Like many individuals, I’ve been living in sweatpants, t-shirts, and hoodies since March 2020. But as we are preparing to return to a new “normal”, our work attire is changing. With a small budget in mind, I opted to check out Rainbow Shops, from our New York City Plus-size shopping guide.
At the time of originally writing this many brick and mortar stores were still closed and we relied heavily on the online shopping experience. Setting a budget of $50-100 per store, I wanted to give a proper review of stores you might be able to find on one of our many city guides.
How was the online purchasing process for Rainbow Shops?
When you browse the website for Rainbow Shops you might be enticed by the wide variety of options and low prices.
The online store for Rainbow Shop was pretty easy to navigate, with clear images, pricing, and color options on the main product category pages. This made it easy to browse before clicking into a product for further details.
Once you click into the product for more details you are greeted with extended information. From the type of fabric, care instructions (thank god for this!), and where the product was made. Essentially everything on those little tags everyone rarely reads.
On the product page, you will also find customers reviews and size chart information. Those testimonies really help you get a better picture of the quality, cut, and color that you would normally get from touching the products in store.
How do the clothes fit at Rainbow Shops?
Before I get into the fit, it might be helpful for you to know what products I bought!
I wanted to keep this outfit simple, something I could wear when hiking one of the many trails on our trips or recording a video for my YouTube channel! Versatile was my goal!
What I ordered:
- Plaid tabbed sleeve top in the color navy, size 3X – cost $14.99
- V Neck top in the color white, size 3x – cost $7.99
- WAX Push Up Jeans in the color dark wash, size 18 – cost $21.99
- Basic knit leggings in the color charcoal, size 1x – cost $6.99
Based on the reviews for each item I opted to order one size bigger than I normally would.
What I liked…
I struggle a lot with finding shirts that fit my arms, because well let’s be honest here, bodies are weird and my arms just decided to harbor all the fat in them. So the majority of the time when I buy shirts, they are usually no sleeves and I add on a cardigan or blazer because it’s easier to find those in larger sizes. But the plaid top I purchased from Raindow Shops didn’t disappoint me.
The shirt is lightweight and soft to the skin. It comes to the right length on my short torso without making me feel like I’m wearing maternity clothing. The downside of this shirt is that 3x is actually the biggest option available when I ordered.
This shirt comes in a few different color options for those who don’t like navy and based on how comfortable it is I’m considering just ordering all the options at this point.
To be honest beyond the plaid shirt everything else comes into second place but in the respect that I will have to return them all.
To begin with, the plain t-shirt was supposed to go under the button down giving me the option to keep the shirt open if I desired. Ordering the same size as the button-down, I figured that it would hang a little big on me.
However, the complete opposite happened.
This shirt was so tight that it felt like my circulation was being cut off. Even under the button-down the indents within my chest and stomach made for a very uncomfortable and awkward look.
Despite the cost of the shirt, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing the shirt as it runs about 3 sizes to small. Yes, 3 sizes. Compared to other t-shirts I own from stores like Torrid or Target.
WAX Push Up Jeans
The jeans I purchased did fit, however they did not fit my body type. I purchased these to prove a point to Peter, as high-waisted jean do not flatter all bodies, especially mine.
I am not an apple, pear, or triangle, I am more like a mountain and hills body shape. To be honest, beyond my arms, my weight is distributed pretty unevenly but evenly throughout my torso and legs. If you saw me fully clothed with the correct sizes, you would think I’m more of a log with boobs. But if you put any form of tight or clinging clothes to me, it looks like I’m wearing the tightest belt possible.
To begin with, the plain t-shirt was supposed to go under the button down giving me the option to keep the shirt open if I desired. Ordering the same size as the button-down, I figured that it would hang a little big on me.
However, the complete opposite happened.
This shirt was so tight that it felt like my circulation was being cut off. Even under the button-down the indents within my chest and stomach made for a very uncomfortable and awkward look.
Despite the cost of the shirt, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing the shirt as it runs about 3 sizes to small. Yes, 3 sizes. Compared to other t-shirts I own from stores like Torrid or Target.
WAX Push Up Jeans
The jeans I purchased did fit, however they did not fit my body type. I purchased these to prove a point to Peter, as high-waisted jean do not flatter all bodies, especially mine.
I am not an apple, pear, or triangle, I am more like a mountain and hills body shape. To be honest, beyond my arms, my weight is distributed pretty unevenly but evenly throughout my torso and legs. If you saw me fully clothed with the correct sizes, you would think I’m more of a log with boobs. But if you put any form of tight or clinging clothes to me, it looks like I’m wearing the tightest belt possible.
While there are many other options for leggings at Rainbow Shop I was disappointed with my selection, however giving it a good ol’college try, I pulled them on just to see how uncomfortable they would be. And my expectations didn’t disappoint, these leggings were itchy before I even got them all the way up.
The size however, was actually too big for me, which contradicted the reviews I saw online. So whether they were soft and comfortable they would have to go back because they would never have stayed up.
How to return items
Instead of returning the items I did not like I donated them to a local woman’s shelter. So unfortunately, I don’t have experience with their returns or return policy.
Overall thoughts
For me personally, every store I shop at has hit or misses. With only one or two stores being the exception, majority of clothes shopping for me involves finding that one piece I will wear till it is shreds. This goes for Rainbow Shops as well.
With the plaid shirt a new staple in my wardrobe, I’m 100% ok that the other pieces of clothing didn’t work out because my efforts were not lost on this. The overall experience with Rainbow Shops clothing wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great either.
Rainbow Shops keeping the core audience happy
With a high average score of 4,15 / 5 in the reviews that we looked at, Rainbow Shops has been doing well over time. It seems that their success can be linked to competitive prices, them keeping up with their website but also keeping on catering to their core target audience.
Plus sizes seem to be an attractive offering to a lot of people across the US, and Rainbow Shops seems to offer what the community wants. Rainbow Shops shows that consistency in market focus and target audience pays off when adapting from physical retail to online shops.
Rainbow Shops is a well-established clothing chain targeting primarily women, plus sizes and children. It has a physical presence across the US through 1 300 retail stores, as well as a store online. The company has been around since 1935.
My purchases and experience
My experience with Rainbow shops has no rival, it only in Rainbow shops that I have been able to see very cute tops for the plus size and it fit my Boobies prettily, got very cute tops for my cubby teenage girl as well. The clothes are cute, s sexy, trendy and inexpensive. The store is definitely for varieties and assortment of colors.
Remember an apparel I got from Rainbow shops some years back, still today I still Reminiscence on the encomium I received that day because, I was well put together for that memorable day that I was proposed to by my prince charming.
I love all my jackets, coats, blazers and scarves from Rainbow shops .i love all my stripe tank tops and my strappy Rhinestone flat sandals. Got pretty apparels for all my kids. It has been Amazing shopping in Rainbow’s.
I endorsed Rainbow shops brand and I wouldn’t heisted to recommend this brand to lovers of cute fashionable plus size clothes, shoe collectors and kids lovers.
