Losing weight bad for fashion--what do you do?

donna_do_good

Do you have Primark where you are?

You can get jeams for £8, vest tops for £2, work trousers for £8. Its great, you can get some cute dresses and stuff to. I'm in N.Ireland but and thats where I head, not sure where you are but

candacegooding

figure out what you really need any how much you need. I would start by getting like one pair of fitting jeans that are dark enough that you can dress them down or up easily. You can get the jeans at a goodwill or one of my favorites the consignment shops that are a bit more upscale. You really don't need more than one pair though. Also I would get some sort of basic shorts, depends on what your style what is best. I got basic denim shorts in dark wash and white at the gap outlet near my house for 11 dollars each (the white was because they were so darn cute I couldn't resist). If you have a gap outlet that is a great place for shorts because they always have one style that is on sale, at least at my location, that look really nice. If you need to dress up often I would get a cheap black dress either at a resale shop or at somewhere like forever21(yes if you look hard enough you can find something classy) that you can accessorize to make it look different.
I get a new pair of jeans about every other size. Once I get to my goal I will get a couple more and spend more on them.
If you have any basic sewing skill you can sew up the sides of any A line skirts. I did this and it really expanded what I can wear without having to spend any money at all. If you don't have a machine you can easily borrow one from a friend because chances are someone you know has one.
The only shirts I really got were fitted cotton tees in solid colors like from target because I can wear them to work out or i could pair them with my dark jeans and cute shoes to dress them up. If they get too big then they can just be cuter workout shirts compared to old faded out tees that go to my knees. Also one key thing I have is my fitted waist belt. It sounds silly but as I lose weight I continue to sew the belt to make it smaller (the back is elastic, got the belt at target for 10 dollars and it has been with me for a long time) so even if something is too big I put the waist belt on it so it looks less frumpy and more like it was intentional. This is how I saved most of my dresses with that and occasional pinning.
I guess the thing is when shopping while losing weight you want to leave the looking "fashionable" to the shoes and accessories that will fit you forever. I know it's wordy but hopefully this helps!

rml_16

My fashionable friends, what do you do when you're losing weight, on a strict financial budget, and all of your clothes are too big? I don't have the money to buy a whole new wardrobe with each size, and I don't want to, because I don't plan on being at these sizes for very long--I have a lot of weight left to lose.

I'm starting to look frumpy, which is a huge bummer, because who doesn't like to look cute or at the very least socially presentable? I've gone from hating to be in my workout gear because I was so uncomfortable, to now only being comfortable in my workout clothes (because they fit!), with no make up on, sweating my butt off.

What do you guys do about the clothes thing??

Skirts with draw strings and dresses are your best friends and don't be afraid of consignment stores, Goodwill, etc. People will donate clothes they never wore and stores donate surplus inventory so you can find cute, cheap clothes.

misscristie

Everyone has good suggestions, but if you don't like buying used clothes - Find a good tailor. Only buy clothes that are on clearance - I got a super cute dress that was originally $80 for $17 this weekend - SCORE!! If you find something that is a size or 2 too small, but it's a heluva deal, buy it - but only if you're committed.

JenAiMarres

Wear your workout stuff. Nothing wrong with that! U are too cute to be feeling frumpy!

SARgirl

I wore a belt and bought a couple key pieces on clearance with coupons at my favorite store to tide me over. I'm finally at the size I think I'm going to stay at so I can now start buying some clothes that fit! I also have a pile of my old clothes that I need to go through and see about getting some of them altered.

Sharmender

I just got cheap basic clothes once in a while at H&M, because getting clothes during my weightloss really motivated me. When I reached my goal I went shopping like a crazy woman :P

FitBunnyEm

i love my gym wear too cuz its kind of lycra and fits well...i would suggest wearing leggings and tops that arent fitted so when u keep losing u can still wear them and they wont be hanging off u. x

Diary_Queen

Honestly, i buy clothes from the sale rack at the dollar store... $2 pants... sure! i wont have them for long!

realme56

I live in a city that has lots of consignment stores so I can go out and get a pair of Lucky jeans for less than $20, tops for a few bucks each. A friend had this really cute dress on that she got at the $5 store so I really need to go there. I am now hitting 8-10-12 range which I will be keeping in the closet and I have a good seamstress that is reasonable for adjustments.

