How do you look good at your current weight?
 

I'm going back to the office soon and realized I've always been heavy while working in an office, struggling to fit into my pants.

While I may be able to lose a pound or two before then I do need to buy new clothes. I usually buy whatever is there to save money thinking oh, I'll just need new clothes in a month or two anyway. Any advice on how you all stay looking good? :?:

Target was suggested to as a good place to get cheap well fitting clothes do any of you shop there?

I shop there quite often but only for some plain shirts or workout wear. I don't find their prices to be terribly cheap unless you are just looking for a t-shirt and most of the "work wear" is poorly cut.
I would suggest Marshall's or TJ MAXX for work trousers. Very reasonable. Some high end brands for a lot less so you will get a good cut. But can be hit or miss.

Shirts and blouses though, Target can have some nice stuff sometimes.

Also, try the clearance and sales racks at Kohl's. VERY reasonably priced and they are probably looking to shift a lot of winter wear right now. (That doesn't mean you can't find things suitable for spring or summer though)
Happy shopping!

But bottom line, with all the different sizes I had to go and buy throughout my weightloss (Size 20-6 and I have a wardrobe for each size) ... If it makes you look good and if it's PERFECT, sometimes quality over quantity is best. You'll feel awesome because you know it looks awesome and that is worth a little splurge regardless of whether or not you are going to be wearing it for very long. That's worth the money and the confidence boost. I found that well fitting clothes, even if they cost a little more, definitely helped with my weight loss in the long run. And when I thought about it... I was making that money up anyway because I was spending A LOT less on bad food.

I second TJ Maxx or Marshall's. If you have any other discount stores, such as Ross: Dress for Less or Gabes, I'd check those out as well. Always check out clearance racks at department stores. Sometimes you can find some great deals.

If you don't mind thrift shopping, check out Goodwill (or local stores). Its hit or miss, but you can find brand new/like new clothes. I do most of my shopping at Goodwill. Just don't buy anything black unless it has tags on it still. It will probably be faded.

Try wrap dresses. They tend to last longer in terms of fit as you get smaller (or bigger)!

Definitely check the clearance racks!

JC Penney's Worthington brand is nice and reasonably priced. I've found a style of slacks I really like there and just bought a size down, which I'll continue to do as I need new clothes. Takes the frustration out of shopping since I know exactly what I like.

Good luck! You'll feel so much better once you spend a little money and update your wardrobe no matter what you end up getting, as long as it fits.

I have had good luck at Savers; many clothes with the tags still on.

I second thrift shopping. Although, I don't tell coworkers that I do it. I guess I fear the stigma of being "found out" wearing secondhand clothes. It's never bothered me, but I'm leery of being judged. I'm terribly proud of some of my thrift shop "scores", though! I've often been complimented on my outfits and wonder what they would think if they knew I paid $6 each for the shirt and skirt or $10 for the dress! :)

It is hit and miss, but with a little patience and a lot of looking, you can find brand names (some brand new!) I often find Jones New York, Chico's, Talbots, Anne Klein, etc. Mostly, I shop at Goodwill. Here's a little hint. If you find something you like in your size, look closely at all the nearby racks. It means that someone with your taste and shape has brought in a load of clothes for donation, and if there's one item, there are bound to be more.

Congratulations on needing to purchase new clothes! And, happy hunting!

Well i've discovered that you can look pretty good at any size if the clothes are a good fit and suited to your figure.

check out trinny and susannah's website for help if you get lost. You can email them.

Congrats on needing new clothes! I too suggest thrift stores. Since I am loosing I don't spend a lot of money on clothes. In the fall I went to a Good Will and purchased things to get me through the winter.

Just got back from an attempted clothing trip and returned with only one blouse. Not a single wrap dress in sight (so there goes that theory) and it seems so difficult to find blouses that look good now and will continue to look good 10 pounds from now. I hope you're having better luck than me! It can be very frustrating, especially when you aren't really sure of your size as it keeps changing...as i noticed today.

I just spent a lot of money and even didn't wear some of the clothes I bought on the way down as they ended up being too big by the time I remembered I had bought them.

My trick, in the end, was to buy everything a little tight so that I would "ungrow" into them.

It was a lot of fun.

My exact tactics, as above. I'll brag to my friends about my finds but everyone else - info stays private. First browse & try on clothes in expensive shops - then you get an idea of how well made clothes look, feel, and hang. Then go into the thrift store, step back from a rack a foot or two, scan quickly over the clothes as they hang there. Pull out anything that catches your eye/makes you pause. I find they are usually well made European designs or other US Designer brands Jones NY, Tommy Hilfiger, etc. That way you cut the hunt through faded, stretched out, stained, crap and straight to the good stuff. I've found heavyweight British cashmere sweaters, European designer (Chanel blouse once) heavy jerseys & knits, Guess jeans, a full length Revillon black mink in a classic style ( I paid $800 for a coat that was worth $5-7000 second hand) and assorted other amazing clothes.
You can outfit yourself very well especially if you are near a large city with a population of well paid professional women. You might pay a bit more for these kinds of clothes, but compared to new... phfttt, nothing.

Go to Target etc for stuff that is cheap and easy to replace like brightly coloured T's to go under your jackets, camisoles, maybe jeans if the brands there fit you. You be lookin' hawt pretty quick!

Liana

Thanks for all the suggestions, I'm going to try the a little tight approach again too, and report back on purchases when I get paid and get to go shop. :)

Everyone has great suggestions.

I like light weight knits. The fabric is flexible to accomodate different weights.
I find that solid colored cardigans with matching mid calf length skirts and a simple knit shirt look professional and last through weight loss.

There are some online shops that can be reasonably priced such as Appleseed's, Garnet Hill, The Tog Shop, Overstock, Amazon and Zappos.

I hope you find great clothes that you love!

Thrift shops are definitely your friend while you're in transition. Also, I've had good luck finding name brands unreasonably cheap at Burlington Coat Factory.

Hi there...

I love to shop, but I hate the feeling of not fitting into what I think is my size when I get to the store and then having a mini crisis in the dressing room-ugh!
I have a gift card to Talbot's and I can hardly wait to use it but I am nervous that their pants will be a bit tight. I may call my local store and find out their sizing.

It's tough for me with self esteem and body image hence I am a perfectionist so when I was thinner I felt better but I still have issues with feeling okay with my weight. I feel chubby and bloated now, ick, so I hope that this will be my year to get my weight issues under control.

I love thrift stores, I worked for a few, I highly recommend trying the clothing on though because especially in women's sizes, what is one size in one brand may be too small or too big in a different brand, shape and cut.

Take care and happy shopping!!!

Amy ;)