That sounds really similar to me. I tend to wear jeans, sneakers, and either a t-shirt or casual/semi-nice shirt. I'm not big on the tailored outfits, or form to the body clothing. I don't wear extremely baggy stuff, but I prefer my shirts to go a few inches past the waste of my jeans/pants and I don't want my shirt "tight' - I wear them with a nice breathing room fit, but I don't swim in the shirt lol. I don't know that I am being helpful, but I don't tend to like a lot of those looks that a lot of people tend to say looks great for our sizes. Some are nice, but a lot I don't think look that great on me, or a lot of other plus size women. Depends on the body and exact outfit, though. I can say though, I do hear you on this.
Quirkychick - I dress exactly like you described. I buy cute feminine cut plain tops/tees that are baggy enough around the belly, nice jeans and sneakers. We are the same height and your starting weight is my current weight! Are you also an apple shape? Maybe I should buy your used clothes as you slim down!!!
Yes! I'll tell you... in high school, my lightest weight was 118 but I didn't have any of my body 'toned'... there was still fat and belly rolls AT 118. Looking back I'm like A: holy shoot, I should have been that stand-on-top-of-a-mountain-naked-and-sing-with-my-arms-in-the-air confident but I still wasn't. Having gained 50 lbs since then I have learned that changing your MINDSET on how you PERCIEVE your body needs to happen JUST AS MUCH as actually physically changing with weight loss and gain. The funny thing is, I gained 50 lbs and hardly realized it because I was already in the fat kid mindset (I was a fat kid growing up, slimmed out in my junior year HS, and chunked up again in college). In my journey to lose weight, I am constantly feeling my body, looking at it, and noticing the small differences and feeling happy. I'm also giong to stores a lot to try on clothes and seeing how they fit. Mentally, I'm still a work in progress but I'm trying to point out the positives to myself now, so that I can continue to has success, but also because it's completely possible that even when you lose the weight you want, you will still feel uncomfortable! So who cares about rolls! You've lost weight, you're going to continue to lose weight, wear what you've got and be glad to be alive and working towards a goal!
Yes! I'll tell you... in high school, my lightest weight was 118 but I didn't have any of my body 'toned'... there was still fat and belly rolls AT 118. Looking back I'm like A: holy shoot, I should have been that stand-on-top-of-a-mountain-naked-and-sing-with-my-arms-in-the-air confident but I still wasn't. Having gained 50 lbs since then I have learned that changing your MINDSET on how you PERCIEVE your body needs to happen JUST AS MUCH as actually physically changing with weight loss and gain. The funny thing is, I gained 50 lbs and hardly realized it because I was already in the fat kid mindset (I was a fat kid growing up, slimmed out in my junior year HS, and chunked up again in college). In my journey to lose weight, I am constantly feeling my body, looking at it, and noticing the small differences and feeling happy. I'm also giong to stores a lot to try on clothes and seeing how they fit. Mentally, I'm still a work in progress but I'm trying to point out the positives to myself now, so that I can continue to has success, but also because it's completely possible that even when you lose the weight you want, you will still feel uncomfortable! So who cares about rolls! You've lost weight, you're going to continue to lose weight, wear what you've got and be glad to be alive and working towards a goal!
Thank you for this beautiful motivational statement! Its true .. .they are just rolls. I love this "wear what you've got and be glad to be alive and working towards a goal!" Something I remind myself of, is that no clothes are going to hide the fact that I am a big girl - so I should just embrace it. I'm not talking looking like a sausage in casing - but its no the end of the world if appropriately dressed bulges are noticeable. And I'm starting to realize looking around, that this is a more flattering look for big girls than way oversized clothes.
I think confidence is everything. If you are uncomfortable, it will show. Take a picture of yourself in the shirt. Look at it & then look at it again in a few days.
I think sometimes you see something in a picture that is not obvious in real life. I always look in the mirror before I leave, but I was wearing my favorite hoodie around months after I should have been. When I went on vacation with my mom, husband & kids and AFTER the pictures came back... here I am wearing that baggy hoodie in most of the pictures. I was like "WTF am I doing wearing this giant sloppy thing around?" It is STILL love it, I just don't wear it in public.
I generally wear fitted shirts. I don't even own a tshirt. I think that with giant boobs, if I wear a shirt like a tshirt I look like I am way bigger than I am.
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I can relate to this post, more because I was pretty much a tomboy growing up, and my dad raised me through my teen years. Long story short, I'm now 43 and trying to figure how to "girl up" my wardrobe somewhat, since most of it consists of work and gym clothes, and after so many years of feeling like I needed to hide every inch with ginormous men's t-shirts and baggy pants, I'm pretty clueless as to where to start. I was thinking that when I get some money freed up for clothes next time, I'd ask some friends from the gym to help me with a wardrobe makeover. I still do grubby work that requires the tshirts and carharrts, but at least I could dress nicer when I go out!
I had lost some weight in college and had a similar situation. Some friends took me shopping and bought me pants that were much more form fitting than I was used to, and in truth, fit me quite well. I had a hard time with the concept as I also tried to hide in baggy clothes. Looking back at photos, I looked so much better in the proper sized clothing.
You mentioned being pushed out of your comfort zone. I think a little pushing is fine, but of course you don't want to be terribly uncomfortable. Maybe try wearing one form-fitting clothing item at a time and see you how you feel. I agree with novus, there is a difference between form fitting and sausage casing, but I don't think your friends would steer you wrong. Perhaps look at what they wear. If they look nice in their clothes, perhaps it's worth taking advice from them.
This is sound advice (as were the other replies!) I too try to hide in bigger clothes, but I've come to realize the importance of proper fitting clothes. I'm sure your friends mean you well and you look good in those clothes! Wear what you feel is most comfortable (I love the idea of trying one item at a time) and remember we tend to see more of our own flaws than others see.
IMO, when you look at yourself, you scrutinize and see every lump and bump and imperfection. When other people look at you, it's often just a passing glance that sees a general shape. When you wear clothing that is too loose, people register your shape as "fat, shapeless, blob." When you more form-fitting clothing, they see you as smaller. Just remember, though, that there's a big difference between "form-fitting" and "sausage casing"!
I completely agree with the above. Wearing more fit and shapely clothing recently for me has been a battle in my head. I feel great in it, but on the other hand I know that I cannot look into the mirror for too long since I am overly critical of myself. It's a work in process, but overall I feel a lot better wearing stuff that is not super baggy and actual fits my shape, and I know those clothes will look even better every inch I lose along the way!
Wearing these things will help you to get comfortable in your new body......But........Wear tight clothing that you feel comfortable in.......That fits you correctly......It's all about body shape with clothing. There's different cuts, etc. in shirts, jeans, pants, skirts that will fit a different body shape perfectly. Go shopping on your own terms and try on a bunch of clothes until you find those perfect fitting clothes.....The perfect fitting ones will make you look smaller also.
Great advice everyone! And I really should find some shapewear - if I could get the area around my belly button to srhink just a very tiny bit - I think I'd be comfortable in a lot more of my clothes.
Any recs for good shapewear?
My ideal thing would be like a belly band type thing that pregnant people wear - easy to get on, won't make it hard to pee while at work (a lot of the panties with tummy support or bike short type things that you can pull up high to under your boobs are a pain for peeing!!!).
I keep seeing Squeen get recommended but that seems too hardcore and potentially uncomfortable for daily use.
Are you also an apple shape? Maybe I should buy your used clothes as you slim down!!! 
