Almost out of onderland- trying to revamp my wardrobe
I'm hoping that I will soon be in Onderland being that I only have 5 pounds to go AND over Christmas I'll be a good situation to loose those last 5 pounds. Basically, we'll be at my parents house for two weeks so we'll have help with childcare (normally my biggest problem with working out enough) AND they have a stationary bike, an at home gym, and a number of good running paths nearby so I really won't have any excuses not to be in Onderland soon. The food's not so much of an issue either because my dad and stepmom eat relatively healthily and the treats that they do eat aren't really things that I crave (besides I can always go to the store there and make my own stuff if needed).
It's a bit of an emotional milestone for me because growing up I always thought of being over 200lbs as really big (and swore to myself I wasn't going to get there ever). Well, my pregnancy sure fixed that and since then I have yet to see a 1 as the first number on the scale. I really want to celebrate reaching this goal and my general idea has been to get some clothes (honestly, I desperately need some new ones at this point!). I'm thinking of something not very fancy since I still have a ways to go BUT I want to look nice because I will be starting a new job at the beginning of this new year. The problem is, is that I've really struggled finding clothes that flatter my postpartum body and I'm hoping that I can get some help here! I work at a university and am a mom so simple is best for me. My style is basically jeans/slacks and a t-shirt/sweater. I rarely wear skirts (they're not comfortable at all even when I'm skinny since my thighs always rub together ).
As to my body type, well, that's basically the problem. Just going off of my measurements I'm banana shaped right now, basically big everywhere! My measurements are:
Bust 46in
Underbust 36in
Waist 38in
Hips 45in
I also have a built in muffin top thanks to pregnancy so slacks tend to show off that roll more than blue jeans. Whenever I've tried shopping in the past my clothes just never fit right! Part of the problem is all the spandex they put in pants and they stretch out too quickly (I'm definitely making a point of NOT getting stretch pants, I heard that if you look for ones with thicker material that will help?). As of today I'm able to fit into my pre-pregnancy "fat pants" (odd since I used to wear these when I was in the 180's...) and they fit well when I put them on but they have a tendency to roll down underneath that lovely muffin top. Basically, that's always my problem with pants is that they roll/slide down underneath my muffin top and then look pretty bad but if I get them tight enough in the waist so that they can't do that (or wear a belt) then I just get a higher up muffin top! I'm not sure what to do here.
Shirts are also a struggle for me. I know if you have a muffin top then you're supposed to wear shirts that are looser around your waist BUT since I'm pretty large chested (still nursing), shirts that aren't tighter around my waist make me look ENORMOUS. Jackets/button down shirts never work for me EVER because by the time I find something that fits my chest size the waist size is HUGE! I don't really want to spend the $$ at the moment, though, to get them fitted since I'm still losing...
So, seriously, if you have ANY suggestions I would appreciate them! I really just want to go on what not to wear since I have no clue on how to fit my body!!! Normally they suggest that you should work your strengths but since I'm pretty much uniformly big I don't know what those strengths are.
Oh, and I'm cross-posting this because I'd like the opinion of both those that know fashion and members who have deal with the emotions of finally getting out of the 200's.
ETA. I've attached a recent-ish picture of my body (I was probably about 5lbs heavier there). It's in black and white because the lighting wasn't the best so it's had to see otherwise. Sorry it's not upright, I have no clue how to fix that on here!
Last edited by runningfromfat; 12-16-2010 at 11:19 AM.
Not to be a creeper, but your cleavage is a total strength.
I get that but I'm not sure exactly how to play with that, you know? I know v-necks help as well as more fitted shirts but then with fitted shirts I run into the problem with my muffin top. I definitely look best in fitted t-shirts so I'm wondering if I just need to wear shapewear all the time or something!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShylahEQ
Your measurements look more hourglass to me than banana.
As for fashion tips, I am no help. Watch some "What Not to Wear," Stacy and Clinton rock the house.
Oh, I love the show but I still can never quite figure it out because nobody seems to have the exact same body type as me (and I always forget the advice right afterwards ).
But I've seen two different definitions for an hourglass shape:
- Waist is 9 inches smaller than bust (I have an 8 inch difference so I'm just under)
- Waist/Bust or Waist/hips ratio should be under 80% (some even say 75%) but I'm at about 82%
So basically, I'm close to it but not quite there. I always used to be when I was skinnier but I think my mommy tummy is holding me back.
