Ever bought new clothes ahead of getting to that size?
 

Hey everyone!

So my jeans are loose!! Yeah, baby! :carrot::carrot: LOL I noticed last week, but this week they really at the point where I feel like I would fit into the next size down. And one pair of capris that were a tad loose when I bought them are now literally falling off. However, my budget will definitely not allow me to buy clothes in every size on the way down. LOL

Since the jeans I like I buy online, I was thinking of possibly ordering 2 sizes down (which should be 1 size small right now) since hopefully it won't be too long before I am ready for them. In a way I feel like it would motivate me and be another way to see my changes besides the number. On the other hand I don't want it to depress me that they don't fit.

Was just curious if anyone has ever bought ahead of their size and if it was a motivator for you? Thanks!! :)

All the time!

Especially if I find something on clearance. I don't have anything left that's too small, now, though!! I need to go shopping ;). Personally, I find it very motivating. I like to get something that's too small and try it on periodically. It helps me see progress the scale might not show.

I've done it with one size in advance but I won't go beyond that and here's why - I reduce in ways I can't predict and my shape has been constantly changing. The cut of a piece of smaller clothing might never work for my body and I can't tell until I have my measurements at that point in time. Thus, it isn't a good idea or a good use of money for me.

I'm wondering about this too...Down to a size 10 in most clothes (unless their cut is absolutely ridiculous) but not sure if I should buy 8's or not. So I decided just NOT to buy anything, haha. I'm too cheap to spend money just to turn around and have to spend it again!

I've done it and it's always motivated me. Having a good understanding of your body and the way things are going to fit helps, but I've never had an issue with a style of jeans not working for me in a smaller size. Sometimes bodies can change shape as you lose weight, which can throw a wrench in the works, but as long as you're not buying things sizes and sizes below what you're wearing currently, you'll probably be fine.

I should add that I never pay full price for anything; we have great thrift stores here, a fact for which I'm very grateful.

I will go one size smaller in a brand that I know tends to fit me well - not on something I'm not sure about and, only one size because again, shapes change and so do seasons.

For the most part this has worked out well, but I did end up with a pair of pants out of season as I got smaller faster than I anticipated last summer.

However, I'm at a point now where I can't predict if I will go down another size or even when as I've been hovering at the same weight for what seems like forever. In the beginning of the journey though, once I knew I was on a roll and really "doing this", yes, I bought down a size all the time.

I didn't have issues with it earlier in my journey, but now? Big issue. My bones are actually affecting my shape, instead of just flexible fat, and the give and play in the shape of fitted, smaller clothing is much less so than it was at a size 16 or 20.

All the sudden I have one trouble spot, or two, not an entire body filled with them. And all the sudden an overly low shirt or the wrong rise on jeans makes me look ten pounds heavier or is unflattering, rather than making little difference. It's been a shock to me!

I'll still buy some stuff on clearance or pick up a shirt from the Salvation Army as a progress or goal shirt, but with the realization that unless it is a forgiving or loose silhouette I might have an unpleasant surprise when I try it on, it fits, but it emphasizes a feature I hadn't realize would be an issue ten pounds before :o

I had this happen with some beautiful evening gowns. They fit, but didn't flatter, so I lost more weight and thought I'd fit them better. It was only then I realized that it wasn't my weight, but the shape and cut of them, that didn't work with me. When the previous trouble spot fit, the rest was way too loose, and the dresses couldn't even be altered because of where the problem spot was. I couldn't have guessed this would be an issue when I bought them, and I've learned my lesson since. Same with jeans. Sometimes it isn't the size, it's the shape.

Now maybe that is just a personal problem, but it has happened to me often enough that I'm wary, now!

I've only gone a size down at most. Usually though I would buy my pants a little tight so I could still wear them but they would also still fit after losing some weight (I had a pair of pants last me through 25lbs that way).

The one time I did buy a couple sizes down was last summer. I grabbed a bunch of shorts on clearance in size 6 in anticipation of wearing them this summer. I thought: "Hey! No way I'm ever getting smaller than a 6!" ...Only I'm a 0 now. Whoops! I like my shorts on a big side, but these are just way too big.

