I'm in limbo - between plus and regular clothes

4ever420

Hey everyone. Does anyone else notice that there seems to be a gap between the smallest size in plus sized clothing and the biggest size in regular clothing (women's clothes)?

I am at a point in my journey where the smallest plus sizes are getting too big but when I try on the largest sized clothes in a 'regular' store, I find most of them to still be very tight. I notice this mostly with shirts. Some of the shirts in the regular store fit but it seems to be the ones that are made to be really loose fitting and those barely fit me.

I'm happy I'm almost out of the plus sizes but it's frustrating because of the extra time and effort it takes just to find an outfit that fits well and looks good. Anyone else in "limbo" between plus and regular clothing?

Sherri

4ever420

Not sure if I put this topic under the right category or not. Bump

AleciaG724

I'm not there yet - I'm a solid 1X and probably will be for a while... I've noticed that as I am losing weight I don't drop sizes as quickly as I thought I would. There tends to be about a 25-30# difference between "plus" sizes, maybe less in the "regular" sizes? I But I know what you mean - I've tried on some XL's and they are not just a little bit tight like you'd think for the next size down, but I can't even get them on. I suspect that it's more than just the number on the scale but body shape/composition? I'm thinking that lifting & toning will get me into the smaller sizes I'm looking for in the long run.

Keep at it - best of luck reaching your goals!

sarah456s

Yes, not so much for me but for one of my best friends who is between sizes right now (she's lost 75 lbs! Woot!). She was telling me she was fitting into a size 14, and I was like, huh? She's way bigger than me when I was in a 14. Then I realized she was talking about a 14W and I was talking about a regular 14. There does seem to be a giant gap.

We frequently shop for clothing together, and we used to have to have "her" shopping days where we would go to all the plus size stores (the Lane Bryants of the world seem nowhere near the malls where we are!), and "my" shopping days where we would go to the regular stores. Unless we were doing department stores, then we'd be shuttling between the women's and regular/missy areas (annoyingly often at completely different parts of the store). Now she's shopping in regular, but we have to look for the looser XL's.

Anyway, SOME regular sizes go up to a 16 or 18, but they are hard to find. It seems like an 18 regular is more like a 14W, but even then, the proportions are slightly off. Frustrating! I've got no great suggestions, sorry. But I do notice the big discrepancy in sizing.

Pidgeywendy

Hello,

Which country are you in?

Here in the UK, I wear a UK16 in the 'fat girl shops' such as Evans and Ann Harvey. However, in the regular shops I am a UK18....but not all right across the board!

I really don't think very many people, whatever their size, can claim they are the same clothing size (top and bottom) in every single shop. To make my point I am a:

UK16 - Evans
UK18 - Marks & Spencers & Next
UK20/22 - Boden & Ralph Lauren

It just depends where you shop! Don't lose heart - your weight loss is amazing....keep going girl :bigsmile:

Isakizza

Yes!
I've been in that weird gap of sizes for a couple months now. Thankfully I'm shrinking a bit more so I can actually have an easier time shopping.
I just donated all my plus sized clothes. There was a lot new that I hadn't worn but happy to see a bare closet.
Keeping a couple pieces to remind myself where I came from.

MrsBingley

Totally there. I am living in size 14 baby doll dresses and leggings :-/

ldrosophila

ugh limbo size sucks

pawoodhull

I'm wearing an XL sweater today I bought last night at Younkers in the regular ladies department, not plus size or juniors, just regular womens/misses. A few weeks ago I was buying a 1X sweater in the Plus Sizes area of an outlet mall store. I think it depends entirely on the store and the brand. I think for me it helps that everything I buy has some stretch to it. Until I can get the excess skin removed, everything has to be able to stretch or it's way too big in the body and way too tight in the upper arms and thighs if it fits at all.

What I find frustrating is that the jeans I have are too big and a size 22. The dress pants I just bought at CJ Banks are an 18. Do you think I can find size 18 jeans that fit? Nope! Not even where I bought the dress pants. And if I can't go down a full 2 sizes, I won't replace them. So I added a belt and just keep hiking them up when I stand up. PS - the store I bought the jeans at is gone, out of business.

