Motivation dress

SilentMelody

hey guys! I'm thinking about buying a dress to be like a motivation dress for me to wear on my university graduation day in the beginning of August only problem is I don't know what size I should be realistically aiming for. Which is where you come in I need opinions! I'm currently a size 18/20w and 237 pounds and getting my schedule in order so I can start planning out some serious gym time. I was thinking maybe a 12 or a 14 but wasn't sure if that might be either too small or too big a goal. It's not going to be an expensive dress so it's no big deal either way but I'd like for it to be as realistic as possible. thanks for the help!

arditarose

I know it's exciting and maybe will help motivate you (I don't like to do that personally, too much pressure and not enough instant gratification ha), but it's really really hard to tell what size to purchase now. If you want to buy it in June, you'll have a better idea. What dress do you want?!

sunshyncatra

I love the idea of a motivation dress, but not a specific event and date attached to it. You really don't know what size you are going to be then, especially if you hit a plateau or if things go faster than you think. If you are stuck on getting one for that event, maybe get two or three different sizes???

BarbieAS

I also vote for waiting, partially because you just don't know where you'll be then, but also because even if you could somewhat accurately guesstimate your actual clothing size at that point, you don't know what will flatter you. You could be a solid size 12 and have purchased a size 12 dress but it might look terrible on you, and then you'll just be disappointed even if you did hit your goal, you know? Like, when you grab something off the rack in your size and you get to the dressing room and it's a disaster? It happens even when you're a size 2, trust me.

I personally have a "motivation dress," a dress that I wore almost 9 years ago to a wedding and I would LOVE to wear it for New Year's this year (so about 11 months from now) - it's a size 10 and I'm a 14/16 right now. But, even though I previously wore it, even if I get down to a 10 by then, I'm trying to be super realistic that it still may not look the same on me that it used to, 9 years and 2 kids later. You know?

Plus....shopping is going to be WAY more fun when you can try on all the cute stuff, rather than just buying something off the rack right now . So my vote is also to wait!!

tlharin

I also respectfully suggest a different motivational strategy--there's just no way to know what size would fit you then, and a larger size could simply be what's right for you at that point even if you've by then done "better" with your fitness goal (ie: gaining muscle isn't bad, but it often doesn't mean a smaller size right away).

How about aiming for a slightly more expensive/fancy/accessorized dress according to certain goals you can set for yourself? So if you reach your Goal 1, you get to spend $50, at Goal 2 you can spend $60 or $70, and so on? ...I may or may not have rewarded myself with impractical earrings every 5 pounds is what I'm trying to say

Codilee87

Its hard to say because different brands and designers can have completely ideas of what their standard sizes are. A size 12 dress from one store can be the same as a size 8 from the store next to it or a 14 in the store across the street.

I'd recommend finding a really nice wrap-style dress that has a little more leeway.

lseed87

I'd wait a bit to buy it so you get a better idea. Good luck ♥ you can do this.

Isabelle_1929

I'm with those who suggest to wait. Fit is not only a matter of overall weight. You don't know where the weight will come off from, so you may technically "fit" into the dress (i.e. able to zip it up) but it could look awful.

In any event, if you buy in advance, chose a style that is not tailored and/or with non stretch material. There are nice dress options in quality knits. Those are more "forgiving" in terms of overall size and proportions.

ddkphotos

put your money aside and go dress shopping in August! if you want to have a visual motivator cut out some pretty dresses you like from a magazine (or print from on-line) and hang those around your mirror (or on your fridge door)...

meritage4

I ordered a fancy dress today to wear for "formal night" for a cruise in March. I started MFP in Dec (this time around). I took my weightloss so far-and my inches lost so far, and subtracted those inches form my current measurements (so bust, waist and hips will shrink another inch) That's quite doable and the dress is cut so if I lose a bit more it will be fine. Dress is a company that makes dress based on the measurements you send.

