[singforthedayx]

Someone mentioned how much they had to go clothes shopping now in another thread. I know it's a problem for me as well, so I thought I'd open a thread to share tips.

I know I just bought a few size 16s jeans when I grew out of my 18s... (yay). I didn't really expect them to get so loose so soon, but they're starting to get saggy (especially in the butt) and I even pulled them down once without unbuttoning or unzipping. What do you guys do during your "in between" period when you can't fit into the next size down, but the bigger size is falling down? (Besides the obvious belt answer lol... belts don't always help...)

I think I have it pretty lucky. I don't expect to ever get out of large sized shirts (which I'm wearing now) because I have such broad shoulders, so my biggest expense will probably only be jeans.

How do you save money as you lose weight and clothing sizes?

[CarbsAreEvil]

I usually just wear them until they're falling off. Or I switch to wearing slacks because they're much cheaper.

[Alicia87]

This has probably been suggested before, but I try thrift stores (such as Goodwill) or I try to catch sales at my favorite stores. Not too long ago I was with a friend getting her new jeans and they had a sale (only $20) for my favorite jeans brand...so I bought a pair one size smaller, knowing that I would eventually fit into them (did this week, woot!!).

[Mickeypnd]

well I do a few things. I hate jeans so I tend to lean more towards slacks as well. I think they can look casual, like pairing them with a tee and some flip flop or whatever shoes you want to wear and they can be worn for fancier occasions.

if you don't want to keep buying jeans every time you go down a size (which gets costly) I agree with Alicia and go to the goodwill, that will save you money. Or you can wear a belt and just stick with those jeans that are a bit baggy until the next size down fits.

[luckymommy]

I thought to add that maybe you could see a tailor? If you find a good, cheap tailor, you might be able to take them in at the waist to give you a month or so of something to wear and it might be cheaper than getting another pair that you will lose weight out of anyway.

I also wanted to say how amazing it is because I am your height and similar weight and my size 16's are very tight on me. Which brand do you buy? Are you pair shaped like me or maybe you're more proportioned? Just wondering.

[boots]

I've had three babies over the last 4.5 years. (The other week I dumped the pill so I didn't screw up THAT again and am on the depo shot until I graduate in the spring. The last thing I want to tell my boss is that I've failed at birth control again and I'm having baby #4 while in grad school)


Consequently: I have jeans and pants of all ranges of sizes (including those stylish elastic band top ones, my favorite of those are my Old Navy ones that striped the elastic band instead of "disguising" it blue to "match" the blue jean pants, yeah that doesn't fool anyone idiots!). I don't shop at grossly expensive places, I usually shop at places like JCPennys, Sears etc. But sizes are like ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I'm ridiculously pleased I just got back into my favorite jeans, name brand Ana from JCPennys. However, I also just finally lost enough weight to get back into a couple of pairs of shorts from my Junior year of undergrad, Size 14. (how does that make sense?) I can also squeeze into a size 8 Levis I picked up from Sears before I got pregnant with Baby #3. So right now I'm wearing pants sizes ranging between 8-14.

For 15-20 bucks, I suggest you go comb the racks of a couple different stores and find a pair that you feel good in. (I wouldn't spend 30-40 dollars on a pair you might never wear again though) Feeling good in your pants is a HUGE confidence boost to me. And feeling good about myself is almost "half the battle" for weightloss for me

I usually notice I lose the slacks when I'm dropping weight, before the jeans though, but I think its because they dont shrink or get tighter every time I wash them like my jeans. I have to wear my Ana's for about 10 min before they stretch back out after a good wash LOL!

[amyleigh]

i just avoid pants...though nudity is fun, apparently it's frowned upon, so i stick with skirts. i picked up a few roll-over jersey skirts from old navy (they have them in a bunch of colors) for like 12 bucks a pop. what's great about them is they stretch, so i buy the smaller size that i'm between, and when i shrink out of them, i can easily safety pin them from the inside and you can't even tell.

they're perfect because they can be dressed up or down depending on occasion.. and they're long enough that if your inner thighs rub together and give you that horrible rash, you can totally wear shorts under them unnoticed

[girlinwaterglobe]

I think we all should find a way to organize some kind of clothing swap. You mail a pair of jeans to someone on the forum (we might have to make rules about how long that person has been a member) and you receive a certain number of points or whatever to get pants from someone else.

[mkendrick]

Second hand stores are my preferred opportunity over thrift stores. Maybe it's just around my area, but our thrift stores are pretty dubious. I've looked, but I've never found any nice clothes.

My preferred alternative is second hand stores. We have a place called Platos Closet that I shop at. They only buy lightly used clothes (or many still have he original tags on them) that are in style and often still the styles that are in the malls still. I'll go try on $39.50 jeans at American Eagle and go buy the exact same pair of jeans at Platos Closet for $12.

I also sell clothes that got loose shortly after I purchased them. Obviously you don't get a full money return, but it's better than nothing. I went from size 12/14 to a 2 in American Eagle sizes between Oct of last year to May of this year. I bought a lot of jeans...