Stuff in the pockets will show with a jacket, too. And for a good portion of the year it's too warm to wear a jacket indoors.

Overall I'm usually more concerned with function than fashion. If someone doesn't like what I look like because I have stuff in my pockets (no, I'm not going to carry a purse if I don't have to), they don't need to look. Problem solved.

I really liked reading over this thread. There is major vanity sizing and we all know it. I had to wear plus sizes from a very young age so I wasn't exposed to real sizes but i just knew they were out of my league. I've recently bought size 18 misses petite pants and they are so close to fitting (I've bought a few from different makers, all seem to fit the same). I'm not sure I'd imagine being 250 and almost being completely out of plus sizes. I also bought an XL misses top and it is too big. I will be excited in the next 10-20 lbs when i can kiss plus sizes goodbye but I'm really scared of venturing into the world of "regular" sizes.

The scariest part of fitting into regular sizes ... is that there's too much to pick from!!! It's like sensory overload. I know it sounds dumb to say that too big of a selection is a problem but it is when you're used to a small plus size department. After years of buying something just because it fits (and being grateful), all of a sudden you find yourself having to make CHOICES! Because everything fits and (almost) everything looks cute. :D

Get ready to do some serious shopping once you're in the regular sizes!

OMG, I am starting to finally experience this. Nelie, she's right, there's so much choice you don't even know what to THINK sometimes!

Come to the light, Nelie!!!! :D

Well I took DH shopping a couple times and unless it is a small store or small section, I get all confused and want to leave. Luckily he is tiny and I can take him to the young mens section which is usually a smaller subset of the mens section. I think I tried to walk into a misses section to look at tops and I really can't do it. All the misses clothes I've bought so far were from online.

Proof of vanity sizing! For Easter, I wore a suit that I've had for at least ten years. The jacket was marked small and the skirt was marked size 8 ~ not the size 4, 2, or 0 that I'm able to pull off the racks today.

Psychologically, it made me feel fat for the day. My body's the same small size as the day before, it was just a stupid number that was bugging me.

Nellie ~ welcome to the world of overwhelming choice in clothing. Good for you!

What shape are skinny jeans? Are they straight to the ankle? Do they have room for thighs?

Hi Susan,

Skinny jeans stick to your legs, all the way down--they're tapered.

http://www.squeezeoc.com/blog/fashio...skinnyjean.jpg
http://www.momist.com/blog/uploaded_...83f-736253.jpg

Only women with NO HIPS AND THIGHS should wear them. Personally, I think they are a terrible trend. Very few women look good in that shape, because they really amplify your thighs. The only way they can work for women with curves is if you tuck them into big boots.

I'm sticking with boot cuts. Much more flattering!

Oh I see .... perhaps not then.

Vaguely related to skinny jeans - I bought leggings today :eek: :eek:

I will be wearing them under dresses and long tops, but still :eek: :eek:

No 'skinny jeans' or leggings for me. My legs are way too curvy from hips to butt to thighs to calves. I'm loving the flaired jeans look to balance out my thighs.

Me neither. I've tried on straight leg and they are NOT flattering. I'm with you guys - I need a little flare to balance out the top. It's an amazing difference comparing the one with the other. Goes to show that it's worth figuring out how to shop for your shape. :)

Helen, I think legging under dresses are really cute, but you have to be young (like you, you sweet little thing) to pull it off.

OK, this sooooo NOT true! And not fair at all :( I dreamed of the day I could pull anything off a clothing rack and know that I could wear it. That will never happen. I've recently been shopping for "business casual" and not so casual clothes and have discovered that I've been living in yoga pants and low rise jeans nirvana. Hardly anything fits me in "real" clothes! Because I'm so shortwaisted and my ribs practically hit my hip bones, I have virtually no waist. If pants are low rise, I can wear a two or a four. If they (or a skirt) are designed to hit my so-called waist, a six goes around me, but balloons and hangs everywhere else.

...stomping off in another snit fit....

Mel

You don't really need all those ribs, do you?

:lol:

Sorry, Mel! I think you need to find lots of low-rise business casual pants and live in those. Hopefully you can find a brand that fits well. :hug:

Well I did some shopping yesterday and I gotta tell you the choices are just sooo overwhelming. It really is hard to choose. I certainly will not say that EVERYthing looks great, because, well it DOESN'T. But a real lot of stuff DOES. I bought this fabulous, fabulous long silky sleeveless dress. I thought to myself I would never look good in a one piece sheath type dress, I thought everything would stick out. But lo and behold it looked fabulous on me. It's like it was custom tailored for me, shocking. It hides everything that it should hide (my stomach and calves) and accentuates all the positive, my collarbones, bust line and waist. I stood there in the dressing room with my mouth hanging open and holding back tears. All the while I kept thinking, this is soo worth it. I don't care if I never have another lick of ice cream again or another fried chicken cutlet or any of the other garbage I used to eat. I am so sticking to this lifestyle forever and ever. The rewards soooo outweigh the sacrifices.