I agree with checking with Ebay, Craigslist and Freecycle. Of course, there may not be something now, but keep checking. People post new things all of the time. Wearing your husbands pants is not bad, I use to do the same. Right now I will wear his pj pants, sweats and track pants. If you are home, it is no big deal. It will not last forever, you have a goal in mind, and you will achieve it soon!

I understand your frustration, I started my healthier lifestyle 3 weeks ago, and don't want to spend too much money on clothes for my next size. Especially since I do not plan to be that size for long. How about purchasing sweat pants? That is something you can wear for a while. Right now I own 2 pair of jeans, and 3 nice shirts for days I go out, out (which is not often). Otherwise I will wear track/sweat pants. You mentioned finding pants that are too long. You can always cut and hem them with non sew tape (use the iron to infuse it). It holds very well. Nothing will take that hem apart. LOL

I love the thrift store and Freecycle. I've gotten lots of garbage bags full of clothes from Freecycle. Even if it doesn't all work for me, I can usually find something.

And one of my thrift stores is extra cool. They have 99 cent Mondays where any item with a certain color tag are just 99 cents, no matter how big. The other days they do half off a certain color. Last time I went I got a couple of size 18 (yay) jeans.

Do you have a TJ Maxx, Ross or Marshalls? Those can be pretty cheap sometimes.

I often see the offer of clothes in freecycle, I bought my clothes at Salvation Arny, Goodwill, Savers and consignment shops. I have often been able to find new clothes at these stores. And Cheap. You have to check often as the stock goes fast. i have received compliments on the designer jeans from Nordstrom's. for $150.00 I got them at Goodwill for about $4.00 .

On the way down I shopped at a consignment shop frequently. I also checked Wal-mart about every time I went in. Every once in a while they have just a basic capri or slacks on sale dirt cheap. $3 a piece. When I would find deals like that I would buy like 4 pair, (tan & Black) 2 in my current size and then 2 in the next size smaller. 4 pair of slacks for $12 was an awesome deal. I'm a tight wad by nature, so I knew if I bought those smaller sizes, I HAD to eventually wear them. Shirts can go awhile longer, but they also have some pretty good deals on blouses and t's. I'd just dress them up with jewelry and a scarf or something. I refuse to ever own a pair of sweat pants again... I do wear some of my 17 year old sons jeans he out grew in Jr. High...lol I'd been saving them for son #2, but decided to claim them for myself.

yah... NO FREAKING SWEATS unless you are working out. Or 20. And in college. lol!

check out your favorite stores online. old navy/gap etc always have cheap stuff in the sale department and it changes every week. I bought shorts $7 this summer and jeans for 10.

I am with you on the sweats, that was all I wore when I was at my heaviest. I do not buy them anymore.

Like other people said, tops are a lot easier to make stretch over several sizes, though it does get to a point where it becomes TOO much of a tent to look good. Pants for me, however, are the hardest. That's why I tend to stick away from my "non-giving" materials in pants such as jeans and keep to cotton and stretchy pants because they go with me (in either direction, god forbid) for several sizes. I love love LOVE my stretchy gauchos and leggings... perhaps too much.

I am a pack rat. It is hard for me to give anything way so I was pretty lucky as I had clothes from 30 to 20. My sister is always buying too much clothes so every time she wants to give anything away I always take them. Right now they are way too small for me but I have clothes all the way down to size 14.. Plus I check at my local walmart as they always have stuff on sale. Plus once or twice a year they go crazy and mark alot down to a $1.. I LOVE THOSE SALES... It is getting closer to the day after thanksgiving..Maybe you can find some good sales..

Thanks for all the great suggestions.

We hit Walmart last night while on datenight.. and I wanted so bad to look at clothes... but we ran into some friends and talked too long, we still hadn't gone for dinner so I grabbed what I had gone in there for and got back out.

Our Salvation Army has 1/2 price Wednesdays.. where every color is half off, so I will try to go next week.

Oh yeah and NO Sweats! I have a few pair that I wear at home, but I would never ever go out in public in sweats.. I didn't do it at my heaviest and I never did it at my lowest in highschool. I'm one of the ones who can't understand why someone would go out thinking they look ok in sweats... and my hubby would die of total embarrassment if I went out in sweats, he grew up that you went out fully dressed.. shirt tucked in and belt on was a must, and he still believes in that.

Try to organize a clothing swap in your area.

Another idea too--I had some black jersey stretch pants that fit me at my highest and because of their stretchiness, fit me for a long time. They were long and flowing--sort of a little bell bottomed as they got towards the ankle. I liked those things with different sweaters and tops. This time of year, if you could manage to find a couple of cardigans with wide wrap belts that would be great. As you lose, you just cinch the belt and wrap the sweater a bit more.

Jewelry is a great way too to feel good about yourself. Luckily, the cheap, clunky stuff seems to be in style everywhere.

Oh, another thought. I see lots of ladies "belting" tunics and sweaters and all sorts of things nowadays. If you have a top that is oversized, try making it work with a belt. I think this is a really "smart" look for moms.

Gosh jewelry.. can't even tell you the last time I wore anything other than my wedding rings. I used to wear ear rings 24/7, but then decided I want to go back down to just one hole in each ear and then quit wearing them in my first hole because my hair kept getting tangled in them.

I don't wear makeup either. Hubby doesn't like it.

Do YOU like it?

If you do, I'd suggest occasionally wearing it while explaining to him that it makes you feel good about yourself now and then..... that's what I had to do with my BF.... He finally came to understand that SOMETIMES it's about what I like... not just what he likes (though I DO appreciate the fact that he loves me au natural! hehe)

haha.. not really.

I'm not a girly girl, I would rather romp in the mud than go to a ball if that makes sense. Here is an example of my style... I drive a full size truck as my family car, the only sport I like is monster trucks and I dream of homesteading some day (living completely off our own land).