I spent this afternoon gleefully trying on clothes in the juniors department and left with a couple of really mini-skirts, some hip-hugger shorts, and a couple of tank tops. They were in much smaller sizes than most of the actual teenagers shopping there were looking for. They had fat rolls hanging over their hip huggers and I didn't (ha!). To put this in perspective, I wear invisiline trifocals. I don't think I would have worn these clothes when I was 17.
Anybody else notice that their taste has changed in clothes? I'm wearing things that I would have thought "slut!" had I seen them on someone else 3 years ago. Or am I just regressing because there is a really big birthday looming this year?
Loosing weight and having a teen D, is the greatest thing!! I love her clothing and we aren't at the point of sharing just YET... but I'm sure looking forward to it...
I've started wearing higher heals because eventually I won't have the balance it takes to wear them so while I still have it I'm wearing them...
Regression!! What is that word? It's not in my vocabulary anymore... My brother just bought himself a large motor bike, he's 51, he and his wife look awesome on their bike... Hey, now that they can afford these things why the heck not?!?
Let's have fun while we still can... So enjoy your new clothing....I bet you look awesome dahlin'...
Elastic waist pants (comfier and you can ignore the ever-expanding waistline)
or
Pleated pants (to hide the tummy)
Sensible undies (nothing sexy or cute in my size)
Sensible shoes (feet always hurt)
Overall style = Sunday school teacher/PTA mom
Now
A rainbow of colors (but still a lot of black pants — they’re slimming, ya know )
Cropped T-shirts
Shirts tucked in
Sleeveless or halter tops or camisoles
No elastic waist pants — period! (except gym pants)
Low rise pants with no pockets that hug the hips
What’s the opposite of sensible undies — senseless undies? Definitely outrageous and fun stuff!
Sparkly black satin sandals with 4” heels — now to learn to walk in them!
Overall style = hmmm … definitely not PTA mom any more!
It took me about a year after I lost the weight to transition from dressing for camouflage to dressing to enhance my new body. At first, I reflexively reached for the same styles that I wore when I was heavy and it took me a while to realize that they just weren’t flattering. I looked like a little kid playing dress up in her mom’s clothes when I wore big, baggy stuff. It was hard at first to wear form-fitting clothes and there still are times when I have to do some serious talking to myself when I look in the mirror and think: “oh, I look fat in these pants”.
on your the high heels too, Ilene! I have this mental image of the two of us tottering along, holding each other up as we take turns tripping and falling, looking like two drunks ....
Meg -- How the heck does one look fat in size freakin' FOUR pants!!!!
Yes, I really do look in the mirror and think "fat" at times. That's the whole body image problem that a lot of us have, I think. When you look in the mirror and you don't see what other people see -- you see the old you. DBI -- Distorted Body Image.
Mel, good for you on the shopping. I hate to see teens in hip hugger jeans when they really need hip-hider jeans. BUT, if you got it girl, flaunt it.
Meg, can I loan you my image of how you look? Then whenever you think FAT, you can just put in my thoughts about how you look and think FABULOUS instead.
Mel - BOY do I hear ya. Recently, I've been seeing the results of my TT come out more and more - it's been, what, 7 months this week since my surgery...of course I've been on a roll recently - must be the weather and all the time I've been spending outside!
And I'm REALLY getting into those low-rise jeans/pants. My sister gave me a pair of brown cords with flare legs. I don't remember the last time I wore cords - when you have thighs that rub together, cords don't last very long. These pants are TOO CUTE!
I also got new 'hipster' riding tights...I feel really great in them. Here's a pic from the DevonAire website:
I haven't ventured into the Junior department as yet though...I still like the Gap and Old Navy
on your the high heels too, Ilene! I have this mental image of the two of us tottering along, holding each other up as we take turns tripping and falling, looking like two drunks ....
Meg -- Just gimme a glass or two of wine and I'll be doing just that .... tottering, tripping and falling... specially with heals!!!
Karen -- I want to see a pic of YOU in those 'hipster' riding tights... ya hear!!...
I think low-rise jeans can flatter many figures as long as they are worn properly. Basically, if you wear the proper size for you (which might not be your regular jean size, try different sizes, stores and styles) and you skin doesn't hang over, low rises can make you toosh look smaller and can be more flattering (especially with a boot cut) for pear-shaped women with thick thighs.
I think a lot of teen girls problem is, they are in denial about their size so they'll squish in (I am just finally losing the chafe marks around my waist from squishing into too small jeans as a teen) to too tight jeans. I agree, seeing love handles and stomachs spilling over the sides of young women in too-low rise isn't flattering at all. Yet at the same time, I wonder if these gals are just more comfortable in their bodies etc than I ever was.
When I was about 19 (7 years ago), they started coming out with nicer plus size stuff for younger women, so I'd wear that stuff, in nice colours, so basically as I lost weight, I just started to wear more form fitting versions of everything (also sweaters that stopped at the top of my hips instead of below then, lower rise jeans etc and more fun undies). I actually look horrible in the popular bright colours (save for acqua and red) and was ecstatic that I found some autumn colours on the weekend. As for shopping in the juniors, i do, but usually for tops... the pants never fit right, only one junior store in Canada seems to make pants for pear-shaped women, otherwise I have to buy for my hips and that results in the stomach panel just hanging down on me since it's way too big etc.
Isn't this fun? I pretty much live in the junior's departments now. The low-rise jeans, tiny skirts, shirts with interesting pieces of them missing (back, side, etc.), funky tights - love it all! I've gone from wearing whatever I could find that fit to wearing almost whatever I want to. What a great feeling!
But I haven't stopped there. I ACT younger, too. I've taken to doing insane things on occasion and just enjoying the fact that I can be silly without worrying about what everyone else is thinking. Feeling good about myself has made all the difference.
On the actual teenagers note. What is up with that??? I see all these girls running around with low-rise jeand and cropped tops on that look perfectly slim until they turn sideways and they have these big, round bellies! When I first noticed it, I just thought there were a whole bunch of teenage girls getting pregnant!
Star Princess: I think a lot of girls (not all, I have pretty much always was pearshaped since I was 11) don't really get their womanly figure till their upper teens (they may have their chests though), thus they tend to have a lot of belly fat instead of hip/thigh fat. Also holding extra weight as a teen could cause IR which in turn causes more fat in the abdominal area. I ain't a doctor though... Also if a girl is wearing a couple sizes too small, their stomach has to go somewhere (I remember being 5lbs over what I was and having my tummy spill over, so I stopped wearing those, I was a size 4/5 at the time).
I tried low-rise jeans at size 14, but I felt like I was mooning the whole world with my butt cleavage, and man, it's chilly back there if the top doesn't cover it. Also, forget tucking in a shirt. I'd wear that stuff with a bodysuit like a Danskin, that's a standard uniform for me.
But I also noticed the really low-rise jeans can make my short legs look even shorter. So now I like them just below the waist, boot cut, running very long to the floor, with 3" heels. If the heel is wide at the bottom, it's not hard to walk in.
I've been going to the upscale consignment shops for vintage Armani, too. It can be surprisingly inexpensive. An Armani jacket is instant class, sophistication, and elegance, qualities the teeny bopper set can't touch.
I'm turning into a teeny-bopper
So enjoy your new clothing....I bet you look awesome dahlin'...
)
on your the high heels too, Ilene! I have this mental image of the two of us tottering along, holding each other up as we take turns tripping and falling, looking like two drunks .... 
those riding tights! They actually look comfy and stretchy, not stiff and bulky.
