First "Normal" Clothing Store in 26 Years.

Wynterbourne

As of today I've lost 100.8 lbs (still have roughly 50 more to go), so I decided to go to the mall. I've been buying all my clothes at Goodwill since I'm not going to be too upset if that $6 pair of jeans doesn't fit in four months. I was mainly glancing at shoes because I was considering buying a pair of Dr. Martens' boots as a reward for the 100 lb mark, but decided to walk into one of the "normal" clothing stores versus my only two previous options of Torrid or Lane Bryant. Still didn't feel right walking into the store. Didn't feel like I should be in there. It's been 26 years since anything in those stores fit. So I grabbed an XL zippered hoodie and put it on. It fits. Even looks a smidge baggy. I put it back and grab an L and it fits. I stand there a minute, kinda numb. I put it back. I wander over and see a button down shirt (camo, I have a thing for camo and it's usually only in the men's section. lol) and grab the L one and just stare at it for a minute. I unbutton it and put it on over the shirt I'm wearing versus going to the dressing room. It buttons up. I took a deep breath and nearly broke into tears. It's a happy moment gosh darnit, why am I fighting not to cry? LOL. I had a friend with me (who took the picture) that has been skinny their entire life so they couldn't quite 'get' why I was fighting back the tears. Anyone else know that feeling?

STEVE142142

I know your exact feeling same thing happened to me the first time in over 20 years I put on a pair of 38 waist pants. That happened to me about 2 months ago and now depending on the style I can maybe fit into a 34/36 waist.

In fact I went to the mall today and realized that I could wear regular clothes and not worry if they are they available in XXL. Congrats on your success

jennifer_417

I still remember the first straight large I bought after losing weight. I know dem feelz.

whencynstops

I had some friends over helping move some boxes last weekend. I found a box of my 'skinny clothes' that I used to wear about 10 years ago. I hadn't pulled them out lately because dispite losing a solid 60lbs I still don't 'feel' smaller. I tried on a shirt on top of the one I was wearing and it fit. I was so excited I had to try on everything in the box. I put on a fashion show for my friends almost in tears. I'm pretty sure my friends were more annoyed with my lack of work as they were moving stuff but I had to drop what I was doing and soak in the moment.

SeptemberFeyre

Losing 100 pounds is one awesome achievement! Congratulations on your accomplishment! Do you have any tips on how you did it? I'm embarrassed to say I'm struggling to lose thirty :-/

Wynterbourne

SeptemberFeyre wrote: »

Losing 100 pounds is one awesome achievement! Congratulations on your accomplishment! Do you have any tips on how you did it? I'm embarrassed to say I'm struggling to lose thirty :-/

Thanks so much.

Honestly, it's been almost all calorie counting. Nothing has been deemed off limits. I do average my calories by the week though and not by the day. I shave a little off of the other six days during the week to add them to my Fridays so I can have a little more calorie dense/lower volume items without feeling hungry since they don't usually "fill you up" as much. I've also barely exercised. Granted, now that I'm getting closer to goal that's gonna change, but mainly because my reward for crossing from 'obese' to 'overweight' (less than 2 lbs away) is going to be my first bicycle since I was like nine years old. lol

Wynterbourne

SeptemberFeyre wrote: »

Losing 100 pounds is one awesome achievement! Congratulations on your accomplishment! Do you have any tips on how you did it? I'm embarrassed to say I'm struggling to lose thirty :-/

I just thought to add... you shouldn't feel embarrassed. When you have a lot of weight to lose it's much easier. When you're that heavy your body requires a lot more calories to sustain its weight so cutting enough calories to lose is really really easy. The less you have to lose the harder it is, the less room you have for error and the more you have to pay attention. It's gonna get tougher for me the closer I get. Please don't feel bad or embarrassed at all.

elisa123gal

What a great post.. My hope is that your treat yourself to a new outfit and have a blast trying on a lot of clothes picking it out. It is a milestone.. a very big deal. congratulations.

oolou

I know the feeling (from about five years ago when I lost enough to buy clothes in 'normal' shops). I am really, really, really happy for you!

DebBahr

I understand. I had been in plus sizes for about 18 years. Now I wear a medium. You look amazing BTW!

PaulaSchlotterbeck

Grats on your awesome achievement! I remember the feeling earlier this year when I first 'switched sides' at Dress Barn and felt like one of the associates were going to appear and gently escort me back to the plus side. Instead, they got me a dressing room- where I tried on non-plus size clothes for the first time in ages and fought back tears too because they fit well. Great feeling.

BaconSan2

You look beautiful & thanks for the inspiring post!

WendyLaubach

Yes yes yes! And it was like waking up after a nightmare.

queenliz99

Awesome, you look great!

alohajls

We are very similar! I've lost about 110 pounds in the past year and probably have 50 left to go (hard to even think of that since this is the lowest I have weighed in my adult life). I exercise a little, but mainly just cut way back on my eating. I'm a few pounds from 'overweight' and 'onederland'!

Buying clothes these days is tough. It feels like nothing fits--I am *very* pear shaped and maybe a 14/16/18 on the bottom and a 12 or L on top (though these are getting too big). I just ordered a size 14 blazer from Banana Republic (!) and it is both too big and fits just plain funny. It's weird not to know where to shop (literally, I don't even know what regular-size shops exist to shop in, it's been so long since I needed them) or what brands will fit and/or flatter me.

You look fabulous. Enjoy shopping!

