GIRLS: Buying clothes (esp. undergarments) WHILE losing?

mimiteh35

I wasn't sure where to put this topic, so sorry if its in the wrong place...

I've only lost 21.4 lbs so far, but I am ultimately aiming to lose 80-90 (not sure yet as I haven't been that small since before kids lol). I originally only thought of buying clothes when I reach goal and having a fun shopping spree, BUT, here in the last few weeks I've noticed that my bras aren't fitting good anymore. They are fitting fine around the body, but the cups seem too big now. I WAS a 42DD (44DD, depending on the style/cut of the bra) when I started, a very snug 42DD, but my bras are now starting to have space between the top of the formed-cup bras and "the girls." Enough of a space that it is now noticeable when I wear shirts because there is a very visible line, and my stepmom even asked what was wrong with my bra lol. Anyway, I had just purchased a bunch of bras back in November from a company going out of business (because as any girl knows, a good bra with great support, especially for the bigger breasts, isn't cheap). I've been this size bra for about 7-8 yrs so I'm not sure how to figure out what size bra I am in the CUP! I know I could get a bra fitting, but I always feel obligated to buy from that store and I don't have the money to get too much nor do I want to spend too much if I'm just going to grow out of it soon, lol. How do I find out what size bra to get next and I'm not sure how many I want to start buying since they are expensive. Any suggestions?

Also, panties are starting to feel BAGGY? Its uncomfortable and gives me wedgies often lol. When did you all start buying new ones?

As for regular clothes, right now I have a few pairs of shorts from a couple of yrs ago that I grew out of that I can now wear comfortably (yay) and since I work from home I don't have to worry too much about too many nicer outfits, so for summer I'm good, but just wondering, when you finally DID have to start buying new clothes, did you just make do with what you had and alter them (sew them or something) or did you get some new ones several times along the way?

I did buy 2 tops last month that were 1 size below mine, kind of like "motivation" tops, at a discount store, so they were cheap. I can now wear comfortably in public (yay) and one is still snug in the belly (one of my huge problem areas).

anyway, thanks for reading!

Vailara

It's a difficult problem! Nothing beats actually trying on the bras and seeing which ones fit, so if you're able to do that it would be the best option. I know just what you mean about bra fittings, and I've been caught out like that myself (I end up feeling obliged to buy a bra). But maybe you could go along and say from the beginning that you aren't going to buy a bra today?

I've found as I've lost weight that it's been surprising how much my band size has gone down. I suspected the cup size to change more dramatically, and although they've obviously gone down. Last time I checked I'd only gone down one cup size but three band sizes. (Although technically, that adds up to to four cup sizes in total, if you know what I mean, because the cups get proportionately smaller along with the band). My current bra is getting too big and it turns out I've gone down yet another band size! So one of the first things I would try, if I was you, is a smaller band, even if it's the "same" cup size (for instance a 40DD).

You want a band that fits quite snugly. Have a look at bra fitting guides online to see how it should sit. Bras tend to stretch a little as they get older, so you don't want to have to put it on the tightest setting to start with. Look for one that fits you on the loosest setting (even if you do go wrong here and find it's a fraction to tight when you get home, you can buy bra extenders - but it's more complicated to shorten the band). For modern bras, usually your actual underbust measurement is your band measurement, so try measuring there for a starting point. Once you know the band size it's easy to find the cup size.

I do find that bra sizes vary a bit from company to company, though.

As for how often to buy, mine are so expensive (large sizes) that I have bought as little as possible. I have two that roughly fit and handwash one while wearing the other. I've got to the stage where I'm going to need a smaller size soon, and I plan to only buy one and wear one that's too big while I'm washing the one that fits!

I have bought knickers round about every two sizes, but it's not such a disaster wearing a bigger pair.

As for clothes, charity shops are your friend! I have bought from charity shops, outlets and sales, as cheap as I can. I managed to get by for quite a while at the beginning without buying new, but it seems that the smaller you get, the quicker the sizes go by!

