Anyone who knows me knows I am a frugal lady. I don't buy things I don't need very often, if ever. I'm working hard to pay off my student loans before my grace period ends (May 2012) and they start accruing interest.

But I'm graduating this week, and my boss gave me $500 as a gift (!!!). I haven't designated a use for it, so when I went into Dress Barn for the first time ever this weekend and fell in love with a sweater dress they have in stock, I thought, "Why not treat yourself to one dress?" I've wanted to own a sweater dress for over a year, but I've never bought one. (Mostly because I was 50 pounds heavier and hated having to look at myself in the dressing room!)

All of the clothes I have right now are hand-me-downs from my mother, who is a size 8. My original goal size was an 8, but once I got to 150, I decided I wasn't happy yet. My new goal size is a 6, and right now, I'm in a loose 8 but I haven't tried 6s on yet. I did try on a size small sweater on Saturday (hand-me-down from my grandmother), and it fit! (I was shocked!)

Here's my question. I went to the store yesterday with my husband, but because he was in a hurry (it's final exam season!), I was only able to try on one dress in one size. I tried a medium over my blue jeans, and it fit pretty well. It was a little loose in some areas, but you could still see my shape. I'm 10.8 pounds from my goal weight, and I'm afraid that once I lose the rest of the weight the dress would be too loose in a medium. Everything I've read seems to indicate that losing a little weight makes a big difference if you're already close to your goal. It's my understanding that small sizes usually correspond with sizes 4-6 and medium with 6-8.

If you were in my shoes, would you...
1) Wait until you lost the weight to buy the dress?
2) Buy the dress in a medium and hope it fit in 10.8 pounds?
3) Buy the dress in a small and hope it fit in 10.8 pounds?

I'm going back to the store this evening to try on the small and see if it's TOO tight. My plan is to wear the dress under my graduation hood on Friday at the ceremony and to Christmas festivities (plus, I'll wear it to work this winter). Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I would see how the small fits. My general rule throughout my weight loss was "If you're in between, go smaller." This has saved me quite a bit of money on new clothes as I can't go closet shopping since I've never been this size before.

If something is too tight, I wouldn't buy it, but it does sound like the small might fit you fine if there is room to spare in the medium. You never know with clothes though!

I buy what fits RIGHT NOW. I don't count on losing/gaining because the future is uncertain! So I just buy what fits me at the moment.

If it doesn't fit down the road for whatever reason (losing/gaining) then it can either be altered or go to the Goodwill.

That said, I bought THREE sweater dresses over the weekend, two for holiday-party wear. MEDIUMS. Yay!!!

I'm all over the place in sizes, so I buy what fits me now, especially if it's seasonal clothing. I'd rather have it be a little loose later if I plan on wearing it through winter, than have to wait until spring before it fits comfortably.

Also, I'd think with a sweater dress it would be like any other sweater and would shrink if washed on hot and dried on high. I never buy snug sweaters for this reason, they would just be too tight after the first wash.

Buy what fits, but also choose something that can be altered (if it's expensive). That way you can proudly march into the seamstress and ask for it to taken down a size or two

One thing I have noticed about Dress Barn is that their sizes are...generous. I think you should get the small. If the medium was loose OVER your clothes, I think the small will probably fit you just fine. If the small is a wee bit snug but not unflattering, I would get it. If the small is unflatteringly tight, I would buy it and wear something different to graduation if you're not able to fit into it by then. In any case, sweater dresses are flattering and you're cute- nothing wrong with showing off a bit of those hard-earned curves!

I've been buying the bare minimum to keep me going, and making sure it was all second-hand from eBay and low in price. I'll buy clothes properly once I've settled at my goal weight.

^^I agree with this.^^

OP, I don't think you should wait to buy the dress, though. You've worked really hard, and you deserve to spend some of that $$ on you!!

I bet you'll be surprised when you try on the small. We have similar stats (I'm one inch shorter & am 141). So far, I can wear every size six I've tried on, and yesterday, I tried on a skirt in 4P, and it fit (albeit a bit snug in the waist).

I think I would buy the Medium. You can always wash it to shrink it down.. Also, you can get one of those cute Corset belts to bring it in and put some shape into it if it's a little big. You have waited a year to purchase something you want.. Do it!

If you weren't planning on wearing it to graduation & parties I would say wait. Also, it sounds like you really like this dress. BUT. Since you have plans to wear it soon and would miss the chance if you waited, I would say try the small and see how it looks. My biggest fear right now is buying something, loving it, and having it be too big later. So if I really love something I buy it a little small so it fits longer. See what the small's like! If it's just too tight right now don't get it though...you don't want to get something that definitely doesn't fit right now. Does that even make sense? Haha. Basically: If it's snug, go ahead. If it looks bad/cuts off circulation, don't get it, even if you think it will fit 10lbs from now.

Definitely try the small on in a dressing room as it should be worn, not over other clothes.

And this entire journey I have bought clothes that I can do up and wear but are tight. Within 5-10 pounds they fit fine. If I bought to what fit just now, I would be buying clothes even more often as I hate the feel of loose clothes. They make me feel frumpy.

I'm facing similar problem now. 12s are loose. 10s are tight. I need to lose a bit more weight to have the 10s fit the way they should. A couple generous size brands (Calvin Klein and ralph Lauren 10s fit perefect now, others are a bit tight).

Don't buy the medium, if it is a little loose, now, it will be even looser . later. Try on the small and get it if it fits.

Where were you when I bought a bunch of clothing during my weight loss?!? LOLOL Sigh...learned my lesson, though.

To the OP: I'd buy the small. Those last pounds make HUGE size changes, IMO.

I actually use Dryel (like dry cleaning for your home) for all of my sweaters, and not only has it kept them from shrinking but it also keeps them looking close to brand new even years later. Love it!

That's so great, lin43! Congratulations! :-D