For the ladies - ever buy smaller clothing for motivation?

Cakewalk25
Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am a total clotheshorse, and being a single professional and without kids, pretty much all of my disposable income goes to clothes (hey - everyone's got to have something that makes them happy!) I've had my eye on this absolutely gorgeous really expensive dress at my favourite store Anthropologie for a while. It's one of those situations where the 6 almost fits perfectly except in the stomach (where I gain all my weight), and the 8 is too loose. I know if I lost 10 pounds it'd fit perfectly, because whenever I lose weight it's in the tummy. And by the time I actually lose the 10 pounds it'll probably be sold out.

So....would it be a waste of money to buy it now, when there's no guarantee I'll lose the 10 pounds? Or would it be a good motivator (Hey, I spend $250 on this dress, I BETTER lose the weight so I can wear it!) Anyone else ever do this?
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Replies

  • christmre
    christmre Posts: 109 Member
    Yes, buy it and work toward it, especially if you really love it, and it is close to fitting.
  • softwind
    softwind Posts: 580 Member
    I don't buy clothes as motivation, but I have hung onto something from when I was smaller.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    Nope, I haven't and I'm glad I haven't. Even some of the smaller sizes I had in my closet from before no longer fit me properly because my body is different now.
  • Aust1967
    Aust1967 Posts: 68 Member
    Yes! I buy the next smaller size jeans and then try them on every once in a while. I also bought a couple of smaller shirts (too small to fit me now) the other day because they were so cute and so cheap!

    Edited to add: I should mention that I am getting most of these clothes from the clearance rack at a new consignment store. The three pair of size 10 jeans that I just bought cost me under $20 total. :bigsmile:
  • threefancy
    threefancy Posts: 93 Member
    Love Anthropologie!
    I would just buy the bigger size and have it tailored to fit now. There is no guarantee that losing 10 lbs would make the smaller size fit - you might lose weight in spots other than your stomach area.

    For me, I have about four smaller sizes in my closet from years past. Some are still in style, and I plan to fit into them at some point this year.
  • 2bassets
    2bassets Posts: 193 Member
    Yep, I sure have. I have new size 12 jeans that don't fit yet and then bought them again in a size 10. I WILL get into them!
  • HappilyTaken610
    HappilyTaken610 Posts: 21
    I kept all my clothes from when I was at my skinniest in hopes to be that size or smaller =)
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    I'm not a shopper by any means, but occasionally I'll find something I just have to have, whether it fits now or not. I try it on every few weeks to see how it's fitting. I get excited when it does!
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Nope, I haven't and I'm glad I haven't. Even some of the smaller sizes I had in my closet from before no longer fit me properly because my body is different now.

    ^^
    This.

    I did, however, buy the next size down in jeans from the thrift store, because it was a good indication of when I was getting smaller.
  • jess135177
    jess135177 Posts: 186 Member
    Yes I have a pair of jeans that I cannot wait to fit into!! I try them on every couple of weeks.
  • qtgonewild
    qtgonewild Posts: 1,930 Member
    absolutely. i have a closet full of brand new clothes (mainly shirts) in all different sizes. its always a good feeling to wake up and pop tags off a brand new item that didnt fit when you got it.
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    Buy the dress! I do this often. Today I'm wearing jeans I bought a while ago (they wouldn't even go over my thighs when I bought them but they were the biggest size in that store) and it feels great to be able to fit into them now. I had them hanging on a hook on my wall waiting for me so I could see them and be reminded of my goal.
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
    Yes I have, also to fit into my clothes before I had my kids. It can be a motivating factor :smile:
  • MacMomma2013
    MacMomma2013 Posts: 128 Member
    Nope, I haven't and I'm glad I haven't. Even some of the smaller sizes I had in my closet from before no longer fit me properly because my body is different now.

    ^^
    This.

    I did, however, buy the next size down in jeans from the thrift store, because it was a good indication of when I was getting smaller.

    ^^ This, for me.
  • Cakewalk25
    Cakewalk25 Posts: 71 Member
    Thanks ladies! I'm going to mull it over for a while - maybe I'll wait a bit to see if it goes on sale too.

    My body's pretty predictable in how it gains/loses weight, as I've lost and gained 10-15 pounds regularly over the years, so I think I'm pretty safe if I decide to buy the smaller size. (Too bad you can't pick where you gain weight or I would have picked my 32A chest...but nope, it's always in the stomach).

