My pants are falling off! But do I really have to get rid o

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hopeC12
hopeC12 Posts: 38
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone! I have a general question about tailoring! I've gone from a size 16 to around a 10 over the last several months and now all my fall/winter pants are way too big. I've heard pants can be adjusted, but does anyone know if that big of a size change could be cheaply tailored to be useful again? Has anyone done this?? I hate to throw out all my good pants, especially since I can't afford to buy a lot of new ones (I'm a poor student), and I'm still planning to lose a lot more wait. I've bought some cheap used pants to tide me over in the meantime, but some of my old pants were pretty expensive dress pants from when I had a proper job.

I've tried belting, but even with that they look kinda silly because they sag so much in the crotch and bum area.

Thanks for your help!

~Kristy
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Replies

  • mookiemoo
    mookiemoo Posts: 46 Member
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    Do you have a friend/family member who is good with a sewing machine ?

    It is a pretty basic adjustment
  • JenS2009
    JenS2009 Posts: 65 Member
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    I just cleaned out my closet and gave my "fat clothes" away!! That just adds to the motivation (cause if I gain, I will have to buy more clothes!). Get rid of those things, and slowly build up a skinny clothes wardrobe! :)
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I agree with mookiemoo. Honestly, tailoring pants that much, you'd just have to measure it, slice it down the seams on the sides, sew it and cut the excess inside... as for the crotch and bum, I'm not sure exactly, but if you know someone who knows their way around a sewing machine, I'd suggest that before going to a tailor. One tailor told me it'd be $7/pair just to HEM my jeans... sooo, there's just an idea for you how much to expect for something like that.
  • Nina74
    Nina74 Posts: 470 Member
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    If you have a friend/family member who can do it, it might be worth it, but if you go to a tailor, it can get expensive because they need to basically take the pants completely apart. If you are at your goal, I think you should treat yourself to new clothes!

    Also, check out ebay, second hand stores, consignment shops, etc as they often have brand new clothes with the tags still on them for sale for cheap!!
  • kendra1976
    kendra1976 Posts: 90 Member
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    If you can take your clothes to a resale shop. Or you can buy yours from a resale shop. We have goodwill and a couple other places. Everytime I drop a size, I go there. I normally pay $3 - $8 for a pair of pants. I do have to look for good deals, but they can be found.

    good luck.
  • gnastro
    gnastro Posts: 239 Member
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    There is a goodwill store in my area and they have dress pants in black and gray ,you just have to spend time looking through the racks. I bought dress pants for work for 5 or 6 dollars and they look brand new.I have donated the clothes that are too big for me.
  • monicawildonger
    monicawildonger Posts: 14 Member
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    Try to find a store called Clothes Mentor or Plato's closest, they will pay you for your old gently used clothes and they resell gently used items and are pretty inexpensive.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
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    I definitely say look for some new pants... The consignment shops are really handy for picking up a few items to hold you over until you are your final size. I've also gone from a 16 to a 10 and I've completely replaced all my pants. I've just been very wisely shopping sales and using coupons. Old Navy has khaki pants (in brown, black, and khaki colors) that I wear to work often. They were on sale for $20 a pair AND I had a 30% off coupon. I picked up another pair from the clearance rack at Kohls for $10. You just have to shop around. Stores like JCPenney will have good discounts on work clothes and Dockers pants. I just get the absolute essentials, a pair of brown and black and then one or two pairs of jeans. I buy them a little snug so they last longer. I'd much rather wear a new pair of pants that fit than try to tear apart the ones I already have. I just can't see them fitting the way they're supposed to after being cut down 3 sizes.
  • jillybeanruns
    jillybeanruns Posts: 1,420 Member
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    Hemming prices really depend on where you are, but I can get an un-lined pair of pants hemmed for $9. Pants with a lining usually run me about $14. I'm petite, so finding pants that don't need to be taken up is hard. So once my pants fit me lengthwise, I try and keep them in my closet and get most of them hemmed!
  • JPotvin
    JPotvin Posts: 108
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    Sell your old pants (ebay is great) and search Goodwill or Ebay (if you know what size you wear in a particular brand). Good luck!
  • redefiningmyself
    redefiningmyself Posts: 476 Member
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    I dropped about 4 clothing sizes a few years ago and tried to get a seamstress to adjust my expensive stuff too. She said it wouldn't look good if it had to be taken in more then 1 size worth at the waist. I had her do it anyway, and she was was right - it didn't look good but it did buy me a bit of time until I had to get new.

