As a slight spinoff from the girlie thread...

Do you find that once you've started making strides in losing weight you go that extra step in looking better? You know, not wearing the crappy sweats and ratty t-shirt out in public as much any more?

I'm finding that I'm doing my nails, wearing brighter lipstick, walking a little taller, I daresay even showing more cleavage:tt2:, and absolutely wearing more form-fitting (well where the form looks good, anyway) clothing.

Maybe it's more confidence, maybe it's the warmer weather, dunno. But it's definitely a nice change!

-m

I totally know what you mean. I'm not one to be girly, and I'm still not. But there at the end, I only had a couple of T-shirts that I would wear, and one of them, my favorite, was way way too torn up and ratty to wear into public. But I was comfortable in it, and I would wear it out when my husband and I would go out to dinner. I just didn't have anything nice that I felt comfortable in.

Now, I can fit back down into some of my older clothes, and I find that if I have the ratty t-shirts on, I'll change before heading into public. It's just nice to feel comfortable in my own skin again. And I've only lost 25 lbs!

yep.....but it took me breaking the 200 lb mark, and 90 lbs lost to get that way. All of a sudden it was taking me a lot longer to get ready. I knew what I was going to wear clothes wise, but I was always switching shoes, and coordiating my jewlery. I also was putting on makeup everyday, and yes showing the cleavage that I used to hide.....sadly I am just over 200lbs again and I am back to trying to blend into the background....the daily makeup has slipped to occasional and I only toss on stud earrings..... I will be back to being a girlie girl by the end of the summer. It felt too good to look good and be pretty

Same here. Every one at work has been commenting. I also cut my hair recently. It is quite short but very feminine and I always wanted my heair to cover my face before. Now I am showing it off. I love this feeling and I feel so proud! Girlie girls unite!

I am still doing my usual thing but still not up to doing the eye shadow deal. Love that the clothes are fitting more loosely.

I know when I was at my peak I was too tired to look for clothes. I would go shopping and sweat. Not to mention it was heat breaking everytime I had to look for nothing that looked good on me. I woke up everyday thinking about my weight. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't think about how depressing it was. I would get out of breath just trying to get myself done. I always wore make-up to work and eye shdo. I always did the best with what I had. On weekends is when I slacked. Just didn't want to make the effort. Clothes were a joke. Yes the big t-shirts. Everyone can relate to that I'm sure, being over weight.

yep.....but it took me breaking the 200 lb mark, and 90 lbs lost to get that way. All of a sudden it was taking me a lot longer to get ready. I knew what I was going to wear clothes wise, but I was always switching shoes, and coordiating my jewlery. I also was putting on makeup everyday, and yes showing the cleavage that I used to hide.....sadly I am just over 200lbs again and I am back to trying to blend into the background....the daily makeup has slipped to occasional and I only toss on stud earrings..... I will be back to being a girlie girl by the end of the summer. It felt too good to look good and be pretty

Awww, Lizzy, you're *beautiful*! Don't let a few pounds in the wrong direction pull you down. Just because you're a few pounds over a certain number doesn't mean you need to automatically depreciate your selfworth. Don't let that happen.

I bet you will feel a LOT better if you stop looking at the scale and concentrate at how much you've already accomplished.

Seriously, you are BEAUTIFUL.

big hugs

-m

I totally agree! I recently started painting my nails and toe nails. I've been putting on jewelry every day. I threw out all my nasty old sweats and t-shirts. I'm so worth more than that!

Thanks for the post, DancingLamb.

I'm struggling with this one.

After I hit goal I was watching tv and fashion experts...got a list of must have's for a wardrobe.

Headed for Vegas to shop the SHOPS - Macy's, Bloomys, Nordys, you name it!

I spent several thousand dollars (shoes were most expensive)

I still find myself in my stretch band jeans and tshirt.

What is wrong with me!

I'm struggling with this one.

After I hit goal I was watching tv and fashion experts...got a list of must have's for a wardrobe.

Headed for Vegas to shop the SHOPS - Macy's, Bloomys, Nordys, you name it!

I spent several thousand dollars (shoes were most expensive)

I still find myself in my stretch band jeans and tshirt.

What is wrong with me!

Grace-

If you're not ready to part with your fat clothes (and I totally get it if you're not, because I haven't either:wink2:), what if you were to at least get some of those Rubbermaid bins and pack them away in your garage or under your bed so they weren't so, well, accessible?

I bet a lot of it is habit. I know that I have a lot of smaller clothes somewhere in the house but haven't had the time or where with all to go and find them. I'm going to have to do it sooner rather than later, because I just can't bear to spend the money on sizes that I *know* I must have somewhere around here - and they were spendy items the first time around - Ralph Lauren, Talbots, etc.

