Transition clothes: are they worth it?

Ilisidi

If you've lost a drastic amount of weight....(to me this is like 60lbs or so) I think it's worth the investment to have a properly tailored wardrobe. Maybe not an ENTIRE wardrobe but if you're wearing business casual to work, hit up a mens warehouse or something and have some clothes tailored to your body. Slacks / sport coat, pants which are tailored to you and a shirt that properly tapers from shoulders to waist. If you're on your last notch in your belt, put the leatherman away and get a new belt. If you're seriously in transition, get one that's slightly smaller than you'd normally buy which you can shrink into.

Funny you should mention the leatherman, I got it out today, it was one things that prompted the post!!! ....I like the idea of the mens warehouse etc, thank you.

Ilisidi

Yes! You have to live your life for who you are and who you are becoming. You can be strategic about it. Thrift shops and clearance racks are a great place to start. I took a look at my clothes and decided which sizes I needed to retire and what gaps that left in my wardrobe. I went to Ross, Marshalls, Target, Thrift Stores and bargain shopped looking to replace what I needed first. I also started wearing a belt with those borderline pants. The nice thing about tops and dresses for me is that I have a little more flexibility with sizes I already own.

If you have a few girlfriends locally, schedule a clothes swap. Bring clothes, accessories, house stuff, things for the kids and spouse, a bottle of wine and a dish of food. Make an event of it. Set it up like a store. Have fun. Donate what isn't taken to a charity or save it for a garage sale. Me and my girlfriends used to do this and it was so much fun. When I moved I didn't have enough friends to schedule something like this but I think it is time to get one of these on the calendar again.

I love your opening line, thank you :-)

weightloss12345678

I also need some transition cloths but I say just wait until you reach you goal bc that provides more ambition to accomplish your goal. but if you have to wear something to work just get a few pieces

rayleansout

Consignment!

giggles1973

Two words: Old Navy

YES! I was going to say the same thing lol it's probably as cheap as any second hand store but still brand new

ljd0693

I used Goodwill for all my transitional clothes.

Ilisidi

Sorry, I just realized that you are a man :embarassed:

The clothes swap is still a good idea though :flowerforyou:

No worries, and thank you :-)

Ilisidi

You need to buy new clothes! I just learned this the hard way on Tuesday. A good friend took me to buy new jeans because she was sick of seeing me pull my pants up all the time. I walked into the store wearing a size 12 and walked out with a size 6! I thought it would be a waste of money but I feel so great putting on the new jeans that I have even more motivation to finish loosing all my weight. It's a great feeling and so worth the little bit of cash to buy some basics. Keep up the good work and go buy some skinny clothes!

Wow 12 to 6, congratulations!!!

Ilisidi

Yes. It is unprofessional and unattractive to wear ill-fitting clothing. That doesn't mean you need to spend a ton of money because you aren't buying garmets that really need to last. Buy a few inexpensive pairs of pants, a few inexpensive shirts, etc.

:-) that penny is beginning to drop!

Ilisidi

Yes yes yes - youbwill feel and look so much better in "new" well fitting clothes - it is a huge morale booster during your journey.....

As others said - thrift stores, and you only need a few well fitting peces to keep you till you get to the next size......

Thank you for the enthusiastic yes, yours and similar responses have made the way forward clear :-)

Ilisidi

I say buy a few things that make you feel fabulous to wear right now. It will show off how far you've come and encourage you to keep going! And awesome job on the 79 lbs gone,btw!

I did this and I don't regret it. The fact that I bought some really cute clothes that are now too big for me doesn't bother me because it made me feel great, took any stress away from the pressure that I HAD to continue losing and I got so many compliments and positive feedback that it really helped getting those final pounds off. For me, it was money well spent.

Thank you both - and I will :-)

weight2go

Resale shops. When I finally get to size 12 i have tons of jeans saved. But til then resale shops. You can find name brand clothes really cheap if your willing to send the time looking for them. No one but you has to know where they came from or how much you paid.

Ilisidi

I needed to keep my clothing presentable because of my job, so big, falling off me, 4 sizes too big pants and shirts weren't an option.

The Kohl's discount racks became my friends throughout my weight loss. Nice shirts for the $8-$10 range. Pants in the $20 range.

Jeans and work pants were, admittedly, a little more of a challenge, but Old Navy and American Eagle actually have decent prices, especially if you can find a sale at either store.

