What are you doing about clothes?

Nedra19455

So warmer weather has arrived and I haven't any/many clothes that fit. I think I was still in maternity clothes last summer...

Anyway, what do you all do about clothes? I feel like buying clothes in a size that I hope to be leaving behind ASAP is going to be a demotivator for me, but I also don't want to be wearing winter clothes all summer long.

Also, my long-term goal involves dropping ~75 lbs and at least 4 sizes. How do I deal with losing weight in general? I don't want to go through 4 different wardrobes over the 1-2 years that it will take to get to a healthy weight. I HATE shopping -- that is not a motivator for me.

Ideas please?

techgal128

I bought a "new" pair of pants at Goodwill. You can also wear a belt but that only goes so far. If I were you, I'd stick to thrift stores until you hit the weight you want to be at.

mike_ny

Get rid of them as soon as you drop a size. Donate them to goodwill, give them to people you know, just get rid of them. The last thing you want is any "fat clothes" you kept in case you started gaining back what you lost. I know its hard giving away hundreds of dollars of your favorite and perfectly good clothes. Just get over it.

Buy some new clothes. Don't spend a lot or buy more than you need, since you want to drop another size or so. Drop a couple sizes and you'll also be buying new underwear, etc... Other than shoes, socks, and hats, you may end up having to replace everything from your old wardrobe.

Once you do eventually replace everything with your new target size, it can definitely get expensive, but it's worth it and it'll give you all the incentive you need to maintain your weight and stay in shape.

With all of the people out there rapidly gaining weight, you might be able to get some nice things people you know have outgrown and maybe even swap your bigger sizes for their smaller ones.

nsimon24

If you have some really nice pieces that you cannot stand to get rid of, take them to a tailor and see if they can be taken in. A lot of time it can be done fairly inexpensively, and you end up with a custom fit.

Otherwise, donate the stuff you have shrunk out of, and shop at Goodwill or thrift stores for a few basic pieces (generally pants and skirts) and update with seasonal tops from someplace like Kohls, Target or someplace similar - that way you can feel updated and fresh, show off the shrinking you and keep a budget!

onefortyone

I have a bunch of dresses that have ties on them, so I am looking forward to cinching those bad boys up when they are a little too big right now I can't really imagine being 'too small' for my jeans (I am still way too big for them, and wearing maternity jeans).

I pretty much exclusively shop in the Kohl's clearance section too, so I don't mind going there every month or so to pick out something for $10-20 that fits okay. I never go crazy buying whole wardrobes, I buy things here and there, and I imagine shopping WILL be more fun when I'm skinny enough to fit in regular clothes!

MyChocolateDiet

wearing them

MyChocolateDiet

So warmer weather has arrived and I haven't any/many clothes that fit. I think I was still in maternity clothes last summer...

Anyway, what do you all do about clothes? I feel like buying clothes in a size that I hope to be leaving behind ASAP is going to be a demotivator for me, but I also don't want to be wearing winter clothes all summer long.

Also, my long-term goal involves dropping ~75 lbs and at least 4 sizes. How do I deal with losing weight in general? I don't want to go through 4 different wardrobes over the 1-2 years that it will take to get to a healthy weight. I HATE shopping -- that is not a motivator for me.

Ideas please?

many threads on this topic.

best ideas i've seen

temp clothes.

clearance racks
goodwill
belts
etc.

Emmyre43

I like the Goodwill Store. And/or you can have them hemmed/taken in...

dlionsmane

Savers, good will, thrift stores and my friends closets. So far this is what I have done. Also I have donated everything that is too big. I don't want it around and I don't want to wear it if its too big. Doesn't fit right and makes you look bigger than you are.

Missjulesdid

Salvation Army.... Pretty much my entire wardrobe is from there.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I bought all my clothes at Ross while I was still losing weight.

kk_140

I have just been buying a few things for each size. Like when I needed a size 9 I n jeans I instead of a 15 (I looked ridiculous in those baggy pants) I just bought 2 pairs at a Ross for cheap. Just do a little at a time to get buy until you're done losing.

