Clothes - a good problem!

JaneECS
JaneECS Posts: 71 Member
edited November 9 in Motivation and Support
I am now heading towards my third clothes size downwards in 6 months - this is getting expensive! How do you deal with the fact that whatever you buy now for spring will probably be stupidly big when you next need them in autumn? Outside the box answers please - I know about supermarkets, charity shops and Matalan.

Replies

  • JenniDaisy
    JenniDaisy Posts: 526 Member
    Learn some basic tailoring maybe? I've had to take in (and let out) a few dresses in the past, if you stick to the original seams and only take stuff in a small amount (half inch or so) it's easy and no one's ever noticed.
    or a clothes swap? see if they have one nearby or you could organise one.
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    You could have worse problems.
  • chele402
    chele402 Posts: 128 Member
    I had bought some basic items in stretchy materials to help get me through. I can still wear my size 8 pants because I bought them all in skinny leg and I just wear a belt and deal with the fact that my butt area is a little saggy lol.

    Also, some dresses in similar types of fabric that don't look so bad bigger. I would hit up stores like Old Navy for some of these items at a good discount - especially now when they're having big sales.
  • oneoddsock
    oneoddsock Posts: 321 Member
    Ebay?
  • CarrieCans
    CarrieCans Posts: 381 Member
    Find someone in need and help them out. Doing a good deed like that will make you feel at least a little better about having spent the money because it isn't "wasted". Hopefully whoever needs those sizes could also be inspired to get in better shape and pass them along when they are finished with them.

    You could also keep a few of the clothes in each size as you go. When you are done losing take all of those clothes and make a quilt out of them. I know i am crazy but i see unwearable clothing as fabric. Materials like that are quite expensive these days, so they would make an awesome memory quilt. Many milestones could go into one throw.

    As for new clothing. Just buy what you need as you need it. Get just enough to get you through and if it is not enough then it could inspire more weight loss maybe.

    I don't have to worry much about fashion so i just keep tightening my belt and i wear a lot of sweatshirts and tshirts. I think i have clothes with tags on still in my closet so i need to go shopping at home lol
  • ukaryote
    ukaryote Posts: 860 Member
    JaneECS wrote: »
    How do you deal with the fact that whatever you buy now for spring will probably be stupidly big when you next need them in autumn?
    I celebrate!



  • Pootler74
    Pootler74 Posts: 223 Member
    edited January 2015
    Stretchy fabrics, sales and second hand shops are how I'm dealing with it.

    Ok, I'm actually mostly dealing with it by wearing my too-big-baggy-bummed clothes* round the house, and saving two or three outfits (bought second hand or in the sales) that fit for going outside. Because I'm greedy, and I'd rather spend the money on lovely lovely food than on something that might only last a few months. :-)

    * I did actually invest in a new belt to stop them falling down. From Ebay. I'm not that much of a skinflint. :)
  • kyta32
    kyta32 Posts: 670 Member
    I was fooled! They said losing weight would make my clothes fit better. I've lost close to 110 pounds, and everything sags on me! Started at 4x, am now a Large.

    Belt, drawstring pants/shorts, taking in pants at side seams (just a backstitch down for 2 inches), and I take in the neckline on my T shirts. I pinched down the middle of the back of the neck, bringing the sides together, and sewed the sides together where they touched down for one inch (the extra fold has a triangle shape if you look down through the neck).

    I also hinted to family that I would like size Large long sleeved shirts (I've also been colder since losing weight) for Christmas. They also gave me stuff that they have that doesn't fit them well. Christmas is over, but maybe you could get clothes instead of chocolates for Valentines?

    BTW - congrats on the weight loss (*) :)
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I try to stick with basics that can be layered. A plain black t-shirt that you wear today may still be wearable under a sweater or jacket next fall. It depends on how much you lose, of course, but there is some give.

    It does add up though. A year ago I as 16w/18regular and now I am size 10/medium. My standard when I get to a new size is to buy a pair of black pants and, if the size I just left really looks bad, one other pair of pants. Air dry everything until it starts to get loose. Then stick it in the dryer to shrink it up a bit. Eventually you have to buy the next size or else you will look messy. Dresses are nice because there's a bit more leeway with them if they have full skirts.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    thrift shops
  • yourradimradletshug
    yourradimradletshug Posts: 964 Member
    My sister looks on the Facebook yard sale sites in our area and finds TONS of clothes for cheap. Also Craigslist. People are trying to get rid of clothes they don't fit in anymore.
  • bug1114
    bug1114 Posts: 268 Member
    I try not to buy new clothing until I absolutely cannot stand how big it is on me. Then I buy just a few things in the next size down (or even a little bit tight) to hold me over. I will wait until I find stuff on sale (and hopefully have a store coupon too). I've had great luck with this shopping at Kohls.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    edited January 2015
    Thrift stores.
    Second hand and consignment stores.
    Find a good and affordable tailor.
    Yard/garage sales.
    eBay
    Facebook (look for local sale/swap/barter/buy pages)
    Craigslist

