Weight Loss Clothing Issues!

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JessicaMcB
JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Let me preface my post by saying I am very grateful I've been able to lose weight well enough to this point that I have issues like this and I'm not trying to be whiney.

Since February 1 I've lost 45lbs and plan to lose 28lbs more. I've gone from a 16/18 to an 8 (6 in select fits). About a month ago I bought some size 12 jeans online because we live in a small town where haute couture is Walmart haha, they're now obviously falling off and it feels like $150 down the tubes. I tried a bunch of different places in another town over and I'm consistently in an 8 but struggle to find any jeans under $100 because I require a long inseam :( . My inseam requirements make it basically impossible to buy used in town as well.

How do you know when you're able to invest in clothes again? Does buying clothes stress you out because of the potential for it to be a waste? Is there any way to suss out what your body's potential "end size" would be? I'm so over being the mom with athletic leggings on...and they're getting too big too! Help!
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Replies

  • Jburlen2007
    Jburlen2007 Posts: 59 Member
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    I am a guy but know exactly how you feel. I have 3-4 pairs of jeans in 33,32,31,30 and just last week bought 29. I should be all set for any gains or loses :P
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    GIC_87 wrote: »
    Same problem here! I bought a great pair of jeans from Long Tall Sally that fit snug back then, really baggy now. What I plan to do is spend $10-$15 to get them sized down at a tailor's instead of buying new ones. If you have someone in your family who's handy with a sewing machine maybe they can even do it for free!

    This is a great idea I sadly hadn't even thought of! Looking into it, thanks!
  • NewMEEE2016
    NewMEEE2016 Posts: 192 Member
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    I was actually thinking of joining one of those services where you pay a flat fee per month and get to "rent" clothes- it's sort of like the "Netflix" of clothing. Has anyone here tried anything like that? I think we deserve to look GOOD and have fun dressing cute WHILE we are losing. I was thinking this might be a solution. Meanwhile- I just buy 1 pair of jeans at a time- and if I like them, I buy the next smaller size down, too. Once they are too big for me in a few weeks- I very happily donate them.
  • NewMEEE2016
    NewMEEE2016 Posts: 192 Member
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    Another idea I had- and this would require that you have SPACE and TIME- I was thinking of staring a meetup group for people who are losing weight- and then having a "clothing library" where people could "check out" clothes.
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    NewMEEE2016 wrote: »
    I was actually thinking of joining one of those services where you pay a flat fee per month and get to "rent" clothes- it's sort of like the "Netflix" of clothing. Has anyone here tried anything like that? I think we deserve to look GOOD and have fun dressing cute WHILE we are losing. I was thinking this might be a solution. Meanwhile- I just buy 1 pair of jeans at a time- and if I like them, I buy the next smaller size down, too. Once they are too big for me in a few weeks- I very happily donate them.

    There actually is a service like this that a lady in my LC group clued me into! But sadly its only for plus sized women so its no help to me now :( . Still its a great idea, hopefully it'll be further adapted out!
  • JessicaMcB
    JessicaMcB Posts: 1,503 Member
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    CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
    I feel your pain. I have bought nothing but pre-worn stuff from Salvation Army and ARC and Savers and Goodwill since I started this because I was forewarned, and they were right.

    Consider this tactic. It saves the planet, hundreds of dollars, and your sanity. I did the same thing while I was pregnant to avoid the high-cost maternity specific clothes at WalMart (they're high cost on our income).

    If you think wearing pre-worn clothes is icky, I think you need to take a remedial course on "Soap".

    Further, because I also have specific sizing issues (I am very short and apparently no one else on this planet is, because finding pants that fit me correctly is a nightmare) I actually find second hand stores more often have exactly my fit stuff. Maybe it's because that's the stuff more likely not to sell (lots of stuff at salvation army is straight from the local target, tags still on and all) and go out of season. Maybe it's because pre-worn stuff has been stretched in all the right places already. I think it's because I can only afford walmart, and salvation army gets old stuff direct from people who could afford way better and also have similar sizing needs. Who knows? But i get better brands, styles, quality second-hand than I can afford new.

    I grew up very poor so not too proud for Value VIllage here- the issue is that our town only has the church thrift store which I've struck out at every time. We have the money to purchase, I just feel guilty wasting the money if the pants won't fit in a month you know?
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
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    JessicaMcB wrote: »
    CoffeeNCardio wrote: »
    I feel your pain. I have bought nothing but pre-worn stuff from Salvation Army and ARC and Savers and Goodwill since I started this because I was forewarned, and they were right.

    Consider this tactic. It saves the planet, hundreds of dollars, and your sanity. I did the same thing while I was pregnant to avoid the high-cost maternity specific clothes at WalMart (they're high cost on our income).

    If you think wearing pre-worn clothes is icky, I think you need to take a remedial course on "Soap".

    Further, because I also have specific sizing issues (I am very short and apparently no one else on this planet is, because finding pants that fit me correctly is a nightmare) I actually find second hand stores more often have exactly my fit stuff. Maybe it's because that's the stuff more likely not to sell (lots of stuff at salvation army is straight from the local target, tags still on and all) and go out of season. Maybe it's because pre-worn stuff has been stretched in all the right places already. I think it's because I can only afford walmart, and salvation army gets old stuff direct from people who could afford way better and also have similar sizing needs. Who knows? But i get better brands, styles, quality second-hand than I can afford new.