_Terrapin_

My goal is to continue wearing clothing.

cherchenette9555

Find out when your Goodwill has its one dollar per item in the store, day. Most GW have a color of the week. Here in S.C. on Thursdays all of say "BLUE" was the color of the week, goes on sale for a buck!! Get there first thing that am. I only buy what appears to be new,or new with tags. I have a phenomenal wardrobe. From designer jeans, tank tops, linen tops ,silk blouses jean jacket, leather jacket, wool coats, suede jacket, shorts, capri's…. you have to look, throw anything and everything you think you might like or might fit that day, and go try the stuff on!! Sometimes in the dressing room, I have found I have the complete outfit that way. Now GW has become somewhat of a hobby for me. I travel quite a bit, and I stop at all the ones I can find in upscale areas. Heck, a few weeks ago, I got a brand new with tags still on, a 4x12 hand made, all wool ,gorgeous rug!! Get your Mom or a great friend to babysit for 2-3 hours. I guarantee you will walk out of there a happy camper!!

RamonaFr

I keep an eye on things on ebay, have bought a couple of pairs of new jeans fairly cheaply. I don't want to buy a lot of clothes as I am still losing weight, but I also don't want to do laundry more than once a week.

tabbyblack13

Also look at TJ Max, Ross, Beals, and other discount clothing stores for new clothing.

thomaszabel

I've dropped from men's size 40 to men's size 32 in the past year. I am now wearing clothes that my 18-year old son has grown out of, so I don't have to buy new stuff. And it's still a bit big, especially cause he's taller than I am.

So if I am wearing clothes from my son, are those considered hand me downs or hand me ups?

MaiLinna

I'm honestly pretty lazy (and pretty poor, lol) and I've always worn clothes that were too big for me. Like...WAY too big for me. My fiance wears a 3x, and I wear his clothes all the time.

I dunno, to be completely honest I'd rather just run around the world naked.

shaynepoole

I just bought what I needed through a combo of walmart / goodwill and consignment shops, a lot of clearance buys - for a while I didn't buy anything unless it had a big red sticker on it - Kohl's and old navy when they have the 30% off coupons (in Kohl's case, coupled with the clearance so ended up being dirt cheap)

I ended up dropping about 10 sizes from a woman's pants size 28/4X settling down to a 6/medium so I went through a lot of clothes and sizes. I am still settling, but most of the clothes I have now will work for whatever my final size ends up being.

MickeyCastello

I like the Goodwill Store. And/or you can have them hemmed/taken in...

This is what I did until I got to maintenance. As I lost weight, I got rid of all the clothes that were too big. I felt keeping them would be psychologically giving me permission to gain the weight back.

squeepig

I just bought my very first sewing machine, so that I can take in my clothes myself.

wozkaa

Clearance racks, Charity shops. Only buying bare minimum as needed (am broke as well, so that kida curtails any spending!)

I am also gradually cycling through the clothes I 'grew' out of - that's been my big fear - not having any warm clothes this winter. (I'm in Australia). They were all too tight, so now I can fit them.
THEN I will move on, and start fitting the smaller clothes (pre pregnancy)i still own.
By summer, I should have a whole new wardrobe made of all my old clothes that I kept but haven't orn for years.

Laughter_Girl

I agree with some of the other comments. I go to the Salvation Army, and I plan to have a few pieces altered. I'll save my major shopping for when I reach my goal weight. Unlike the OP, I to shop.

melifornia

Our thrift stores suck, so I've been going with sales at Old Navy for some basics and casual items to "get through" a size. Last week I was in Anaheim and stopped at the Old Navy Outlet where it turned out the entire store was 40% off! I also had some reward cash to spend, so was able to pick up a few warm weather items without spending much.