IamUndrCnstruction

Totally there. I am living in size 14 baby doll dresses and leggings :-/

^^^^This. Thankfully there are a lot of cute leggings out right now!!!

pianolover2012

Totally with you on this one!! I refuse to buy clothes that are huge on me so I have just worn the same thing over and over again. It is totally frustrating!!

4ever420

Totally there. I am living in size 14 baby doll dresses and leggings :-/

^^^^This. Thankfully there are a lot of cute leggings out right now!!!

Yes! Leggings are the one thing I can count on. I can even buy them in both regular and plus stores.

4ever420

Yes, not so much for me but for one of my best friends who is between sizes right now (she's lost 75 lbs! Woot!). She was telling me she was fitting into a size 14, and I was like, huh? She's way bigger than me when I was in a 14. Then I realized she was talking about a 14W and I was talking about a regular 14. There does seem to be a giant gap.

We frequently shop for clothing together, and we used to have to have "her" shopping days where we would go to all the plus size stores (the Lane Bryants of the world seem nowhere near the malls where we are!), and "my" shopping days where we would go to the regular stores. Unless we were doing department stores, then we'd be shuttling between the women's and regular/missy areas (annoyingly often at completely different parts of the store). Now she's shopping in regular, but we have to look for the looser XL's.

Anyway, SOME regular sizes go up to a 16 or 18, but they are hard to find. It seems like an 18 regular is more like a 14W, but even then, the proportions are slightly off. Frustrating! I've got no great suggestions, sorry. But I do notice the big discrepancy in sizing.

I have indeed noticed that 14W and 14 are COMPLETELY different sizes. Felt super good when I put on 14W and then tried on 14 and was like WTF! :frown:

kfelton1226

I wasn't even sure which section to go in after the W sizes... I had to Google and even that didn't help a whole lot. I just had to wander around and try stuff on (yuck). I haven't done much with tops yet, but pants are a challenge. I have a lot of skirts right now just because they are easier to keep for a longer weight range. I look like such a girly girl

Barbonica

I am thankful that I shrunk out of this problem, but I was there for a while. I also had the problem more on the top then the bottom. My solution was to wear chic belts over longer tops, or cardigans or light jackets over the tighter tops. Twin sweater sets were my best friend during this time!

Also, try different styles - not just smaller sizes of the styles your normally wear. This was my major breakthrough; I found different styles that looked good on my new body shape. I brought a friend shopping and she refused to let me try anything on that was in the same style that I have worn for years. I had to get out of my comfort zone to find clothes that fit me properly. It is a good problem to have!

SummerLovesPhil

I have lived in this limbo practically my whole adult life, and I'm ready for it to end! Nothing at Lane Bryant or the plus stores really fits well (especially since plus brands have this weird idea that plus size women are much shorter than the general population), but I wear an 18 in misses, which most stores don't carry or only sell online.

MinnieInMaine

Yup! While my lower half now fits into "normal" sizes, I'm still somewhere between L and XL for tops, jackets, etc and it's horribly frustrating. The Ls are just a tiny bit too snug and the XLs are just a little too large, enough so that they look frumpy. A lot of the fit depends on the way the clothes are cut though so there are some things fit just fine. The most frustrating part is taking about 20 items into the fitting room and maybe coming out with 1 thing that fits, if I'm lucky.

This is actually why I prefer to shop at consignment and thrift shops. There is a bigger variety of choices than most department stores so it's more likely that I'll find something that works. Plus I'm not spending a ton of cash on a piece of clothing that will hopefully be too big for me by next year.

dunnodunno

I'm wearing an XL sweater today I bought last night at Younkers in the regular ladies department, not plus size or juniors, just regular womens/misses. A few weeks ago I was buying a 1X sweater in the Plus Sizes area of an outlet mall store. I think it depends entirely on the store and the brand. I think for me it helps that everything I buy has some stretch to it. Until I can get the excess skin removed, everything has to be able to stretch or it's way too big in the body and way too tight in the upper arms and thighs if it fits at all.

