PSA: You deserve clothing that fits you now

randompersonrandom

randompersonrandom

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I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
 
I tend to be pretty frugal about clothes, honestly. So yes—consignment stores, thred up, Goodwill... I've come across some genuinely great pieces there. The only new things I've bought are a dress for a wedding that's coming up, plus bras and underwear... I've still got roughly 15 lbs left to lose, so I can likely manage to pick up a handful of permanent wardrobe items at this point, especially jackets, t-shirts and blouses. Pants will have to wait, though, because my rear seems to be vanishing ...it's starting to resemble a 2x4 with boobs.
 
For the time being, I buy my clothes secondhand (bras and underwear are the obvious exceptions). When I finally hit my goal, I intend to go out and buy brand NEW clothes for real. Baggy clothing is something I can't stand...it makes me feel incredibly sloppy. I'm not wealthy, but $6 for a pair of jeans is within my budget.
 
randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
I want to mention that I picked up a new shirt without giving any thought to the amount of weight I had dropped, so I ended up getting an XXL. The moment I tried it on, it was obvious how enormous it looked on me. Dropping clothing sizes feels absolutely wonderful.
 
randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
Second hand suits and dress pants from the Bay of E and Poshmark have been an absolute win for me. Suits that are 5-600 and already tailored to my new size go for $30 to $70. Dress pants that would run $100 cost me $10-20. Shirts are the only thing I get new, from Macy's Backstage rack. I never pay over $20 for a shirt.
 
Donstofikus said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
I want to mention that I picked up a new shirt without giving any thought to the amount of weight I had dropped, so I ended up getting an XXL. The moment I tried it on, it was obvious how enormous it looked on me. Dropping clothing sizes feels absolutely wonderful.
Click to expand...
That's exactly my situation! My mind is still lagging behind my weight loss. I continue to picture myself as very obese.
 
My trips down the weight-loss road (and yes, there have been more than 1) have been full of ups and downs, and my closet is basically where all the souvenirs end up. Everything from size 11 through 26W is still hanging in there, because that "what if" monster squats in my head without paying a dime. We're talking a couple (fine, maybe a few) decades here, so a chunk of it will be hopelessly dated style-wise (fashionista I have never been) — a sweatshirt and jeans work just fine for me. Before I let myself buy a single thing, I went closet shopping and turned up brand new jeans with the tags still attached (seven pairs!), a few pairs of dress slacks, and some cute blouses in the sizes I wear right now. I can recall ordering some of those, trying them on, and right away throwing them into the "I'll fit into these as soon as I lose weight" buckets.

Well, that day finally arrived, and some of those clothes fit me now — some are even loose. Down the line, I'll hit the thrift stores (yes, I'm cheap), donate part of my stock (if they'll take it), and buy newer things; you'd be amazed what ppl get rid of.

When I reach goal — not If I reach it — I'm going shopping for a few NEW "night out on the town" outfits, the way I used to back in the day, carelessly, happily even lol
 
I don't deal with the issue of clothes bringing me joy. Obviously, that's the SRY gene doing its thing. Still, it's been years since I purchased any clothing. That's pretty sad. That said, I'm optimistic that once this current weight loss phase is done, I'll get the types of clothes I've never had on before. For the moment, I'm simply relieved I didn't donate my old oversized clothes. I need the freezing to end.
 
TeresaHip said:

Donstofikus said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
I want to mention that I picked up a new shirt without giving any thought to the amount of weight I had dropped, so I ended up getting an XXL. The moment I tried it on, it was obvious how enormous it looked on me. Dropping clothing sizes feels absolutely wonderful.
Click to expand...
That's exactly my situation! My mind is still lagging behind my weight loss. I continue to picture myself as very obese.
Click to expand...
Getting the mental picture to sync up with reality doesn't happen overnight.
 
HereKittyKitty said:

TeresaHip said:

Donstofikus said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
I want to mention that I picked up a new shirt without giving any thought to the amount of weight I had dropped, so I ended up getting an XXL. The moment I tried it on, it was obvious how enormous it looked on me. Dropping clothing sizes feels absolutely wonderful.
Click to expand...
That's exactly my situation! My mind is still lagging behind my weight loss. I continue to picture myself as very obese.
Click to expand...
Getting the mental picture to sync up with reality doesn't happen overnight.
Click to expand...
Nearly 5 years in, and my head is still lagging behind.
 
so true!! i really should go shopping more....

but right now my weight loss is in some kind of weird, broken phase. i order stuff online and i still pick my old size — at some stores i used to be a 3-4XL. my package showed up yesterday, and i figured, being the genius i am, that i'm about an L now. except this L was falling off me like it was huge!
 
For a long time, everything I put on was baggy and shapeless. These days, form-fitting is what I reach for. My shopping is thrift-only, and I stick to brands known for a close cut. Being seen rather than invisible feels good. This whole experience has been enjoyable, and it turns out I have a strong sense of style. Living somewhere with excellent consignment options is a real advantage.
 
randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
Wow random, a size 4... they ought to have put you in The Devil Wears Prada 2... personally... I go with cargo shorts, led zeppelin tees and skechers.
 
Airborne Daddy said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
Wow random, a size 4... they ought to have put you in The Devil Wears Prada 2... personally... I go with cargo shorts, led zeppelin tees and skechers.
Click to expand...
No flip flops?
 
