I had a good day today. Fun with my Mom. I got a black dress, pumps with a strap to go with it, a coral tshirt, black cami, new underwear and some makeup and a day creme.

Where did I get that notion about brown? I'm having a far easier time accessorising that olive suit than finding a new brown one. Some of those muddy jewel tones are gorgeous ... bronze, berry-wine, ruby ...
There is tons of black and delicious greys out there. I guess that's for the emeralds, purples ... beautiful. You almost have to make a few trips and just scout what's available.

Mel makes me a bit jealous. I'm not much of a sewer, alterations scare me but, I guess, what's the worst that could happen?

Ok, must be the influence of this thread - since it was thunderstorming, I couldn't go for my scheduled run tonight (I promise to do my yoga instead like a good 3FC'er) and decided to stop by Marshall's on the way home. I bought myself a new leather Tahari jacket (the jackets in my closet are ridiculously large on me now, so it was a necessity - really, really it was) for $125 - it fits beautifully and I couldn't resist. Also a pair of grey pinstripe pants and a nice fall sweater in a size SMALL, who me, in a small???

details Rachel ... what colour is the jacket? what colour is the sweater? that small sweater ;)

what do you call ruching if it runs up and down?

OK ... how about like this. But not chiffon and no sleeve things.
http://www.overstock.com/Apparel/Con...cid=99405&fp=F

The leather jacket is your basic black, hits about mid thigh and has a nice band across the waist (emphasizing the smallest part of my figure, as Stacy and Clinton would note if I were on What not to Wear - how much fun would it be to take the money they give away each week for a shopping spree). Nice leather too - it has that buttery feel to it, so I'm very pleased.

And as to that fabulous size small (!) sweater, it's royal blue which I am always drawn to. I have a bit of a mediterranean cast to my complexion, so I gravitate to bold colors or jewel tones. It has a "faux" white shirt collar and french cuffs sewn in.

As to what ruching is called when it runs up and down - well heck, I'd call it vertical ruching! (but I was never great with the fashion vocabulary)

Royal blue is amazing with the blacks and greys right now. You made some great choices, Rachel.

Susan - thanks for posting the link to the Pantone colors of the season. It was fun to look at.

The Overstock dress you posted is terrific. Did you order it?

No, I bought one in Winners ... cheaper ;) I was trying to find something to show you guys. It's close.

I had a face-to-face encounter with the dilemma of a genuinely small person trying to find clothes that fit yesterday. What a frustration that is, thanks to vanity sizing! :dizzy:

My sister is visiting and she's 5' 6" but is small-boned and tiny (she has a totally different set of genes than I do, apparently!) She's a runner but isn't by any means too thin and certainly doesn't have eating disorders.

We decided to go shopping to look for a dress for her to wear to my DD's wedding. Petites aren't cut right for her because of her height -- their waists are in the wrong place and sleeves are too short -- but a regular size 4 is enormous on her. There were no 2's or even 2 petites in the store in fancy dresses. We found the perfect dress and went on-line to see if it's even made in a 2 so we could order it, but nope, 4 is the smallest size.

So her choice is to buy a dress that's too big and have it taken in or keep hunting for an elusive 2 or 0 in a dressy dress. She says she has this problem with everything she buys. She has a closet full of clothes that are too big! I told her she's got to make friends with a seamstress. :D

But how crazy is it that a small but normal-sized woman can't buy clothes to fit? It's harder for her to buy clothes than it was for me when I wore a size 22! I don't know why the range of sizes wouldn't include someone like her in the small sizes and me in the medium sizes (where I belong) instead of making me the small. :crazy:

Heh my best friend is 4'11" and weighs around 110 lbs, she is a size 2 petite, sometimes 0 petite. She is TINY and finding clothes that fit is a nightmare for her. They are too long in the waist, too long in the arms. Whenever she finds something that fits well, buys it! She loves Banana Republic Petite and Nordstrom's, because they tailor for free.

My SIL, who is 5' if she stretches and probably weighs about 105-110 haunts high-end consignment shops, and gets great stuff for lower prices. She's a relator so needs to dress on the high end of business casual. Of course, she lives in a suburb of Boston, so the choices are better than if you live further out, but still.... In fact, when I visited my friend in Dallas in March, she took me to one and I got great bargains, including some Liz Claiborne black capris for like $10. Fortunately/unfortunately they are now too big and are going to the thrift store as soon as they come out of the wash. At least I won't have to find another pair til next spring - and who knows what size I'll need then? :)

I had a shot at putting it all together last night. We had a 'Buck and Doe' to go to. Comprenez?
The pinstripe suit jacket, a kelly green cami and dark trouser jeans ... and hiiigh heels. My friend's daughter told me I looked gorgeous! Felt good to put seperates together like that.
BTW ... both the jacket and jeans had to be tailored.

