New Clothes...sigh...To those who have lost a lot of weight.

kaveril422
kaveril422 Posts: 116 Member
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I bought a shirt and 2 dresses from old navy. I had a couple extra dollars and I didn't have anything that "fit." All my beginning clothes are way baggy and loose. Well today I wore the shirt to my church picnic that I bought maybe 3 weeks ago. It was on the snug side when I bought it, so I was like I will wait a while to wear it...put it on today, its dangling everywhere. Its a tank top, so its all droopy under the arms. I can't complain because that means I am making progress, but I would like to have clothes that fit, but I can't really afford to buy clothes that I shrink out of in a week.

So to anyone that lost a lot of weight, how did you shop during your loss?

Replies

  • nikki91950
    nikki91950 Posts: 647
    keep the tags on, and exchange if needed?
  • Punktorian
    Punktorian Posts: 224 Member
    I bought a belt, that is about it. My pants are about 5 or 6 sizes to big but the belt works for now. Just trying to get by as long as possible without having to buy anything that won't fit later.
  • tasoconnor
    tasoconnor Posts: 421 Member
    Thrift Stores are cheap...$1 maybe $5 for something that is usually $15 to $30.
  • Chenoachem
    Chenoachem Posts: 1,758 Member
    I bought a belt and shopped clearance racks and second hand stores.
  • sculptandtone
    sculptandtone Posts: 300 Member
    Find a consignment shop! Bring in what doesn't fit and get what does. It will be way less than retail, especially if you're bringing in and not just taking out!
  • emsibun
    emsibun Posts: 208
    Charity shops (I think you call the goodwill or thrift stores?) and clothes I used to fit once upon a time ago :laugh:
  • thelandofwin
    thelandofwin Posts: 79
    Tell me about it! I know it's annoying to people when I complain the effects of losing weight, but it's difficult to wear clothes that don't fit. Not only do they make you look bigger, but you end up wasting money. Sometimes the clothes end up embarrassing you when they drop below your bust line. I had a formal event to go to and wore a dress that was tight previously. When I sat down for dinner, it was exceedingly difficult not to flash the people sitting next to me. Then you don't know when it's safe to buy clothes. :(
  • HeatherrSue
    HeatherrSue Posts: 106 Member
    You need to hit good will and second hand stores till you're done losing weight. Try to get rid of your "Old" clothes because hanging on to them and wearing them after losing weight, will only make you feel like the old you, not the new you. Our good will has 2 days a week where a certain color tag is only a dollar. Look around for good deals like that, that's what I've done. Plus, if you get rid of the old clothes, they aren't there for you to accidentally grow back into. Good luck in all you do and congrats on all your losses. :-)
  • Fleur933
    Fleur933 Posts: 156 Member
    I Keep thinking about is alot too. I have not lost nearly as much as you have...but I have had tp start picking up new summer stuff because my old (can I say it) FAT CLOTHES :) are way too big...I look like a clown. I really wish we had more availability to trade clothing with eachother. :)
  • SolidGoaled
    SolidGoaled Posts: 504 Member
    Thrift shop all the way! I have found the cutest things at our Salvation Army - and on Wednesdays they have 1/2 price sales that make it even more of a bargain. It is just plain silly to pay full price for things you know you won't be wearing for more than 6 weeks at a time, depending on how fast you're losing your weight and inches. I have already bought, wore, and re-donated many shirts/pants that I bought at the thrift store. I find that every 15 or 20 lbs I need to get rid of a few pieces and buy smaller things.
  • NancyAnne1960
    NancyAnne1960 Posts: 500 Member
    Put everything in the hot dryer as long as you can. Stuff shrunk at least one size. LOL Every little bit helps! Belt a larger shirt when possible. Pin or belt pants as long as you can. It's not easy.