tcunbeliever

If you have any love of crafting, you can do more with those old clothes than just take them in, there are lots and lots of free on-line tips as well as books at just about any library that cover the topic of refashioning clothing. Not just altering old stuff to fit, but taking those oversized clothes and remaking them into cute new fashion statements. With the magic of stitch witchery and washable fabric glues you no longer even have to be able to sew to be a fashion designing queen! And it's fun, if you are into making thing!

sjkcarter

I buy a few things on clearance once and a while just to make it through, but I will be donig a big shopping spree when I hit my goal.

ashshields12

I purchase from buy and sell pages on Facebook in my area. I have also purchase a bulk pack on used clothes cheap on Ebay. I put wanted adds on gumtree for smaller free clothes also

majones_orl

A problme I am not having yet.. I have multiple sizes in my closet.
I would suggest alterations.
Ebay charges a lot on shipping.
Check overstock.com they have clothes cheap and the shpping is about 2.95.

beckys96

If you haven't been on pinterest - check there for refashion/upcycling clothes, lots of ideas, some involve sewing, others don't.

Jay_Jay_

When I started a year and a half or so ago, I purchased about 10-15 shirts from woot.com in 3x, they were all VERY small on me since I was wearing a 5x. As of two weeks ago I can now fit into all of them! For a while I was wearing 4/5x and they looked terrible and huge on me, but I just wanted to hold out until I could fit into these. Got myself a few new pairs of shorts, pants and a couple of nice new shirts from burlington coat factory (Clearance pricing basically, $3.00-17.99 per item) Been feeling great now, but i'm also getting worried because I think these 3x shirts are only going to last a couple of months before they get too big also!

rml_16

Everyone has good suggestions, but if you don't like buying used clothes - Find a good tailor. Only buy clothes that are on clearance - I got a super cute dress that was originally $80 for $17 this weekend - SCORE!! If you find something that is a size or 2 too small, but it's a heluva deal, buy it - but only if you're committed.

And if you're near an outlet mall, clearance sales at outlets are AWESOME. I've gotten nice clothes for $2, $4 at those places.

alvinder_kaur

Get your clothes thighten ....just for temporarily , turn ur clothes upside down then get thread and stitch it tighter from inside. U can cut off excess unwanted piece and there u go...fit clothes...

NSLionsMom

I never buy anything at full price anyway. Sales are easy to find, why pay full price, ever?

Scribetoo

What do you guys do about the clothes thing??

GOODWILL!! You can find pieces that work for VERY little investment.. and you're doing someone else a favor by donating your old clothes, too!

As I've been losing weight, I started wearing more skirts and dresses -- they are easier to adjust or take in as I go.. or I can belt them.. this way I just have to buy accessories.. tops, shrugs, leggings.. that work around my skirt/dress.

Stef

tugers2

i just bought 5 basic tees from wet seal for $20 w/ free shipping..... there are deals out there u just have to look

RumOne

I would try resale shops, goodwill stores or some to that nature and garage sales. I've got size 12/14 in my garage I want to sell!

I love our local Goodwill store. Some things even still have the tags on.

Christine1110

I started at a size tight 18 & now a size 4...tops 3X now a S. I have had a lot of clothes in between!
I have been buying my clothes at the Goodwill. I'm not in them very long anyway. I have bought a lot of nice designer jean there for 5.99 to 9.99. I bring them home put them right into the dryer....heat kills everything. Them I put them in the wash. If you don't like the idea of used clothes.....I have news for you! Most clothes have been tried on at the store, so your not buying clothes that are untouched!!

I have a tight budget...and don't chose to spend alot on clothes I didn't plan to be in long! I now have hit my goal....and I still find nice designer jeans at the Goodwill.

I spend more of my budget on buying fresh foods now...and I save by not eating out, buying junk food or buying fatty processed foods!!

Good luck.

Scarlett_S

I've gone from having size 20/22 in my closet to only size 8's now. Its great to finally be able to shop for "permanent" clothes, since I am just a few pounds shy of goal and at 5'10 I don't see myself getting into a size 6, ever.

A few things I discovered along the way:

Dresses last longer than jeans, etc., obviously. When I got into a 14 I bought a few summery type dresses, with and without belts, and wore them to work with sandals and out. They lasted three months and thirty pounds. Legging type pants with longer shirts work well too.

I also bought jeans for $4.99 a pair at Goodwill. You have to look and dig for good stuff but I always managed to find it. I'd buy two pair at least for each size and always tried everything on before I bought it. Same for tops/shirts - I could find stuff there if I looked.