    I still have my absolutely unforgiving skinny jeans from university in my closet - when I can fit into THOSE I know I'll have lost a lot of weight! I made myself keep them "just in case" I ever get back to that size.
  • xscat
    xscat Posts: 80 Member
    Nope... I prefer to let my clothes fit me rather than the other way around :)
  • ponycyndi
    ponycyndi Posts: 858 Member
    If my clothes fit snugly, it reminds me not to over-eat that day. If I can't wear something because its too small, I just think f it, put my sweatpants on and eat everything I see.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
    I recently found the prom dress I almost bought back in 2004 on ebay for $50... in a size S (which is what I would have worn back then). I don't know if I'll ever be able to get my hips into it, but won't know until I try! (it at least gives me a physical goal to strive for)
  • judykat7
    judykat7 Posts: 576 Member
    I am the ClosetQueen. I however don't purposely buy things too small but if I think it might fit and it is on clearance, then I go for it. If it doesn't fit I put it in a pile on the top shelf and at the end of each month before my new fitness challenge, I go though the pile and see what fits. It is a very small pile right now, maybe I should add too it. I guess it depends on how important $250 is to you. If you buy the dress and can get into it in a couple months, will you feel rewarded or really just want it in a size smaller yet? $250 would be a lot for me to spend on one item but nothing to spend on a shopping outing - so it is really up to you of course.
  • bumblebreezy91
    bumblebreezy91 Posts: 520 Member
    I don't buy clothes as motivators simply because I've always had a problem identifying size. I have never walked into a store and picked something even close to my size unless I was buying literally the same thing in the same size (like a pair of jeans I needed to replace). This applies to shoes, too. My perception has never been good. I find something, think it's cute, grab the biggest size thinking it will work just fine, and it's skin tight or doesn't even come close to fitting. So I get all self-conscious and start grabbing items that are three times too big for me. I mostly wear loose clothing because of this. I'm hoping that once I lose weight and get to my goal, I can take someone shopping with me for an afternoon and have them help me stock my closet by guiding me to the correct sizes so I can try & buy clothes that actually fit me nicely. Once I've been maintaining, I'm hoping I will have gotten used to my body and conquered this shopping dilemma. No more fitting room breakdowns!

    However, I do have a pair of yoga pants that are a medium (no numbered sizes--that helps me!) and I'm thinking they will fit me when I hit ~160 pounds (so, 50 more pounds to lose). I bought them by accident thinking they were an XL like the other pair (now too big) and never returned them because I like the color of the waist-band & now I can use it to gauge my progress. And I have a dress that I'd like to wear this summer; I've worn it before, I just want to look nicer in it.
  • goalie234
    goalie234 Posts: 97 Member
    I don't buy clothes as motivation, but I have hung onto something from when I was smaller.

    Thats what i do too! I hope ill fit into them some day ..
  • josavage
    josavage Posts: 472 Member
    Love Anthropologie!
    I would just buy the bigger size and have it tailored to fit now. There is no guarantee that losing 10 lbs would make the smaller size fit - you might lose weight in spots other than your stomach area.

    I agree with this. I've bought things that were too small and then I either never lost enough weight to wear them or when I did finally lose enough weight, they didn't look good on me or I no longer cared for the style. So if you love the dress, I vote for buying the 8 and having it tailored to fit you right now.
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    I haven't bought any full price, but I definitely have a few vintage/consignment finds in one size down that I couldn't resist and can't wait to wear!

    My only caution with something that expensive is that you don't know for sure that it will fit well, but if you're a clothes-horse you probably know what brands work for your shape, etc.

    I say go for it!
  • missing75
    missing75 Posts: 26 Member
    Yes I have ! When I started -in November- I bought 2 pair of smaller size jeans. I'm now wearing one of them and hopefully wear the other in 3 weeks: for me it's working pretty well... ( levi's jeans: in november 38\36, now 36\36, next one: 34\34, in case you were wondering...)
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
    NOO~! I have wasted soo much money on this! you don't know how its going to fit until it does- I cant tell you how many thousands of dollars I wasted on this before I learned to just say NO!
    If you want to buy the 8 and get it tailored- great idea. Otherwise just lose the weight and hope it is still there - but you may be happy when you do that you didn't buy it.
  • kassidylynSanborn
    kassidylynSanborn Posts: 14
    I would suggest buying something cheaper in the next size down. You may lose your weight in a different place and it might look a bit off. I would buy the 8 and have it tailored! You can always have it tailored after you lose the 10 pounds! :smile:
  • TLwineguzzler
    TLwineguzzler Posts: 289 Member
    I've got my "one day" jeans that I used to wear when I was in my late 20s (I'm now 52) and "one day" I'll get in them again - they might even be back in fashion by then :bigsmile:
  • kimkay1985
    kimkay1985 Posts: 73 Member
    I say buy it! I have a smaller size jeans that I use as motivation.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    I used to do that in High School and then I ended up with a closet full of clothes that do not fit.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I was all set to say no, but you are probably closer than you think to fitting in it. I'd say go for it since you know how it fits and should be able to estimate that it will fit as you slim down. What I don't understand is being a size 14 and buying a 6 for motivation. I had a bunch of really nice classic suits for work that I held on to as I gained weight. Once I shrunk down to fit into them they still didn't look right because even though the size fit the cut no longer did.

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