Going along with the recent theme of budget-friendly full bust finds, I wanted to share photos of a jacket and tee that I recently purchased at Costco, of all places!
Unfortunately, since I purchased these a couple of months ago, I can no longer find active product links on the Costco website. However it may still be available in your local Costco! I saw a few jackets at my location in early December. All items in this post were purchased by me and there are no affiliate links. My measurements, for your reference: 5’7″ tall, 30HH bra size (UK), 41″ bust, 32″ waist, 43″ hip.
Jacket details: 32 Degrees HEAT brand. Lightweight women’s jacket available in plum, navy, and black. Outer shell is 100% nylon, filling is 100% Polyester, and side panels are 100% polysester. This is the plum color!
I first noticed this jacket in September, when it was on sale for $10. The knit panels on the sides, along with the slight princess seams, are what grabbed my attention! I initially tried in on and purchased it in a size Large. There are no mirrors in my Costco clothing section, so I relied on feel to see if it fit. When I got home, I thought the Large actually looked a little bulky, so I returned it and bought a MEDIUM. You guys. I haven’t bought a top in a size Medium in years…let alone outerwear!
As you can see from the photo where my arms are raised above my head, the sleeves are a bit short on me. This is the case for all RTW long-sleeved tops on me – I have long arms. I’ve considered sewing a cuff to the end of the sleeves with a heavyweight knit fabric, but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. However, when my main fit complaint is about the length of the sleeves and not the fit around my bust, I am a happy camper!
For $10, this jacket is definitely worth it. I think full price it was only $20, and it would still have been worth it then! It is well-constructed and held up beautifully over the Fall. As a stay-at-home Mom with three kids ages 6 and under, my clothing goes through the ringer. Stuff gets wipes on it, it gets pulled on, it’s been yanked off of the coat rack and stomped on…you name it. And this jacket still looks as nice as it did when it was brand new. Plus, it is machine washable and dryable! Major win in my book.
The only downside is that this is DEFINITELY a lightweight jacket. I’d say the label “32 Degrees” is accurate. This keeps me adequately warm until the temp drops below freezing. If I layer it with a heavy sweater, then I can handle a few degrees colder, but not much. I did wear it while hiking with my children on a windy 30 degree day and was perfectly comfortable – but only because I was constantly moving AND wearing my youngest in a backpack baby carrier. The physical activity and little one snuggling into my back created enough extra heat to keep me comfortable. If I still lived in the California Bay Area, this might be enough to get me through an entire winter, but it’s not going to cut it in New England.
And now, for the top! Details: “Alternative” brand. Ladie’s activewear short sleeve top. 60% polyester/30% cotton/10% modal. I believe it was offered in a light pink and black/white stripe. I am wearing the black/white stripe in a size XL.
What drew me to this tee is the hi-low hemline and the loose/flowy fit. This is my preferred fit for tees. While some of you may disagree that this actually “fits” me, it is perfect for my taste and needs! Yes, the shoulder seam is halfway down my bicep, and yes there is a fabric fold from my armpit to my bust apex. But it skims over my belly, is long enough in the back that I don’t have to worry about my back/underwear showing when I’m moving about, and it doesn’t pull across my bust in the front. Those are my main fit criteria for functional everyday basics! I don’t have much of a reason to wear anything but casual clothing in my current phase of life, and I don’t feel like fit matters quite so much with casual clothing. I’ve definitely owned shirts that fit me much worse than this one, so I was delighted to find this on sale at the end of the summer! I believe (but can’t quite remember) that I paid less than $10 for it.
I have a couple of other tops that I’ve found at Costco recently but haven’t photographed – This Buffalo Ladies’ Long Sleeve Cozy top is one I loved so much that I bought it in both pink and navy! And this Orvis Ladies’ Chenille Sweater is one that I don’t 100% love the fit of, but I kept forgetting to return it, so I ended up adding it to my wardrobe anyway. It is incredibly soft and cozy, but I feel like it does make me look a bit boxier than I like. I wanted to wear it to church with a pencil skirt, but it made me look like one big rectangle! The effect isn’t so bad when I pair it with jeans or leggings for a more casual look.
Have you had any luck shopping for clothing at Costco? Tell me!
I bought that jacket and then returned it because I didn’t think it was bust-friendly enough! (L pulled a little too much but XL was too big everywhere else.) However I found the 32 Degrees hooded hip-length jacket on my return trip that was even better–it has a more nipped-in waist so you don’t look like a giant puffball, and is slightly warmer.
Yeah, totally a fall/spring jacket for New England.
Ooh, that fits your shoulders and back perfectly. That’s so rare to see in off the rack, unaltered clothing. I like the 32 Degrees undershirts, they work much better than plain cotton.
Uniqlo also has some really good long underwear that fits my 32F bust. I usually get the L or XL undershirts to fit my 43” hips, though a medium fits my chest because of the stretch.
You might try stretch fleece for the cuffs. One of my coats has them and I love it.