When I was completely done with something and it was unwearable, I'd start stacking it up in the corner of my closet. When I had a decent sized stack, I'd take it to the resale shop and trade it for credit and/or cash, depending on whether or not they had things I would wear.

kristen6022

Goodwill helps. Are their re-sale shops in your area? Maybe a good tailor? I know the feeling I went from a 16 to 4's and 6's, I could cloth all the women in Africa if needed. And big clothes feel so crappy, you want to show off what you've done and you can't cheaply.

devenwarvel

I buy clothes that will fit at different sizes. Maxi dresses would be something that would fit at as you lose, as you get smaller you can use a belt to cinch it in to show off your smaller frame. Blazers could be cute, you can buy them a little small and wear them open, they tend to be slimming and cute. I have also been wearing alot of cheapo vneck ts and adding cute accessories with skinny jeans...gives ya a casual/chic look. I found amazing skinny jeans/jeggings that have an elastic top (can't tell AT ALL) and they have lasted me through all of my weight fluctuations. I live in them and my dresses:)

GeneveSparkles

I'm in the same boat. I've been rolling up my work slacks at the waist just to make them look like they fit a little better. The last couple of weeks I've been feeling frumpy too. I've tried though to make sure I pair either form fitting bottoms with a looser top or visa versa. Example, today I have black skinny pants (which because they have stretch still fit nicely) and a flowy tank top. The top is still falling down but I don't look too frumpy because the skinny pants balance it out. If you're stuck wearing loose pants try to wear a smaller top.

As for shopping, for now buy some items that are a little smaller but with some stretch. I find great deals at Old Navy in their clearance section (tops for less than $5). Also JCP has really good items for less than $10.

Just think having our clothes be too big is a GREAT problem to have!

LisaKunz

Same problem here... there is NO money, not even for Goodwill or a resale shop. The first 10-20 pounds were OK since I had clothes in smaller sizes that fit. Luckily, I sew, so I started making EVERYTHING smaller. Then a friend from church gave me a gift card and I went to Penney's and bought 2 pairs of pants (pants are harder to alter), which I had to exchange 3 weeks later for the next smaller size. (I had tags and receipts and told the clerk I had worn the pants, but they have a very generous new return policy. So does Kohl's.) I always make sure my hair and make-up are as good as I can get, that my clothes are clean and pressed, and I make sure to accessorize. You can poke extra holes in belts (hammer & nail) and usually the belt is covered up with a shirt, so nobody knows. Safety pins come in handy, too, for creating tucks in shirts. Pretty much everybody in my life knows what kind of journey I'm on, so I'm really trying not to care that my clothes are too baggy. I smile, I stand up straight with good posture, and I try to be confident, knowing that my clothes are only my clothes, that underneath them I am beautiful.

All that said, some people are rude and selfish and clueless. All of my co-workers know our financial situation. Yet, they continue to comment on my baggy clothes, even nick-naming me "Mrs. Baggypants." A couple of people have given me a bag of clothes, but they are like the garage-sale rejects from 1984. My big clothes are more stylish than the ones people are giving me. Believe me, I am NOT being stuck-up or picky here...I truly appreciate the thoughts, but I just think that when you give somebody something, it should not be your garbage. People also sometimes give us bags of groceries, and it's clear they have just cleaned out their cupboard of all of their old food; the food they give us is years past the expiration date.

Now, THAT said, I have a couple of people in my life that truly bless me with gift cards and even a new pair of pants a couple of times. I LOVE it when people comment on how great I'm looking (ME, not my clothes). It's taught me some things about how I treat and talk to others (the whole "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" thing...).

Articeluvsmemphis

Honestly, i buy clothes from the sale rack at the dollar store... $2 pants... sure! i wont have them for long!

kind of like your thinking. my friend does this and she always looks great

jiddu17

I'm another second hand clothes purchaser. Aside from brick and mortar shops (that are becoming more and more popular these days) - I use "freecycle". In my area, it is a Yahoo Group, but it varies in some places. I have had the most wonderful experiences on freecycle. I've gotten a ton of clothes for my son and myself, gifted kitchenwares to women's shelters and hristmas decorations to people who just got their first place. I'm a big, big fan.
The other thing is, and no one has mentioned it yet - there's a Swap here on MFP. I think there are actually a couple of them. If you search "MFP Thrift Store", check out the results.
My goal is always to spend as little as possible. Even if you are a consignment/thrift/resale/goodwill shopper, you know $10 starts to sound like a lot for pants when you're in that mode. Lol.