Does anyone know of any clothing patterns designed for weight loss? I'm thinking, maybe pants with multiple buttons at the waist so you can adjust the waist size by which button you fasten, like how you can adjust a belt. With maybe a matching vest with some sort of button adjustment on the back too, so as you shrink the clothing shrinks. I would think someone could design a pattern like this that would take you through maybe 3 clothing sizes at a time before needing to purchase new clothing. Does anyone have any ideas of how to stretch your clothing budget?

I heard someone on another thread mention doing a clothing exchange. I think that was here! Sounds like a fun idea.. I personally just plan on buying a lot of elastic stuff. I officially outgrew all my clothes pre-op (when I decided to do the surgery), but I get stretchy jeans and my shirts were too tight, so I have a while to think about it. You could get elastic skirts or pants, that are a size or 2 smaller and shrink into them?

I just bought the least I could to get by. BUT I am a dog groomer. lol

edie

I hit the garage sales. Scanned the ads in the newspapers for plus sizes...in one day I got enough clothes to get me through a few sizes! One place I was able to get about 6 shirts, a nightgown, pj bottoms, 2 pair of capri's and a really nice jacket for $7.00!!!! At another one I got 3 pair of dress pants/capri's for $2.00 each. I was wearing a 26 when I bought all the above and they were all sized from 18 - 24. I'm already wearing some of the 24's and it feels great to know that there are smaller clothes in the closet to "try on"!!

Does anyone know of any clothing patterns designed for weight loss? I'm thinking, maybe pants with multiple buttons at the waist so you can adjust the waist size by which button you fasten, like how you can adjust a belt. With maybe a matching vest with some sort of button adjustment on the back too, so as you shrink the clothing shrinks. I would think someone could design a pattern like this that would take you through maybe 3 clothing sizes at a time before needing to purchase new clothing. Does anyone have any ideas of how to stretch your clothing budget?

Super awesome idea. I love it. You could make millions, seriously. I'm definately not complaining...but I've spent so much stinking money on clothes this year. Sometimes I only get a month or two out of them and then they're too big. I work in an office so I have to dress business-style...those clothes are not cheap and I also cannot wear clothes that don't fit properly (dress code) so I have to keep buying new stuff and I'm going broke. I'd buy your clothes that adjust to 3 different sizes!!!

Have you tried looking the back of the closet? While I tended to be good about throwing out most things when I reached a size that was too big (well ok donating them if in good shape) I've always had to save certain things for when I will lose weight. Because it was going to happen someday. Well know i'm losing weight and I'm glad I saved that one pair that was too small of jeans, etc. You can also check out goodwill and so forth- sometimes they have ok things. And there is always ebay! Plus if you sew at all you could take things in and add a dart or two. Actually, it might not be that expensive to have alterations done for more expensive type clothing like buisiness suites rather than having to buy a new suite every month if you could get it taken in and altered a time or two. I have on pair of jeans that is now officially too big for me, but they fit so well before. The perfect cut and the right inseam! (for some reason I can't always find the cuts I want with a 32 inch inseam. Then I get the one that is a little shorter because the tall ones are bit too long-- some times I am just too lazy to hem, but then they aren't quite long enough. And esp if I wear wedges it will bother me). So I'm just going to take them in and they should fit a while longer.

I'm such a shoppe, its crazy. But I knew that the weightloss would be 'rapid', and I know better than to spend alot of $ on clothing right now. I started myself with a 'Ten dollar and two sizes' rule. Anything I buy must be under $10, and I (try to) buy it two sizes smaller than what I'm in right now. You'd be surprised how many transitional pieces I've been able to pick up! At first I thought I'd just get items tailored as they got too big. Then I learned a lesson when I paid $20 for alterations on my slacks for work; but was able to buy brand new at the Avenue for $3!!! Yes...I said THREE dollars! Sure, they may not fit me forever...but they're cheaper than altering! I also dropped my pride when someone at work offered me a bag of clothes that a friend could no longer wear since she gained weight. Heck, I said yes, and got 12 pair of pants! They don't all fit me now, but I'm being patient, they will soon enough! I've also learned that skirts can carry you through a few sizes and look good.

Good luck.

Skirts are the best, especially elastic waisted ones, most of my bigger skirts I can still wear because of the elastic. Some I have had to give away but still. I can wear elastic waisted skirts up to 2 sizes smaller and sometimes 4 sizes bigger than what I am currently in slacks. All of my old pants have had to be given away but I have a serious collection of skirts. Skirts are also easy to alter yourself even with a safety pin! If you wear a blazer or a style of top that doesn't tuck no one would ever know. I saved all of my good quality clothing that I purchased through the years and boxed them up. I know have a fair amount of clothing all the way down to size 18. I have a few holes in my wardrobe at each size range that will need to be filled in but that is what goodwill is for! People donate a lot of really nice clothing all you have to do is look.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't worn skirts in years because my legs rub together, but a friend told me about split slips, they're like coulottes. She said she wears them with everything, so I'm in the process of finding a couple of them. I believe there's an Avenue shop in Indianapolis (about an hour away), I may make the trip to see what they have. I shop at Goodwill a lot, but ours is a small one and I rarely find anything there. I may need to go to Indy to find a good Goodwill too. Thanks again.

By the way... how do you guys get all the stats posted on the bottom of your emails? Where do you put them so they'll show up?