One thing I like to do, because I always gain first in my stomach, and my measurements for bust and waist are the same, and it goes up for my hips, is to wear lower rise pants and a longer, loose, fitted shirt. The fitted helps to show form, and longer covers the pants and stomach, and the loose helps so that the muffin top isn't so obvious.
I know you said you like fitted shirts, maybe you should choose the same shirt in one size bigger? so that it's not muffin top inducing.
The other thing I'd say is to try active wear/workout wear. Or empire style shirts. Ones that specifically make space for cleavage, and a fitted with pleats( or seams or whatever they're called) under the boobs, but that flow down from that.
One thing I like to do, because I always gain first in my stomach, and my measurements for bust and waist are the same, and it goes up for my hips, is to wear lower rise pants and a longer, loose, fitted shirt. The fitted helps to show form, and longer covers the pants and stomach, and the loose helps so that the muffin top isn't so obvious.
I know you said you like fitted shirts, maybe you should choose the same shirt in one size bigger? so that it's not muffin top inducing.
The other thing I'd say is to try active wear/workout wear. Or empire style shirts. Ones that specifically make space for cleavage, and a fitted with pleats( or seams or whatever they're called) under the boobs, but that flow down from that.
hth
Where do you find your longer shirts? It's hard sometimes to find longer ones (even if I go up a size).
I actually like empire shirts but I tend to have two problems with them:
1. Finding ones in my bust size. Now Lane Bryant does, normally fit my bust size but I'm really getting to the point that their clothes don't work for me anymore. Last time I was there (I was over 10lbs heavier then) the clothes were already too big,, so I'm not sure where to look?
2. People at work than assume I'm pregnant. For some reason my work colleagues are obsessed with me having another kid? I know DD is cute and all but I'm not planning on repopulating the word with my genes quite yet. (actually that's a whole other post about my hang ups with getting pregnant again and weight loss but I'll leave that for another day)
What sort of active wear did you have in mind?
Oh, and has anybody here tried using personal shoppers every???? Since I'm going back to work soon I want at least a handful of decent outfits. I saw that at Nordstroms using a personal stylist is free and they'll try and work with your budget... thoughts???
One of the best things to combat muffin top is pants that come up high enough, to your natural waist. Low rise or even mid-rise is not your friend, you really want them at or above your belly button. I promise it helps
Control top panties are also nice. I have more than my share of loose, jiggly skin after three babies in three years, and it's not a function of me being fat so much as that the skin just has no resistance left and so any pressure on it (like, say, from a waist band) pushes it around. My pants fit just fine, it's just the way my body is. High, medium control panties or a waist cincher is a great solution to showing off the shape I have worked for without letting some jiggly skin spoil it.
well, Most of the clothes I get come from Fred Meyers or JcPenney's, or Value Village (second hand store). Of course I'm about 10 inches bigger on my hips than my bust, and I have a short torso so a lot of things are long on me.
One site I found is called myshape, they have all sizes, plus sizes and long sizes and all the above. You create a profile that includes your measurements and then they only show you the things in their store that will flatter your shape. Haven't used it but it might be worth looking into.
I also checked, I don't know if you're only looking at your local store, but the lane bryant online has sizes both above and below what would fit you, based on your measurements. so I'd say try again.
As far as activewear, I was thinking about the pants especially. Activewear as in workout clothes. I find the fabrics they use tend to not create those muffin tops as much as other materials.
wow, I've never heard of that before! That sounds totally awesome. I want to have someone help me shop.
Well, I checked that myshape website with my measurements and it said I was an M or an "almost hourglass", which sounds about right. They actually had some good advice there for what to wear: http://www.myshape.com/shop/shapeanatomy?shape=m that really helped! I have to admit the clothes that they actually suggested for me... eh, I'm not too excited but what they had to offer (but I wonder if it's more because most of them were plus size and maybe in the smaller sizes they have better options?).
Oh, and I was down to 201 today so I onderland is just around the corner!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ShylahEQ
If it's free.. I say DO IT!
how awesome.
