Buying clothes is a full time job!!

[August 0]

I’ve had to replace most of my wardrobe every 2-3 months since banding. I’ve gone from a size 30 to a size 20-22 in 9 months. I work in an office where people are expected to be well dressed so wearing sloppy clothes 2 sizes too big is not an option. I could barely afford to dress nicely before my surgery, when all I had to buy was filler each season to spruce up my existing wardrobe. Now I have to start from scratch every couple of months. The problem is that I can’t afford to buy a new wardrobe that often. Even my shoes from last year are too wide now because my fat feet stretched them out.

When I shop I try on clothes to fit the size I am now . If I like them and they are a good deal, I put the correct size back and buy the item in the next size down. If it’s an especially good deal on a seasonless item, like slacks or jeans, I will buy several of them in every smaller size that is available. I have 3 pairs of awesome brown slacks from Target that I found on clearance for $6. The largest pair has already retired to the box for Goodwill. I was so happy that I found the pants in smaller sizes because sometimes I lament the loss of clothes I really like. I have to remember to try on the smaller items every couple of weeks because I almost missed my chance with a few things that were a little loose by the time I pulled them out of the closet to wear. I also have to try to gauge what size I’ll be when the next season rolls around. Lately I’ve found awesome prices on fall/winter leftovers from last year. They are practically free. I hope the pretty wool suits I found for $20 each last weekend will fit right when the cool weather rolls around.

Buying so many clothes on a limited budget is hard work! I spend a lot of lunch hours running out to browse the clearance racks at Marshall’s or Ross. I spend my evenings browsing EBay listings. Weekends are spent picking through the deeply reduced clearance racks at the stores I know to have good markdowns. At least I have more options now that I’m a smaller size.

I'm definitely not complaining. I'm thrilled to have lost so much weight, but it’s really been hard work keeping myself in clothes that fit without going broke. I guess I needed some kind of hobby now that I don’t fill my time with eating! :scared2:

How is everybody else keeping up with their new clothing size? What are your best bargain hunting tips?

Edited August 8, 2009 by August

[SummerAgain 0]

Buy from consignment....then turn around and sell it on ebay! You could probably break even!

[KarenK 0]

For the first few months I lived off all of those "someday I'll fit back into these" clothes I had saved for so long. I ran out of them.

Now I search out coupons and sales codes online, and live for the sales racks and clearance sales. I bookmark my favorite sites (the shopping here in town sucks) and check them weekly.

I made the mistake of going into a big Macy's a couple of weeks ago when I was on a trip. It was disorienting. All of those choices. When you're used to having this little corner of the store for your size, to be faced by an entire floor was overwhelming to me!

[August 0]

Buy from consignment....then turn around and sell it on ebay! You could probably break even!

There used to be a good plus size consignment store in the metro Atlanta area, where I live, but they mysteriously closed down after many years of being in business. The other consignment stores only carry regular sizes. I'm getting closer to the regular sizes but not quite there yet.

At first I wanted to give to the Goodwill because I was always disappointed that they never had larger sizes when I’ve tried to shop there. It felt good thinking that another plus size woman that was possibly less fortunate than me would be thrilled to find my clothes. Now it’s taking a toll on my budget. You are right that I should be selling my too large clothes on EBay instead of donating them. I’ve gotten so good at finding bargains that I usually get things for below consignment store prices. Maybe I’ll make a profit! :scared2:

[August 0]

I made the mistake of going into a big Macy's a couple of weeks ago when I was on a trip. It was disorienting. All of those choices. When you're used to having this little corner of the store for your size, to be faced by an entire floor was overwhelming to me!

I'm still shopping in the little corner, but at least I'm not limited to to buying the 2 things in the store that fit even if I didn't like them. At size 30 it was difficult to find clothes at Lane Bryant. It's thrilling to me to put something back on the rack because I didn't love it, not because it was too small. Even better putting it back because it's too big! I scoff at the big clothes like I would an ex-flame that I thought became a total loser....TeeHee.

