Goal: consignment shopping

ClassicVegan

Right now, I have sized myself out of consignment shopping. I want to be able to fit into the sizes commonly found at consignment stores. I am currently a 2X. For those who frequent the secondhand market, what size should I shoot for? I'm thinking of going for a goal of 160lb. at 5'3", guessing that might be a size 14 (US sizing).

peleroja

Why not shoot for a healthy weight for your height and frame rather than one based on shopping habits?

Also, everyone carries weight differently and in different places, so 160 pounds on you might be one clothing size and on someone else it could be larger or smaller. You won't know until you've lost the weight, unfortunately. For example, I'm 5'4" and at 145 lbs I'm about a size 6 in "mall brand" clothes (bigger in high-end stuff), but I know some women who carry more weight in their hips than I do might be more like a 10 at that same weight. And if you're interested in designer or vintage, that's a completely different matter too.

I'm sure getting out of plus sizes will probably expand your secondhand clothing options, but it's really anyone's guess how much you personally will have to lose to get there.

ClassicVegan

Thanks, Peleroja. I have a large frame (hips and shoulders). I was precisely your height and weight earlier in my life, and size 8 was as low as I went. I've done a lot of weight cycling over the course of my life, and I'm trying to figure out the highest weight I can achieve and still shop for clothes which are not plus-sized.

kristen6350

Even though BMI is "flawed", how about aiming for the very top of your healthy BMI? I have no idea what that is, without looking it up (I'm 5'11, I have no idea what shorter people should weigh...). Then you can shop in consignment stores and be "healthy". I get you though. My mom is in her 60's and just wants to be at the very top of the BMI (for her that is 145). She's also be ALL over the weight/size spectrum and is trying to find something to stick to.

No one can tell you what weight you'll be what size. I'd personally aim for "heathy".

I prefer to be around a 21BMI myself. Size 6ish (maybe 8 depending on clothes). I can't normal wear consignment because I have a 37" inseam and long monkey arms...

peleroja

ClassicVegan wrote: »

Thanks, Peleroja. I have a large frame (hips and shoulders). I was precisely your height and weight earlier in my life, and size 8 was as low as I went. I've done a lot of weight cycling over the course of my life, and I'm trying to figure out the highest weight I can achieve and still shop for clothes which are not plus-sized.

I might not have phrased that clearly - 145 was my highest weight while I was in university a few years ago, not my current weight.

Is there a reason for you choosing a goal that would still put you overweight? I ask because when I was in the 140s (highest end of "healthy" BMI at my height) my bodyfat percentage was definitely higher than ideal and I wouldn't be surprised if it caused me health issues down the road. I maintain my weight at 118 lbs now because I have pretty small bone structure, which is lower than a lot of people want to go, but that's why there's a healthy range, you know? I am not at my healthiest and most energetic when I'm even up at the top of the range, so I can't imagine choosing a goal that's 20 pounds over that. Why not aim for the top of healthy and see how you feel?

Kalikel

Try eBay. I sell used clothes there all the time. I sold one pair of LL Bean shorts that I never wore and have sold many things from LL Bean and Columbia that I only wore a handful of times and were still in excellent (not fake excellent, but really excellent) condition. I just couldn't wear them because I lost weight.

I've bought clothes there, too, and have learned some lessons.

1. Don't buy clothes from people who go to garage sales and sell off what they find. They look for brand names and sell off anything, regardless of condition as "EUC" (excellent used condition). You can spot them by the fact that everything says it's EUC and they have large amounts for sale for different sexes in many sizes. They also have loads of sales.

2. Don't buy nylon shorts that appear to be in perfect condition - they'll have been ironed and starched to get them to look good for the picture. Nylons shorts don't photograph well. They'll have some wrinkle, somewhere, due to the nature of the fabric. Know the material you're buying and how it should look!

3. Don't buy any shirts you don't have measurements for. Probably pants and shorts, too, but shirts, especially. It might look fine in the pic and arrive too short and much smaller than you'd have expected for it's size.

4. If it seems expensive, check the company's site. Some people see a price of $19 (sale) on the website and then put the item up on eBay for $25. They don't order it until you buy it and then have it shipped to you.

5. Don't buy from people who have generic descriptions (the same description for everything they sell) or no descriptions.

6. If it's sleeveless, be sure it started that way. I bought a sleeveless shirt from a guy who cut the sleeves off of shirts and sold them as sleeveless. Following Rule #1, I wouldn't have bought from him in the first place. I also saw a shirt my mother had being sold as sleeveless. Nobody could've worn that as sleeveless. They do this because the arms get stained or ripped or whatever and they cannot sell it with the sleeve. (Some people are losers.)

I learned my lessons the hard way and am careful about what I buy. I don't find a lot of great things, but I've found some really nice clothes, in good condition, that I wear. Buying a whole new wardrobe every few months...and knowing that it will only last a few months!...I like to buy cheap.

If you aren't losing weight (when you're maintaining), try to buy things in off seasons. Now would be a great time to get a deal on shorts and sleeveless clothes, because most of the country is buying winter clothes! If you're losing, though, you can't know what size you'll be later. I've learned that lesson, too, lol. It's why I sold off expensive shorts that I never wore.

ClassicVegan

Thanks, Kristen! I am also in my 60's (as your mother is), and trying to be realistic about reaching a sustainable weight I can maintain. For me, the high end of the normal BMI range is around 140 lb, but I'm not sure I can sustain this weight without a lot of deprivation, which may lead to compulsive eating and regain. I can only dream of a 37" inseam. Mine is 28 - 30", depending on the shoes I'm wearing. That's a problem too, especially with things like boot cut pants, which when shortened, aren't boot cut anymore.

ClassicVegan

Thanks, Kalikel! I am new to buying in the secondhand market. I went to the local Goodwill store, and got really discouraged. I never considered eBay, but your tutorial gives me courage. I am interested in this style of shopping for environmental/sustainability reasons. I figure saving an item from the landfill means creating less demand for new clothes, and makes sure that used, but still good, clothes, are used to the max.

arditarose

Interesting goal. But to answer your question, common sizes at consignment shops are usually 4-10. When I was wearing size 6-8 dresses and size 10 jeans I had no trouble at second hand stores.