Well done on your weight loss so far - great progress!

soldiergrl_101

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

doIlhands

I have learned to love sports bras but I didn't have big boobs to begin with lol. *unhelpful*

mimiteh35

Vallarta, thanks so much for all that! I didn't think of places like thrift stores and such! I do appreciate your help with bra info. I think at least I will go try different sizes of bands and cups like you said.

mimiteh35

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I think the reason I feel obligated to buy one is I used to work at Victorias Secret back in my skinny days in college and we had sales quotas we had to meet even though I was seasonal work (Christmas holiday) and so I hate for them to spend their time on me only for me to not purchase. I never learned the bra fitting part as I was a temp employee, darn it lol. I may do it when there's a nice sale or something, if I could fit into their bras lol. Back when I worked there they didn't carry bigger than 38 band size, had to go to lane Bryant for bigger. Lol I will keep this option in mind.

mimiteh35

I have learned to love sports bras but I didn't have big boobs to begin with lol. *unhelpful*

LOL

2essie

If you aren't bothered about the glamour side of things the gene bra is excellent. They stretch with you so if you lose a bit of weight it doesnt matter. I love them, they are soooo comfortable. I bought mine when I was 192lbs. I have lost 50lbs and they still fit. They are ideal until you hit your ideal weight, then you can get some glamourous ones otherwise you can be spending a lot of money and they wont fit for long. Just google genie bra.

trudijoy

I just bought cheap bras. there are some really good brands available for cheap. for panties, ditto... I just got cheap department store cotton ones in multipacks. now that i'm closing in on goal weight I've bought some nicer underwear, but go cheap and cheerful. spend cash on a couple of awesome sports bras. if wha tyou buy fits in the boobs but not quite in the back, buy extender hooks and you can prolong the life a bit.

sussexbythesea

When you find your size and brand you could look on eBay. In UK there are loads of hardly worms for auction as so many of us wear the wrong sizes. I bought 3 new ones on sale as I got smaller 3 cup sizes so far and still wear the next size up with the baggy top bit under loose clothes. Never tried those preformed ones.
I also need some smaller knickers too now!

dixiewk

Ross, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, etc. all carry cheap lingerie, some of which is nice brands.

WaterBunnie

I'm the same as you in assuming I'd go out on a clothes buying spree when I reach goal - totally unrealistic as I hadn't thought about what I'd be wearing in the last couple of months before reaching it!!

I've been quite lucky so far as I've always hoarded my smaller sizes whilst putting on the weight, intending to be back in them a lot earlier I guess, so had them to wear on the way down again too but it is now getting to the stage where I have to buy new t-shirts, nightwear and work trousers and will need new undies too soon. My advice is to buy just enough to get you by and knickers can be taken in at the sides if they are getting too loose just with a line of stitching. You do need a well fitting bra if you are exercising though. Maybe a sports bra just slightly too tight now and a couple of everydayers would get you by?

I'm loving giving my bigger sizes to charity now. Don't need those to grow back in to!!

Lyadeia

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I would NEVER trust them to size you correctly!!! OMG, those jokers, up to this day, actually think my 29" ribcage should be swimming around in a 34 or a 36 band (depending on the sales associate. They also seem to think that I am nothing bigger than a C cup in that hyoooge band.

In most European bras, I wear 30G. In most American bras, including Victoria's Secret, I wear 32DDD.

It's always best to either go to a REAL professional bra fitter (not someone who got a summer job with OTJ training) or to measure yourself. If a bra fitter measures above your boobs or wants to add 5 inches to a measurement, RUN AWAY. And that is exactly what VS does.

misschip1983

im having the same problem, I started off in jan at 40dd im now wearing a 36d ,but the cups are to big ,so now im thinking I need to get some c cups. my poor boobs lol x

slkehl

For regular clothes, find a great thrift store. The lesser known ones tend to have the better deals. For example, our local food bank thrift store is about half the price of Goodwill. I've always been a bit sketched out about buying lingerie from there, even if it has the tags. I just get cheap stuff from Target. They have some cute options. Having some stretchy stuff in your closet, like sports bras and running shorts, could help you save too.