I definitely have my "goal" pants hanging on my door. But I bought them at the thrift store because it's cheaper. Every now and then I will find some really nice jeans at the thrift store. I just bought a pair of Michael Kors and my goal pants are Diesel. I would say go for it!

Oh yeah. I forgot about this!! I did the same thing with some size 10 dresses. They're way too big now, and I'm so mad!

Most of the time I only did this with one size. I knew I was going to need a new dress for a wedding in August last year but didn't want to wait that long to buy one because by then it would be end of season and I might have a very small selection. I found a dress I liked in June and bought the next size smaller. I kept the tags on just in case, but it was a perfect fit when I needed it. If jeans I had worn before were marked way down, I would go one size smaller there, too.

Now, though, here's the story of my huge gamble at the start of my weight loss. I set out in January last year to lose 100 pounds by Christmas. All I could think of was that I'd have no clothes and would have to pay full price for the expensive winter stuff. One day I was in K-Mart and saw a stack of very nice crew and v-neck sweaters on clearance. They were a classic style - ribbed with small cables, good with jeans or dress slack and would be perfect for me for work. They were normally $20 but were $3 each on clearance. I bought 6 different colors - some crew neck, some v-neck in the size I hoped to be. Then I got bold and bought 2 sweaters from Old Navy that I loved that were $6 instead of $35. And a fleece jacket, vest, and light winter coat at Columbia on clearance. In all, I spent $85 for about $400 worth of clothes. I knew all of it would fit both of my sisters-in-law if I had been wrong in my guessing. But - I guessed correctly! I had nice sweaters for work, and I had outerwear. All I needed was a pair of jeans and a pair of dress slacks and after that I could wait for sales.

Lin

I do this all the time especially if it's with stuff on clearance. But I never go more than a size or two down. When I was a size 14, I bought a 12 (which I could squeeze into, but wouldn't have worn out) and a 10 (which I could just barely pull up and certainly couldn't button). Within a couple of months, I was in the 12 and another couple of months, I was in the 10, and could no longer wear the 14s formerly.

Most recently when I was comfortably a 10 in bottoms, I bought Zara jeans in an 8 (which I could just pull off if my top wasn't too clingy) and Mango pants in a 6 (as my goal pants). Now the 8 jeans are loose and the 6s fit perfectly.

Personally, I rarely buy things that aren't on clearance (maybe I'm just cheap). But I certainly wouldn't pay full price or even a high clearance price for clothes in a smaller size of whose fit I'm not sure. If I'm buying clothes in a smaller size, then they have to be super discounted like 70%+ off. It's part of the weight loss game. And I wouldn't get more than a couple of items. I use it as a tool to guage what size I currently am.

By the way YAY on the loose jeans!!! :carrot: :carrot: :carrot:

I had like 7 pairs of jeans in different sizes waiting for me to fit them... I put them under my bed so I don't have to think about them too hard. When my pants become loose I pull out the jeans and try on them until I find one that fits. The only problem I'm running into is my shirts. It takes me a long time to find nice shirts.

I am glad I did not do this! I thought I'd be in european 38s for a long time of this journey but they are already falling off me. I thought 36 would be my dream-size and would be hard to obtain but I am already in them and will probably need even smaller at my goalweight.

Reason for this is that when I was this 'thin' before I was not fit and so I was sort of skinny fat. That gives you a completely different shape than when you do exercise a lot.

I am just waiting and waiting and waiting before I go shopping. Everything is too big now, but I wanna buy stuff once I am at goal. Saves money! And it's gonna show off the dramatic change ;).

Edit: Oh, did not see this was the 100lbs forum, sorry! hihi. But still.

Thanks so much!! :hug:
I love hearing everyone's perspective and experiences with this!

Lin, that is so awesome that your gamble paid off!!

I am completely with you guys on the clearance stuff. I VERY rarely get stuff for me, it's definitely a mom's always last situation in my house LOL, by my OWN doing. Which is a lot of how I got to where I am, and that's what needs to change.
I am in a 20W jeans that I order online... think I will watch the sales and grab the 16Ws. After that hopefully I won't need the darn W and will just go try some stuff on in the store to see how it all works out. I have a ton of shirts that I grew out of, ugh, so at least I have selection there to last a little while. I brought a couple back into the rotation this week, which felt great!

Thanks again!