I also recently signed up for Gwynnie Bee (www.gwynniebee.com), which is like Netflix for women's clothes. I picked the $79/mo plan so I can have 3 items out at a time. Shipping both ways is free AND you don't have to launder items before you send them back (unless you wear them several times, in which case, please do launder ).

So far I've been very pleased with the experience. I've had a "new" dress for Easter, an outfit for a presentation at a conference, and several outfits for work, all for the price of one mid-quality outfit. Plus I'm not adding more stuff to my closet that I'll just have to get rid of later. They carry sizes 10-26 in lots of styles and brands, and they've added at least 20 new items each week that I've been a member.

grandmothercharlie

I have a b-day coming up so asked for the basics, a pair of capris, a pair of jeans, 3 t-shirts and a light jacket. I agree about thrift stores and resale shops. For work, I'm okay. I have always liked tops that are a real fluid stretchy knit. I have a lot that are just a boat or round neck and tunic length. They also cover up the fact that my pants are really baggy. The t-shirts I asked for are a similar style, so I could even wear them if I want. Luckily, I have never liked to wear form-fitting clothes, so things being large doesn't bother me so much.

RomulanWarbird

I just keep having to wear my big clothes because I can't afford to buy new. Or even used. I'm just saving some money so in another month I will have enough to go buy a few outfits.

College life.

LosingLaurensWay

Buy what fits you. You will feel better and look better in clothes that fit you perfectly. You have to discard the idea of clothing numbers and go with what fits and flatters you. If money is an issue only get a few things that can be changed in to multiple outfits with layering or belts. When you reach that actual point of fitting in to the size you want it will be all the more amazing. I'm not against have one pair of goal pants that you try on ever so often (I have one of those) but I don't wear them out in public). I try mine one at least every few weeks to see how close I am.

seltzermint555

Have you ever known a person who was stylish, looked great, but seemed to own only a handful of outfits...and those outfits were cute and well put together, but they kept wearing it over and over?

Become that person.

Even if just temporarily.

I have learned this the hard way and still struggle with it. But trust me ;-) It works!!

I was always - for well over a decade - around sizes 20-24, 2X/3X. I gained and lost 40-50 lb and still was in that range and could wear all of the same clothes easily. I wore the same size 22 jeans at my heaviest (307) and at my MFP start weight (262)...it didn't really cross my mind that after getting to around 240 lb I'd wake up one day and everything would look terrible and no longer fit. Like falling-off terrible looking.

When that happened, last summer...I bought a whole new wardrobe in my 'new' size, 18 and 1X. A lot of it was secondhand, thankfully...but I tried to recreate my usual wardrobe of like 10 pairs of jeans, every single color of dress pants, several skirts and dresses along with about a few dozen shirts and sweaters etc.

By October, it all fit terribly and I needed smaller sizes. Then it happened AGAIN around the beginning of this year. So now I'm learning.

Just get enough new and secondhand stuff to get by while still feeling stylish and good about yourself.

If you're like me, it will totally change your relationship with clothes...MAYBE for the better...and you'll also do laundry more often. Good luck!

lina011

Second hand stores, goodwil I have a fav one I visit once a week and I always come out with something awesome

rrlwelter

Goodwill in affluent areas (I've scored Lucky Brand jeans for $13.99, and regularly get Gap jeans for $3.99. I also scored 2 Coach purses, that my daughter, who worked at Coach, said were legit, and a beautiful suede coat).

When I was losing weight, I made it a point to have 2 pairs of khaki-type work pants and 2 pairs of jeans. I generally wore each size from a bit too tight to a bit too lose, and skipped a size going down. For shirts, I went with generic T-shirts from Old Navy and similar, and kept each for 3 sizes, but again, I had maybe 7 or 8 total at a time.

I didn't actually build a wardrobe until I was pretty much done losing.

Llamapants86

I just by a few pieces in each size as I lose weight. That way I don't have to go and by all new clothes every couple of months. And I browse the clearance section regularly.