Lyadeia

But to answer the OP's question, I recommend measuring yourself before going to a store so you have an idea of what fits...it's especially nice if you can try things on and a lot of stores will allow this...and just buy a couple new ones for now. You don't have to get anything expensive, but you don't want the discomfort of wearing things that are too large for you. The wrong size bra can cause all sorts of issues, especially with your back and posture most noticably by pain and fidgeting throughout the day. Who needs that?

I bought a couple of new things every 4 months or so while I was losing weight. Wal-Mart for those sizes while losing weight isn't so bad. Even if the quality means they won't last as long, it was cheap (but yet it fits good and that's what counts now) and you won't be wearing long anyway since you will have to buy something smaller down the road. When you get to your goal, shop away at whatever store you prefer.

MyJourney1960

I just bought cheap bras. there are some really good brands available for cheap. for panties, ditto... I just got cheap department store cotton ones in multipacks. now that i'm closing in on goal weight I've bought some nicer underwear, but go cheap and cheerful. spend cash on a couple of awesome sports bras. if wha tyou buy fits in the boobs but not quite in the back, buy extender hooks and you can prolong the life a bit.

that's what i do - kmart, jc penney, etc you can get bras and multipacks of undies. or try the better dept stores - they often have sales. play around between smaller cup/ larger band or larger band/smaller cup - sometimes that can make a difference.

alisonlynn1976

Underwear is no problem, because I can find cheap ones on sale, but I've had an issue with bras. I'm a big cup size (wearing 34H currently), so they don't have my size in normal stores, I've had to order new ones three times now, and they're freaking expensive! I feel like there's no way around it, though. Bras that are too big look terrible and don't give me the support I need while exercising.

trudijoy

I just bought cheap bras. there are some really good brands available for cheap. for panties, ditto... I just got cheap department store cotton ones in multipacks. now that i'm closing in on goal weight I've bought some nicer underwear, but go cheap and cheerful. spend cash on a couple of awesome sports bras. if wha tyou buy fits in the boobs but not quite in the back, buy extender hooks and you can prolong the life a bit.

that's what i do - kmart, jc penney, etc you can get bras and multipacks of undies. or try the better dept stores - they often have sales. play around between smaller cup/ larger band or larger band/smaller cup - sometimes that can make a difference.

yep and there are some super funky cheap and cheerful fabrics as well

kimbtaylor1

I have to buy as I go. I have a few things that I don't mind wearing even though they are baggy but the undergarments were the first thing I had to replace. I still have my C cup bras but my now A boobs don't do so well in them any more.

I would recommend not spending a lot of money on anything you are buying right now as you will soon have to replace. So just think of the new stuff as mini rewards.

majica8

I always wore baggy clothes anyway, skater type clothes. Really baggy jeans and t-shirts. They were very unflattering but even more so recently given the 45+ pounds I've lost.
I was fairly happy to keep going how I was but my mum kept saying I need to buy new clothes, and she'd even pay for them.
So I went out with my cousin 2 weeks ago and got some new stuff. Not a lot. 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of nice trousers, 4-5 new tops and 2 new jackets/cardigans, all specifically women's clothes. I'm glad I did as it's given me a boost in confidence when I go out. Only a small one, but still a boost. They might only fit me for the next 3-4 months but I still think it was worth getting them.
I'm on the verge of needing new undies but haven't yet. My lack of confidence interferes with that though >_<
Almost everyone I've seen since wearing the new things has commented on how good I look/how much weight I've lost.

So, don't spend too much, but def buy clothes that fit everyone once and a while

LadyPakal

I found a sports bra that doesn't make me bulge under the arms - I basically live in it and get a smaller one when I need too. Once I hit goal I plan on getting some pretty underwear.

hrtchoco

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I would NEVER trust them to size you correctly!!! OMG, those jokers, up to this day, actually think my 29" ribcage should be swimming around in a 34 or a 36 band (depending on the sales associate. They also seem to think that I am nothing bigger than a C cup in that hyoooge band.

In most European bras, I wear 30G. In most American bras, including Victoria's Secret, I wear 32DDD.

It's always best to either go to a REAL professional bra fitter (not someone who got a summer job with OTJ training) or to measure yourself. If a bra fitter measures above your boobs or wants to add 5 inches to a measurement, RUN AWAY. And that is exactly what VS does.

