Tuesday, October 16, 2007

The Incredible Shrinking Wardrobe

Do you know what sucks about losing weight? Especially if this is the first time you've ever really lost weight and so you have lots of clothes that you love all in one size? What sucks is that your carefully-constructed-over-many-years wardrobe starts to become useless. At first you'll just notice one or two sweaters that are looking kind of baggy, and a skirt that's sitting lower on your hips, and then all of a sudden it's like a big rush of hahaha all your favourite clothes from last fall? They don't fit you anymore. They make you look like you're wearing a gunnysack, and that is NOT a good, or professional, look.

Don't get me wrong--I need to lose the weight, and I'm so glad it's working, and I understand that this side effect was to be expected. The fact that some of my favourite clothes no longer fit is not a reason for me to give up on Weight Watchers and start eating fried rice and a tub of ice cream at every meal. And I'm also not comparing this loss of good-fitting clothes to anything like the magnitude of Clink's tragic denim disaster. After all, I still have my clothes. Some of them still fit. And the ones that don't, well, I can admire them hanging in my closet. And I suppose I could get my absolute favourite pieces taken in.

But still. I can't afford to replace my entire wardrobe, and also I am nowhere near done with the weight loss, so everything I buy to fit me now will hopefully not be fitting me in a few months. Which means it should all be cheap, but I don't want to LOOK cheap, and also I don't have space for all these clothes. And yeah, the logical thing to do would be to get rid of the clothes that are now too big, but people, I'm scared to do that. Because what if I gain the weight back at some point? Then my clothes won't fit and I'll have to pay for all new ones but there won't be the silver lining of weight loss--it'll just be miserable. And I'll feel sad about all the pretty clothes I used to have that I stupidly threw away in a fit of optimism.

So. For now, they're staying, at the back of the closet and in the bottom dresser drawer, all my former favourite clothes. Oh, and also, on the tailoring thing? I can't get the clothes tailored now because, like I said, I'm not done with WW yet. I have to wait until I'm at my target weight, or until I've plateaued and given up on the target weight and accepted some other weight that isn't quite the target weight, but hopefully in the vicinity of the target weight. And even then, I'm just CONVINCED that as soon as I get all my clothes taken in, I will gain ten pounds and they'll all be too tight and then I'll cry and cry.

But? On the plus side? This weekend's trip to New York could not have come at a better time. We definitely spent multiple hours at the giant Macy's. Yohan was overwhelmed by all the options, but me? I was IN MY ELEMENT. I bought three sweaters, two skirts, a coat, and a fancy dress. I spent more money than I have ever spent on clothing at one time before in my entire life. (Torsten swears it wasn't that much; I am just used to being poor and wanting to cry whenever I made a purchase with a total cost in the triple digits.) But the amazing part was that I actually needed ALL of it. Well, except the dress.

16 comments:

  1. you should get your older clothes tailored.

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  2. I completely know where you're coming from. I'm nearly halfway done with my weight loss (20 lbs to go! yes!) and I'm so in between sizes that all my clothes just look baggy/frumpy. I just think of all the clothes I will be able to buy once I'm at a healthier weight...or once I have money. Right.

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  3. This is a happy problem to have!

    It does seem like you'd be tempting the Weight Fluctuation Deities by tossing your old clothes or having them tailored, doesn't it?

    When I've recently bought new clothes (to accommodate my increasing weight, boo) I feel so much better and look so much better wearing clothes that fit. Treat yourself to some new favorites; you'll look great!

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  4. Keep up the good work with WW. My mom did that and lost alot. But yeah it's sucky about the clothes thing. Maybe just get a few of your favorite pieces tailored. Plus it'll keep you motivated to keep losing so they dont get tight. :)

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  5. I always save my bigger clothes, even though "they" say you shouldn't.

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  6. I know it sucks to have your favorite clothes just sitting in the closet staring at you, but it sounds like you're doing an awesome job with the weight loss! Please tell me your secret! I, too, need to shed a few.

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  7. But the dress is a great reward for losing weight and staying on track! Good for you!

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  8. Congrats on all the weight loss! I know the clothes thing sucks, but just think of how great it'll be to hit that target weight!

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  9. Oh yes, I know all about the wardrobe. Mine was rendered not fit for my body after my baby - things didn't so much grow or shrink as they just sort of changed inexplicably. Also I have bigger boobs now so things that hung nicely before for my little Bs now look way frumpy on a rack of Cs.

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  10. Congratulations on the weight loss! Hubby has taken off a bunch of weight, and has been gradually replenishing his wardrobe (while still wearing some of the too baggy clothes). Do you have Kohls around there? They have cute clothes and great prices.

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  11. Oh, sister, do I know the woes of weight loss and the clothing debacle. I lost 115 pounds over the course of a year, and it was maddening having to buy new clothes all the time. Luckily, I'm pretty handy with the sewing machine and was able to tailor a lot of my own stuff. If you have pieces that are worth it to you, I would highly recommend that. And shopping at second-hand clothing stores. It saved my life (and wallet).

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  12. Ugg, I think that "throw away your bigger clothes" thing is BS. Everyone has weight fluctuations at some point, whether it is due to pregnancy, or stress, or whatever. No need to add the extra stress of having no clothes to the mix.

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  13. I'm with Artemisia - what an awesome problem! Though, I know, it sucks.

    Which is why I have a vast array of sizes hanging in my closet, depending on whether I'm particularly small or if I've gained some weight.

    Target should definitely come in handy for when you need some basics in a SMALLER SIZE! Woo!

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  14. Yasmin--Congrats on the weight loss! Being in between sizes is the worst.

    Blue Sunday--Honestly, there isn't a secret. It's just using WW and being totally honest and committed to it.

    Stephanie--I like the way you think! And we're going to a wedding next weekend, so I already have an excuse to wear it.

    3Carnations--There's definitely Kohl's where my parents live, and there's probably one around here too. I'll have to look into it.

    La--Wow, I totally didn't know that you had lost so much weight. You look so good! I should really learn to sew.

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  15. Yay for weight loss!
    I bought a bunch of work clothes at Target when I was "between weights". They were cheap, but actually pretty cute and lasted one season, which was how long i needed them for anyhow.

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  16. Yeah, i went through that the last time i lost weight. It was hard to go out and buy a new wardrobe since i was planning on passing right by that size onto the next lower size. Sadly, that never really happened for me. I'm glad i kept some of my bigger clothes, cause i'm back in them now. I do wish i had kept more of them...
    But i'm a newly re-registered WW member as of tuesday, so we'll see what happens now. :)

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