Yes, I really want to do this. I think I can convince DH that buying one nice outfit could be my Christmas/weighloss present.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arctic Mama
One of the best things to combat muffin top is pants that come up high enough, to your natural waist. Low rise or even mid-rise is not your friend, you really want them at or above your belly button. I promise it helps
Control top panties are also nice. I have more than my share of loose, jiggly skin after three babies in three years, and it's not a function of me being fat so much as that the skin just has no resistance left and so any pressure on it (like, say, from a waist band) pushes it around. My pants fit just fine, it's just the way my body is. High, medium control panties or a waist cincher is a great solution to showing off the shape I have worked for without letting some jiggly skin spoil it.
Yeah, I've been trying to find higher waisted pants but it's also hard to get the "these are mom-pants" mindset out of my head (I'm mean I'm a mom so that should be ok, right?). Do you have any recommendations for control top panties? They always seem to roll down when I get any but I definitely see how that could help!
Quote:
Originally Posted by atreyyena
well, Most of the clothes I get come from Fred Meyers or JcPenney's, or Value Village (second hand store). Of course I'm about 10 inches bigger on my hips than my bust, and I have a short torso so a lot of things are long on me.
One site I found is called myshape, they have all sizes, plus sizes and long sizes and all the above. You create a profile that includes your measurements and then they only show you the things in their store that will flatter your shape. Haven't used it but it might be worth looking into.
I also checked, I don't know if you're only looking at your local store, but the lane bryant online has sizes both above and below what would fit you, based on your measurements. so I'd say try again.
As far as activewear, I was thinking about the pants especially. Activewear as in workout clothes. I find the fabrics they use tend to not create those muffin tops as much as other materials.
wow, I've never heard of that before! That sounds totally awesome. I want to have someone help me shop.
See, my problem with Lane Bryant is their size measurements don't seem to remotely match what the actual measurements are on the clothes! For instance, according to their size chart I should be in 18's with my waist measurements and between 16's and 18's with my hips. BUT I have a few pairs of 16's here at home and I can pull them off without unbuttoning them and they are insanely baggy in the butt/thighs. I haven't worn them since I was almost 10lbs heavier because they were already too big then! I have a dress in a 14/16 that I'm swimming in now. So *maybe* I could fit into a 14 but I don't really want to trek all the way their (it's not very close) if not even all the 14's are going to fit me because they don't go to size 12. Sorry, rant over. But for some reason I can still wear their bras just fine and the size is completely off from my measurements?? I should be a 36I but I can fit almost perfectly into their 38F bra just fine?
Ok, I get what you're saying about active wear. Yep, I LOVE yoga pant!
Yeah, I just found out from a friend recently so I definitely want to check it out!
Just a question then about Spanx... does it roll down at the waist? That's always my problem with any tummy control stuff is that it roll downs on me and I'm constantly pulling it up. Am I getting the sizing wrong or something?
No. They really don't. The thing to look for on control top panties is a band or two of silicone around the top (the generic control top panties I got from JCP even had this). That stabilizes the waistband and grips the skin in such a way that it doesn't roll down. They start down the thigh and go up almost to my bra band, smoothing and containing all the skin bulge and jiggle, but iguana never had them roll down (and I'm short of curvy, all sorts of clothes roll on me ).
If spanx roll on you, everything short of a corset will. Coincidentally, I also love and recommend corsets, but they aren't for everyone.
Last edited by Arctic Mama; 12-17-2010 at 04:57 PM.
No. They really don't. The thing to look for on control top panties is a band or two of silicone around the top (the generic control top panties I got from JCP even had this). That stabilizes the waistband and grips the skin in such a way that it doesn't roll down. They start down the thigh and go up almost to my bra band, smoothing and containing all the skin bulge and jiggle, but iguana never had them roll down (and I'm short of curvy, all sorts of clothes roll on me ).
If spanx roll on you, everything short of a corset will. Coincidentally, I also love and recommend corsets, but they aren't for everyone.
Thanks! I didn't know they had silicone on them. Nothing I've tried in the past had that, which caused me all my woes. I'm definitely going to try and get a pair then... any chance you know where I can buy them cheaply?
Almost out of onderland- trying to revamp my wardrobe
). 
). 
I always used to be when I was skinnier but I think my mommy tummy is holding me back. 
I know DD is cute and all but I'm not planning on repopulating the word with my genes quite yet. 
).