    I grew up very poor so not too proud for Value VIllage here- the issue is that our town only has the church thrift store which I've struck out at every time. We have the money to purchase, I just feel guilty wasting the money if the pants won't fit in a month you know?

    Well, you can always try the tried and true method of resale. Buy your pants and take great care of them, then resell on ebay or craigslist or whatever later. You won't get back all the money you spent, but you can get some back, and maybe that will create just enough balance to assuage your guilt.
  • jennypapage
    jennypapage Posts: 489 Member
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    you can take your jeans to a seamstress to make them smaller. i don't know there, but here it costs 5-10euro for something like that.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I grew up very poor so not too proud for Value VIllage here- the issue is that our town only has the church thrift store which I've struck out at every time. We have the money to purchase, I just feel guilty wasting the money if the pants won't fit in a month you know?

    I feel your pain! I grew up in a small town.
    Do you have a circle of friends locally that you can set up a monthly clothing exchange with? We used to do that, and it was a lot of fun. Everyone brings what they can't wear/don't wear, puts in a big pile and then everyone has a blast trying on different things. It's not only fun to find a new-to-you pair of jeans, but also a lot of fun to see someone thrilled to pick up your old sweater. :)
  • NewMEEE2016
    NewMEEE2016 Posts: 192 Member
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    jennypapaje wrote: »
    you can take your jeans to a seamstress to make them smaller. i don't know there, but here it costs 5-10euro for something like that.

    Personally, I have NEVER had luck getting pants taken in- unless it's just a little tuck in the waist or something. Every time I've done it, they end up not fitting correctly. IMO you can get jeans so inexpensively here- at Marshall's or wherever- that it really doesn't pay to get them taken in and risk them getting ruined. Maybe you have better tailors there in the EU :)
  • DanaDark
    DanaDark Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Almost all my pants and shorts are too loose now. Yay for belts... but ugh...
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
    edited May 2016
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    I just make do with not many pants that fit. Right now I have two pair of jeans that are the right size, though not great condition as they are old/worn. Glad that flares seem to be sort of in again...at least they are selling them. The other pair I have with the rhinestones...just no. (And what is up with the high waist thing? Why would I want the waist of my pants to hit at my bra line? Makes me think of Erkle.)

    I just purchased 2 pairs of shorts yesterday. They may be baggy when it is actually that warm, but I find Bermuda length shorts tougher to find, particularly ones that fit well.

    Have you tried Old Navy talls? Not awesome, but cheap enough to wear a month and not cry over maybe. Their sizing is all over so I would read reviews and order two sizes at once to save on shipping.

    ETA: Remembered that American Eagle sells talls. They generally fit me much better.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,874 Member
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    During my weight loss process, I switched to skirts. They are so much easier to deal with because the fit doesn't have to be perfect.
  • KDar1988
    KDar1988 Posts: 650 Member
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    Love that I'm shrinking, but hate when I put on my clothes they hang on me so sloppy. I have blown through sizes where I've only worn something a few times (and I don't have a lot of clothes anyway!) I have to have clothes so I just buy a couple new tops here and there, fortunately I have 2 pair of black pants I wear to work and alternate them, at least they still fit for now. I hate to give away my big clothes "just in case" I gain weight, but hope that's not in the plan!
  • kmbrooks15
    kmbrooks15 Posts: 941 Member
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    I currently have 3 pairs of jeans that fit (one pair my mom gave me). One is soon to be too big. Shirts are a challenge--I'm still big-busted (though I am slowly losing there, too), so I still need a little larger size there, but too big and they look like maternity clothes since my bust causes them to blouse out badly in the front. I will wear the jeans a couple of times before I wash them. I'm just making do with that for now. As I go down sizes, I'll probably just buy one or two pair at Walmart (though I don't have the long inseam problem--I'm only 5'4"!). I'll donate items as they get too big. Church clothes are a challenge; thankfully our choir uses a color scheme with black as the base, so a single pair of black pants and I'm good. I got some that are loose and flowy so I can take them in as I go.

    Since you said you grew up poor, don't consider donating them as a waste. There will be others who can use them. I just figure it's a way to "give back".
  • kmbrooks15
    kmbrooks15 Posts: 941 Member
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    KDar1988 wrote: »
    Love that I'm shrinking, but hate when I put on my clothes they hang on me so sloppy. I have blown through sizes where I've only worn something a few times (and I don't have a lot of clothes anyway!) I have to have clothes so I just buy a couple new tops here and there, fortunately I have 2 pair of black pants I wear to work and alternate them, at least they still fit for now. I hate to give away my big clothes "just in case" I gain weight, but hope that's not in the plan!

    See, if I keep my big clothes "just in case", it makes it that much easier to gain back. I have to get rid of them if I want to stay motivated. :)
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
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    I also second Old Navy and dresses/skirts. Old Navy has longs online and some in store (my friend is about 5'8-9" with rather long legs, and they fit her well), and they're usually pretty cheap. Different inseam sizing on shorts as well.
    She also does well with American Eagle jeans and pants, which are pricier, but not closing in on $100.
  • smiles4jo
    smiles4jo Posts: 202 Member
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    Machka9 wrote: »
    During my weight loss process, I switched to skirts. They are so much easier to deal with because the fit doesn't have to be perfect.

    I agree with this one...Skirts are much more forgiving of size. I just find they get longer as you lose weight, but sounds like that wouldn't be a bad thing if you're already tall.

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