RebelDiamond

My tip is this, though you may be able to achieve a certain goal size over that period of time, there's no guarantee that the style of dress will flatter or suit your new body size/shape. I would wait and reward yourself with a dress that fits and makes you feel fabulous, rather than trying to fit into a pre-determined dress.

tuckelberry

Maybe make a file of images that represent the kind of dress you'd like to wear. I'm assuming the style your going for isn't something you would feel comfortable wearing now. So let that be your motivation and when the time comes you can pick one out!

Pupslice

BarbieAS wrote: »

I also vote for waiting, partially because you just don't know where you'll be then, but also because even if you could somewhat accurately guesstimate your actual clothing size at that point, you don't know what will flatter you. You could be a solid size 12 and have purchased a size 12 dress but it might look terrible on you, and then you'll just be disappointed even if you did hit your goal, you know? Like, when you grab something off the rack in your size and you get to the dressing room and it's a disaster? It happens even when you're a size 2, trust me.

I personally have a "motivation dress," a dress that I wore almost 9 years ago to a wedding and I would LOVE to wear it for New Year's this year (so about 11 months from now) - it's a size 10 and I'm a 14/16 right now. But, even though I previously wore it, even if I get down to a 10 by then, I'm trying to be super realistic that it still may not look the same on me that it used to, 9 years and 2 kids later. You know?

Plus....shopping is going to be WAY more fun when you can try on all the cute stuff, rather than just buying something off the rack right now . So my vote is also to wait!!

This is perfect advice, you really don't know where you'll be, OP. Best of luck tho!

gmallan

I also agree with those suggesting you should wait. Make a motivation board and put away a little bit of money for every lb you lose. That way, the more you lose the more fabulous your dress will be

seltzermint555

Definitely wait. Really.

I once bought a "goal dress" - it was casual, denim & only cost a buck, so it was no big loss - but yeah, I was around size 16 or 18 and thought since it was very fitted and worked out beautifully except for being way too tight in the belly and hips, I just assumed that size 14 dress would be perfect for me in a few months. Nope. By the time it fit my belly & hips it was swimming on me, dipped so low in front it showed my bra, the arm holes looked enormous, etc. Not a huge size difference really, but a MAJOR fit difference due to being smaller.

Even when I eloped in Oct 2013 I thought I was playing it safe by waiting until around August to buy my dress. It was just a cocktail dress, not a bridal gown, but it was honestly a size too large and I now wish I'd either waited longer or had it tailored.

One last thought - it is nearly impossible to tell where exactly you will lose weight. I picked up some C cup bras secondhand because they were in MINT condition and $5 each for originally ~$90 bras...I've lost 138 lb and I am still DD cup, have only changed band size. Waste of money if I hadn't found a friend they fit. Just a word to the wise...you never know!!

SilentMelody

This is all so very true. I thought about it after I posted the question I know all too well that things don't always look the same as you think they will, I have to try on everything before I buy it because over half of it never really works out. Just got so excited about the prospect and we had sooo many cute dresses at work that I can't wait to fit into them lol. I'm definitely going to print out a few pictures of dresses and use those for the motivation. And I have an old dress that I let a friend borrow because it doesn't fit me anymore and I definitely would love to fit into that again so I can steal it back, as it was a favorite.

Thanks for all the help!

LittlePinkShotgun

What if you shop for your dress online and post a photo of it in a prominent place. When you get to your goal weight you will know what size to get.

LittlePinkShotgun

Oops it looks like that idea already came up lol ^

spzjlb

SilentMelody wrote: »

This is all so very true. I thought about it after I posted the question I know all too well that things don't always look the same as you think they will, I have to try on everything before I buy it because over half of it never really works out. Just got so excited about the prospect and we had sooo many cute dresses at work that I can't wait to fit into them lol. I'm definitely going to print out a few pictures of dresses and use those for the motivation. And I have an old dress that I let a friend borrow because it doesn't fit me anymore and I definitely would love to fit into that again so I can steal it back, as it was a favorite.

Thanks for all the help!

Using your old dress as a motivational tool and guide is a much better idea! Go for it!! Then, buy the perfect grad dress later.