PSA: You deserve clothing that fits you now

Found a thrift shop in my area that seems to receive stock from big-name brands. Picked up 3 pairs of jeans from different premium labels, $7 apiece, and every one was in my new, smaller size. You don't have to walk around with your pants sagging, even when money is tight.
 
CandyCap said:

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.
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I've been following the same approach, waiting until I reach my goal weight. With no jeans that actually fit, I didn't really have a choice. My summer wardrobe still works, so I likely won't need to deal with this again until next year.
 
Everyone deserves to feel purrrrrty

That said, comfort matters a lot to me! If I don't have to dress up, yoga pants are my go-to, ha ha
 
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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That's a solid tip!!
 
I tend to purchase a size larger than the one I can comfortably squeeze into. Every so often, thoughts about possibly regaining some weight still cross my mind.
 
FarmgirlRebel said:

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.
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That 2x4 situation!! I get it. The only large part of me now is my boobs, but I'm working on accepting a flat old white lady butt.
 
CheesyPotato said:

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
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While cleaning, I came across multiple vacuum-sealed bags tucked beneath my bed, filled with garments that had never been my size and that I had held onto despite knowing I should let them go. Fortunately, my mother is skilled at tailoring, which is a real advantage. For my highest-quality professional attire, she and I made as many adjustments as possible, yet a number of those bags ended up being given to a thrift store, with the hope that they would reach someone in need.

Since beginning her weight loss journey, my sister-in-law has bought everything secondhand, which has allowed her to save a significant amount of money and acquire many items that still have their original tags.
 
I held onto 1 shirt and 1 pair of trousers from my heavier days. Those items need to leave my house now. There is no reason to keep them.
 
I want to buy clothes that fit me better. The problem is I don't know how much time or energy I can put into this, particularly if it's only a temporary solution.
 
HereKittyKitty said:

I held onto 1 shirt and 1 pair of trousers from my heavier days. Those items need to leave my house now. There is no reason to keep them.
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I went ahead and did it too! Every single piece that was too big went out. For me it comes down to mindset — I'd rather not keep dragging the past around. I've got photos from when I was 320lbs, and I don't need garments cluttering my drawers or my thoughts. There's no return trip. Not ever.
 
anhydrous said:

I want to buy clothes that fit me better. The problem is I don't know how much time or energy I can put into this, particularly if it's only a temporary solution.
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Goodwill and similar stores are perfect for that...you can pick up interim clothes to get you through.
 
FarmgirlRebel said:

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.
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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
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It seems like you have a wonderful sense of style. You could just throw on a couple of tank tops to highlight your muscles. If you were nearby, I'd happily go shopping with you.
 
JuneBug1956 said:

FarmgirlRebel said:

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.
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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
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It seems like you have a wonderful sense of style. You could just throw on a couple of tank tops to highlight your muscles. If you were nearby, I'd happily go shopping with you.
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This morning my hubs told me I was looking a little "frail"... uh oh... 😳 In my 60s, weight lands on my body differently than it used to, and at 155 he feels I'm beginning to look slightly thin.

Really thinking about joining a gym this autumn (once riding season wraps up) and just making the drive ...I could use more muscle!
 
Each week, while waiting in the wallyworld parking lot (I drive dw around)

Among all the women going in, 90% have black leggings on.

Does "style" still exist?
 
FarmgirlRebel said:

HereKittyKitty said:

I held onto 1 shirt and 1 pair of trousers from my heavier days. Those items need to leave my house now. There is no reason to keep them.
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I went ahead and did it too! Every single piece that was too big went out. For me it comes down to mindset — I'd rather not keep dragging the past around. I've got photos from when I was 320lbs, and I don't need garments cluttering my drawers or my thoughts. There's no return trip. Not ever.
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Without a doubt.
 
I've gone through several major weight shifts over the years, so my instinct is to keep garments around that no longer fit, just in case the situation reverses. As it stands, I've got a pile of things set aside for the day I reach my goal 😅... they're likely out of fashion by now, but slipping them on and having them fit will still feel great.

One thing I'd tack on: an item that worked for you at a given weight before might not look the same once you're back at that number, because your body composition can shift. Compared with the last time I was at 220, my chest and shoulders carry considerably more muscle now ... even at my GW, off-the-rack men's large may be off the table for good, despite that size being one of my early milestones. What success ends up looking like might not match the picture we had at the start.
 
Once I dropped 40 lbs (without GLPs), my very 1st move was a shein shopping spree😂 Back then it cost way less, so $100 could buy me 10 dresses (and I didn't even put on half of them) - I was simply thrilled to fit into the same size I wore in my 20s. And let's not even talk about all those tiny bikinis I bought and never once put on😂
 
laansasa said:

Once I dropped 40 lbs (without GLPs), my very 1st move was a shein shopping spree😂 Back then it cost way less, so $100 could buy me 10 dresses (and I didn't even put on half of them) - I was simply thrilled to fit into the same size I wore in my 20s. And let's not even talk about all those tiny bikinis I bought and never once put on😂
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That's what I get for turning my nose up at the clothing obsession. Someone just handed me a tshirt for an anniversary date I was doing my best to block out... women are unstoppable.
 
Smiter said:

laansasa said:

Once I dropped 40 lbs (without GLPs), my very 1st move was a shein shopping spree😂 Back then it cost way less, so $100 could buy me 10 dresses (and I didn't even put on half of them) - I was simply thrilled to fit into the same size I wore in my 20s. And let's not even talk about all those tiny bikinis I bought and never once put on😂
Click to expand...
That's what I get for turning my nose up at the clothing obsession. Someone just handed me a tshirt for an anniversary date I was doing my best to block out... women are unstoppable.
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💯. Attempting to hold us back only pushes us further...my partner can confirm😂
 
laansasa said:

Smiter said:

laansasa said:

Once I dropped 40 lbs (without GLPs), my very 1st move was a shein shopping spree😂 Back then it cost way less, so $100 could buy me 10 dresses (and I didn't even put on half of them) - I was simply thrilled to fit into the same size I wore in my 20s. And let's not even talk about all those tiny bikinis I bought and never once put on😂
Click to expand...
That's what I get for turning my nose up at the clothing obsession. Someone just handed me a tshirt for an anniversary date I was doing my best to block out... women are unstoppable.
Click to expand...
💯. Attempting to hold us back only pushes us further...my partner can confirm😂
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Honestly, if I decide to, I can put an end to mine. The issue is that I had the flu, and it completely slipped my mind that the damn birthday was approaching
 
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