[blueridgegirl]

I was up in DC on business and got to Union Station early, so had time to kill before the train. There are quite a few stores, so I decided to go shopping. I'm over 30 pounds down from when I started, and am currently a size 12 or 14 in pants, definitely outside of plus-size land. Like chickies in many posts I've read, I can find shopping to be intimidating. I've found that sales clerks aren't all that kind or interested in me at times, and even though I'm a pretty confident person, I can find the overall environment tough.

So yesterday I went into the boutique that focuses on white and black clothes (I think it's called white house/black market or something like that...if I got the name wrong feel free to laugh!) which I've seen in my hometown but never been inside. I tried on a dress that was an XL and it looked awesome! And the sales ladies were very friendly and were cooing over how good I looked and everything. Wow!!!

Next, I went to Express - hello, people, Express. This is the store where they carry not only a size 0 but a 00 - as if one zero wasn't enough?!?!? And it seems like most things on the rack are either a size small or extra small, or even extra, extra small. Craziness. The largest pants size they carry is twelve, so I took a size 12 jeans and asked the sales lady to open me up a dressing room (and she didn't even give me a dirty look...) I tried them on and THEY BUTTONED! SIZE 12 JEANS FROM EXPRESS! They buttoned. Of course, they were too tight and ridiculously too low cut, like my butt crack would have been majorly showing, but still. I can walk into Express and take a pair of pants off the shelf and they are in the realm of fitting me. I am deliriously happy.

But I'm also realizing there is risk in this. I have never, ever in my life been able to wear cute clothes, to just walk into any store and know I can have things that will fit me. I'm just on the cusp of that, and with ten or fifteen more pounds lost, there will be no stopping me! I am going to have to learn to flex my discipline muscle so that a loss of weight doesn't equal a loss in my savings account! I need to learn how to go out and shop and try things on and enjoy it without actually having to buy anything.

How have the rest of you all responded to this experience?

[sheilaer61]

I hear ya girl I have lost to the point I can shop in a normal size store too. All I can say is leave the credit cards at home. It is the greatest feeling in the world to wear real cute clothes. I have never been under 200 lbs in my adulthood til now eithr.

OK girl "LETS WORK IT BABY" were are doing it and will get there like you said "THERE IS NO STOPPING US NOW"

Keep up the great job.........

[kellost]

Oh yeah, this is for me one of the best parts about weight loss! It's the clothes! My clothing budget has gone up, definitely. I feel I've worked really hard, though, and I deserve it!

I was up to about a size 20 or 22 depending on the brand. When I got into 16's I remember feeling like I never wanted to cross the line into the plus-size section ever again. Never, never, never again.

In the past, I did still spend money on clothes. But then, I was chasing a dream that maybe I could find something that actually looked good on me. What's different now is that I can go anywhere and buy just about anything. There's less pressure, too. Before, if I actually found some pants that fit, I snatched them up right away for fear that I wouldn't find anything else to fit me. Now, I can actually pass things up, be more selective, because I know I can find other pants somewhere else! It's been so great!

[wynnegirl10010]

great

[Lil Judy]

Congratulations on taking the shopping risk. Like my friends tell me, it doesn't matter what the salesperson thinks! Try on clothes and make wise choices! You don't have to settle anymore. You don't have to settle for clothes just because they fit!
What fun!
Judy

[chubbyteenmom]

Great for you! I find myself looking in my own closet, digging up clothes that was too small for me in the past that now fits - its kind of like shopping but congrats on the shopping experience. While this may be hard to control, this is a great way to "reward" yourself during your weight loss journey.

[MakingSkinny]

Congratulations! That's so awesome! I can't wait until I'm out of plus-size land. Enjoy it, you've earned it!