I can only imagine what it will be like to be able to buy off any rack in the store. I'm sure I'll feel just as overwhelmed as you did, and maybe a little giddy. I've promised myself a Chanel suit when I get to goal weight. It will be used because I can't afford new, but even used they are still insanely expensive. Maybe I'll wear that Chanel suit to my high school reunion and scoff at my ex-boyfriend. *Daydreaming here!*

[crzytchr 3]

I am a teacher and I have to keep my wardrobe appropriate and well-fitting. I went from a tight 26/28 to a 14/16. A LB right fit blue 6T to a right fit blue 1T. I have been constantly buying clothes this past year. BUT I only buy 1 pair of black pants at a time, and I just recently purchased a pair of khakis, from GAP, NOT plus size...unfortunately, I have to take the waist in, because they don't fit well like the LB right fit do.:confused:

I spend most of my money on tops. I hate my arms, however, and wont expose them. They just FLAP in the breeze.:thumbup: I have a white and a black cardigan that I wear over sleeveless tops and it looks fine. I recently found some really cute sleeveless tops at Cato on clearance for 4.99, so I bought all three styles! I shop clearance and I use the LB gift cheques and Real Woman dollars, which they are giving out now.

[elcee 3,341]

Its a tough problem isn't it.

I'm finding clothes that were too tight are now too big but my skinny clothes don't fit yet. I don't want to spend lots of money on clothes as hopefully I will keep losing and the clothes swap at my support group isn't much good for me as I started off with a cmparitively low BMI.

[August 0]

I am a teacher and I have to keep my wardrobe appropriate and well-fitting. I went from a tight 26/28 to a 14/16. A LB right fit blue 6T to a right fit blue 1T. I have been constantly buying clothes this past year. BUT I only buy 1 pair of black pants at a time, and I just recently purchased a pair of khakis, from GAP, NOT plus size...unfortunately, I have to take the waist in, because they don't fit well like the LB right fit do.

I spend most of my money on tops. I hate my arms, however, and wont expose them. They just FLAP in the breeze. I have a white and a black cardigan that I wear over sleeveless tops and it looks fine. I recently found some really cute sleeveless tops at Cato on clearance for 4.99, so I bought all three styles! I shop clearance and I use the LB gift cheques and Real Woman dollars, which they are giving out now.

The hosts on What Not to Wear say that women will often need to have their pants altered and to make friends with a good tailor. Do they make something like Right Fit in smaller sizes? You’d think that clothing manufacturers would get a clue! I have the same problem with my waist being disproportionately smaller than my hips. My arms are a trouble spot for me too! They are much smaller now but I have a disgusting amount of skin hanging from them. The skin is wrinkly and gross. I’m definitely going to need surgery on them and other places. At least I can fit them into sleeves now!

I haven’t tried GAP yet. I looked online and saw they had size 20 in some things. I can find things at Old Navy in the stores. I had to buy from them online to get my size in the past. I'm too cheap to shop at Lane Bryant anymore. Even their clearance items are more than I want to pay for what amounts to disposable clothes. I have a limit of $30 for anything, including suits. Most of the time I’m lucky enough to find shirts for $10-$15 and pants for around $20. I found a couple of suits last weekend that were leftover from last winter on the clearance rack at Filene’s Basement for $20 each. Even Filene’s original price was over $100. The original MSRP tags said $250, so I was very pleased. I bought them a size too small hoping that they will fit right once the weather is cooler. I have a blouse from Ross that gets more compliments than any item of clothing I’ve ever owned. It cost $3! I do find excellent deals but it seems to take up all of my free time.

[August 0]

Its a tough problem isn't it.

I'm finding clothes that were too tight are now too big but my skinny clothes don't fit yet. I don't want to spend lots of money on clothes as hopefully I will keep losing and the clothes swap at my support group isn't much good for me as I started off with a cmparitively low BMI.

Is there a Ross near you? Ross has thrift store prices for new clothes. Their prices are so cheap that you won't feel bad if you only wear it a few times. The trouble there is you have to have the patience to dig. Their racks are very full and disorganized. You have to take your time and look at every item on the rack to find the good stuff. I prefer to go often and only look at a few racks at a time. You'd spend the whole day trying to look at the whole store that way!

[shangefan 193]

Burlington also is another good option. They have great prices for clothes that are fashionable.