    The only other way is if they take the clothes completely apart, cut, and then restitch. That will work, but the problem I've found is that its more money to have that done then it would be to just buy a new pair of pants in the first place.
  • bonnienm
    bonnienm Posts: 329 Member
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    I gave a couple of pair away but cut the rest up and I'm making a denim quilt for my son's wedding next week:) No way I can go back into them now!
  • Behavior_Modification
    Behavior_Modification Posts: 24,482 Member
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    I agree with shopping at the thrift stores for some new ones. Pants can definitely be altered, but when there is such a big difference in size you are better off getting "new" ones at a secondhand store.
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    If you're going to pay 3-$8 for pants, you might as well shop at Target or Kohl's or Old Navy. I found a pair of jeans at Old Navy for $2 on the clearance rack. YEAH. Just shop the clearance rack everywhere you go until you find a couple pairs you like. I also got a pair of NICE jeans that fit great at Ross for about $12 - it was worth the splurge for me 'cause NONE of my jeans fit me!
  • khk2010
    khk2010 Posts: 451 Member
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    What a great problem! Good job for losing all those sizes!

    I have been wondering the same thing about altering. I kept some things I thought could be altered but ended up giving away anything too complex like pants. I found it really validating to give away these clothes that were a size I never wanted to be.

    You may want to check into a program like "Dress for Success" which helps women get back into the workforce by giving them clothes and training them for interviews, etc. Then you know your clothes are going to a good place.
  • SP0472
    SP0472 Posts: 193 Member
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    I make a lot of my own clothes and that big a size difference - the person adjusting them will have to take them apart and basically start from scratch. That'll include the seamstress/tailor taking your measurements and all of that will take time for them and that's where you'll pay a lot.

    I agree with others. It's such a HUGE difference [congratulations, btw], look into buying new ones - 1 pair at a time at a discount store will be easy on the wallet.
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
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    To be honest, I dont think its worth the time, effort or money! :huh:

    I remember a few years back I had all my suits adjusted to fit my new goal weight. And guess what? They dont fit now....:laugh: I'm not trying to discourage you by saying you'll put weight back on again, but what I am saying is that you might! And if you get them adjusted to your size now, then you lose more weight? It's hard to maintain one size for your life, that's all Im saying. I have a wardrobe full of clothes of about 3 sizes. But, on average, I float between 2 sizes which I'm comfortable with.

    And even if you stick to the same weight for the rest of your life, clothes go out of fashion pretty darn quick. So will your fave pants of today, be your fave pants in 5 years? :bigsmile:

    I agree with everyone else, buy from ebay etc and keep the cost down :flowerforyou:
  • treasurep
    treasurep Posts: 88 Member
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    How about finding someone in your area to swap with. I've given several pairs of too big pants to friends and in return got some of their clothes that are too small on them. We all usually have several sizes in our closet/dressor, so it shouldn't be to hard if you have friends around your size now.
  • foxylady8098
    foxylady8098 Posts: 57
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    If you are crafty, I would suggest to make something with the fabric from the pants and sell them on www.etsy.com. This will help you make a little extra money to buy new pants.
  • fitnewlife
    fitnewlife Posts: 339 Member
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    I guess it depends on what you are willing to spend. You can check your local area for tailors, check dry cleaners, put an ad in the paper to search for an inexpensive tailor or ask around. I've gotten mine done by an elderly lady who's not the best but it made do. I wouldn't get rid of them if I didn't have to because new wardrobes can be expensive. So use all your resources, but don't keep them if you are not going to get them fixed.

    In the interim, check your local thrift shops and yardsales for clothes.
    Hi everyone! I have a general question about tailoring! I've gone from a size 16 to around a 10 over the last several months and now all my fall/winter pants are way too big. I've heard pants can be adjusted, but does anyone know if that big of a size change could be cheaply tailored to be useful again? Has anyone done this?? I hate to throw out all my good pants, especially since I can't afford to buy a lot of new ones (I'm a poor student), and I'm still planning to lose a lot more wait. I've bought some cheap used pants to tide me over in the meantime, but some of my old pants were pretty expensive dress pants from when I had a proper job.

    I've tried belting, but even with that they look kinda silly because they sag so much in the crotch and bum area.

    Thanks for your help!

    ~Kristy

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