Tips From The Trenches: Six Wardrobe Mistakes Not To Make During Your Weight Loss (and I Made Them All!)

[Carin Boyer 90]

An important aspect of learning to love the new you in the mirror is creating a personal style that flatters the woman you are becoming! While experimenting with new styles and fashions is fun, the time and money you will need to create and maintain a wardrobe over a 100 major weight loss period can be daunting!

To help you avoid making the same mistakes I did, here is a brief list of pot holes to avoid.

1) Not making adjustments to the size clothing you wear early in your weight loss- Clothing that is too loose or badly fitting can exaggerate rather than slim the body's silhouette. As little as 15 pounds can determine whether a garment will eye-catchingly drape or unappealingly droop on your frame. Selecting styles which will adjust to a changing figure can stretch the period over which clothing can be worn.

2) Selecting unflattering and/or dark colors - We have all heard that wearing dark colors, particularly black, will make us appear thinner. The truth is that the silhouette, proportion and fit of a garment all make more difference than the color ever will. Simply put, there is no one size fits all and everyone does not look good in black. Most people look better in a set of colors which complement their individual skin, hair and eye undertones and which typically does not include black. Once that color scheme is identified you can confidently purchase clothing which will look beautiful on you individually.

3) Wearing clothing inappropriate to your age, thinking that age appropriate clothes will appear frumpy-I personally know how bad an idea that can be! I gained weight in my early 40's and as I lost weight in my 50s I was attracted to particular skirt styles and dress types both in lengths which were more appropriate to how I had dressed in my30's, the age at which I had been able to wear them last. Because I had worn large sized unfashionable clothing during the period in my life when I likely would have been adjusting to a more grown up wardrobe, I was unaware that wearing those earlier styles made me look as if I were trying to look 30 again. Dressing age appropriately does not mean you have to look frumpy, it is possible to find clothing which will be attractive and alluring on a more mature woman.

4) Buying clothes inconsistent with your current lifestyle - by the time I reached by goal I held a responsible position in a financial institution with a conservative (unpublished, but implicit) dress code. Some of the clothing I selected, because I both liked it and found I could wear it, was brightly-colored or ultra-feminine and not always appropriate to my workplace. While it is okay to have some 'fun' clothes which are either more alluring or casual, you should dress for work in a style consistent with your place of business, and save the casual wear for extracurricular events.

5) Waiting until the end of your weight loss to discard clothing which is now too big. There were numerous times during the two years it took me to reach my goal where every little bit of positive reinforcement I could get was needed to keep me on the straight and narrow path. Being able to toss out the old clothes can symbolize a 'no going back' mentality and reinforce the behaviors necessary to ensure that your reach your goal.

6) Spending too much money on your transition clothing - it is not necessary to build an entire wardrobe from scratch each time you go down one size or to spend a fortune on designer clothing at each stage of your weight loss. Nor should you limit your purchases to Target and KMart until you reach your goal weight. There are a number of ways to manage the expense of maintaining a stylish, well-fitting wardrobe during your weight loss period.

I made all these mistakes and more. By the time I’d reached my goal weight, I had spent a lot of money and wasted countless hours buying clothing and accessories! I had no idea how to create my own, personal style. That was a luxury I never allowed myself when I was overweight. I had to learn the basics of building an image using fit, color, proportion, and style from square one.

At that point, I decided to call in a professional, and I hired my first image consultant; she changed everything. She taught me ways to reduce the time, effort and expense of creating my new look.

She helped me match my outside self to the way I felt on the inside.

I loved how simply wearing the right clothes and accessories made me feel. It really helped me acknowledge my own, personal transformation, and encouraged me to dig deeper and work harder on me.

I loved the process of working with an image consultant so much that I decided to become one!

I believe style is more than the just the way you look on the outside. It’s also the way you feel and think on the inside. Your personal style is a statement about who you are, what you think, and how you live. It’s the energy you project to others and should reflect how you to live in the world.

Every day, I have the privilege of helping women just like you create and communicate their personal style—through the beginning, middle and end of their transformations.