Well, I had a bra fitting over there, and it was fine. They actually showed me how I was wearing the wrong size the whole time (was wearing 34C when i should've been 32D). I can tell you after i changed my bra, I looked a lot better. Maybe you are just special.

OT: maybe go to victoria secret during their sale? cant beat 1/2 off bras.

tomich54

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I think the reason I feel obligated to buy one is I used to work at Victorias Secret back in my skinny days in college and we had sales quotas we had to meet even though I was seasonal work (Christmas holiday) and so I hate for them to spend their time on me only for me to not purchase. I never learned the bra fitting part as I was a temp employee, darn it lol. I may do it when there's a nice sale or something, if I could fit into their bras lol. Back when I worked there they didn't carry bigger than 38 band size, had to go to lane Bryant for bigger. Lol I will keep this option in mind.

I recently went there, and they measured me for free - no pressure I also found out that the largest size they carry is a 40DDD, their pink store only goes to a 38 or 36 though. I find lots of great bras on Ebay brand new w/ tags at half their retail cost, you should check it out As far as underwear goes, I would just go to Lane Bryant or Victorias secret, and do the 5 for $25 thing.

By the way, I've been selling my bigger clothes on ebay and using the $ to buy new ones, and I'm just repeating the process until I get where I want to be. It's helped tremendously! And I've gotten some really cute stuff

Phrick

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I would NEVER trust them to size you correctly!!! OMG, those jokers, up to this day, actually think my 29" ribcage should be swimming around in a 34 or a 36 band (depending on the sales associate. They also seem to think that I am nothing bigger than a C cup in that hyoooge band.

In most European bras, I wear 30G. In most American bras, including Victoria's Secret, I wear 32DDD.

It's always best to either go to a REAL professional bra fitter (not someone who got a summer job with OTJ training) or to measure yourself. If a bra fitter measures above your boobs or wants to add 5 inches to a measurement, RUN AWAY. And that is exactly what VS does.

THANK YOU for saving me the typing. No offense to you if you work at Vicky's but that place is a joke. If you want to get really fitted properly go to someplace like Macy's or Nordstrom, or even better a specialty store. If you feel obligated to buy... buy ONE and then go home and get any more that you want off eBay.

Also as far as underwear I buy 6 packs of cotton hanes bikinis at Walmart for $8 until I get to my goal, then I'll think about the pretty frilly stuff again!

pkw58

The best trained fitters consistently for me have been at Nordstroms. I go every six months and only buy two bras. I think when I go this month it will be the first time in 5 years that I will be fitted with the same size i got last time. It's a NSV I am maintaining well.

The funny thing about bras is that given the different styles, even the same size fits a bit differently.

When you go to Nordstroms, tell them your budget and your weight loss goals. The fitter found discontinued bras on sale when I was still losing weight and it helped my budget. I am sure Victorias Secret or Soma would do the same.

I will admit to wearing those target champion brand sports bras on weekends till they got too big when I was losing weight. I just would wash them in really hot water and dry them on the highest setting till even that didn't make them small enough!

lveh8lve

I have big boobs and I've gone from a 36G-H to a DD (ish). I just went to TJ MAXX and hit the clearance rack until I found some that fit me. I don't want to waste money on something that wont fit me in a few months. It is a bummer because I had bought a bunch of really nice bras from Intimacy that were expensive before I lost weight. I know they will alter bras for free. I have to go there tomorrow and I might stop by and see if they will alter down my super expensive bras.

Elsie_Brownraisin

You could buy a bra that's a bit too tight around the band and use one of those 'bra extender clips' to make it fit more comfortably, you could then you can reduce the size as you lose and get a bit more wear out of them?

It might not be helpful for the cups of course, but for me, the weight is coming off my back faster than my boobs.

I was a 40HH when I started and am now a 34GG, bras for those with baps of doom (esp ones that don't make you resemble Helga the shot putter) are eye wateringly expensive in the UK. (Though those of you in the UK that know your bra size in a particular brand (e.g. Freya) can get a bargain on Ebay sometimes - 'buy it now' sellers will let you send them back if they don't fit. I tend to buy loads in one go and then send most of them back. I refuse to pay Bravissimo prices).

