Hey ladies!

I need some shopping advice! 84 lbs later and (at least on tops) I am in the smallest sizes in the brands that I have been wearing for many years (mostly for work clothes - typically Talbots, Eloquii and Lane Bryant). The 14's in LB and Eloquii now fit me and in a month will be too big. I am still a 16 in bottoms (of course my rear and thighs are lagging behind everything else).

I have not shopped for standard sizes in over 20 years and my body will not be a normal standard size - I am loosing unevenly and I know that will catch up, but truthfully my body is somewhat awkwardly shaped now.

Are there any brands that you really liked in the transition? That were curvy-friendly and forgiving for those in between sizes? And, I am not a big spend-all-day-in-the-store-trying-stuff-on kind of person.

Also can I just say I don't understand how I can weigh 250 and be in a 16W. My brain just does not compute that but at the end of the day, regardless of the size I still need clothes that fit.

American Eagle had the best high rise jeggings ever. They hold everything in!!

I went to the goodwill store today. I figure I'll go once a week and just look at the half price things. Today I bought five pair of jeans and pants for $15. I'm wearing a size 20 right now, so I bought some 12s, 14s, and 16s.

i wish I knew about tops and how they're sized. Ive bought 5x tshirts from Walmart for the past ten years, and I have no clue about what size I should be wearing now, much less what I'll be wearing in a month or two!

Yesterday I went to Marshall's and shopped in the standard size section for the first time in 20 years.

I bought 3 pairs of XL Pants (seem like they are an 18, which seems different than an 18w) and 2 XL tops (one of which is hip length and shockingly fit over my ass) and 1 L T-Shirt.

I stood in the dressing room as I was trying on these clothes, convinced they would be waaaaay too tight in shock, staring at myself in the mirror as I put these clothes on.

I haven't completed purging my closet - so when I went home I tried on a couple of 2X work tops I still had around and was shocked at how they literally fell off my body.

The weirdest thing is I don't think I would really know how much smaller I am without the reference of clothes. People ask me all the time if I feel different - and I don't really. I feel pretty much the same and when I look in the mirror I see pretty much the same.

If I didn't have clothes as a reference, I would think I was a little bit lighter (like 20 lbs lighter), not 85 lbs lighter. It's so disorienting.

1 hour ago, Kat410 said:

The weirdest thing is I don't think I would really know how much smaller I am without the reference of clothes. People ask me all the time if I feel different - and I don't really. I feel pretty much the same and when I look in the mirror I see pretty much the same.

I'm glad you went shopping and had fun!

This is why I really encourage people get new clothes or at least try them on, often. We used to have a lot of people post here that they lost 50 pounds but still felt they looked the same. They were usually SAHM wearing the same clothes they wore pre-op.

Clothes and measurements are some of the best ways to really make the mind body connection with weight loss, for people that are struggling with it. It takes a while though. Every time I think I am used to being this size and can pick out clothes my size, I grab something in a large instead of a medium. It is a process. At least plus size clothes look waaaay to large to me now, instead of looking like the norm.

I have bought some clothing on ebay and have found a few great thrift stores. I have stuck mostly with brands that I know how they fit, except for some cute things that were priced under $5 and I decided to take a chance. When I shop on eBay, I put a cap on the price of items that I am looking at and have gotten some great deals. I have bought more clothes that are sized M, L, XL rather than individual number sizes. I did buy some dresses and leggings with sweaters to get me through fall. I found a lands end coat for $8 at a local thrift store and have gotten Jill, Talbots, Eileen Fisher pants and sweaters for $4-5 at another thrift store. I am trying not to spend over $20 for any items unless I really need to until I am closer to my goal weight. My son has a weekly commitment that is about an hour so at least once a month I drop him off and run to one of the consignment stores and look around.

15 hours ago, ZinNH said:

I went to the goodwill store today. I figure I'll go once a week and just look at the half price things. Today I bought five pair of jeans and pants for $15. I'm wearing a size 20 right now, so I bought some 12s, 14s, and 16s.

i wish I knew about tops and how they're sized. Ive bought 5x tshirts from Walmart for the past ten years, and I have no clue about what size I should be wearing now, much less what I'll be wearing in a month or two!

For shirts I think it all depends on how and where you carry your weight and how you like the fit of your shirts. For me personally I carry my weight more in my hips, thighs and abdomen so for shirts I went down sizes quick. I started off wearing a 2X at 5'9" and 300lbs. I'm actually able to wear a small in some brands and a medium in all others now. I never thought I would get to a small none-the-less when I'm still wearing a 12/14 on bottom. I also don't have a large chest and I don't mind wearing my shirts on the tighter side because I feel like it hold everything in.

I have become obsessed with shopping lately... I haven't had 'options' in YEARS!!


I was super lucky at Belk recently. I probably overbought, but found jeans/pants for $5 and dresses for $7-9. They are having their red dot clearance sale!

I bought snug fitting items in hopes of them fitting in a few weeks. I still have a long way to go, but I started in a 30/32 and I'm currently in 16-18w....I even fit into a Misses XL maxi skirt that was tight, but forgiving of my rump/hips/'pouch'

I've been looking at ThredUp, not sure about it yet, but could possibly be an option to consign the barely worn items once they become to big. Anyone have experience with that company?

They pay you pennies and sell it for a lot more, honestly it is better to just donate considering what they pay people.

Yeah ditto on Thred Up. I now use Mercari and Poshmark and sell my extras myself and shop with the credit!

I shopped at american eagle online, sizes went up to 20 and I am now a 14 loosely... the high rise super stretch jeggings are the best!! They are forgiving and comfortable!