TeresaHip said:

Donstofikus said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
I want to mention that I picked up a new shirt without giving any thought to the amount of weight I had dropped, so I ended up getting an XXL. The moment I tried it on, it was obvious how enormous it looked on me. Dropping clothing sizes feels absolutely wonderful.
Click to expand...
That's exactly my situation! My mind is still lagging behind my weight loss. I continue to picture myself as very obese.
Click to expand...
Agreed. In the past I bought things online, but these days I visit a store where trying items on is possible. Why? Because I'll grab a pair of ridiculously small trousers in what is supposedly "my" size, glance at my own body, glance at those tiny trousers, and think "lulz, never gonna happen." Then I actually put them on and they fit perfectly; and oh, it turns out I have no accurate perception of myself at all.

Airborne Daddy said:

randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
Click to expand...
Wow random, a size 4... they ought to have put you in The Devil Wears Prada 2... personally... I go with cargo shorts, led zeppelin tees and skechers.
Click to expand...

Only if I get to play Miranda!
 
JuneBug1956 said:

For a long time, everything I put on was baggy and shapeless. These days, form-fitting is what I reach for. My shopping is thrift-only, and I stick to brands known for a close cut. Being seen rather than invisible feels good. This whole experience has been enjoyable, and it turns out I have a strong sense of style. Living somewhere with excellent consignment options is a real advantage.
Click to expand...
At this point, I'm completely lost when it comes to picking out clothes. Either a professional stylist or my sister—who isn't nearby—would need to step in and guide me. Yesterday I spent time wandering through a department store, and it just left me feeling totally overwhelmed. As an aside, my usual approach is to hit up a Farm store; boot cut jeans, cowboy boots, and t-shirts make up my standard summer wardrobe for farm work and riding. So the idea of dressing better is something my brain has to stretch quite a bit to handle
 
randompersonrandom said:

I know plenty of people—friends and casual acquaintances alike—who are out here wearing baggy, balloon-like, oversized garments. Bras that can't keep their chest in place without slipping off, undies that slide down, trousers so loose they're practically swimming in them. These folks have dropped multiple sizes, and they openly complain about how silly they look in their tent-like outfits, yet they say, "I don't wanna spend money on new clothes when I'm not at my goal yet." A few of them are quite wealthy, and honestly it feels like they're making themselves suffer for having been heavy before, denying themselves properly fitting clothes until they've finished, and that's messed up.

If you're wearing ill-fitting clothes because buying in-between sizes isn't something you can afford, then this post is NOT for you. Money's tight and the economy sucks, and I hope you reach your destination soon and feel all the happiness in the world when the time comes to refresh your closet. And if you honestly don't give a damn about what you wear, and it simply doesn't play into your happiness, then you do you and I wish you nothing but the best—I'm not saying it should matter IF it doesn't.

But if buying clothes for this in-between phase IS something you can afford, and wearing them WOULD bring you joy, and the only thing holding you back is a little voice in your head saying it's dumb to buy clothes that fit now but won't in a month or so, then you don't have to believe you're undeserving of well-fitting clothes until you hit your goal. The happiness you'd feel looking good in a nice, properly fitting outfit today is worthwhile. The comfort of bras and underwear that aren't droopy isn't something you have to "earn" by finishing your weight loss.

I bought transitional clothing the whole way down (mostly secondhand; threadup, Poshmark, thrift stores and Goodwill's, etc). Started at size fourteen jeans and dresses, currently wearing fours. Bought 12's, 10's, 8's, 6's, and did not give a damn that I'd have to donate them back before long. It's meant I've gotten to walk around looking and feeling more and more fabulous all the time since last June, which is a hell of a lot better of a deal than walking around with all my progress hidden in tents, feeling bummed and dreaming of the day I could "unveil" it. That would have been a waste of time that I could have spent feeling happy.
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What a great post. For a while I'd quit purchasing clothes at all, telling myself “I’m not buying any more fat clothes!” And more recently, being able to pull jeans on and off without undoing the button or zipper gave me a strange emotional lift. Yet even my belts were now oversized, and the extra length looked odd: the tail was too long to sit flat, but too short to tuck properly through that side loop.

So I went ahead and picked up new belts, and I also pulled out a few pairs of jeans I'd kept around “just in case I ever lose some weight,” and honestly, wearing things that actually fit feels good. Years ago I'd stored my smaller clothes and eventually got rid of most of them, “knowing dang well” they'd never fit me again. I'm not someone who loves shopping for clothes, so more buying isn't something I'm excited about, but I am excited to clear out some of the larger items. That said, I've done this before more than once, full of “I’m never going to be THIS size again” certainty, only to end up right back where I started, needing to buy more “fat clothes.” The difference this time is that I now have tools I didn't have before, so my hope is that the little bastard on my shoulder whispering “what if you gain weight again” won't stop me from doing another closet cleanout.
 
There's no need to stock up on a bunch of in-between pieces. Just pick up 1 or 2 bras, some underwear, a couple pairs of pants you can rotate every other day, and a few tops. Keep wearing them until they're way too big, give them away, then do it again.

Back when Old Navy ran their half off or more sales on jeans, I'd grab 2 pairs, often in a size that was probably a bit tight, and wear them until they got so big they wouldn't stay up. Then I'd donate them and start over.
 
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