When do I get to buy new clothes?

Ideabaker

I am at a weird stage right now, I have lost a little over 25 pounds, and everything is to big... but I feel like it will be awkward to walk into the store and grab a size 4, 6, 8, and 10 in the same pants to see what the heck fits!

I have done that most of my adult life! Don't feel awkward... with the inconsistent sizing in different brands, the workers in the shop are likely used to it. Plus, when you go to put the pants that didn't fit back, they all go back in the same place. You might be surprised to find you fit a couple of sizes, depending on the maker.

DACsWife87

Buying new (smaller) clothes has always motivated me to lose more weight.

For this reason, I tend to buy clothes as I go.

My weight fluctuates a lot, so this also ensures that I'll always have something to wear at the different weights.

My closet ranges from size 0-6. Lol

Ready2Rock206

I cannot wait until I can buy some new clothes! I really need work pants, but hate to buy clothes in the same size I wore before I started this... Oh well - saving money at least! Not even close to changing sizes yet!

padams2359

Ok boys and girls, here's a thought. Get your clothes altered. No one sees what the size label is, except if you wear Levi's, and it is printed on the tag. For the price of one pair of pants, or a shirt, you can have 3 of them tailored to fit perfectly to your build. I never really noticed that things were too big until one day I went to put on my belt, and there were no holes where I needed them to be. That is when I bought new pants (in the boys dept). That made an old man feel really good. The first time I had to ask for slim-fit shirts was pretty amazing also. I went from buying large shirts, mostly to hide my weight, to mediums, I had some, to medium slim fits, and at that, some slim fits were not cut small enough.

It doesn't get any easier the more in shape you become, especially for guys. My boss has been into fitness for many years. He is in a size 50 athletic fit coat, which still has to be tapered, and a size 34 pants. You are not finding that suit off the rack.

Unfortunately, jeans are not something that can be easily, or cheaply altered because of the heavy material, but fairly new clothes that you really liked tailored to fit you properly will make you feel 10X better than new clothes.

aquarabbit

I just hit 20 lbs lost and JUST NOW went down a size in jeans. And I agree with above. Alter alter alter! Not only is it cheap to pay someone and have it look great, but there are so many tutorials out there in Internetsland about how to tailor or rework big or old clothes. I had an old maxi dress that I loved, but It was just too darn big on me now. It had an empire waist, so I turned the top part into a shrug wrap, and tailored the bottom a bit to make a high waist maxi skirt. That's going a bit further than most people probably, but having some basic sewing skills can save a lot of money and the result is clothes that fit you like a glove!

Edit: Oh, and don't let anyone but a pro deal with your jackets. I learned that the hard way.

alisonlynn1976

It's been about 20 pounds per size for me.

dezb64

It took about 30 lbs before I dropped a size. I didn't go crazy buying clothes so I just wore them baggy until they almost fell off. Sometimes I shop at Savers (thrift store) otherwise I would go broke on clothes. As I get close to my goal it seems to be almost every 10 lbs is a size.

latoldy

I am with the thrift store idea. I went from a size 2x to a size 14 already. Since my pants were falling off I bought a couple new ones two weeks ago in size 16 now they are too big already. Opt for gently used and save yourself from throwing out too much money. 48 pounds lost and 40 more to go. Then a shopping spree!

ktsmom430

I wore a tight size 24W for the first 6 months. Did not buy any new clothes until then, I just used a belt. The first pair of new pants I bought were size 18, and I can remember being ecstatic. I was actually buying out of the plus size department.

After that, I was going down a size about every about 10-12 pounds. I am now wearing size 8.

HollisGrant

For those that have lost weight already, at what point did you drop pant sizes? I know it's not cut and dry, and muscle and fat can change you body shape ect ect ect. Point is, I've lost 19 lbs so far, and I'm not noticing a big difference in my pants. Yes, they fit slightly better, but I'm so looking forward to buying the next size down. (or 2!)

It probably depends on your body type. I read somewhere on MFP that many women lose 30 pounds before they go down a pants size. That was true for me. I lost 30 pounds before I went from a 14 to a 12. Then another 10 pounds before I went to a size 10.

