I went shopping yesterday because I really need some new pants. I'm still wearing the pants I started this whole journey with- sizes 18W and 20W. Some of my shirts are still the 2x size as well.

I bought some size XL shirts from the regular department and I can wear some of them- others are still a little tight for comfort. Pants are another story. There is a HUGE size black hole between 18W and 16 regular. I can wear some size 16's but most don't fit yet by a good 8 pounds or so. I am probably now a size 16W but I absolutely refuse to buy one more item of clothing from the Women's Dept.

I went shopping with my sister to Dress Barn last week (sidenote- what idiot thought ANY woman regardless of size would want to shop somewhere with BARN in the name?). Things from the regular department were still too tight- even though I could get them on and zipped. Things from the 'Women's' side were all too big. I'm in this weird spot where nothing fits.

I guess I'm just being cranky because I've lost nearly 30 lbs. (A LOT for my 5' 2" frame) and I still can't really get into smaller clothes!!!!! Thanks for listening to my whining. I know I can break through this spot in a few more pounds but that's going so slow right now I'm feeling really frustrated- but I am SO not giving up!

Have you tried the 16W?

I don't understand but that, I'm guessing, is because of being British and thereby divided from Americans by a common language lol! What do you mean you don't want to buy from the Women's Department? Is thatthe equivalent of 'The Outsize Department'?
Just wondering.

Ailidah, yes, generally speaking, "women's dept." is the "plus size dept. Regular sizes are referred to "misses" and "juniors" (juniors for the teen set).

Bin, at the Barn comment. Never really thought of that before!

Bin, I've spent YEARS in that black hole you refer to. Size 18W pants have all this extra fabric in the crotch/front and they're nearly always too short, but size 18 were skin tight. Same with shirts; the 1X from Women's would fit around the bust but looked like baggy tents around the middle, but XL from Misses would not fit through the shoulders and bust. Now that I've lost a few pounds I'm finding that my 18 pants are fitting OK--have you tried just a regular 18 from Misses? It's possible that you don't need the extra ease that the 18W seems to have, but that an 18 in Misses might fit.

It's really difficult to be in that black hole area and I know exactly what you are talking about. I think that, as we lose a little more, we will have better luck finding things that fit. Meanwhile, I'll just keep trudging around in my baggy size 18 pants and jeans; I tried on 16's yesterday and they are still skin tight, but I can barely keep the 18's up. Weird!

That was my experience. For a long time I used to sort of joke to myself I needed to either gain weight or lose weight, just so I could find clothes that fit! Because I was living in that same black hole - the biggest misses sizes didn't fit well, and the smallest plus sizes didn't fit well either. Then ... I grained more, and the plus sizes started to fit ... and yeah, I decided that wasn't a good thing, and eventually did something about it.

I guess that doesn't really help you, except to say I understand, and soon you'll pass through this stage to the other side

I totally understand where you are coming from! I keep a lot of weight in my stomach but not on my back side. I wonder if that is my problem when it comes to pant size? I don't have such a problem fitting tops. It is really frustrating!

I have lived in that black hole for years. I would get so frustrated trying to shop for clothes it always made me cranky and weepy. 18's too big, 16's too small.

I long for the day when I can walk into the misses dept and find something that fits!

I feel your pain... but don't let it get you down!

One thing you may want to consider: take the pants you currently wear to a seamstress or tailor and have them professionally sized. It's not as fun as buying new clothes, but it will save you from having to buy one more thing in the plus department (I'm soooo with you on that) and might get you through until you get into the regular sizes.

On a related note, I have the same issues with pants as you. I have found jeans that fit me, but cannot find any pants that fit and look stylish (i.e. not matronly). I'm swimming between a 16 and a 16W. I was so frustrated I even ventured back into Lane Bryant and their new "right fit" pants were a "wrong fit" for me. I had 3 saleswomen running around frantically trying to find any version of those that would fit. None did.

I'm fortunate that I can wear jeans to work most days.

Funny stuff. My co-worker & I were walking past the Dress Barn for Women & making comments about how everything in the store looks like a tent or muumuu. The regular Dress Barn which is just a block away, has all these pretty sundresses and pant suits and stylish clothing.

Bin, I had the exact same experience as you in February at the Barn. I understand how you feel. I lived in that black hole myself for a couple of years.

Bindersbee - I'm 5'2" and weigh 188.
The pants that work best for me are a size 17 low rise.
I've also found that clothing in the juniors plus section fit me better than the regular plus section. Alfani and Will Smith clothes in size xl are perfect for my frame as well.

Been there, done that.

But down here I think it's a bit worse. I range from a 20 to a 16, depending on the brand name. Most 18s are too big, some 16s and 18s are too small, and some 16s are perfect. There's a huge variation in the sizes- a size 16 is never just a size 16, it could be a 14 or an 18 depending on the manufacturer (no standardised sizes), which is why I hate shopping for clothes and will continue to hate shopping until I finish losing the weight.

But I was told on Friday that I look like a frump- my pants are a size too big, my shirt was too big. I called it my "wannabe gangsta" outfit (no disrespect intended to hip-hop and rap fans) because I looked like the stereotypical gangsta- all I needed was the bling. So, I have made 2 shopping dates with 2 different friends to find some clothes that fit.

All I need now is some money.