Go to User CP in the top menu (it's next to home) and click on edit signature. Then you can type whatever you want, remember to save changes then your signature will show up in all your posts

WalMart jeans are good. Target is good for trendy stuff. And I try to buy one or two good pieces at Dillards on sale that I'll shrink into. It gives me a good incentive to persevere. Local consignment second hand stores.

Molly, thanks for the info on the post signature, I'll follow your instructions. All of you guys are doing so well! I'm a bit discouraged. I was banded on Feb. 20th, got my first fill 5 weeks later, and have only lost 10 pounds so far. I got my 2nd fill last week (3 weeks after my first fill), and I'm still getting hungry after 2 hours. I went to my first group support session last Thursday and people seem to be having a lot of trouble with bread but they can eat any kind of meat. I'm the opposite, I can eat small bites & portions of chicken, fish, and hamburger if it's not dry, but I can't eat steak or pork. And I have absolutely no problem with bread what-so-ever. I feel like I need more restriction, but the doc seems pretty conservative with the fills. Will I eventually get where I need to be as far as restriction? I have a 4cc band. My first fill was .5 cc, and my second was .4 cc. Why is the doc coming along so slowly? The fills are included in the total cost, so it's not like he's making $$ by filling more often. People are losing 30 & 40 pounds in the first few months after their surgery, why aren't I losing that fast. I'm still hungry and I can still eat quite a bit of food.

Don't give up! You'll do fine once you get the right amount of restriction. I'm sure your doc has his reasons for being conservative. Let him know your concerns. And any weight loss is good. I honestly never imagined I would loose this much right after surgery. I haven't had a fill yet, but I had a lot of initial restriction just from the band. For example, it was over a week post op before I could drink a slim fast in less than an hour. While I'm thrilled with what I have lost so far, there are some downsides to really fast loss. My gall bladder didn't like it for one thing- it has to come out this week. And I've got some skin thats getting loose and I think it might not be so bad if I lost a little slower.

You'll get there enventually!

I am not the best money saving shopper, it's one of my addictions and I enjoy indulging in it, but here are a few things I did to get more wear out of the sizes.

Summer - skirts. Esp. elastic waist or drawstring. If you have a problem with your legs rubbing together, just wear a pair of spandex shorts underneath. Sure, they aren't flattering, but who cares - no one will see them. Or even thin tight cotton shorts, like workout shorts. Or use (can't remember the brand) the powder lotion. Goes on just like a regular lotion, but when it dries, it makes your skin silky like powder, and stays on. That will help "lubricate" and keep the friction away.

Last summer I pretty much lived in an assortment of 5 skirts, 6 shirts, and a pile of camis in different colors. Get basic pieces that are interchangeable. Oh, and a pair of denim capris and a pair of khaki capris. Because I was wearing camis underneath, I could buy the shirts a size or two smaller than I needed, and wear them open, then a size down I would button the mid chest button and wear it open (think one tie cardigans), then wear it buttoned. Knit gauchos also helped a LOT, because one they're too big, you can just roll the waistband once and they fit just fine all over again. But they're only good for one roll, anything more and they'll go up your butt! :girl_hug:

Winter - this winter I also lived on a few basics. A good pair of jeans. I don't buy cheap jeans because... well, that's one area where you get what you pay for. Invest in a good pair of jeans, even just one per size that you're in, and just wear them all the time. Good ones can take the washings. Jeans paired with a blazer (I bought several in corduroy (beige, rust orange, dark brown, etc.) a few in velvet, and one denim) and the infamous cami. I buy the camis at LB and they're under $20. Buy the one that's snug. Since you're wearing it under something it doesn't matter, and you'll get two or three sizes out of it. And they're stretchy so they'll hold their shape, even after you wear them snug. Anyway, pairing the different blazers with the different camis and a different necklace gave me a TON of outfits from maybe 10 or 12 basic pieces. A few pairs of heeled pant boots and I was set.

Find other bandsters. There are a few girls I traded clothes with and that REALLY helped. And a girlfriend of mine had RNY and saved some of her clothes for me. Your styles probably won't be exact, but if you're only wearing it for a few weeks (which is what, one or two wearings? Maybe three?) then who cares. I need to meet back up with them b/c I've gone down a few more sizes since our last trade. If you go to a support group, ask there -- the one thing you can be certain of is that everyone else there is going to change a size eventually.

Thanks for all the great ideas, Token. I haven't gone down any dress sizes yet; so far everything is just fitting better. I feel like I need to have something to offer someone else before joining a clothing exchange -- I can't wait until I do have clothing to give away! I did finally make the trip to a consignment shop close by that I've been intending to visit for years. I found a pair of jeans and a funky pearl necklace that looks like macrame (the necklace was half price -- my lucky day).

I thought of something else too: I have worn a favorite outfit so much that I wore little holes in the inner thighs. I'm going to take that outfit apart and use it as a pattern for a new outfit. I'm not a great seamstress, but this outfit fits so well that I'm willing to give it a try. Wish me luck.....

I'm afraid of skirts and dresses because of the way I'm built. I'm 5'3" and my weight is in my hips, thighs, and stomach. If I get skirts and dresses, they stick out and fall beyond my stomach making me look really round. Jeans and slacks fit over my stomach but they are snug on my legs, so I don't feel like I look like a beach ball. I'll be glad when I can fit into skirts and dresses though.