What I find frustrating is that the jeans I have are too big and a size 22. The dress pants I just bought at CJ Banks are an 18. Do you think I can find size 18 jeans that fit? Nope! Not even where I bought the dress pants. And if I can't go down a full 2 sizes, I won't replace them. So I added a belt and just keep hiking them up when I stand up. PS - the store I bought the jeans at is gone, out of business.

Pant/jean shopping is the worst!

With regular pants (slacks, corduroys, & elastic) I can fit into size 10 or 12. Jeans are still anywhere from a 12-14. I bought a pair of Nine West cigarette jeans a few weeks ago in a 14 that were a little tight. I had the same pair in a size 20 & could still wear the same jeans when I was in a 16 in other jeans/pants.

Don't even get me started on designer jeans. I bought a pair of Paige Denim in a 32" waist & they're still a bit snug.

seltzermint555

Actually even though I'm still solidly in plus sizes (1X top, 16 & 18 pants, 14 & 16 dresses) I have felt this "pain" a little bit already.
ESPECIALLY at Target. Somehow every 1X in their plus section is enormous on me and half the XXL in the regular section are still hilariously tiny. Some of it fits, XXL or even XL, but I am not happy with Target at the moment.

Luckily other stores I have not had any issues. I basically can't shop at Lane Bryant now, though. I find their sizing really big. It is no wonder I wore a 22 there at 307 lb (instead of 26 or so) because of the way their clothing is cut.

seltzermint555

Totally there. I am living in size 14 baby doll dresses and leggings :-/

^^^^This. Thankfully there are a lot of cute leggings out right now!!!

Where do you ladies find cute inexpensive (ish) leggings?
I have a huge collection of 1X leggings but they are saggy and baggy right now...need replacing!

Bvaccarini

I have been living my life in limbo. In fact I started a whole blog about it. It's crazy to see the difference in size, shape and silhouette for plus size and standard sizes. I have started to branch out my blog to include fitness on fridays since I realized my health has been..not what it should be for someone my age.

I do all sorts of things such as tips and tricks, fashion posts, in between rants, style event coverage and health and wellness.

I recently put together a list of places that make finding clothes for us stuck in limbo: http://wp.me/p1Bksd-157

seltzermint555

Yes, not so much for me but for one of my best friends who is between sizes right now (she's lost 75 lbs! Woot!). She was telling me she was fitting into a size 14, and I was like, huh? She's way bigger than me when I was in a 14. Then I realized she was talking about a 14W and I was talking about a regular 14. There does seem to be a giant gap.

We frequently shop for clothing together, and we used to have to have "her" shopping days where we would go to all the plus size stores (the Lane Bryants of the world seem nowhere near the malls where we are!), and "my" shopping days where we would go to the regular stores. Unless we were doing department stores, then we'd be shuttling between the women's and regular/missy areas (annoyingly often at completely different parts of the store). Now she's shopping in regular, but we have to look for the looser XL's.

Anyway, SOME regular sizes go up to a 16 or 18, but they are hard to find. It seems like an 18 regular is more like a 14W, but even then, the proportions are slightly off. Frustrating! I've got no great suggestions, sorry. But I do notice the big discrepancy in sizing.

I have indeed noticed that 14W and 14 are COMPLETELY different sizes. Felt super good when I put on 14W and then tried on 14 and was like WTF! :frown:

Sorta weird as I have not found this to be true AT ALL in the stores where I shop. When I first responded to this thread I was in limbo but now I find that regular non-plus fits me almost always and I've found NO discernible difference in 14, 14W, etc. Also 13 and 15 juniors fit me the same as 14 and 14W.

Maybe it varies more by store. I don't know. Actually I have seen ONE tiny difference in some jeans, same fit/brand 16 and 16W and they fit me the same but the 16W had a TINY bit more fabric at the top, higher rise overall.