Are you ready to emerge as the woman you truly are, inside and out? Then don’t wait another second. Call me and set up a time to discuss how I can help you create your new look, and your new life.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Jeez Louise! You spent $30K on new clothes in two years?

That's a helluva bigger problem than not being able to figure out your "personal style."

[Bandista 7,466]

Boy am I glad I work from home and only have to dress up once in a while. Eeek! But as for clothes, I do think the jeans sizes going down are the key to happiness and momentum (rather than that damn scale).

[The Candidate 3,215]

I haven't spent $30K on my clothing in my lifetime and I'm 54.

[emma4884 81]

Deleting my original post as Sharon1964 expressed my sentiments so succinctly in her post below.

[SleeveandRNYchica 1,155]

Wow! Not a great way to advertise your business. Most people will see 30k and go the opposite direction.

[Julie norton 2,850]

Gosh.

I found a good seamstress as I got closer to goal. Saved me from donating almost new clothes. About $10. Per article. Now they are almost tailor made... Just an option for those not able to spend thousands⭐️

[SkinnyDown 409]

She's selling her services. She made all these mistakes now she wants us to pay her so we don't.

I don't care, I've always been a quirky, gothy, weird, punk rock girl, and going to remain that girl. Fat or thin.

Plus I would never spend that much money on clothing. That money could be used so much more wisely. To help others, comes to mind. Just my opinion, doesn't have to be your truth.

[MichiganChic 3,262]

All good advice. It's easy to buy and wear the wrong things because we finally can buy any style we want. It's important to find the right style, particularly in a professional environment, and I think the message is good.

[Inner Surfer Girl 12,015]

I have been very limited in the clothes I can wear for years. Fortunately, I was also able to find a good seamstress who helped me fill out my work wardrobe.

As I lose weight I am looking forward to being able to find nice things at consignment, thrift, and even conventional stores. I plan to only buy things that I absolutely love, are flattering, and that I can afford.

I also have the same attitude towards food now: only choosing food that is delicious, nutritious, and fits in my program.

[Geron Girls 70]

Depending on the industry she works in $30k might not be unreasonable for her to spend. I know in my previous life I was expected to look a certain way and that entailed $200+ suits. Now I can get by with Target $20 maxi skirts and various tees. ????

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

My biggest challenge while I was losing 90+ pounds was not breaking the bank while acquiring clothes I knew I wouldn't be wearing very long.

Like many of us, I shopped out of my closet for many months as I dropped from sizes 18-20 down to 14. But below that, the pickings got thin, so to speak.

As I shrunk down through sizes 12, 10 and into 8s, I found some magnificent pieces -- and not just for work or "dress-up" -- at shockingly low prices at high-end consignment shops. Casual and weekend clothes (jeans, workout clothes) came from Target, JCPenney (a surprising good source of "yoga clothing"), and T.J. Maxx.

Here are few good online fashion sites for grown-up women:

https://www.pinterest.com/SusanKHaynes/stylish-over-50/

http://fiftynotfrumpy.blogspot.com/

http://www.fashionafter50.com/

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Im 57 years old , gone from 225 lbs to 144 and im pretty darn sure I haven't spent $30, 000 dollars on my wardrobe in my entire life. I dont have to dress up for work ( jeans are fine) but I still look stylish, professional and pulled together every single day. People compliment me often on my nice clothes , it's always from Goodwill !!! I bought only what looked good and fit my body, and age, not because it was popular or a bargain price. I will say one book that helped me a long time ago was called "Color me beautiful" I think the author was Carole Johnson ? She saved me a fortune once I figured out what season I was ( winter) , I ve never bought the wrong colors since. Money well spent !!

[pink dahlia 2,513]

Sorry, the author is Carole Jackson, and yes its updated and still in print. Try Barnes and Noble, or Amazon, or just google for info.

[tcon 305]

Wow! Not a great way to advertise your business. Most people will see 30k and go the opposite direction.

I'm 39 and I'm almost positive I have not spent $30,000. Maybe she meant $3,000.