I've never been much about fashion, preferring the jeans/t-shirt look to anything. However, I'm finding that it's even harder since I've begun losing weight. I have been conditioned not to go into certain stores cause they won't have anything that will fit. The old "stand-by's" are now too big, tho. It's totally messed with my head! I wasn't expecting this when I began this journey. In some ways, it's kinda comical. Fortunately, my best friend has been super-helpful. Without her, I'd probably still be wandering around the outlet mall like a lost puppy!

Anyone else experience this?

Yes, shopping at LB ect has always been a sure thing/safe bet. Now that I don't fit into their clothes, I'm having trouble (or I just don't want the hastle) of really SHOPPING for clothes. I wish that LB had a sister store that carried smaller sizes. I liked having sure bets. I still have some pants that I bought from LB that look great to teach in yet are pull ons and feel like sweat pants. Do you think that I can find anything comperable anywhere else? No and I've taken in these pants so many times already.

I have experienced something like this too. For so long, I was used to buying XL shirts and now I automatically gravitate towards those sizes even though I don't have to wear them anymore. I actually have to tell myself that I don't have to wear clothes that are too big....there's slowly less and less I need to "hide".

I recently noticed something along these lines.

I do NOT like "cheap" clothes. Or cheap looking clothes.

No... the clothes I gravitate towards are hundred dollar and up clothes... I found a jacket in Neiman Marcus (spell?) that I absolutely ADORE. BUT... even on sale it was over $300. I just can't afford that.

BUT... I love it. It would have been something I would wear almost daily... even if this IS Texas...

If I could... ALL of my clothes would be like... top of the line. I want to have something that'll last... something that is of a high quality material (being a crafter... I know when something is acrylic or poor quality).

I LOVE to look through bluefly.com but then I get sad... I mean... I grew up in a family where you really have to think about whether or not a $20 pair of jeans are too expensive. And generally we would ignore even those and go for $10 pair or less if we could find it.

And that's for JEANS. We spend the most on jeans and coats. Everything else needs to be under $10... or preferably under $5.

But I just can't keep doing that... I want my designer clothes... I want to own clothes I truly love... not just clothes I have because I need something to put on my body.

i also remember when i was young and we had to have very inexpensive clothes...i grew up on a remote alaskan homestead and there were no clothing stores anywhere around anyhow...the nearest town was about 800 ppl and it was an hour drive away...the clothes we had came as hand-me-downs from the religious commune nearby or in big boxes of secondhand clothes that our relatives down south would mail to us...

once a year we went to the big city, a 7-hour drive through the mountains and we'd spend 2 days there with mom's medical appointments, shopping for bulk food, and buying things like clothes...

to this day, i still can't bring myself to buy expensive clothes...and by expensive i mean something over $30 LOL and preferably under $20....i've never bought any shoes that cost over $20 and i truly can't think of anything i've bought for myself that's even closer to $30 including jewelry and make up lol

Serb, do you have a Plato's Closet nearby?? I cannot wait to lose enough weight so that I can shop there confidently without worrying too much about just being able to find something that fits. It will be nice when going shopping isn't about that, but about finding something I LOVE without having to worry if they carry it in my size.

I do have two Plato's nearby... and I love them. Only problem is that most of the stuff in them are for teens... I have a "woman's" body and a "woman's" fashion style. A lot of the teen clothes just don't look good on me... and I'm not even all that partial to them. I put on something from Gap or Banana Republic or another "richer" and "older" style of clothing... and I love it more.

But I can find some nice things at them.

I do wish they had them for women's clothing as well as maternity!! It seems like it's a goldmine waiting to happen- nice shoes, purses, accessories, etc. would re-sell for more than they make at Plato's closet!!

Serb, I don't see any reason why you cannot indulge in the nicer clothes. A lot of them are good enough quality that you can take them in. One of the things I think most of us who are overweight, or were, is that we neglect ourselves.

I just had THE best shopping experience last night. I went to the outlet mall near my house and managed to snag 3 tops and 2 pairs of shorts from Eddie Bauer, 2 tops and 2 skirts from Loft, and a 3 pack of undies from Jockey. All of that cost me $98, originally $311. Saving over $200 wasn't the best part, tho. I am officially out of an XL top, and into size 12 bottoms. Also am into a size 6 panty. When I began, was wearing a size 8 panty, size 18 bottoms, and XL (sometimes XXL) tops. I actually had FUN shopping, which has never happened!!

I've had this problem too. Growing up we wore what we could afford and nothing more. Then I was a poor college student who graduated into a poor graduate student and, well, I was mostly happy if something fit and I was clothed.

Between losing weight and moving up in the ladder work-wise I'd actually like to dress pretty well but am at a complete loss on what to actually wear. Add to that that I live abroad in a country that doesn't have women who actually have any breasts and it's made it pretty difficult. I'd really love to just go shop at Ann Taylor for work clothes and order pretty retro looking dresses off of modcloth or http://www.bettiepageclothing.com/retro-clothing/ but I also don't want to spend a ton until I get to my goal weight either. AND the idea of buying something before trying it on is also pretty scary!