if you're tall (I'm only 5'4"). Inseams up to 37". Up to 80% off on clearance items, plus $15 off orders over $75 with coupon code 5AFFNA. Sweaters 40% off, and outerwear 30% off.

Queen Grace Collection - I've worn a Queen Grace Dress before (check it out) and I think they are absolutely gorgeous. They also have lovely skirts and blouses. Get a unique and surprise coupon code for 40, 50, or 60% off your order by liking their facebook page.

Svobada - Looking for some killer new jeans? Look no further. Some of the best looking plus size jeans on the market (no, really!) on sale today for 50-75% off.

Eshakti - Absolutely gorgeous dresses that you can customize to your measurements and preferences (sleeve length, hemline, neckline, etc.). $20 off your order when you register for their email distribution list, and 40% off their overstock section (but these dresses can't be customized).

Hips and Curves - Online Lingerie retailer offering $20 off orders of $100 or more. Enter code "holiday20".

Swimsuits for All - Online swimwear retailer with 30% off the "best of 2011" with code "best123" and up to 80% off clearance section. Not all great, but there are a few gems.

Always For Me - A swimwear and lingerie e-tailer. These guys are similar to Swimsuits for All, but have a few more fashionable pieces. There is not coupon code, but their sale section is full of some really good stuff right now.

Eliza Parker - A plus size online store that specializes mainly in dresses. 25% off your order today only with coupon code "santa25".

Happy shopping to you all, and have a happy and safe remainder of the holidays.