Interesting responses! My problem is that I gave away all of my highest weight clothes, then I gave away my second-tier higher weight clothes with a few exceptions that still fit loosely, now I am working on my third-tier clothes with those few second-tier items. It's really expensive when you change sizes often within a few months time. I do go to thrift stores, but sometimes I am more successful than others at finding my current size. I do eventually plan on having only my current/final size in my closet, but as long as my size keeps changing, there will always be some leftovers from the previous size lying around - especially if I can't afford to do a wardrobe overhaul at that time (like now!).
I don't really keep "fat clothes" anymore, because I can't afford to. When my clothing gets too big, I sell it at consignment shops to earn the money to buy the next size down.
I buy most of my clothes at charity thrift stores (because they have the best prices) and sell at the for-profit consigment shops. Because I buy low and sell high, I can usually just about break even (because I'm still in the sizes that are in high enough demand that they sell pretty well).
I do have to do a lot of searching to find clothes in my size in the thrift stores, and sometimes I can't find what I need - so I'll buy those items on clearance if I can (the bcoutlet.com website is awesome for this). Recently I bought seven pairs of drawstring t-shirt pants and capris for the summer from bco. I bought them all in a size 2X (a size smaller than I normally wear) because I knew they ran a little on the large size. I was lucky that they fit (though in a more fitted way than they're designed to). They fit now, but because of the drawstring waist, they may actually fit even when I'm down to 1X size. So I can get a lot of wear out of them.
I do the same with t-shirts and tops - I buy them as small as I can (so long as the fit looks good and is comfortable - I don't want to look like a stuffed sausage, or be unable to lift my arms...), and I wear them until they look silly (or I can find inexpensive replacements, whichever comes first).
Because it can be difficult to find clothing in my size in the thrift stores, I shop about once a week, and I'm always on the lookout for clothes that fit my current body. I will occasionally buy a piece that's a little looser than I'd like, if I get a really good price, or know it's something that will sell well when I'm done with it.
I do wear looser, sloppier clothing on some days, but it's usually either comfort or laundry day related more so than scale related.
Lately as soon as anything has gotten loose I've gotten rid of it! I used to keep everything, I have no idea why. I guess "just in case" but now I'm never going back.. so if I buy clothes I have to buy them a size down haha, I'm crazy.
I gave/am giving all of mine away except for a pair of size 22 jeans. (and some sports jerseys that were just too freaking expensive to ever let me part with them.)
I am not going back to either that weight or that look. Ever.
I gave ALL my fat clothes away! I am not to goal yet but if I keep big clothes around I think I would end up gaining. With nothing to wear I'll either walk around naked (not a pretty sight, lol) or buy new clothes and neither one is gonna happen so...I am more apt to stay on top of the weight. If my clothes start feeling snug I do something about it.
I wish I had fat clothes. But sadly I still fit them
Keep at it Ruby, you'll get there!
Today is the first day I actually fit into my new size 16s and I still don't now how I feel about getting rid of my 18s and 20s. I've only been working at this healthy lifestyle for about 6 months, so maybe as time goes on I'll feel better about letting go of my bigger clothes. Time will tell!
haha, I think this is probably pretty common. I definitely wear my baggier clothes when I feel bloated or following a non-plan weekend... but I've come to a new mindset lately.
A lot of us bigger girls think that wearing bigger clothes will hide the extra baggage... but we're not fooling anyone (least of all, ourselves)! So lately I've been wearing WHAT I WANT - and not feeling as self conscious as I used to. I went on a field trip to the Florida Keys, where there was lots of SNORKELING going on (yeah, going to school in Fisheries has its perks!), and at first I was really self conscious/ashamed of my body in a bathing suit. But then I figured, hey, it's no secret that I have a stomach and hips. And as long as I know I'm working on it, that's what matters. These people I've been spending a lot of time with in class won't all of a sudden look at me and think, "wow! look at all that fat!" ... they obviously know I'm overweight, and I know it, so what's to hide? As long as I wear clothes that compliment/don't make a fool out of me (ie, string bikini hahaha), I'm not hiding anymore.
So far I am have only gained about four pounds after surgery, and that has since been remedied. It didn't require a clothing size change. I donated every stitch of clothing bigger than size 6 or size small shirts. I was very briefly is a size six, and thought I wouldn't go lower, so I bought some really nice pants, and I just can't bear to give them away.
Thus far in my journey, I'm trying to use the combo of clothes fitting and the scale to keep things in check.
I plan on keeping some of my bigger stuff, but not the really big stuff. Maybe just a couple of items one size up. I've read a few 3FCs keeping "indicator pants", the ones that are too big but not way too big, and when they fit it indicates they've gone over the weight limit. I plan on doing that.
This reminds me that I desperately need to take a lot of frumpy old t-shirts and unworn, much-too-small pieces to the secondhand store! I don't own anything now that's so big it looks goofy, but I plan to need newer, smaller clothes by the time I go to Europe this winter. Hopefully I can buy myself some new clothes then!
Interesting responses! My problem is that I gave away all of my highest weight clothes, then I gave away my second-tier higher weight clothes with a few exceptions that still fit loosely, now I am working on my third-tier clothes with those few second-tier items. It's really expensive when you change sizes often within a few months time. I do go to thrift stores, but sometimes I am more successful than others at finding my current size. I do eventually plan on having only my current/final size in my closet, but as long as my size keeps changing, there will always be some leftovers from the previous size lying around - especially if I can't afford to do a wardrobe overhaul at that time (like now!).
I could have written this. When I went down my first size, I could not imagine going down even more, so I bought quite a bit. Not an entire wardrobe, but several items. I hit the sales at Goodwill that happen each month and I continue to pick up things as I go down. I too am at my third set of clothing and trying to buy less. I have clothing I wear on my "fat" days. No women is exempt from water weight and every one has those days when they feel bloated. I think the key is to make sure that normal days don't creap up to the fat days.
I don't have any "fat clothes" that are just completely too big. I try to get rid of clothes that are a whole size or more bigger than what I currently am. That way, if and when my current clothes start to get tight, I know I need to step it up and get back on the wagon! However, if I feel bloated or gain a few pounds I do tend to revert back to wearing clothes that don't feel really tight on (yoga pants, hoodies, t-shirts). I feel really uncomfortable wearing jeans and tops that are too tight, so if I'm feeling bloated I'll usually opt for something looser fitting.