EDIT: Just realized you're in England, so Kohl's, Old Navy and American Eagle probably don't help much. But the gist is the same. If you need to keep your appearance up for your job, and you can find them cheap, spend the money. You're worth it and you'll feel alot better.

You're right on the gist - and it is one I'll be taking forward :-) Thank you

Mom0fTwo

just bought myself 3 pairs of jeans, but that is all, cause I can get away with most of my tops still

carramel0705

check at a second hand store maybe get 2 pairs of pants and a couple shirts

I have boxes of clothes waiting for me to fit back into them from various previous weights

ummlovelovesyou

1 pair of jeans that will fit for a few sizes (meaning are a bit snug when you get them...and then they'll fit for a while...then you'll need a belt!)

Although all my shirts that I bought last summer are big now...jeans too

Get enough to hold you over, or go to a thrift store......marshalls too!

kimad

Yes it's worth it, becuase you will feel SO much better about yourself in stuff that actually fits and shows off your body!
I am dating though, so I need to have some.. I only have about 3-5 outfits per time though!!!

bllowry

A good tip for using charity shops: Take your measurements before you go, and take a tape measure with you since even mens sizes vary from brand to brand. Find what you like on the rails and measure it to make sure it will fit you; of course you can slip on shirts and jackets in the shop, but trousers could be tricky! I'm lucky in that my favourite charity shop actually has dressing rooms to try on items, but many do not.

Ilisidi

You need to get new clothes. Your self esteem will be effected by having to wear old baggy clothes. You need to remember this is an all encompassing transformation. ....

Nicely sums up where I'm at, I just didn't realise it!!!! :-)

Curvy1taliana

I go "closet shopping". I have a wide variety of sizes I own, so eventually I just keep moving down the sizes lol.
I buy a few pieces here and there on sale/clearance though.

Ilisidi

Call me nostalgic, but I saved my favorite shirts and jeans from when they still fit me - so they are my motivation...
Other than that, I enjoy thrift shops, not just for the clothes, but also the knick knacks only downside is if you like something that isn't your size, there's nothing you can do about it...

that bit about motivation, is exactly why I've found it difficult....but so many positive things have been said about the importance of recognising the progress made and the importance of looking good as you can, that I'll be taking action :-)

Ilisidi

Consignment!

Yes!

Ilisidi

A good tip for using charity shops: Take your measurements before you go, and take a tape measure with you since even mens sizes vary from brand to brand. Find what you like on the rails and measure it to make sure it will fit you; of course you can slip on shirts and jackets in the shop, but trousers could be tricky! I'm lucky in that my favourite charity shop actually has dressing rooms to try on items, but many do not.

Thank you for the tip, lack of dressing rooms etc hadn't crossed my mind - I'll be getting organised tomorrow:-)

sollyn

I would think a sewing machine would be the best idea. Then you could stuff a cushion with the bits that you cut off! It would be your success cushion!:laugh:

froeschli

Call me nostalgic, but I saved my favorite shirts and jeans from when they still fit me - so they are my motivation...
Other than that, I enjoy thrift shops, not just for the clothes, but also the knick knacks only downside is if you like something that isn't your size, there's nothing you can do about it...

that bit about motivation, is exactly why I've found it difficult....but so many positive things have been said about the importance of recognising the progress made and the importance of looking good as you can, that I'll be taking action :-)

Well, I meant the smaller sizes, that fit me 10 years ago

Ocarina

Don't go to thrift stores and buy used clothes. You don't deserve 2nd hand if you can afford to do better then that. You plan on being healthy for life and your clothes are an investment into your image, well being, and should be nice enough to last.

Just because you're buying at a thrift store doesn't mean you're getting 'used' clothes, lots of folks buy clothes just because they're on sale or they like the look and then never get around to wearing them because they have so much. I can't count the number of times I've found a designer label still with tags on it for under $5 new condition.... and way cheaper than the tag prices where I've seen $100+ on the tags... sometimes there's not much there (hey much like a 'real' store for new clothes) other times you can score huge... families will often donate unneeded clothes after losing a loved one too so there can be really good new clothes available at them, and lots of them probably last longer than the $5 new shirts from Walmart etc :P

You're right! I should of said I don't think people should only shop at Thrift stores strictly when buying clothes. It's nice to go out and get something from a retail store as well. Don't feel ashamed but also don't over do it. Balance is key to everything.