Wynterbourne

PaulaSchlotterbeck wrote: »

Grats on your awesome achievement! I remember the feeling earlier this year when I first 'switched sides' at Dress Barn and felt like one of the associates were going to appear and gently escort me back to the plus side. Instead, they got me a dressing room- where I tried on non-plus size clothes for the first time in ages and fought back tears too because they fit well. Great feeling.

I know it was completely irrational, but I was waiting to get glared at by other shoppers in the store. That whole, "what's she doing in here" look. My brain has definitely not caught up with my body yet.

Wynterbourne

And thanks for the compliments all.

solieco1

...my reward for crossing from 'obese' to 'overweight' (less than 2 lbs away) is going to be my first bicycle since I was like nine years old. lol[/quote]

I could not love this more!!!

Rocknut53

I know that feeling very well! I hit my goal weight earlier this summer and have purged most of my clothes and just did another purge because I'm down another 9 pounds. I was so amazed when I went clothes shopping and fit into sizes I haven't fit into for over 30 years! Congratulations to you on your success and good luck in continuing that. You can do this, you look great already!

EDollah

Wynterbourne wrote: »

... Anyone else know that feeling?

Oh boy do I know that feeling. I've grown to HATE the Big & Tall Men's stores. Everything is so expensive and of lesser quality. I definitely considered it my 2nd biggest NSV (most significant being able to buckle the seat belt on a plane without an extender). I actually hate shopping but I do remember the details of being able to buy off the rack from a "normal" store. Like you, I was in for something else, not even to buy clothes (Sears) and like you, thought "I wonder..." so I tried something on a whim.

My hatred of Big & Tall helped when I found my weight creeping back up recently. I was in Marshall's and realized I was having to buy from the end of the rack and, if my trend continued, I'd be back at the B&T store next time I had to buy clothes. That truly was the catalyst to get me back on track.

Congrats on your milestone and enjoy having the entirety of a whole outlet or mall to stock the new wardrobe you now need!

littlewomensmom

After reading your post, I am crying with you. I felt totally lost in my favorite store when I decided to try the normal section. I knew the helpful ladies in the plus section and where the deals were. I, too, waited to be glared at and escorted back to where I belong. Since I have shopped several times since that day, it is a strange, kind of sad , odd feeling as I walk past the big girl clothes. That is not me anymore. I guess it is saying good bye to a part of me that helped me cope with life's difficulties - to survive. But I LOVE the feeling of everything fitting!!! I love feeling good. I love beginning to feel like a woman instead of a huge woman. Congratulations! Buy something that looks great and that you love. Buy something a little tight- because you know it is going to fit in a few weeks!!

Nightmare_Queen88

I can wear an XL now. Trust me I know how you feel. When I first put on a size 17 pants in juniors and they actually fit I definitely cried a little. Of course now they're loose on me. Lol.

LisaLoo13

I remember the exact same moment! I DID cry....with my friend that's never been overweight standing there not quite "getting it". Congrats to you...you should be so proud:-)

miconsumafuoco

I'm at the crossroads of this place in my journey at the moment. So far this year I've lost 40 pounds and last year 18 more. I've been shopping in the plus size section almost all of my adult and high school life. This year, I was so excited about losing weight that I was just really happy to go back to the same store and buy smaller clothes. But the weight has continued to come off and even my new clothes are way too big now. I've been putting off getting more new clothes and when my friends or people at work notice that my clothes are are getting baggy again, (in an excited positive way,) I say I'm waiting bc I know they probably won't fit for long anyway. But I think the truth is that the last time I went, I had to get the smallest size there, and I'm afraid of going to the "normal" section and feeling how you and others have described. Like I don't belong there, glaring or amused looks, and what would make it even more humiliating would be if nothing fit. I'm glad you shared this and totally get how something that seems so simple could be so emotionally striking. It has also made me think about taking a chance myself

tigerlilly24

I'm teary eyed for you! It is SUCH an amazing feeling to shop like a normal person. I hated shopping with friend before they were all thinner than me and could just grab whatever and have it look fabulous. It's still surreal that I can wear medium tops and size 12 pants. I grab them now and still fully expect to barely get them past my knees but nope they go right up, and button and I can breathe! I'm not sure when the amazement goes away lol its been 6 months for me and I still can't believe it

Wynterbourne

Thanks for all the compliments and congratulations. I'm actually gonna stick to buying clothes from the Goodwill store for a little while longer. I'm only two-thirds of the way to my goal and don't have the spare cash to drop $25+ per item of clothing only to have them too loose in six months. I've actually found some awesome stuff there. I bought my first bathing suit in 20 years last month at Goodwill and it turns out that it's a Badgley Mischka that cost me all of $3.50 (I Googled it. It's a $114 one that used to be sold at Macy's and Nordstrom) so I'll go back to the "normal" stores when I get closer to goal. I was just a bit shocked at how my brain reacted to the milestone of being able to wear clothes from a "normal" store again. I thought I was more prepared for how big a deal it was going to be. Whoops. lol

Alatariel75

Congratulations, that's such a good feeling!! When I started out losing weight (at 254lbs) my goal was simply to be able to buy clothes in normal stores. That was all I wanted! Once I got there, I was ready to set a new goal.

Goodwill shopping is easier too, so much more choice!

honorthecolors

I love the OP's story.

tltmom

Congratulations! Very happy for you! Keep up the fine work and get that new bike!!!

I've lost 30 pounds (10 more to go) but getting a few pretty dresses for a girls' trip with my daughter was an amazing feeling. I used to basically wear the most covering, frumpy things I could get away with and hide inside them. It was fun to get glammed up with my daughter for the first time in at least a decade.

rebeccaEsmith

Congrats a great achievement

KareninLux

Love the camo shirt!!