Clothes shopping after major weight loss

[mamaraby]

A few years ago I was frustrated because I didn't care for the styles in the plus size stores and I didn't like how everything was so much more expensive. I dreamed of being able to buy clothes off the rack at any old store. Well, I've lost enough that I can now shop anywhere and am firmly in regular sizes. Shopping is nowhere near as fun as I thought it would be. And I have to shop every single season because I'm still losing weight.

 

I had $20 Kohls cash after I bought a new winter coat. I thought it would be easy to spend. It was not. Stuff fits weird, the store was 1000 variations on peasant tops and turtleneck sweaters, and I was trying not to buy yet another v-neck solid or striped t-shirt. I also don't want to wear a shapeless bag. I've worked too darn hard at this for that.

 

This is why people wear activewear. Buying running clothes that are flattering and fit well is way eaiser. What am I doing wrong? Shopping at the wrong place, clearly. Where do you shop?

[stephanier.1765]

As I was losing weight and had to buy new clothes every season, I shopped at Goodwill (still do actually). It gave me the opportunity to try on different brands and different styles. Because of the low cost, I felt more free to have several different looks in my closet. I also discovered that not all brands fit the same. Where I might be a size 8 in one brand I might be 10 in another or a 6 in yet another one. So I pile up my cart and spend plenty of time in the changing room playing dress up before I ever buy a thing. 

 

ETA: everything I buy is brand name too so the clothes still look and feel good

Edited October 18, 2016 by slr1765

[Carol in Cal.]

1.  'One of' thrift stores in good neighborhoods

2.  The local Salvation Army main center where they skim the best stuff and put it all in one place

3.  Nordstrom Rack

4.  Nordstrom sales and REI sales

 

Nordstrom and REI have good quality and they accept returns if something doesn't work out.

[GoVanGogh]

Dang! I am mostly in the same boat. I have recently lost 20 pounds and all these shapeless huge baggy sweaters are in! I just told my dh last night that I didn't lose weight to not show it off! I am off to the running store in a bit to buy a cute running outfit. 😜

I don't know what stores you have around, but maybe try Chico's, White House/Black Market, Talberts, JC Penny's, Dillard's. Most of those have great sales and clearance sections. Avoid: Target and Old Navy. Their stuff always fits weird!

[kiana]

I've lost a fair amount of weight. As I shrank through sizes I found that the places I liked best to shop were the thrift stores. I could find stuff that wasn't all "the look of the season" and because it was cheap, if I found I never wore it (or if I shrank out of that too) I just donated it back again. 

[Guest]

A lot of the stuff at Kohl's never fits me right. I tend to shop at Lands End or JCP during sales to find nice things in smaller sizes. I did do the thrift store thing with mixed results, and if you go the used route ThredUp is a MUCH better choice. I did well with many pieces from there once I knew what my new size was.

 

https://www.thredup.com

[Debbi in Texas]

I would love to know how you lost the weight.

[OH_Homeschooler]

Maybe a subscription service like Stitchfix? You can try stuff on and return it for free if you don't like it. 

[Anne in CA]

 I NEVER find anything good at Khol's. I wouldn't feel like it's you at all. You have to find your store and hang out there. I used to work across the street from a Banana Republic and a Columbia Sportswear. I checked them out every time I had time and picked up great stuff on sale. You have to find what works for you and then work it.

[Greta]

Maybe a subscription service like Stitchfix? You can try stuff on and return it for free if you don't like it.

Have you used StitchFix? And if so can I bug you with a few questions?

 

ETA: I found some older threads which covered the points I was wondering about.

Edited October 18, 2016 by Greta

[FaithManor]

I find a lot of cute tops and sweaters at Loft. So far they have all been fitted, and not the shapeless mass thing, but I haven't been there in the last two months so who knows!

[Greta]

nm

Edited October 18, 2016 by Greta

[fairfarmhand]

It's weird. Any time I've lost a lot of weight, my body is shaped differently, even though by the scales I should look the same as I did before. It's like my fat redistributed or something. I think muscle mass has something to do with it. So stuff that was not flattering before might look okay and things that I was okay with in the past looked horrid.