Though it was worse when I was nursing my son, I was a 28HH and looked like a walking shelf :laugh:

christianteach

I'm down almost 50 lbs. and I've had to buy new bras twice so far. I went to our outlet mall and picked up some cheap ones. I have bought some expensive panties because I like them so much but I am also going to buy some cheap ones from Walmart or Target. I started in a size 18 and as I lost weight I went "shopping" in my other closets. But now I'm in a 12 and a couple of years ago I donated all my 10's and 12's thinking I would never get into them again. I went shopping yesterday and it was fun buying the 12's for the first time in years. I didn't buy a lot, 3 dresses (figuring they will be easier to wear as I lose), 2 crop pants, shorts and a top. I had a blast and bought the dresses on clearance (70% off) and everything else was 30% off plus another 20% with my coupon. I look much smaller in my new clothes that fit well!

midnightisolde

Go to victoriAs secret they will fit you fr a bra free you dont even have to buy one

I would NEVER trust them to size you correctly!!! OMG, those jokers, up to this day, actually think my 29" ribcage should be swimming around in a 34 or a 36 band (depending on the sales associate. They also seem to think that I am nothing bigger than a C cup in that hyoooge band.

In most European bras, I wear 30G. In most American bras, including Victoria's Secret, I wear 32DDD.

It's always best to either go to a REAL professional bra fitter (not someone who got a summer job with OTJ training) or to measure yourself. If a bra fitter measures above your boobs or wants to add 5 inches to a measurement, RUN AWAY. And that is exactly what VS does.

This. A lot of high street shops that offer bra ''fitting'' services are really quite dubious. Many put you in band sizes that are too big and therefore cups that are too small. Thanks to Marks & spencer's, I was wearing a 36B for ages. But after doing some research about properly fitting bras, I knew that it was the wrong size. In the UK, Bravissimo and John Lewis are generally good at fitting. Places like Marks and Spencer's, La Senza and Victoria's Secret are known to be bad at fitting by people who know how a bra should fit.
I now wear a 32DD - which is NOT as big as it sounds as not all DD cups are big as it's dependant upon the band size.
The band should be firm as it provides the most support NOT the straps. It should be horizontal and parallel to the front and should not ride up at all.
This website shows examples of properly fitting bras. The one I've linked shows 32DD:
http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search?band=32&cup=DD&age=&brand=&sister_sizes=0&search=Search

You will find that a lot of online bra size guides and calculators use the 'plus four' method'. This means that they add four or five inches to your actual under bust measurement, resulting in a band much bigger than what you need. DO NOT DO THIS. If you come across any bra size guide that tells you to add inches or a size which is clearly suggesting that you wear a band size too big because it is using this method, ignore it.

My under bust measurement is 31 inches, therefore I wear a 32 band (although I could also try a 30 band). The band size that you wear should either be the same or closest to your actual under bust measurement. I measure 37 inches on the bust so I therefore wear a 32DD.
Similarly, if you measure say 28 on the under bust, you should wear a 28 band, although in some brands and styles you may go up one band size, as I sometimes do, but you will rarely need to go up two band sizes as the 'plus four' method suggests. If you measure 34 on the bust, you will wear a 28DD. Again, this is not that big:
http://www.brabandproject.com/gallery/search?band=28&cup=DD&age=&brand=&sister_sizes=0&search=Search

This is a good fit guide:
http://www.bravissimo.com/perfectfit/

For good bra fitting places in the US, I'm not sure but I think that Nordstorm is good.

tigermorris

I had a breast reduction and I have not been able to find a bra that fits since, except for the sports bras. I tried at Layne Bryant to have them fit me and the size they came up with was a joke, way bigger than what I am. I still have some flab on my sides, since I did not pay extra for that, so I do not fit -yet in the regular sizes. JC Penney is a good place to get fitted and you should not feel bad about not buying, you can try stuff on and see what fits and they do not pressure you to buy. I say buy some cheap sports bras at Kmart, Walmart or Meijers- if they have one in your area.