I don't know where you live, but In the United States sizes are not universal -- you might fit a size 10 for one make of clothes and a size 6 for another. I've shopped at a thrift store while I'm losing weight and found great jeans for less than $4 a pair. It's not worth spending a lot of money on clothes when I plan to keep losing weight. I'm down to my last 5 pounds now, which all seems to be in my stomach and hips.

MelissaPhippsFeagins

I get to buy new clothes after Christmas. I am keeping my three favorite pairs of dress pants and having them altered to actually fit (instead of holding them up with safety pins at the waist) and probably having my favorite suit and my favorite dress altered. The rest will be given to the clothes closet at a local church. When I dropped 20 pounds the pants started fitting loosely, now that I've dropped 30, I don't have to unbutton most of my jeans to get them on or off. I have one pair of skinny jeans that is loose and one pair that actually fits correctly.

I did buy one new dress and one new sweater on sale at 20 pounds because I wanted them, but they fit better now and I knew they would. I have asked everyone for gift cards and I bought myself another dress for my kids to give me for Christmas. My dad handed me cash and I am planning to hit the after Christmas sales for my slimmer clothes. I only have 12 more pounds to lose and I don't see that making another size difference to be quite honest. A size 10 or 12 is the smallest my frame will fit in.

conniemaxwell5

It will depend on how tight your clothes were when you started. My 16's were very tight but I was still wearing some as well as some loose 18's, when I started. After 10-15 lbs my 18's were way too big and my 16's were much more comfortable. It was probably another 20 pounds before I started wearing 14's, and another 20 after that when I got into 12's. At a total of 60 pounds lost I can find an occasional size 10 that fits, but I'm solidly into 12's.

It's also going to depend on how tall you are. 19 lbs lost for someone who's 5'5" is going to be very different than someone who's 5'2 or 5'9". I'm 5'5".

KBP1025

It depends on what size you are to start. I've seen articles that state you have to lose about 10 pounds to go down a size. Maybe, if you're already a normal weight. I lost about 40 pounds before my pants were almost falling off. Then I noticed why it takes longer for a "plus size" woman to lose a pants size than a normal weight woman. If you look at the sizing guide on clothing sites, once a woman is size 14 and up, the waist and hips are 2" difference between sizes. So you would have to lose 2" (2" in the waist and 2" in the hips) to go down a size, whereas size 12 and under, only have to lose 1" to go down a size. It takes longer to go down in size the larger you are because of the way the clothes are made. Frustrating, yes, but you'll get there

purple180

Someone may have already mentioned this but I would go to thrift shops. They have a great selection (many name brands) for next to nothing. I have become a major fan of thrift shops along this journey and now that I am in "maintenance" I still go (they can be soooo addictive). Best wishes to you. :-)

sweetrunning

I generally go down a size every 5 lbs like here's the breakdown and I'm 5'7 and pretty fit:

130 lbs- size 2/4
135- size 4/6
140- size 6
145- size 6/8
150- Size 8
155 - size 10
160- size 12

cassnocala

I have found that for small frame women 10-15 pounds can be a size. For me at 5'8" it takes 20-25 pounds to go down a size. hope this helps

eldamiano

Is this a serious question?

FirecrackerJess

I wore a tight size 24W for the first 6 months. Did not buy any new clothes until then, I just used a belt. The first pair of new pants I bought were size 18, and I can remember being ecstatic. I was actually buying out of the plus size department.

After that, I was going down a size about every about 10-12 pounds. I am now wearing size 8.

Just wanna say congrats on going from 24 to an 8. That's awesome.

dalguard

I think it's more about body weight percentage than # of pounds. I dropped 13 pounds and absolutely none of my pants fit, but 13 pounds was 10% of my body wieght. I have a feeling that larger sizes have more tolerance built in. If you're on a long journey, be glad you don't have to buy new pants every 10 pounds or it'd be an expensive journey.

sjp_511

In my experience, it takes the longest to drop that first size. All the pants I had been wearing were old and stretched out - I started at size 16 and refused to be a size 18, so I didn't buy new pants for a long time. Something new in the same size was tight before I started. And I am pear-shaped, so it takes a lot of weight loss to notice changes in pant size. At 230 I was a very tight 16. At 190, I was a loose size 14.

fat2strongbeth

It depends on many factors - height, weight, body fat %, etc. I find that I drop a clothes size every 10-15 lbs.

janicebinva

In my experience, it takes the longest to drop that first size. All the pants I had been wearing were old and stretched out - I started at size 16 and refused to be a size 18, so I didn't buy new pants for a long time. Something new in the same size was tight before I started. And I am pear-shaped, so it takes a lot of weight loss to notice changes in pant size. At 230 I was a very tight 16. At 190, I was a loose size 14.