[mystro70 0]

I have been shoppin at my friends home. I've advised a few friends of the surgery and they have come thru with some nice itmes. I only wear khaki, blue and balck pants. I aslo go to the goodwill and consignment stores will not pay over 5.00 on pants or shirts

[sil 0]

i have that same problem. i went from a 30/32, to a 26/28. now a 20/22. an its just keeps getting bad. i shop at the avenue plus an its impossible for me to bypass the store. they have the most beautiful stuff.they sometimes have sales.i mostly pay $24.00 for a pair of jeans. i have like five pairs.an the tops. don,t let me get started.they are priced outrageous like$35.00 for a blouse, but after about two weeks it goes on sale. for like $24.00.everytime we go out. my sweetheart says. you wanna go by the avenue. an i yes. i know i should not be spending money like that.i know i have to get rid of them sooner, or later.i have not clean out the bigger sizes out of my closet.

[tlhamilton 0]

Since the surgery I have been buying most of my clothes at Ross (good price, good quality). I also check out clearance racks.....not worth paying full price for something that might only fit a few weeks.

[August 0]

Burlington also is another good option. They have great prices for clothes that are fashionable.

I tried a Burlington in the Atlanta area and didn't find anything. I used to love their store years ago. Maybe the location I went to here was not as good as others. There are several here. I'll give another location a try.

i have that same problem. i went from a 30/32, to a 26/28. now a 20/22. an its just keeps getting bad. i shop at the avenue plus an its impossible for me to bypass the store. they have the most beautiful stuff.they sometimes have sales.i mostly pay $24.00 for a pair of jeans. i have like five pairs.an the tops. don,t let me get started.they are priced outrageous like$35.00 for a blouse, but after about two weeks it goes on sale. for like $24.00.everytime we go out. my sweetheart says. you wanna go by the avenue. an i yes. i know i should not be spending money like that.i know i have to get rid of them sooner, or later.i have not clean out the bigger sizes out of my closet.

Avenue used to be my favorite store because it was the only brick and mortar store that carried size 30. Lane Bryant cuts off at 28 and I was only able to buy tops and stretchy pants there at my highest weight. It sounds like your sweetheart is enjoying buying clothes for your new figure!

Since the surgery I have been buying most of my clothes at Ross (good price, good quality). I also check out clearance racks.....not worth paying full price for something that might only fit a few weeks.

I was buying at Ross a lot and still go there once every couple of weeks. Their clothes are so cheap that they are practically disposable. Another person suggested on this thread that I start selling my old clothes on EBay. I was giving to the Goodwill, but she was right that I should try to sell them. So I've been shopping at stores that sell designer clothes cheap, like Syms, Filene's Basement, and a store here in Atlanta called Fox's. I think it will be easier to resell clothes with a designer label. There are no deals when you are a size 30! Now that I'm a smaller size it's much easier to find deals on clothes. I'm paying a bit more than I was at Ross, but still not as much as I was paying for clothes before surgery. If I can sell the nicer stuff for 1/2 what I paid after wearing it will still be cheaper than buying at Ross. I might even make a profit on a few of the items because they were marked down so much. Today I bought two Calvin Klein suits for $60/each. Even used I think somebody would pay me $30/each for them. If I don't make back my 50% then lesson learned and back to Ross for summer clothes. Nothing really lost and I'll certainly be the envy of my office this winter in my designer wardrobe! I'll keep you guys posted on how my experiment goes.

[Jachut 487]

I certainly didnt invest in expensive clothing, but it was really hard.

I was perhaps luckier in that I had a more modest amount to lose, going from an Australian 20 to a 12. I always bought jeans that fit, but jeans are fairly cheap, and I was able to make tops last a bit longer.

I've got lots of clothes that now I would perhaps buy the next size down but I can wear them OK.

I'm VERY lucky in that I dont work at the moment, so I didnt have to worry about a work wardrobe, and my feet didnt change sizes.

What I'm lamenting now is needing new bra's. Everytime I try something on to buy, I notice that my bra is at least a cup size too big.

I was struck too by how much cheaper smaller clothes are. Here in Australia a 20 (your 16-18) is definitely plus size territory, out of regular stores and you're paying an arm and a leg. Once I got down to a 16 and under, I could buy clothes so much cheaper it didnt hurt as much.