Where to buy clothes while losing and what to buy

rebprest

So I need to lose about 100 lbs total. I've lost about 18 so far (2 months) and I've gone down a size in pants to a 16. I'm anticipating needing new pants soon, all mine are really baggy at the waist and butt, so a belt won't really help. My shirts will probably last at least another size and the dresses and skirts hopefully will last longer. I usually shop at Lane Bryant because they have my size and beautiful styles with good quality. Obviously I can't replace my wardrobes several times over paying $60 for each shirt, skirt and pair of jeans each, and I think they only go down to a size 12 anyway. If my rate of weight loss continues, I'm going to need to replace at least my pants every 3-4 months for a while. Where should I bee shopping for this? Where did you shop?

*I am wicked poor, my current wardrobe was accumulated over a period of 7 years and much of it was gifted to me or purchased by my mom. Sadly, that's not an option now lol.

MommeeRN

Old Navy has great options that aren't very expensive, especially if you can catch one of their sales. And there are tons of options in your size because you can shop Women's or Women's plus.

shadow2soul

resale shops (can't beat $4-5 jeans...most clothing items are usually under $10)

or if you'd prefer new clothing, than discount clothing stores like gordmans

Mariachicat

Old Navy and Hanes have some good basic options that aren't too expensive while you are losing and your sizes become smaller. I understand not wanting to invest major coin in transitional clothes that are only going to be too big for you as you get closer to your goal.

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DrJenO

Do you have a Kohls where you live? That's what I've been doing. They have sales all the time, so I just wait until I have a coupon, then go online and buy the next size down in the pants I'm wearing.

Also, think in basics. Have things that mix and match, so you can wear different combos and get away w/ fewer items.

rebprest

Old Navy and Gordmans seem promising. I'd like to avoid used clothing, it just weirds me out and they never truly feel like they are mine. I'm so excited to buy smaller clothes, yet I really liked the clothes I had...

ddkphotos

Walmart! When you get to your goal you can go for nicer...

Slopez8368

Target has cute cheap clothes! My first year of losing weight I always bought clothes that were tight so I could wear them longer..until recently I was shopping for a shirt at Jcpenny and I asked lady that worked at the store to help me. She told me that its important to buy clothes that fit you at that moment so you feel good about yourself!

shabaity

I love the good will for jeans and what not the local salvation army is iffy on clothing but I think that may be location and hit up the outlet malls if you live near one they have some pretty good deals.

kwantlen2051

Discount stores and consignment stores have designer stuff for much much less. A lot of them have stuff that are brand new with original tags still on. But go when you have enough time to sort through racks and racks of clothing.

seltzermint555

I will warn you that several months down the line you are gonna feel like Lane Bryant has totally forsaken you, lol, when everything in there is magically huge and you will have to discover many new stores.

My best advice is to check out secondhand shops, thrift stores, and clearance racks everywhere. The 70% off section at Target is my BFF and has been for awhile now. Avoid the trap of buying something you don't love just because it is cheap. I have done that and regretted it. A pair of bright blue shorts with a white stripe that are ugly but cost $3 will get less wear than the nice black Athleta shorts on clearance for $10 at TJ Maxx, so even though you're on a tight budget it is better to get the item you KNOW you will wear the heck out of.

Also start living with a smaller "capsule" wardrobe. Lots of good ideas online, especially Pinterest! If you're like me you are used to staying the same size (in the past) for awhile so you slowly accumulate tons of jeans, pants, shirts, sweaters, etc. And have a lot of clothes that you don't wear regularly.

TRY to set that aside and be the person who has like 5 cute outfits they wear over & over. Because if you repurchase your entire wardrobe at each size a lot of clothes will go to waste and none of us can really afford to keep doing that, right?! I made that mistake starting out on MFP...it took me over 60 lb loss and several years to go from size 22 to 18, so I bought EVERYTHING in 18 only to be at 16 and 14 very shortly. It's a good yet expensive problem to have! Don't do that ;-) Start making it your challenge to see how few clothes you can stylishly 'get by on'! It can be a little scary sometimes. I look in my closet and where there used to be clothes overflowing, six stacks of sweaters, and 15+ pair of jeans there's like 20 items hanging there and 2 sweaters.

I don't know a lot about your lifestyle or fashion choices but I'd say for most women it's good to have jeans, nice non-jean pants, a skirt/dress or two, several shirts/tops of different styles and sleeve lengths. Solids are easier to mix and match but I personally like a few prints in there too, to mix it up. Accessories can also be your friend while transitioning.

ETA: Sorry I just noticed you do not like secondhand...nothing wrong w/ that. But some of my best clearance and inexpensive finds have been from TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Target, JC Penney, and Kohls. There is also a store in my area called Name Brand Clothing 1/2 of 1/2 and they get closeout and returned 'new' merchandise from all over. Maybe there is something similar in your area. It doesn't have great store conditions - very mixed up and crowded - but to me it's totally worth digging, and the stuff is new with tags.

mtruitt01

Look through consignment shops, Ross, Marshall's, TJ Max if you have them.
I find that I replace mine when I go down two sizes.
My daughter has a sewing machine, and we see if anything can be modified before I donate it.
Summer sales are on...you should be able to get 75% off whatever is left.
My strategy now is to buy my base clothes in neutrals, and add scarves and jewelry.
I buy nice scarves since they will always fit!
Neutrals can be a wide range, including dark greens, burgundies, pale lavenders, etc.
Not just black, white or brown.

amberj32

Exciting! I'm also in a similar situation! I looked at Old Navy close to my house last night but there was nothing good. I usually can find something there. I tried on some workout shorts they had on sale for $9. The extra large was way too baggy and the large fit awkwardly and snug around my flat butt. The waist was elastic but it didn't have a drawstring, which I thought they should have.