This is more summer shopping, but bear with me. We haven't really had much nice weather here this summer so the need to wear shorts hasn't really arisen (other than running shorts, obviously ;) ). I've just been to italy for a few days and realised when I was packing that my old shorts from last year are too big, so I decided to see what I could find in the sales.

I ended up in Gap and found a pair that looked like they should fit me - but the label said that they were a US4 (UK8). If that isn't vanity sizing, I don't know what is, there is no way on earth I'm that small, but they fit me perfectly. I'm not getting too hung up on the number, but it still freaks me out a bit when I see it!

I haven't participated in shopping lately because I'm at a standstill, but I'm hoping to end that standstill.

I recently bought 2 pairs of pants at... Costco.. Size 16 short. I was amazed that they had short length and they fit pretty well except they are a bit too snug. A few more lbs down and they should stop looking like they are glued to my thighs.

What I'm really going to need soon is a jacket or coat for winter. I bought a snug wool coat after winter on sale but it is already too big on me. My lightweight jacket is too big on me and all other jackets are swimming on me....

I need a new coat too. I have an adorable dark pink plaid coat from last year, but it's too big and I got it really cheap at Burlington Coat Factory, and you can tell. All the fabric is pilling in a nasty way. Coats are expensive though... I was eyeing this one yesterday: http://www.shopblushboutique.com/Pro...productid=5462
but they only have it in Large. :(

I ordered some new pants and sweaters from Banana Republic yesterday. 6 in the pants and smalls in the sweaters. I have this terrible feeling that someone at the BR warehouse is thinking, wtf, why is that enormous girl ordering clothes in size small? We'll LOAO when she has to return it all... But I pulled my winter clothes from the basement yesterday and tried them all on. I think I might have lost more weight than I thought because I could have sworn I'm only a couple of pounds lighter (like 4-5) than I was this time last year. But all my old medium sweaters are swimming on me, which is a bummer. All the lovely merino and silk sweaters are expensive to replace...

Ahh clothes. It's a pest. It would be MUCH easier if I lived in a place with actual clothing stores. Facing at least a 2 hour round trip to go shopping (and that's just for TJ Maxx--8-10 hour round trip if I want regular mall stores) really makes shopping more difficult, especially when you're not certain about sizes.

Kristy - 2 hours just to get to TJ Maxx? You do live in the boonies.

Sunday night is our Labor Day Cocktail Party at our yacht club and I'm looking forward to wearing my newest halter top dress. It's kelly green and I'll pair it up with my cork 3" wedges with black straps. I just checked the weather and it will be warm end for sleaveless and backless. In case the breeze kicks up, I'll pack my new black v-neck cardigan.

Tonight, I'm going to wear my cowgirl boots - they're so pretty, I can't call them cowboy boots - a really cute, flirty jeans skirt and a white tank top with self bra into NYC to meet DH for dinner.

Tomorrow night is a BBQ at the beach so I'll wear my cute b&w sundress with the wedges. (Not the b&w halter top that I posted pictures of from our swing dance 2 weeks ago.)

Between my finds this summer at TJ Maxx and Goodwill, I have a full summer waredrobe and am on my way to a good fall/winter one. My closet and drawers are filled up again. Now, I have to stay vigilent to remain at this size so I don't get smaller or bigger for next summer.

I got these shoes today. Sooo cute!

http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWN:IT&ih=006

They are cute! And the perfect fall color. Hope they fit like a dream.

Carolyn, it seems like clothes help a lot of us keep our weight in line. Have fun this weekend - your outfits sound great! :)

Love the shoes, Susan, especially the bow. I'm a sucker for decorated sandals and shoes.

Baff, I'm guessing that weight lifting is what changed your body shape in the past year. It's entirely possible to lose many inches without much scale movement. Mel lost two pants sizes without losing a pound once she started lifting heavy. Three cheers for muscle! :strong:

BTW, you really ARE in the boonies! What do you guys do for fun out there (besides drink wine :lol: )?