    ETA: You can sell your old stuff to get some money back that can towards replacing what you sell. You can sell at Thrift stores (sometimes), second hand and consignment stores, yard/garage sales, eBay, Facebook, and Craigslist.
  • Mary407
    Mary407 Posts: 635 Member
    oneoddsock wrote: »
    Ebay?

    This! I have a colleague who dropped three sizes and pretty much sold her entire wardrobe on Ebay. She's got GREAT taste and her clothes were in very good condition. I'd never thought abut Ebay for clothes, and this inspired me to check it out. Lots of great stuff in every imaginable size!
  • I'm always up for shopping! (Of course I get that its expensive, so I'd go with stretchy stuff maybe?)
  • CountessKitteh
    CountessKitteh Posts: 1,505 Member
    I swear by the thrift store for work clothes (and then donate my larger stuff if they're still in good shape!), and cheaper brands like Walmart/Target for my in-between jeans.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Thrift stores is what my gf does.
  • Adc7225
    Adc7225 Posts: 1,318 Member
    Having gone from a 20/22 to 2/4 I figured out leggings and tunics style tops can go a long way between sizes.

    Though I did buy new clothes all along (always on sale) I don't really regret it, looking nice in my clothes is motivation for me. I do sew and along the way also did a great deal of tailoring initially!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I only bought bottoms when mine were falling off (yes even panties), and only a couple (and tight). Didn't buy any shirts at all until I was 10 pounds from my goal weight because I figured I'd still wear them at goal weight... Nope, they were too baggy, and I actually gave them all away a couple weeks ago and wish I had saved the money... same with the jeans I bought 8 pounds ago (although to be fair, I pretty much had to buy jeans at that time anyway, I guess I lost more sizes than I thought I would, and I'm still not at my goal weight yet).

    So my advice is to save your money until you're at your goal weight, and in the meantime just replace things that fall off (for me it was pretty much at season change). I'm cheap though, and basically only buy basics on sale and/or with a coupon (Old Navy, Kohls or Target pretty much).
  • Saphira291
    Saphira291 Posts: 54 Member
    bug1114 wrote: »
    I've had great luck with this shopping at Kohls.

    Kohl's is a really good option especially when you have the 30% off. I usually go when I have the 30% off coupon then shop the clearance racks that are already 70% + off
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    I've been buying 2-3 dresses at a time as I drop down in weight. One size up doesn't look atrocious with a belt and cardigan. A few cardigans + 3 dresses that fit and 3-6 that are only a little too big = enough variety to get by. As clothing becomes unwearably large, I donate it.

    I buy my dresses at Ross/TJ Maxx for $15-30 and cardigans at Target for $3-5.

    I'm about to exit from a lot of sizes all at once (I was size 10-12 for a long time before I dropped down to 6-8), so I may try going to Plato's Closet, which is a store that buys gently used on-trend clothing and accessories. You can get cash or store credit, though I've heard it's like, "I will give you $2 for this dress or $3 store credit."
  • tulips_and_tea
    tulips_and_tea Posts: 5,744 Member
    My dry cleaner does alterations and tailoring. I've gone to the same one for 20+ years, so I have a good relationship with them. I'll take a stack of things to be tailored a couple times year. I've been the same size for a while, but have a hard time finding grown-up, professional clothes to fit me because I'm pretty small, but much too old to shop in the junior's dept.! (not that I'd want to)
  • ivygirl1937
    ivygirl1937 Posts: 899 Member
    I'm a Gywnnie Bee member and love it. I figured there was no point in buying more clothes until I get closer to my goal so I just pick what I like, wear it a couple times, and send it back. That way I can keep adjusting the size as I lose.
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    I'm a Gywnnie Bee member and love it. I figured there was no point in buying more clothes until I get closer to my goal so I just pick what I like, wear it a couple times, and send it back. That way I can keep adjusting the size as I lose.

    What an interesting concept! Had never heard of Gywnnie Bee before reading yours post. Besides the unique idea behind the website, I found the size chart fascinating. Such a big difference in measurement sizes between all the brands they feature.

This discussion has been closed.