Shopping for Lycra on a Budget

I am a typical starving student, and don't have a lot of money to spend. Unfortunately, my love of Lycra demands a (almost) constant influx of new Lycra items. So how do I accomodate my fetish without draining my pocketbook? Here I've tried to jot down on paper the techniques I use, the stores I go to, etc.

Where to shop:

Here's a list of good shops to go to when in need of Lycra. They are listed in order of quality of merchandise (the stores at the top sell the highest quality merchandise, the stores at the bottom the least quality merchandse, etc.)

1. "Bargain" clothing stores. These are GREAT places to buy lycra wear, because (if the store is decently sized enough) they have a good selection, and the prices are, quite frankly, amazing. Swimwear around $15-$25, leotards running no higher than about $20, tights $5-$12, and so on. Plus a lot of places like these have 30-day return policies -- as long as you don't wear the garment a lot and don't wash it, you can return it for refund or exchange within 30 days, assuming you have a receipt. This is great if you're too embarrassed to try the outfit on in the store, but find that it doesn't fit right when you get it home.
   Examples: TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Ross Dress For Less, Kmart, Wal-Mart, Target, Clothestime.
2. Factory outlet stores. These stores are run by a company that produces lycra outfits, and the store sells stuff made by its company ONLY. E.g. a Danskin factory outlet sells all Danskin products, nothing else. You generally find the best selection there, since no shelf space has to be used for products from competing companies. Prices are usually reasonable too -- definitely a good percentage below retail. I imagine at least some of these places have some kind of a return policy, but I can't be certain.
   Examples: Danskin Factory Outlet.
3. Consignment stores. There are many stores that accept "consignment" -- people sell them new or almost-new (i.e. only slightly used) clothing. These places also sometimes get brand new clothing from factory or store overruns (i.e. when a store buys too much of a thing, then they sell the excess off to these guys). Since some of the stuff has been used before, be sure and glance at the garments to make sure there are no worn out spots, stains, rips, etc. These places usually don't have a return policy (no refunds or exchanges), so choose carefully.
   Examples: Play it Again Sam (from my home town).
4. Thrift stores. Believe it or not, thrift stores are a GREAT place for Lycra. You can usually find piles and piles of it, and it is usually "the good stuff" -- nylon/lycra, and you often find a lot of great styles from the '80s and the '90s. (This is great for those of us, like me, who like the older patterns better.) You must be careful, though, because thrift stores get their goods from donations from people, and they usually take anything, even if in poor condition. So look carefully at the garment for rips, tears, worn out seams, etc. And you must choose carefully, because at these places, sales are usually final (i.e. no refunds, store credits, or exchanges).
   Examples: Goodwill, Alpha Thrift Store (a store in my hometown), etc.
5. Garage sales.
   Examples: Just open up your Saturday paper and you'll find 'em.

Where NOT to shop:

There are several places you should absolutely NOT, under any circumstances, go into, unless you are prepared to part with a LOT of cash. In general, these are the "ritzy" looking places -- you know, with the fancy displays, gold edged window displays, big department stores, etc. (This list is not numbered, because they are in no particular order -- simply stay away from any of them!)

• Big department stores. Big department stores tend to have absolutely horrific prices, and their prices for lycra items are no exception (and are often worse!) Plus their selection is usually limited (unless this is a HUGE store we're talking about) and it can usually be found elsewhere for significantly less.
  Examples: Robinsons-May, Macy's,
• Little boutiques with cutesy names or names of people (see examples below). Usually these places contain a very limited selection (unless they are extremely huge, or the owner happens to be into lycra), and they are usually things you can find elsewhere for MUCH lower prices.
  Examples: (These are all completely made-up, any resemblance to actual stores, living or deceased, is purely coincidental.) Annie's Boutique, The Clothing Rack, etc.
• "Specialty" stores (i.e. stores that have swimwear only, or exercise apparel only). Same as the above -- usually a limited selection, of stuff you can find elsewhere, but at horrific prices.
  Examples: (from my home town) Beach Nuts, Sundance.
  Exception: As with any rules, there are exceptions to this one. I feel I should mention this one, since the store owner was very nice to me and got me exactly what I wanted. On a recent trip to Nevada, I found a great little store that specializes in dancewear, costumes, and other types of exercise wear (leotards, etc.) The prices were reasonable, and what struck me as especially nice was that, if they didn't have what you want, they would make it for you, and only charge you for the price of the materials (i.e. no labor charges!). And, if you're out of the area, they will even ship your order right to your door. The name of the place is Monica's Discount Aerobic & Dancewear. Address: 3430 E. Tropicana #45 Las Vegas, NV 89121. Phone number: (702) 454-2700 Fax: (702) 454-7803 The owner's name is Scott, and he is a very nice person.

Shopping Techniques

I know it can be nerve-wracking to go into a place that has a lot of female clothing, and browse and buy some. It took me quite a bit of courage to start doing so. Here are some of the techniques I have used, hopefully they will be of some use to you too.

• Do not look around nervously. If you do this, people will think that "something's up with you." If you stroll in there with your head held high and a confident expression on your face, people won't notice as much.
• When talking with people, try not to stammer. Again, stammering and sounding nervous tends to make people stare more.
• Get a plausible story ready. I'm sure everyone's heard the old "I'm buying it for my girlfriend/daughter/mother/aunt/godmother/woman friend/whatever." It sounds fake anyway. Try something like "I'm a dancer" or "I'm studying dance." Because this is a perfectly acceptable (Note, does not work if buying non-dance stuff, e.g. swimwear -- for that, the "buying it for a female in my life" line is the best I can think of. Just say it with confidence.)
• If you are really into Lycra (i.e. it is a fetish -- it "turns you on"), try not to show it. Try to avoid fondling the garments, drooling as you do, getting an erection, etc. Wear something to hide it if necessary (e.g. baggy pants or dance belt or whatever). People will really look at you strangely if you do this.
• Remember that "it's a free country." You are not forbidden by law or anything to buy from the store you're in.
• If you're just starting to shop, try to go to stores out of town, which will minimize the chances of someone recognizing you.
• If you want to minimize the time spent at the checkout line (to try not to get embarrassed, etc.), use cash. Checks and credit cards take forever, because they have to see your ID, verify your check through the credit agencies, use the credit card machine to access your account, sometimes the credit card network is REALLY slow, etc.
• Don't be ashamed if you can't do it for the first few times. It took me several store visits before I could really get comfortable doing it. Just keep trying!
• If all else fails, remember that, when mail ordering, you don't have to talk face-to-face with anyone, you don't risk encountering people you know while "browsing", and when the stuff is delivered, the mailman hasn't a clue as to what's in the box, so he/she won't know either.

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