The Garage Sale feels illicit in a terrific way: Austin’s Palmer Events Center resonated on August 27-28 with visitors systematically breaking down this semi-annual massive boutique sale vendor by vendor. With over 140 of them spanning clothing, jewelry, shoes, backpacks and homewares, it may have taken in-depth shoppers the full two days. And somehow the people of Austin don’t seem to know much about it.
First-day or VIP presale visitors get first pick, but second-day visitors enjoy dramatic price advantages as vendors discount them and become more open to bartering, especially in the later hours. Ticket prices often drop by 90%. Unfortunately, shoppers looking for extended sizes compete for limited stock; but it might not be as bad as they would expect.
Unlike a sample sale, which usually caps out at size 6, this event is for shops bringing in their regular merchandise and excess inventory. When CultureMap went to investigate, there appeared to be 41 sellers carrying at least one large item, which we defined as starting at extra large or 12. A few sellers carried up to 3X, and 2X was not uncommon to find . A list compiled by the sale includes all sellers offering extended sizes, although not seeing the items could lead to disappointment (one-size-fits-all kaftans that run small, for example).
Shoppers looking for plus sizes shouldn’t be relegated to Shein. While the selection at Le Garage doesn’t include much of the fast-fashion company’s hyper-trendy design consistently recommended to heavy buyers, the sale also overwhelmingly eschewed those styles in straight sizes. These stores may not meet all your needs, but a batch of a few good pieces from Texan sellers seems like a win.
CultureMap visited each supplier on the first day, starting at 11:30 a.m. and selected as many offers as possible in five hours. We rated all the plus sizes we could find, limiting ourselves to the top 10 based on availability and quality. It’s not only possible, but likely that we’ve overlooked some harder-to-find vendors with larger sizes, or vendors whose largest stock had gone by the time we arrived.
Our goal was to find out which vendors are available year-round somewhere in Texas. This list includes 11 recommendations for shopping online, visiting in person, or searching during spring sales. These are all Texas companies that don’t just claim extended sizing – they actually deliver it. So let’s go shopping.
11. Holley Clothier —Austin
A new vintage project by Austin interior designer Erica Holley curates a small number of unique pieces in a wide range of sizes. Holley says she grabs larger sizes when she sees them, knowing typical vintage gaps, which recently included a “3X or 4X” corset.
ten. blur shop —Hutto
This shop had a somewhat limited range, stopping at XL and 14 dresses, but it had a notable selection in those sizes. These designs are bohemian in style – still drapey and colorful without delving into the more folksy, amorphous styles that have oversold.
9. Be. — Cuero
The selection advertised online for this store in Cuero (southwest of San Antonio) is more folksy than what was offered during the sale, which included plenty of stripes, sweaters and contemporary basics. There was a good selection of 2X items and jeans up to 31.
8. Jenn Lee —Houston/Bali
This designer of “eco-luxury resort wear” works with Balinese artisans to produce beautiful cotton and rayon cover-ups that look great over ordinary brunch attire like a swimsuit. Shirts are one size fits most and can be worn unbuttoned. Drawstring shorts and pants are marked L/XL.
seven. spring frost —Austin
Spring Frost taps into one of the best selections in the sale of contemporary designer clothes that look the part. The range of sizes on sale is limited and only seems to reach 14 with a few digs, but the online selection is varied and interesting, and includes a good number of XLs.
6. Man Outfitter —Austin
The Garage Sale lacks men’s options, but Man Outfitters had a great size distribution, with about as many XL and XXL shirts as any straight size section. This outdoor vendor carries recognizable high-quality brands including Howler Brothers, The North Face and Cotopaxi.
5. The gift solution —Austin
This shop offered a wide variety of styles up to 3X, which primarily included the embroidered peasant-style blouses that are popular at this sale, especially in larger sizes. It was also one of the more affordable stores and included a wider stylistic range than shown on the website.
4. Good company —Austin
This designer-owned Austin boutique operates three locations catering to women. Styles are varied, but mostly include casual neutrals with collars or drapes. At the Garage Sale, Good Company offered one-size-fits-all items, XL items and shorts marked 42XL.
3. Vintage Kitsch side —Austin
One of Austin’s wackiest vintage stores – for furniture and clothing – offered a range of styles up to XXL for sale. The store always has bright prints, sparkles, cool leathers and suedes, and unique fits. It also has fun men’s and unisex styles, plus plenty of accessories.
2. Bizzy Lizzy —Houston
Bizzy Lizzy knows her niche, which is that ubiquitous embroidered peasant blouse. However, in a sea of somehow awkward floral chaos, this seller’s pieces show plenty of restraint in color and pattern without relying on neutrals. These are some of the highest quality 3X garments on sale.
1. Alana Kay Art — Fort Worth
This creative boutique is run by resin artist Alana Kay, who prints her works on dresses, activewear, accessories and home décor. The wrap dresses in particular are joyful, unique and go up to XL. Kay says the manufacturer is working on restocking up to 3X. These are true statement pieces.
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