    I've also kept my fav skinny clothes I've worn in the past, just in case. 4 different sizes. I always get rid of the big stuff when I get down thinking "I'll never go there again". Sad to say, I have gone up in the past. This time with the help of MFP and friends, it's tons easier, and I plan to keep it off this time!! Thanks everyone!!
  • skinnymeinaz
    skinnymeinaz Posts: 384 Member
    A pretty belt is my newest purchase :) I bought it to fit me on the last possible hole too...that way I can use it for a while. Congrats on the weight loss!
  • haeden
    haeden Posts: 183 Member
    there is stores where you can get credit for bringing in your old clothes and they take it off your new purchase.you can keep doing that till you get to ur goal weight :)
  • jbucci1186
    jbucci1186 Posts: 440 Member
    let's just say the old navy clearance section became my best friend during my weight loss period. i had to get new clothes every few months. old navy has nice looking stuff and i found some things REALLY cheap (i once paid $20 total for FIVE button down shirts). now that i've been staying the same size, i've allowed myself to buy more expensive clothing now that i know it will still fit me in 5 months haha when my clothes were definitely too big for me to wear, i let my friends have first pick and then gave the rest to the salvation army.

    congrats and keep it up!!!
  • velix
    velix Posts: 437 Member
    I bought a few staple pieces - a few tshirts and 2 pairs of good jeans, and a good belt.

    While I constantly complain about not having anything to wear, I have salvaged a few of my old items and revamped them (the cargo pants that no longer fit made a great pair of capris for poking around the house/yard; a shirt dress that looked drab and droopy with a belt looks fresh and fitted). And I agree with the goodwill/thrift shop idea - or try swapping clothes (some groups of friends / communities have clothing swap meets)...

    good luck!
  • RaeannePemberton
    RaeannePemberton Posts: 382 Member
    yep, welcome to the double edged sword that is not having clothes that fit! i HATED this part of weight loss and i got so sick of everyone saying "well it's really not a bad problem to have" and it's like... YES it is.... because you work so hard that you want the clothes to fit you to flatter the body that you now have...

    i agree with thrift stores. when i was 250 lbs nothing ever fit me but now thrift stores are much easier to shop at and find stuff that fits. i also consigned most of my big clothes so at least i was earning some of the money i had to spend on new clothes.... good luck!!! keep up the good work. :)
  • epj78
    epj78 Posts: 643 Member
    All great suggestions. Unfortunately, I do not have the patience for goodwill or Salvation army......so I wear a ton of dresses! I've found that knit dresses seem to fit and look nice for a good 30-40 pounds. I shop sales at The Loft, Banana Republic, J Crew, etc and usually get them for around $25 each. Buy them in solids and different colored cardigans or wraps and you have endless wardrobe ideas. I just bought mediums about 10 pounds ago and plan on them lasting me at least another 20-30 (so all summer and maybe even next depending on how they look when I make goal weight).
  • kirstiey
    kirstiey Posts: 243
    I have entire wardrobes of stuff which USED to fit me in size 10, 12, and 14.....I just need to work my way back down! :laugh:
  • tncmom
    tncmom Posts: 79
    I second thrift shops, and lots of laundry. I also have some wonderful friends that are smaller than me and losing weight, so I am getting their hand me downs. Never thought I would be wearing hand me downs at age 40, but oh well!
  • NancyAnne1960
    NancyAnne1960 Posts: 500 Member
    I have entire wardrobes of stuff which USED to fit me in size 10, 12, and 14.....I just need to work my way back down! :laugh:
    DITTO!
  • Galathea
    Galathea Posts: 420 Member
    belts are my best friends now. LOL
    I also bought shirts I now wear as short dresses with a leggings. Skirts are awesome.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    I guess I'm lucky (HA! never thought I would say that!) that my weight (7 stone) piled on in little more than 2 years as I still have all my old clothes. But On the way up I used ebay...I never intended to stay in them for long (I didnt but the weight was still going in the wrong direction!) so wasn't happy to be paying top price.