I am so lucky I have a Talbots about 20 minutes away as there is nothing else less than an hour.
I was trying to limit myself to a maximum amount each month but of course have gone over it.:D
Well my excuse is I have bought almost nothing in the last 10 years when I was heavy and what I bought then is Mega Big on me and worn to bits.
I am getting rid of all my elasticized waist pants.YAY!!!
It is such a thrill to get into size 6 regular tailored pants.
Got a great pair of straight leg jeans, a fantastic jacket, some great tops and they are holding a few more things till my Talbots cc recycles in a few days. LOL!!
Whenever I look at my husband eating pizza I just enjoy the smell and think of all my lovely (small!!!) clothes.
Nothing is worth eating to put on the weight I had before.
It took me 5 months to lose it and I never want to be in that position again.
You sure are right Meg --clothes are a great inspiration to stay slim!!!

Yep. I do, in fact, live in the boonies. All we have in my town, hours and hours away from any decent city is, a. wine and a wine tourism industry (ie, fantastic restaurants, mostly expensive), b. the liberal arts college where I teach, c. agriculture--asparagus, wheat and world famous onions. So, for fun we drink tons and tons and tons of wine (honestly, I've never lived anywhere before--including Australia--where such excessive wine consumption is the norm), go for glorious bike rides around the wheat fields, shop at the farmer's market and eat excellent cheese. I'm a city girl, but I have a hard time figuring out why I'd want to trade all that in for a Target and a Banana Republic :)

What's with the short pants/long shorts?? :?:

I was in Macy's yesterday and there are racks and racks of long .. shorts? Short ... pants? All in fall colors and fabrics. The length is odd, like a below the knee Bermuda short. Most definitely not a capri or cropped pant.

Here's an example:

http://slimages.macys.com/is/image/M...0.5,0&fmt=jpeg

They're also showing them with dark tights or stockings underneath. Something like this was popular in the late 80's/early 90's, I recall.

I didn't try any on but already know that would be a very unflattering cut for me. I wanted pants and kept running into ... these ... instead.

What do you guys think? :)

Yesterday was also just a horrible day for finding my size. Even on brand new merchandise, the ONE size small or 4 would be gone -- snatched up already. It is supremely frustrating to see an awesome pair of fall pants -- not even on sale yet -- and go through perhaps 20+ pairs looking for a 4. There would be maybe a 6, two size 8's, three size 10's, four size 12's and five each of 14's and 16's. But no 4's. What the heck? Same with smalls in sweaters. There would be a few M's and a ton of L's and XL's but no smalls. Macy's obviously thinks that everyone in Pittsburgh wears a L or XL (and they're almost right about that -- we're an overweight city, for sure) but hey! what about the rest of us? This is getting ridiculous. :mad:

baffled -- That sounds like a great life. I also teach at a small college and could have ended up somewhere just like that (in fact, I think I applied to your school... unless there are lots of small liberal arts college in East Washington -- I'm assuming east...)

Meg -- I dislike those pants. Or shorts. Or whatever they are. Not for me.

I however, had fun shopping at my Talbot's Outlet! I bought 2 skirts, 2 pairs of pants and a sweater all for around $100 (not their best sale, but still). The sad part is that I really am still a 14 and not a 12. But I'd rather have clothes I look and feel good in than squeeze into a smaller size for my vanity.

I actually kind of like those pants. They look quite chic. I saw a ton of them while we were out shopping in Seattle but I didn't try any on--they're too dressy for my workplace. Also, in most parts of the country, Fall is a very short season, and those pants would be too warm for summer and too cold after October. You could only wear them for a month or two.

Wyllenn, you might well have applied for a job here. Not too many colleges in eastern WA :) I have this vision of being on a campus visit during this job cycle and running into you during the job talk or teaching presentation or whatever. I know what you look like!

Meg~I don't like that length of pant, either! I love capris and cropped pants (or good ol' full length) but anything shorter than that aren't professional enough. I think my Mom calls this length pedal pushers? They are too long to be a Bermuda. They're just ugly.

One thing that I did see in a couple magazines/catalogs is a new jacket style--3/4 length sleeves and a kind of cropped/swing length so you see the shirt underneath. It's pretty cute. Of course, now I can't find a photo to show you all, though!

I'm still hoping that I get a couple hours tomorrow to do a little shopping for myself. I did go to the mall Friday with DS to escape the hot house, but I wasn't in the mood. All I got were some books. I can always buy a book!