Foodiethinking

Oh thank goodness, I thought it was just me!!

My jeans are baggy, even up on the thigh and fall down round my stomach a little- even with a belt. But I can't fit in my normal next size down in the same shop it's more motivation and I will do it, but right now I'm struggling with the lower half. Top half is more broad shoulders and big boobs, so can't manoevre much there yet but I will.

SarahMarieYates

Not sure where you are located but there's a resale retail chain called Clothes Mentor here, similar to Plato's closet but a little more work appropriate. Maybe try shopping there until you make it to the regular size clothes.

It sucks to spend money on clothes you'll only wear for a small amount of time.

When I was an at an in between size I really liked shopping at New York & Company and Gap/Old Navy.

Luckyangelou

I have been in and out of that limbo for years. I'm right back in it now. I have noticed that if I can find items in "juniors" plus size, they usually fit well. That style isn't particularly my favorite, but I have found some items from Macy's that work. If you haven't checked out Boden, they go up to a US 18, and I find that they run generously. They usually include exact dimensions for each item, so that helps when figuring what size to order. Companies like Talbots and Ann Taylor have been good for me, since they typically go up to an 18 or 20 in their misses' line, and Talbots carries smaller plus sizes (12W or 14W in some items). Target, Old Navy, and Gap also all carry XXL in most of their tops, and I have luck in these stores as well. For pants, NYDJ goes up to an 18 in their regular line, and I love the way they fit. Also, I find H&M's plus size line runs small, so the smaller sizes there in tops have been working out well for me. I hope this helps you, until you get out of limbo!

conniemaxwell5

I didn't notice so much of a gap between plus and regular sized clothes but just trying on one size of several different items in a department store is frustrating because there's so much difference between brands, and sometimes even within the same brand. I bought 3 different styles of Levi's for work a couple of months ago, all in a size 12, and all three pairs fit differently. My advice is to just keep trying things on, don't get hung up on size and just buy what fits and looks good. I have everything from a size 10 to a size 14 in my closet, as well as both medium and large shirts (and a couple of XL too). As long as it looks good, I don't care.

louisegibbs85

I think in general there's always that in between stage where you end up in between sizes .. Most of my jeans are UK 16 and I have to fold them over at the waist they are that big and yet 14 are too tight especially in the thighs and *kitten*! Just got to keep on keeping on!

ZOOpergal

I'm willing to bet that perhaps some of it is phsycological...At a bigger size we tend to wear baggier clothes to hide stuff we don't like. Now that you're shrinking, it feels weird to wear things that actually flatter your new physique. In your head you think the clothes are tight when you just aren't used to how non-baggy clothes feel. I'm not down playing the difficulty of finding clothes, just suggesting a shift in your perception as well.

Cathalain

Right now I actually have to shop in both plus and regular size sections. My body is terribly disproportionate. I wear a 16 regular (almost 14!!!) in jeans... but tops? Forget it, I'm busty (and I mean BUSTY, apparently my weight loss hasn't affected the girls one whit), I still need a 1X minimum and a 2X fits better. :mad:

I was HOPING for a breast reduction the natural way but my body is not going with THAT idea. Grrr.

lecounth

Limbo for sure. I bought a suit jacket at a consignment store in a regular size but need pants two sizes bigger right now.

And I can fit into 18/20 in the "regular" sizes at JCPenney but bought a 1x sweater from the plus size section that is too small. I have to try on everything.

Find a few key pieces and jazz them up with accessories. I wear black pants nearly every day because they match most of what I own!

A little trick -- shop the clearance racks or consignment shops and then have things tailored to fit. Buying a blouse for $10 and having it tailored to fit for another $10 - $12 is still a bargain and it will fit better than off the rack.

As many have said, I'm glad to be here even with the clothing hassles!!!

misti777

Try to find different brands to try on. With sonoma lift and style and croft and barrow at kohl's I can wear an extra large, the 1x is a little big, but one of my other shirts I wear is actually a 3x top and is a little loose. I've had it for like ever though, and my mom got it from a lady at work, so..