    Hit last minute 99p/c bids with low postage costs, check out charity /thrift shops, Oh and sharpen your needlework skills, darts are easy to put in trousers and skirts, tops are a little harder to take in but can be done if you follow the original seams and dart lines
  • stephaniezoundi
    stephaniezoundi Posts: 1,148 Member
    I hear ya! Totally have this problem and have been spending a fortune on clothes. I've decided that a belt is my best friend, one of the big ones you were higher, its salvaged some old shirts. As well, maxi dress and skirts seem to be lsating longer than others. Trousers are currently the bane of my existance!
  • Suziq2you
    Suziq2you Posts: 396 Member
    I have a friend that owns a consignment shop. I take her the clothes I can no longer wear and go home with clothes that fit.
  • lkenn67
    lkenn67 Posts: 215 Member
    I have to agree with the thrift store idea. I have found many great bargains there, but you do need the time and patience to sift through all of the junk. I have a tendency to buy a couple of nice basic slacks in neutral colors then partner with a variety of shirts. The shirts can usually last 2 or 3 pant sizes. I have a friend who has taken clothes to the tailors. I have taken tucks myself in skirts and pants, but never actually had anything professional tailored. Usually because I paid less for the clothes than it would cost to have them tailored, but it is a thought.
  • girlwapp
    girlwapp Posts: 136 Member
    Hit the thrift stores and consignment stores or swap with friends. A friend of mine has lost a lot of weight so I gave her the jeans I grew out of when I went on bc and they fit her much better.

    Also, especially for shirts, if you know how to sew you can normally either take in a seam or add darts and it'll help immensely. Taking in is a lot easier than letting out too. Pants are a bit more difficult, but skirts are often pretty easy to manage as well.
  • _LA_
    _LA_ Posts: 111
    I lost a lot of weight by the beginning of summer a couple of years ago, and on 10-month teacher salaries I just couldn't do any shopping at that time of the year. I posted on Freecycle that Iw as looking for casual clothes in my size, and someone else who had also just lost a lot of weight (and was therefore now a smaller size than me) gave me pretty much the whole wardrobe she had just grown out of. Half of it was totally not comfortable for me (style wise!) and I passed that on, but the other half served very well for the whole summer. I would do it again!
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    First off.. I LOVE OLD NAVY lol

    If you are anything like me, most stores you shop at so have a clearance section. Specifically Old Navy, when I find something that fits good, I know it will fit good at the next size down. So if I find something on clearance that I have already bought before (pair of jeans or whatever) I will buy them. Or if I am lucky enough, I will find my current size and some lower sizes of the same style all in clearance :) Especially at Old Navy, you can often find jeans or dress pants in clearance for $10. Then you have them for later and they make awesome goal pants too.

    I actually did that at Additionelle a while back. They had a crazy sale one weekend where all thier jeans (regularly priced at $59.99) were all on sale for $8 a pair. In the few styles I had previously bought at regular price that I liked, I bought all the sizes below my current size that I could find, right up to and including 14's where they stop. I haven't had to buy any jeans until recently when I got into a size 12. I spent about $150-$200, but I was a size 20 at the time. So it saved me a tonne of money in the end.

    you obviously can't do this for all your clothes, but when the opportunity comes along, it really helps :)

    And I completely understand the buying new clothes and it not fitting shortly after. I buy pants and sometimes within weeks, I have the saggy look in the front. It bothers me, but I know at some point, that problem will be no more.
  • tryinghard2012
    tryinghard2012 Posts: 419 Member
    Same problem, I can only wear my clothes twice before they get loose. It's a great problem to have.

    I'm having to shop at some of the less expensive store so I don't "waste" money...(Wal-Mart, JC Penny, Sears) not my preference I really enjoy more fashionable stores however I also enjoy being able to wear my clothes more than twice so it's worth the sacrifice for now.

    Went from a size 26 currently a size 14-16 (in bottoms) and 10-12 (shirts) looking to get to a size 8 in bottoms.
  • Crizelda
    Crizelda Posts: 5
    Great suggestions floating around! I used to own a tailoring shop and strongly suggest you "make friends" with a tailor or proficient seamstress! Many will barter and that will save you cash. If you have the too-big stuff tailored and then next time those clothes are too big, buy a few new things, by the time they are ready for tailoring, you may have been able to sell the other stuff! Consignment shops can be great because you sometimes find smaller replacements when you take your too-big stuff in.

    Organize a clothing swap. Not only are they popular, they can save many people loads of money.

    Second-hand stores. . . lots of stuff is gently used or even has tags on it.

    Purchase as little as possible. . . fairly classic cuts, "ordinary" fabrics, and change the look with sweaters, blazers, scarves, jewelry, belts, layering, etc.

    Best to you~!
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