That is an excellent point, Allison. Books always fit. So do shoes :)

I used to think shoes always fit too, so when I was heavy I bought shoes (since clothes shopping was just depressing). Then I lost weight and my feet went from a wide to regular and down a half size. Unfortunately, I have a lot of really nice shoes that don't fit any longer. :( But I can't bear to part with the dressy ones that are hardly worn, so I've been experimenting with insoles and heel pads and such to make them wearable again.

Case in point ... I have an awesome pair of dark blue satin pumps with bows bought for my sister's wedding in 1999. They go perfectly with my dress for DD's wedding in November. Except that they fall off my feet! It looks like I'm playing dress up in my mom's shoes. :lol: So I've been padding them up and think I can wear them without clomping around. I just love them and would hate to get rid of them, especially when they're exactly what I need to go with my dress. :)

baffled -- I never got to the interview stage, unfortunately. It sounded like a neat place (provided it's the same one!). It would have been harder for hubby to find a job out there, though, whereas it was easier in the Chicago area.

Meg -- I've been thinking about shoes lately. When I was at my heaviest I really liked the support I got from shoes like Finn Comfort -- though they certainly aren't showy. Now I can tolerate "cuter" shoes and think I need to check them out. I bought a bunch of sandals for summer, but there's close toed shoes and boots for the colder months to explore!

I kept running into them yesterday too. I think they would look quite chic on someone who is TALL, but even in petites, they just make me look even shorter and stumpier.

I was supposedly dress and shoe shopping. I found nothing. The whole experience reminded my of trying to shop for clothes pre-weightloss. Dress styles for this fall/summer don't fit or flatter me no matter what size. I just don't "get" the maternity look, and the wraps and fake wrap dresses don't fit at all. Humph- this was supposed to be fun!

Back to separates.

Mel

I have not seen those pants/shorts things around. And I was in Macy's last week. I guess I was totaly oblivious to them. No great loss for me. Those would not be something that would flatter me - in the least.

Macy's is pretty much done with for me. I found this great corduroy tan skirt while there last week and lo and behold the 4 was swimming on me. Every sweater/top that I tried in a small as well. It was sooo frustrating. I'm almost having as hard as a time shopping now as I did when I was 287 lbs. Well, that just may be a slight exageration. But the truth is I CAN'Tshop anywhere I want. I'm with Mel, I thought this was supposed to be fun. Humph.

My niece just told me about a place called Zara's. Their clothing runs very small she said. It's in Manhattan. I'm going to check it out the next time I am there.

I just saw this on the aol home page:

How to look 10 lbs lighter:

Homemade ice cream, all-you-can-eat vacation buffets, slices of wedding cake, beachside coconut daiquiris ... it's hard to pinpoint the precise part of summer that packed on those extra pounds, but it's much easier to see the resulting padding on your hips, tummy, and thighs.

If your clothes are feeling skin-tight, don't just grab Grandma's flowered muumuu out of the closet in desperation and frustration. Instead, use your sense of style to instantly shave ten pounds or more off your frame. Here are some useful tips and tricks:

- Solid, dark colors are much more streamlined and flattering than giant, multi-colored splotches, so scale back on big, bold, and busy prints.
- Black is your best friend, but it's not the only color on the slenderizing spectrum. Chocolaty browns, olive greens, and charcoal grays are hot this season, so stock up on these slimming shades.
- Layers can often lessen the appearance of bulges while you work on lightening your load. Jackets and coats that are hip-length or longer lengthen bodies and create a lean appearance.
- Tans are trimming, so keep up your summer glow with a safe self-tanning solution. Don't use this as an excuse to sunbathe, though. - Accessories, such as extra-long necklaces or a super-wide belt, can distract from or hide problem areas, while a strategically-placed oversized clutch purse can chicly camouflage your tummy troubles.
- Size right by wearing the size that you currently are, not the size that you wish you were. Don't settle into a doublewide. Clothes that are too big are equally as unflattering.