Wow. I'm 5'6", 155 pounds, and I'm a 14. At close to 170, I was a 16. Where are you buying your clothes?? It just goes to show you, it's not the absolute size number or weight on the scale that matters, but the relative sizes and relative changes in weight.

hotjodels

I'm about 45 days in, at a 12 lbs loss and I could probably use to buy some new jeans now. I am able to take them off without unbuttoning or unzipping but I do not have the money right now so I am borrowing a belt from my brother. haha.I think it all just depends how the weight comes off of a specific person, no real set time or pound loss that should mean "buy new clothes now" it'd be pretty cool if it worked that way though. : ]

sjp_511

In my experience, it takes the longest to drop that first size. All the pants I had been wearing were old and stretched out - I started at size 16 and refused to be a size 18, so I didn't buy new pants for a long time. Something new in the same size was tight before I started. And I am pear-shaped, so it takes a lot of weight loss to notice changes in pant size. At 230 I was a very tight 16. At 190, I was a loose size 14.

Wow. I'm 5'6", 155 pounds, and I'm a 14. At close to 170, I was a 16. Where are you buying your clothes?? It just goes to show you, it's not the absolute size number or weight on the scale that matters, but the relative sizes and relative changes in weight.

I am somewhere between 5'7 and 5'8, so I am a little taller. And I have always seemed a bit dense compared to others. I probably tend to buy brands that run large, since size 14 - 16 is the cut-off for plus size for many brands and I always have refused to buy plus-sized clothes - partly due to the stigma of it and partly because they don't seem to fit me correctly (like I should have a smaller frame and higher body fat %).

redheadmommy

I think it also depends on what do you wear and how cold/warm your climate. Obviously , nobody is going to replace their winter coat and heavy sweaters just because they dropped a size or two.

Dress pants and button-up shirts supposed to fit relatively snug, and they fairly quickly look baggy and ill-fitted if you went down a size and at 2 sizes down they look really bad.

Dresses ,and tunic/leggings combos have much more leave-way , and totally can cover for a couple of size drops and you may only need to replace them once you down 3 or 4 sizes.

I agree with pp , the first size changes takes the longest . I think because most overweight/obese people wears one (or two) sizes too small clothes to begin with. Although a person may actually lost a size or 2, they actually just shrink enough to get to the point where their wardrobe fits properly.

wknmom

Go shopping at a thrift store! It is fun, not an investment, and when you shrink out of the clothes, you just send them back to they can be a blessing to someone else. And it always feels good to be wearing clothes that fit you properly, no matter what size is written on the tags.

abeautifulsoul

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MinnieInMaine

I can't remember exactly but I'll guess somewhere around 20-30 pounds lost before I needed new pants. My weight loss starting from the top down - my face, chest, some belly then BAM, all of a sudden my jeans were so loose that my co-workers teased me a bit. Sometimes it actually pays to go shopping for the next size down just to see. A couple of times I've tried the next size down just to see and found they fit me eventhough my current pants seemed to still fit ok. You just never know!

Keep an eye on the sales and check out thrift stores and consignment shops for your in-between sizes. Give most of your bigger clothes away but considering keeping a "before" outfit so you can really illustrate the difference.

Ibleedlipstick

I think it depends on body type/height/weight distribution.

I'm between 5'8 and 5'9 and it took me about 30lbs for my pants to start falling off me, and I have another 40lbs to go.

Right now I'm living in leggings, flowing tops and chunky sweaters. I've bought a couple of things in my current size, but I just don't want to invest in a large amount of clothing that I will only wear for three months.

The most frustrating aspect of this has been underwear — I've had to get rid of all of my pre-weightloss underwear and I'm to the point now where I'm going to have to get rid of what I currently have. I'm happy to be losing, but this is getting expensive.

determined_erin

What I did to save money is use a belt. It would hold up my baggy pants for many lbs of weight loss. I didn't buy new jeans until closer to the end since I like American Eagle jeans (which are expensive, at least for my budget).