I will have to check out some more clearance racks and find a good salvation army or goodwill.

mefitforlife9

I am lucky in that my older sister is also loosing weight and she is a couple of sizes smaller than I am, so I've been handed her hand-outs! Who knew at ages 53 (me) and 56 (her) I would still be wearing my sisters' hand-me-downs!!! LOL Love it tho, she has great taste in clothes. Happy to say she is close to her goal weight so the free hand-me-downs are slowing down! I still have a ways to go, but have at least 2 or 3 bags of clothes of various sizes waiting for me to get into still.

CindyMarcuzAdams

My daughter went from a tight 24 to an 8. She shopped at value village...thrift shop...she found some amazing clothes to wear then re donated them when they got too big. Its supporting diabetes. Happy shopping.

shantizzlerose

If you really like the clothes you have, get a sewing machine and become a master seamstress. Alter them to fit you.

phurst00

I bought some t-shirts from 5 and Below... But recently started shopping the sale items at jc Penney and Walmart. Super cute, good quality clothes and the most I've spent on a single item so far is $8

sistrsprkl

As far as specific clothing items I've found helpful while losing weight are: yoga pants, elastic waistband jeggings, longer tunic tops or tank tops, sundresses/maxi dresses, long cardigans, and leggings. A lot of the clothes I still wear I've had through 2 pregnancies and 2, 50 lb weight losses... and they still look ok.

RodaRose

A seamstress can modify clothes down one size. (I would not try going past one size.) That could be cheaper than going with something brand new.

cincysweetheart

I am in the same boat. Most of my clothes are relatively new and still in good shape (and were NOT cheap!), so I will try alterations for as long as I can get away with it. I just made an excursion to Ross this weekend for my first weight loss shopping trip. I looked for basic shirts that that I can wear with everything (jeans, khaki's black dress, skirts). And for a style that I could conceivably wear for another 30 pounds or so lost… although it would obviously get looser.

icklistpiklist

I love ebay. I sell the items I've slimmed out of and use the money to buy new. There are plenty of never worn items for sale but if you can get over your dislike of preworn clothes there are even more bargains to be had!

tefleon

I'd like to avoid used clothing, it just weirds me out and they never truly feel like they are mine.

Surely this is perfect then because you're not planing on keeping them.

rebprest

If you really like the clothes you have, get a sewing machine and become a master seamstress. Alter them to fit you.

Hahahahhahahahhahahahahah. No.


Thank you so much for all of the great ideas. I'm really going to miss Lane Bryant and their super high waisted pants, sigh.

kristinkt

I use many of the ideas already presented. Forever 21 has some good sales and clearance racks. The clearance rack at Kohl's and Ross tend to be my favorites. Congratulations on having this problem to deal with. And... I also find that I tend to buy the same staples in smaller sizes. Stick with what you will actually wear. Happy shopping!

rebprest

I'd like to avoid used clothing, it just weirds me out and they never truly feel like they are mine.

Surely this is perfect then because you're not planing on keeping them.

Lol. You would think so. I feel like I've stolen someone else's life when I wear their clothes, it is very creepy to me.

ShannonMpls

I'd like to avoid used clothing, it just weirds me out and they never truly feel like they are mine.

Surely this is perfect then because you're not planing on keeping them.

Lol. You would think so. I feel like I've stolen someone else's life when I wear their clothes, it is very creepy to me.

Given your situation - not a lot of $$, losing weight so wearing clothes temporarily - I'd advise you, with all the sweetness in the world, to get over this

Seriously consignment or thrifted clothes are perfect for a situation like this. I should also point out that I have bought MANY items of clothing at thrift stores with tags still on them. <side note: losing weight made me a thrift store queen; I have amazing, very expensive pieces I got for a fraction of the cost of new, which is awesome considering I had to build an entire new wardrobe in my current size, and I didn't want cheap throwaway Target clothes - I am staying at this size so I want the good labels!>

I also wore a lot of dresses while I was losing weight. Wrap dresses in particular were very forgiving of weight loss; I actually still wear a couple that fit when I weighed 50 pounds more than I do now.

heather_hearts_travel

eBay! Thrift!

Wash them when you get them home. They'll smell like your detergent/fabric softener. You'll never know they didn't begin their lives in your closet.

Seriously, you can get some great deals at thrift stores and online. If you look around, you can find some things that ARE new and still have tags. I got a Lane Bryant sweater for $3 that still had the security tag! Though I DID find that one questionable...

Teresa_3266

I am a huge online shopper. I love Woman Within, One Stop Plus, Avenue, Macy's, Dress Barn, etc. I shop the clearance section and have bought lots of clothes super cheap.

Cardio4Cupcakes

I know you don't like cosignment but you're going to get the best bang for your buck. Just yesterday I bought a pair of Banana Republic Martin Fit pants- normally $90, got them for $12. You can't beat that.

Otherwise, shop at Oldnavy, especially only where they have more sizes. You can return for free at the store.

_funrungirl

Thrift stores, Target, Walmat, Ebay.


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