Supplement your wardrobe with a few articles of clothing that fit you right now and that are reusable at any weight, since you can always get them tailored to fit again once you trim down. Specifically, shop for these size-suitable items:

- Black Pants: Before the bottom falls out of your style, pick up at least one pair of this flattering and slimming staple.
- A-Line Skirt: With this perfectly flattering cut, you'll be totally hip to the game of dressing right for your size.
- Empire-Waist Dress: A fashionable and flowing frock can conceal a stomach, hips, thighs, and just about anything else you want to keep under wraps.
- Tunic Top: While getting in shape and beyond, your style can totally stomach shirts like this. You'll never have to suck it in again.
- Extra-long Necklaces: You don't have to string along style while you lose weight. Slenderize while you accessorize. Create a leaner line on your top half with lengthening necklaces.
- Belted, Hip-Length Jacket: This chic cut slices stomachs and dices hips while keeping you cool while you stay warm.

Had another 'commercial-like encounter' on Friday night. DH and I were riding up an elevator and a woman asked me where I got my great cowgirl boots. I said, "BootAmerica.com".

On Saturday when I was wearing my b&w sundress, we went to Cosi for lunch. As I walked by a couple at a table, the guy said very quietly, "Nice dress". I think he didn't realize he said it out loud because he looked surprised when I said, "Thank you". Then his wife/GF shot him a look.

Sunday, my DH said I looked like a super model in my new halter top dress. Got a number of compliments on it at the outdoor cocktail party before the sun went down and I ended up first putting a sweater on and then a fleece jacket over it.

RockinRobin - welcome to my world where it's hard to find things that fit. I've done very well at TJ Maxx that carries XS, but I have to try everything on.

Carolyn, you and I are not even in the same category. You must be so teeny, tiny at 105 lbs. I'm a good 25 lbs heavier then you. I don't know how you find ANYthing that fits you. I'm guessing you don't wear any fitted clothing, because for you, it just can't be made small enough

You must need "negative" sizes :) .

So I went shopping a couple weeks ago, hoping to find a dress to wear to the rehearsal dinner for my wedding. NEVER before have I found absolutely NOTHING that I liked!!! What is up with the clothes this season? Are they just all ugly or am I shopping in the wrong stores? I tried my usual standbys (Ann Taylor Loft and NY&Co) and found nothing, so I tried the other stores in the mall (Gap, Banana Republic, White House/Black Market) and found nothing. I'm planning to go to Macy's or something this weekend because I really need to get a nice dress for this, but I'm kind of grumpy. I wanted cute fall clothes! And there aren't any!

Luckily, my clothes from the past two falls still fit. But I have been deprived of the pleasure of choosing adorable new clothes. :(

Jessica that is a terrible story! You should have the pleasure of choosing new clothes!

We've been invited to a wedding in the mountains in the middle of October. I have several summer dresses to wear to summer weddings, but absolutely nothing that will do for an October wedding in the mountains. :( The internet will have to be my friend, I think.

This raises another, giant challenge, however. I will, of course, want to wear boots with my new winter-friendly dress. Knee boots, with a heel. I looooovvveeee boots but haven't been able to buy a pair for the last couple of years because they tend to cut the boots for PEOPLE WITH GIANT CALVES. Every single pair of boots I've put on the last two years has been all gapey and saggy on my calves. Even the most stylish boots look like rainboots because they are so big. I don't even have unnaturally skinny calves. They're normal sized and muscular.

Given where I live and the amount of time I have to spare shopping for clothes, I think I'm going to have to order 10 different pairs from zappos in order to find a pair that fits properly. :(

Robin - lately I've been buying a lot of clothing with synthetic material in it so that it hugs my body. I never wore this type before. Always went with natural fibers like cotton and wool. I did find one fitted cotton shirt for the fall. Looking forward to wearing it.

Next time I go to a department store, I'm going to check out the girls department because I found out by shopping at Goodwill that girls sizes 14 and 16 fit. Depending on the brand and the cut size 0-5 fits. Size 00 is just too slim in the hips and thighs - I do have a woman's figure with curves in all the right places even though it's in a very small package.

Baffled, look for boots that have adjustable straps on the calves. I have a pair of boots I bought when I was heavy, and back then I had the straps set on the biggest notch and they fit fine. Now I set the straps on the smallest notch and they still fit fine. So if you can find some with straps on the sides, I highly recommend them!

I found a new store the other day! We were at the mall and walking by a store with lots of fall colors I love (rusts and yellows) so I went in and just started trying on clothes! It was so much fun!

I ended up buying a skirt and sweater...

I don't remember the last time I found a new store and had so much fun shopping. Harder to do when you're plus sized!

Oh, the store was Christopher and Banks. I don't think I'd ever heard of them before.

Do you ever look at the fashion shows on Yahoo news? Yikes!