When to buy new clothes

[iegal 460]

Bad news. You will be buying "new" clothes often. Can't expect to 50-100 lbs and not need new pants, right? But having to buy new clothes is the good news too since it reminds us of our constant changing body after VSG surgery. YEAH. Laughing at your underwear story. I had an experience like that wearing a dress and my panties slipping down. That FORCED me to go out and spend a few bucks a Walmart for ugly but fitting underwear.

So - bargin hunt, if you can just barely fit into the smaller size - buy it. If it is a steal bargin, buy it in a smaller size. I blew right through one size in one week, hence I recommend keeping reciepts for things that are returnable. Clearance shop, talk to others at your surgical group to see if they have a clothing swap, search consignment stores and take in your barley used clothes, seek out decent thrift shops. Buy the basics only. One pair black dress pants, one work skirt, one pair of jeans. My staples until I hit goal. Tops were gathered in with a belt when too big. Belts are not longer our enemy. Oh - I tried the alteration route for an important expensive clothing piece and by the time alterations were completed, I had lost more weight so I ended up tugging up the dress (strapless) all evening long. I did not wear the dress, the dress wore me sadly.

Oh and once you hit goal don't repeat my mistake. I hit my personal goal - celebrated by buying several hundred dollars of clothes for my new desperatly needed wardrobe. Bad idea. I lost one or two more sizes (depending upon maker) in the following four months with only losing an additional 5 lbs. Body readjusts and weight distributes. When I complained at one of my surgeons support group sessions - the Dr recommended not spluring until a year after goal. Money is tight, be frugal but don't walk around looking sloppy. This journey is mental as much as physical.

[Sassygirl06 962]

now! it feels so good to go into the dressing room and fit all the clothes, or better need smaller sizes! if you are on a tight budget then go to the thrift stores. sometimes they have stuff with the price tags still on. i found a going out of business fashion bug and was able to buy 50-60 dollar pairs of jeans for 6 dollars a pair so not only did i buy stuff that fits now, but i bought several smaller sizes for later. i just couldnt pass it up! plus seeing those jeans in my closet just waiting to fit keeps me motivated.

you might also try to find a wls support group near you because they sometimes do a clothing exchange. i have kinda started my own here and am giving my bigger clothes to a couple of ladies that are right behind me in their weight loss journeys. it feels good to help them, and it feels great to be able to get rid of clothes that no longer fit me because they are TOO BIG!!!! woo-hoo!

[Raine 170]

Another idea is consignment shops, the clothes there tend to be a bit nicer and they are still affordable. I am doing the seasonal thing. In the beginning of the summer I bought three pairs of pants that fit me and now at the end of the summer and a few skirts I had from when I lost weight before. They are all too big now, but not so big that they look ridiculous. I just recently went out and bought some more for the fall and winter. I like Marshals too, because you can get some really good prices, I just bought 2 pairs of capri's on sale for 8.50 each in black and a stoney like black/grey that I can wear with flats until it gets cold and then I can also wear them with boots in the winter. I also just bought 3 pairs of pants, none over 16.99. Each pair has belt loops so that when the start to get a little baggy I can still wear them without having to hike them up. I have to dress decently for work so it was a must buy. That cost me a total of about 70 bucks for all 5 pairs. I went to a consignment store for shirts and got 5 button up shirts for 25.00. So now I am set for the winter with clothes for work and I didn't spend over 100.00. I have jeans that I saved, thank goodness LOL and I have sweaters from last year that are pretty generic that I will be washing in hot Water and then running through the dryer a couple of times to shrink them. Hopefully that will work out well. I won't go shopping again until February or March for stuff for the spring and summer again.

[Snowbird 0]

Personally I can't wait till I'm post-op and lost so much weight that my pants fall down. I've lost 23 pounds pre-op by just following my Dr's diet recomendations and my size 20 jeans are pretty baggy. Can't wait till I can wear jeans that actually zip!

[MegInNOLA 531]

Y'all: EBAY. You can get brand new clothes for a fraction of the original price, and if you only wear them a couple of times, re-sell them! I agree with Soup-a-woman, it's a hassle to replace each and every item of clothing, but in another way, it's a blast, too. I have become very good friends with Ebay, as we don't have any thrift stores around here that have nice clothes, and I can find tall-length pants pretty easily.

[sleeve 4 me 910]

I have had to buy clothes all through my journey. I literally skipped size 10's all together and went from 12's to 8's. Now that I'm almost 13 months out I am now in maintenance and wearing 6's and some 4's and will have to buy all new winter clothes. It seems like a great problem to have, but not so much when funds are low, but where there's a will there's a way, and I'm praying I will find some great deals out there as I always do

[lyn 5]

I love to buy new clothes. I found some great deals at Sams CLub at the end of season. Which here in Texas it never ends. I found that dress are very forgiving I bough a few summer dresses in June and can still wear them even 20 pounds lighter. I had bought them with a little elastic at the waist and they worked out great, still are as a matter of fact. I would lokk into something like that, of course it had been a long time since I felt good in a dress so I was even more thrilled.

[LindaS 316]

I'm about where you are -- I'm almost 7 weeks post op and have lost 39 pounds. I started this journey wearing size 20 jeans. They are now too big. They slide down, and I end up stepping all over the legs. I do have a lot of size 18 pants, but I didn't own anything smaller.

I ended up buying two belts new. The size choice was between XL and L, and I ended up going with the L. One of the belts I bought was the kind where it has grommets as a design, so basically the entire belt has holes for the fastener. It should last me a while.

I am going to have to get rid of my size 20 jeans soon. I may keep one pair just to remind me how far I get. I bought two pairs of size 16 jeans from a second-hand store this weekend. Last weekend, I bought several shirts at a second-hand store. I had tried on size 16s in a retail store earlier that day, and I was thrilled but not thrilled enough to pay $40 for a new pair.

I think my shirts are getting too big for me much faster than my pants. Shirts that fit me just a month ago are now billowing all around me. I did buy a couple of shirts on clearance the other day -- size large, and they fit great.

I am kicking myself though. I had several 15/16 size jeans earlier this summer before I decided to have surgery. I gave them all away. I didn't think I'd be fitting into them anytime soon.

[sleeve 4 me 910]

FYI Y'all I went to the Goodwill yesterday and got a pair of Tommy Hilfiger pants for $3 and a banana Republic knit for $3 for the start of my winter clothes. I couldn't believe the great deal I got...I typically shop at Marshalls, Ross, TJ Maxx but this was even a better deal than all of those stores. I think I will be going at least once a week to see what I can find for my winter collection LOL

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

Shopping is my weakness, and I'd say maybe even my transfer addiction! I love it!! I have so many clothes now I've filled up the whole bedroom closet AND even the guest rooms closet too... LMAO!! Awww my poor hubbies clothes are all in the drawers now... I'm so lucky he loves me!! LOL!!

Anyway, I didn't really like waiting, so what I did was I went to my local Goodwill. They have 50% off everything in-store on all Holidays so I took full advantage. I bought clothing from sizes of 14 on down to size 6. I probably bought 40 pair pants for less than 100 bucks - and best of all some were still brand new with tags attached!! Everything fits (or fitted) now and since then I've done some heavy shopping at my favorites Macy's and Nordstrom Rack. I had hundreds of dollars worth of gift certificates for them.

What I'm trying to say is (and not really well, thank you) you can still do shopping now and save lots by doing so, shopping smart. You can really find excellent deals if you look around. Like someone else mentioned above, it's nice to "fit" your clothes. It really makes you realize that you ARE losing...

HAVE FUN!!!