And don't even get me started on shoes! I definitely saved all of those. I must have 40 pair of shoes in size 9-10 squirreled in my younger daughter's room. Ones that cost me a LOT of money that I refused to toss. I"m really glad that I didn't throw those babies out!

-m

Good idea except my stretch band jeans are size 6 and my tshirts a size small. I did get rid of all my fat clothes.

Thing is...I've not changed a bit since loosing weight. guess my weight never defined who I am.

Oh, don't get me wrong, if I go somewhere important I look like Milania Trump. But for the most part, I just have 1 pair of jeans and 3 tshirts I rotate thru. I have a georgeous wardrobe. Pant suits, casual best, dresses, coordinates, scarves, jewelry....but I just don't wear them!

And I don't feel less than either, I go to church w/ a simple skirt and Tshirt with my hair in a pony tail, no makeup and some slip on shoes...I think I look as good as those caked with makeup and pantyhose smelling all pretty.

<snip>those caked with makeup and pantyhose smelling all pretty.

Oh, I have to tell you, I have a completely apropos story to this. We went to Ikea today to look for a place to stash the kids' toys. There was this woman there, *maybe* in her late 20s.

Cropped denim jacket with rolled cuffs, little pink cropped top, the shortest white shorts I have EVER seen (true, she was probably a size 4/6, but DAMN, they were tiny!). High heeled strappy patent leather gold and pink mule sandals, Lucite jewelry and one of those giant leather flowers on her wrist a la Carrie Bradshaw (Sex in the City). Oh, and a pair of those gianormous big bug-eye sized dark sunglasses (think Lenny Kravitz). Indoors. On the phone, while searching through her kitchen sink-sized handbag.

The kicker was iridescent and gold body lotion. And crazy poufed 'do.

Uh, lady. You're in Ikea. In Elizabeth, NJ. Across the highway from Newark Airport.:thumbup:

I saw her again while I was getting in the car. She was *still* on the phone, but was now carrying her lucky bamboo plant. Gotta love it.

-m

I always made an effort, I dont particularly make more. But I can look WAY better in dressed down clothes. Like before, I was either dressed up or slobbing around. Now I can wear really cool gym wear (like form fitting lycra bootlegs) and snug tops, with a cute little middie hoodie kind of thing, if I'm just wanting to be comfy and I can look really put together and nice, before it had to be a big tshirt and fleece pants, not exactly something I would be seen dead in public in.

I get around in things like this or jeans most of the time.

I have just done another lot of teaching rounds (so working full time) and have just scored a part time job as an integration aide and being able to buy stylish workwear, I've NEVER experienced that before. I've got some really nice clothes and I do make more effort in that regard.

I wear make up more often now, not a big fan of a face full of make up, but bare faced now for me is not a great look either, I'm getting just a little old for it. Which is a shame.

I've worn a lot of necklaces and stuff lately too, I never felt "right" with neck jewellery before, now I've got some funky ones that I like to wear.

In some ways though, I do less becuase I'm not trying to overcompensate. Like I dont feel the need to fake tan regularly now, I can embrace the porcelain look, lol, whereas before I felt brown fat looked better than white fat. Well, weird orange toned fat looked better than white fat!

I think I'm taking better care of myself now. However, I'm not used to the attention I'm getting. I highlighted my hair and have been buying a few new clothes to intersperse with my newly taken in ones. Although, I'm not comfortable with being looked up and down and told I've made great progress. Frankly, I feel uncomfortable at best.

I definitely make a better effort now. When I was 330lbs, there really wasn't very much that looked decent on me so my thinking was, why bother?

I now find my self wearing more form fitting clothes and looking much more put together. I also find myself wearing more earrings and necklaces now. I feel much better about myself now and it feels great!

Oh, I have to tell you, I have a completely apropos story to this. We went to Ikea today to look for a place to stash the kids' toys. There was this woman there, *maybe* in her late 20s.

Cropped denim jacket with rolled cuffs, little pink cropped top, the shortest white shorts I have EVER seen (true, she was probably a size 4/6, but DAMN, they were tiny!). High heeled strappy patent leather gold and pink mule sandals, Lucite jewelry and one of those giant leather flowers on her wrist a la Carrie Bradshaw (Sex in the City). Oh, and a pair of those gianormous big bug-eye sized dark sunglasses (think Lenny Kravitz). Indoors. On the phone, while searching through her kitchen sink-sized handbag.

The kicker was iridescent and gold body lotion. And crazy poufed 'do.

Uh, lady. You're in Ikea. In Elizabeth, NJ. Across the highway from Newark Airport.

I saw her again while I was getting in the car. She was *still* on the phone, but was now carrying her lucky bamboo plant. Gotta love it.:huh2:

-m

Dancing lamb if only you lived in the SF bay Area, or I lived in NYC I know we would have loads of fun at Starbucks......This was a wonderfully and artfully descriptive post, thanks for the chuckle