 

Keep trying on clothes and figure out what works for you now.

[Alicia64]

Try Ann Taylor Loft -- clothes tend to fit well there and the prices/sales can be excellent.

 

Alley

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I hear you. About six months ago, I went to buy a few new things to tide me over. It was all peasant blouses and embroidered jeans. I like peasant blouses OK, but I wore them in the 70s AND the 90s so it seems like I should be moving on now...and my butt may be normal-sized after all this dieting and exercise, but that doesn't mean I want to bedazzle it with rhinestones. "Hey, everybody! Look at my butt!"

 

Still wondering where to buy grownup clothes that are not stuffy or too tight. I'm dressing like Caillou's mommy most of the time, just because my v-neck, slightly fitted t-shirts and (non-dazzly) jeans are comfy, but I'd rather be more stylish if I could figure out what my style IS now.

[mamaraby]

I hadn't thought of the thrift store. I had tried that before I lost the weight, but the plus size selection was terrible. There's something about the smell of the detergent they use on the clothes at the thrift stores in the area and all the mixed up racks that makes me even less interested in shopping. Maybe I'll try thredUP first.

 

GoVanGogh - I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I really don't need more running clothes (except maybe a shortsleeve shirt...) so I'm avoiding those sections of the store.

 

I didn't think of REI/Columbia, but I'll add that to my future shopping list along with Loft and Nordstrom. I haven't had good luck with JCPenney's in the past, but I have bought some things from Lands End when I was plus size.

 

Debbi in Texas - This probably won't sound super helpful, but what worked was finding the thing that I could live with for the rest of my life. For me that's calorie density (higher carb, lower fat), a vegan diet, and starting a year and a half in to losing weight running. For you it might be something different. I'm a slow and steady kind of gal so this has been a multi-year process.

[OH_Homeschooler]

Have you used StitchFix? And if so can I bug you with a few questions?

 

ETA: I found some older threads which covered the points I was wondering about.

 

Glad you found some answers!

 

I posted in a hurry yesterday but I wanted to add, I actually haven't used StitchFix but I am using Gywnnie Bee (size 10+) and love it! I thought it was too expensive at first, but realized that when I shop online, if something doesn't work for me I usually don't bother to return it, so that's costing a lot of money AND it goes against my goal to have less stuff. And I'm trying to lose weight, so it's been hard to commit to purchasing good stuff knowing I want it to be too big on me soon.

 

With GB, I've been able to try out styles I would never try, and experience quality I would never be able to afford. And the best part of it is, after you wear something you just send it back, no need to launder. And if you love something you can purchase it, sometimes at a steep discount. I have only purchased one thing so far, a sweater that I loved that retailed at  $120, and I purchased it for $20. Or if you love something but don't want to purchase it, just go ahead and put it back in your closet and you can wear it again.  

[Greta]

Glad you found some answers!

 

I posted in a hurry yesterday but I wanted to add, I actually haven't used StitchFix but I am using Gywnnie Bee (size 10+) and love it! I thought it was too expensive at first, but realized that when I shop online, if something doesn't work for me I usually don't bother to return it, so that's costing a lot of money AND it goes against my goal to have less stuff. And I'm trying to lose weight, so it's been hard to commit to purchasing good stuff knowing I want it to be too big on me soon.

 

With GB, I've been able to try out styles I would never try, and experience quality I would never be able to afford. And the best part of it is, after you wear something you just send it back, no need to launder. And if you love something you can purchase it, sometimes at a steep discount. I have only purchased one thing so far, a sweater that I loved that retailed at  $120, and I purchased it for $20. Or if you love something but don't want to purchase it, just go ahead and put it back in your closet and you can wear it again.  

 

 

Wow, Gwynnie Bee sounds pretty neat.  Glad you are liking it!  After I read some older threads here, I decided to go ahead and give StitchFix a try.  The fact that you could select a price range, and that you can return items you don't want without paying shipping, and that you didn't have to commit to an order every month (my initial misunderstanding) all sealed the deal.  Even if I hate every item they send, I'm only out $20, so it's worth a shot.  I love clothes, but I hate shopping, so it seems like a fun option to try.

 

Thanks for your reply!   :001_smile: