Do you have a Forever 21 near you?? We just got a new, two-story, department sized one at our mall. They have really affordable, cute clothes and they have a plus-size section.
I'm talking shirts for 3 and 4 dollars brand new... they also have clearance sections too. I usually just get basics there, but there's a lot of trendy stuff too, and workout clothes.
I basically live in jeans, so since I've started losing weight, I've bought one pair of 14s (since I was only at that size for a week or so. I've bought a 13, a 12, and an 11. So If I want stuff that fits I wear the 11 or 12, and when I don't care if it's a bit baggy, I wear my 13 or 14. I've sold all of my other jeans to Plato's closet, and bought all of my new ones either on drastic sale or clearance. I've only spend $20 max on a new pair, even shopping at AE and Delia's, because I wait until stuff goes on sale. I've only bought a few new tops, and if my others are too big (and they're tshirts) I recycle them as new workout clothes.
Pretty much like everyone else here, I recommend goodwill, plato's closet, places like that. Although I also recommend buying a really nice pair of jeans every 2 sizes you go down. Just because hey, you lost that weight, you deserve a reward. And for me at least, a really well fitting pair of jeans is an awesome reward.
I try not to go crazy, but I do buy a lot of clothes. I've bought quite a few since I started, and quite a few more with the most recent 20 pounds. Every once in a while I panic thinking about all the clothes I only wore a couple of times, but I think it's worth it. It makes me feel better to be wearing clothes I feel good in, and I get bored with clothes really quickly.
But I second the belt suggestion. There are some tops I LOVE that are too big now, and they look cute with a thick belt at the high waist. Some of them I bought and never even got to wear before they were too big, so I belt them. Hurts too much to get rid of them without ever having worn them!
I use better quality second hand or consignment stores we have lots of them here on Vancouver Island. I find the shops with trendy names are more selective and have nicer choices. But watch their prices as you may find similar products in Costco which is another option for inexpensive clothes.
I also trade clothes with my girlfriends as we all are struggling with our weight and have a good range of sizes. Good luck
We have a new store that's called Clothes Mentor, it buys your old clothes, and you can get relatively new stuff for pretty cheap. It has been a lifesaver for work clothes!
There is so much good advice here. I thank all of you for giving the rest of us a lot of great ideas to work with. I might add that it is also good psychologically to get rid of the larger sizes so that you don't allow them to be a "reason" to fall back into them again.
I buy from walmart, then donate to goodwill. I'd rather buy from walmart cause the clothes are pretty much the same price but new.
This doesn't work for me. I want quality clothes. I want them to feel like they were put together well and that the fabric is of decent quality. You don't get that at Wal-Mart, Target, Sears, Old Navy, etc.
I would much rather go to Goodwill and buy a gently used hand me down of really good quality than to buy junk. Goodwills are NOT what they used to be. I walked in there last month and bought LLBean jeans, Liz Claiborn jeans, 2 lands end skirts and a pair of summer weight pants by Lily Pulitzer. All looked brand new and it set me back $30 for all of it.
It depends on your body shape I guess, but I personally find that buying skirts that can fit higher on my waist and then are flared to several inches above the knee fit great as I lost weight. They just would start sitting slightly lower on my waist then toward my hips.
I just came from Marshall's where I got a pair of Sevenz capris, Tommy Hilfiger casual pants, black dressy slacks, a pair of spring shoes, a junior size small top (yay!), all for $125. I had to try on a million different sizes cause I had no clue what size I am. Everything was a 4 or 4 petite - it felt great! It was so worth the money to have new clothes that actually fit well and I worked so hard to fit into, and I didn't break the bank. I highly recommend doing it!
I am just sucking it up and buying a couple of outfits every so often. I have worked TOO hard to look like I am wearing potato sack. I had some clothes before now... but, I am in uncharted territory and only have business suits in my next size... now I am a stay at home mom and certainly don't need to wear a suit to Kroger.
I've bought a couple new things, but like you I don't want to spend a bunch of money until I hit my goal size. I have bought a couple new tops and that's it so far. I find that belts help, and I wear leggings more often then jeans. Jeans tend to start looking saggy after a few lbs lost. Leggings are more fitted and it takes alot more weight for them not to fit anymore.
I have been going to valu village (where I've had the most luck), goodwill, salvation army stores. Before I started losing weight I never felt good about myself. I felt like I had to wear what fit and was not able to wear what I liked. I want to celebrate me losing weight and feel good about myself. Shopping at these places allows me to find great clothes at great deals and I can have a variety. When I switch to the next size I'm only about $50 out. Everything I have bought looks new or near new and no one would know any different. I dont want to wear my old baggy clothes, I want to show off what I've accomplished so far.
Skirts, skirts, more skirts...especially the ones with elasticized waistbands. It seems like I can wear shirts forever, but pants sizes change quickly. ...and learn to use a sewing machine.
I have a cute pencil skirt that is in a size 26 that I can still wear if I add a belt--it's tragically loose and I've taken in the waist, but with a long shirt, no one knows the difference. I also have an adorable sleeveless shirt that I took in 2" on each side. Your sewing skills don't have to be great--wear a shrug over a modified shirt if the seams aren't perfect. Long shirt over a modified skirt.
Last edited by AZ Sunrises; 04-17-2011 at 04:17 PM.
Nearly new clothes
