When would you buy new clothes?

ShowPoodleGirl

I’m debating on when I should buy new clothes. I’m currently almost 40 pounds down and I can still wear all my old clothes.
Most of my pants are either of a stretchy material or a relaxed fit with an elastic waistband so they are quite forgiving in sizing. Of course they are getting loose, anything with a zip/button closure I can pull on easily with them done up, and they’re looking looser than they should, but they are still wearable.
I’m a dog groomer so, though I don’t want to look real frumpy, I also don’t need to be as put together looking as if I worked in an upscale office.
I’m going by how I look/feel but my current thoughts is I have around 45 pounds to go to give an idea of the change I still want to see.
I’ve debated on waiting till I really can’t wear my current clothes anymore. That would be the cheapest option and I really don’t mind if ‘the whole world’ doesn’t know yet that I’m working out and eating better right now cause I just want it to be my own personal journey (and sometimes people mean well but say stupid things). But there’s also look good/feel good. The other day I was out with my mom and I had put some effort into dressing decently but when I saw myself in a store mirror I felt frumpy in my awkwardly fitting jeans. So I’m debating buying maybe one pair of pants and a couple tops so when I go out with the few people that know what I’m doing, I can feel better about what I’m wearing. But I honestly do not go out a whole lot so would I wear them enough to make it feel worth it, before they also don’t fit right.
What are your thoughts?

Lietchi

I did the minimalist thing: one or two pairs of jeans and a few tops every time the old clothes were really too big. From a cheap brand. And then I also bought some clothes in a thrift store and donated them back when they got too big.

The sizes go down more quickly as you get closer to your goal, so don't make the mistake I did buying nicer clothes when you think you're almost there (10-15 lbs), because a lot changes in those last lbs 🙂

maggybd

I have lost 50lb and I buy lots of clothes at thrift stores. I usually spent less than $5 on each piece. Let's me explore different styles and see what I actually like. If I don't like wearing the piece or it gets too big, I donate it back.

mikefm101

I took a break 18 months ago after losing 25 lbs.

I had maybe a dozen business casual pants altered to have the waist taken in but they are still loose and the legs I’ve learned are much larger than a proper pair of pants would be.

I ended up buying three new pants mostly for when I’m presenting to customers or management. Partly to look better but also have a bit more confidence. A waistband folded over from the belt gets old. I’m usually wearing tucked in dress shirts so can’t hide it.

I’m just starting out losing another 10 pounds and if that’s successful and I can keep it off for six months then I’ll replace clothes more aggressively.

ShowPoodleGirl

Thank you. I don't thift much, and I find our thrift stores fairly expensive, but maybe I'll take a look for a piece or 2.

ridiculous59

I worked with a woman who lost over 100 pounds. She always looked so put together and never frumpy during her weight-loss journey and was quite vocal about all her thrift shop finds. So when I started losing weight, I did exactly what she did until I was close enough to goal to buy some new things (though I still wear some of the thrift shop finds that I really like). My rule of thumb was to buy nothing that was cheaply made. Why would I do that when I could buy the same thing at Walmart brand new? I'd look for name brands which fit better and just generally looked better, even though they were pre-worn. I was helping the environment, supporting a charity, and saving some money. It was a win all round.

ked1970

I’ve bought a few things…mostly pants and sweaters (bc I’m cold all the time now). I only buy things on sale or thrift stores

AnnPT77

One added suggestion: If you buy some new clothes that will be temporary, maybe give some thought to what will work through a wider range of weights.

For example, I was able to find some pants that with differing tops and accessories can go from the slightly more dressed-up end of casual, to at least business casual and maybe a bit beyond. They're mostly linen or other soft fabric with an inside drawstring, intended to be somewhat loose fitting. With a unstructured jacket/sweater over a plain top, or a looser tunic-type top alone, they can cover quite a wide range of weights and still look OK. Tunic-type tops generally are good; ones in soft fabric can be belted when one gets slimmer so as not to be tent-like. In summer, I even went to some plain dresses that were A-line kind of shapes that could be belted later, maybe just with matching ribbon or something to avoid a harsh horizontal line.

Maybe it's not true for you, but I was willing to flex my usual style choices somewhat (not go crazy ) to bridge through the weight loss process. Thinking about styles with some adaptability helped minimize the cost.

rachellsayer

I shopped at thrift stores for my in between sizes the last time I lost a lot. Save the whole new wardrobe for your goal weight.

springlering62

Great question @ShowPoodleGirl

I was so excited about my weight loss, that I decided to “reward myself” during a trip to London and bought a bunch of clothes on Oxford Street. I had a blast.

Until, less than three months later, they were hanging on me.

At the time, I couldn’t even conceive that I would continue to lose, and would reach even smaller sizes.

The next round, I only bought two or three pair of pants and maybe half a dozen shirts. Enough to tide me over if I did laundry twice a week. And anyway, at this point I was mostly wearing workout gear anyway.

I was out of those shortly after.

Surely this was the end? So I went shopping with a friend. I had lost touch with fashion and what I liked and what was appropriate. I remember being sorta thankfully humiliated when she told me “get some new bras, and girl, stop showing panty lines!” I had never even thought about a panty line being a thing. I was too worried about my *kitten* and gut hanging out

Those clothes? Now also too large. 🤦🏻‍♀️

I’ve been at my current size (went from 22-24W to a size 4) for several years. I’m confident clothes will fit even with the maintenance weight cycling up and down a surprising number of pounds. The only thing I pay attention to now is arm and thigh fit, and fit acrost the shoulders, because of muscle development. Being confident in fit means I can buy better quality-and more interesting- pieces, such as the silk embroidered suzani coats I gleefully brought home from our last trip.

All this to say, if you have a lot of weight to lose, and/or are working on recomp, reward yourself with a few pieces but don’t go hog wild.

But having a few items you feel good and are confident in, that went a looooong way towards pushing me to continue. I chalk part of my success up to rewarding myself that way.

Another thing I did, was treated myself to a new pair of leggings with every five pounds lost. I LOVE colorful leggings, and I love the attention I get in them. The wilder, the better.

When I reached the threshold of dropping from larger size leggings to smaller ones, I went on my friends feed here (a thing at that time) and offered the ones I no longer needed to any of my friends who could use them. I ended up splitting and mailing them to two ladies who were very happy to get them. Quality leggings are expensive. You could do these same if you’re doing any of the challenges or groups here. It felt great sharing them with other ladies also working their way downwards.

I don't believe in hanging on to too-big sizes. I feel like that’s implicit permission to backslide lurking about in my closet.

ShowPoodleGirl

Thanks everyone. I tried to go to a thrift store the other day. I don't enjoy thrifting haha. But I was gonna try, but the thrift store had no change rooms and especially since I have no idea what size I currently am it was impossible to actually do any shopping. (even if I knew my size, pants can vary so wildly in how they fit even if they're the 'same size')
I may try another thrift store that hopefully has change rooms, though I do have one pair of pants currently that look decent enough yet so I won't rush out right yet I think.