Gah! I'm torn!

I have success at the moment. I'm maintaining 154-155 these days, which is awesome, and I'm losing belly fat. This makes me happy!

But... my clothes don't fit!!! Two pairs of my pants (slacks for work) I bought when I was at 170 and had way too much belly fat (my dad told me recently that I looked downright chubby last Christmas... which has not been normal for me until the last two years...). I bought them in a size 14 to sit right at my waist/belly button. Now they're sliding off my hips (much wider than my waist). My "sexy" shirts - the shirts the used to hug me in just the right way to hide my belly (they're all button down collared shirts) are now too big and baggy on me.

Yea, sure, right, this should be AWESOME!! I look in the mirror at myself in my underwear and I'm constantly amazed at how I look. BUT, now I have to get practically a whole wardrobe! (By the way, I bought my "sexy" shirts on Thanksgiving weekend... so it's not like I was exactly prepared for this)

So, my question is this. Does anyone know a website or, better yet, a book on sewing? I really don't want to buy all new clothes, because I really do like the clothes I have, so I want to just take in my pants, but I've never really sewn before. I could take them to the dry cleaners, but from what I understand they're usually only good for hemming pants, which I don't need if I can take in the waist.

Plus I'm on a project/anti-lazy kick and I want to be able to do this myself.

I don't know where to send you, but I just wanted to say I understand! I finally broke down and bought some stuff. I just couldn't stand it anymore. If I'm lucky some of this stuff may need some taking in this summer I sewed a little bit in my youth, I want to take it up again.

I also don't sew, WISH I DID, but you could take them to anybody that does alterations. I have taken all kind of clothes to the lady that did my wedding dress...older, at home gal, who can do ANYTHING and it's cheap.

BUT, if you have the motivation to do it yourself, try at pair of pants or a shirt that you don't mind messing up first!

Hi!
I have pants issues. But I also have a hatred of my sewing machine, so my gameplan is this : I always go to a tailor.
This is only because I tend to throw a serious freak-out when I try to sew things which leads eventually to crying and spending more money than I ever meant to. It takes an emotional toll I can't afford. Hahahah I sound like I have more than clothing issues. lol

When I started losing a few years back, I had just purchased a new pair of jeans and a new pair of capris. Within months they were too large in the waist--I could pull them off without undoing the zipper or button. Since I still had a lot of weight to lose, there was no sense buying a new pair and I certainly didn't want to waste the money I had recently spent. Besides, they were so cute! Anyway, I got out the sewing machine and put darts in the back of both pair. Two per pair, in the waist band centered on the pockets. It did make the pockets on one pair kind of poke out, but nothing too noticeable and it was nice having pants that weren't on the verge of falling off.

With my dressier pants, I opted to take them to the local dry cleaner who does alterations. I think I paid $10-15 per pair (they were lined) to have them brought in.

I am not a sewer (actually the sewing machine belongs to DH) so I'm just happy I was able to do the darts. No way am I going to sew anything from scratch! I have too many bad memories of ill fitting hand made clothes that my Mom made for me. Lord knows why she couldn't measure me before she cut out the patterns! The worst was the pants--the crotch was always mid-thigh and chafed my legs.

I used a Janome Mini (it's kinda crappy--but for the things you need to work with, it'll do great. Plus, it was only $30)-- For pants, I've found that if you just take in two sections each one right above the pockets (or where the pockets should be!)-- You can wear them for at least 2-3 sizes down from where you were. Just have someone pin from the waist to the pocket (you should end up with a triangle of fabric outside) --Then double check that they're even. Then mark each side with chalk, turn the triangles so that they're inside the pant, and pin, then sew! It's about a 20 minute alteration that will save you the cost of pants!

Shirts are a different creature, and are typically less than $20, so I go out and buy new ones. Target actually has a fabulous market of button-downs--you might want to check there
If you need visuals on the pants thing, pm me and I can send you pictures

A tailor is your friend.

A great tailor can probably alter down about 1-2 sizes. After that, you might as well buy new clothes, because the alterations will cost more than a new blouse/pants.

I brought in 3 skirts to be altered from size 14 to about size 10. Love them now. But, I'm used to altering clothes. After two back-to-back pregnancies, my midsection is a wreck. Also, most pants are about 4" too long, so I get everything shortened, even jeans.

I thought this is why we were losing weight...so we could go out and buy cute new clothes!

I wanna say boo hoo, if that's all you have to worry about...what you consider a problem I consider a success and a treat! But I do understand, as I'm terribly frugal, to the point of never buying clothes for myself now because I don't want fat clothes. I love to sew, but I hate doing alterations (and I don't like altered clothes unless they are done right), so for me, I'd be mad at myself for not wanting to take in the clothes, and mad at myself for spending money on new clothes when I have perfectly good clothes that just need to be taken in.

Fortunately, I don't have this problem...I have been living in sweats and t-shirts for so long I don't have much in the way of real clothes, and I'm looking forward to the day (and saving up for it) that I reach my goal and can go to town to the trendy shops and buy some adorable clothes. I don't care how much they cost either...I want some nice clothes. I'm going to do some sewing then too. I can't wait for the day I have your problem. In the meantime, I will wear my shredded baggy sweats till they fall off.