In my pre-fat life I loved shopping. I enjoyed spending an afternoon looking in store windows, having a cookie and a diet coke, and shopping for clothes. It was pretty easy to find things I liked. After all, during my early marriage I was an average weight and size. Not everything I tried on was fabulous, but enough of it fit and looked decent, that clothes shopping was a pleasant experience. John and I could waste a whole afternoon wandering around the mall.
Things got a bit more complicated after the birth of my first child, during whose pregnancy I gained 74 pounds. After her birth, I didn’t realize how big I had become until I tried to fit into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes about two months after she was born. Sadly, the only item of clothing that fit was my shoes.
John felt bad for me, and convinced me I really needed to go shopping, so we went to a department store. Once there, I had go from shopping in the the regular sized departments to the women’s department – known back then as “women’s world.” The first trip into “women’s world” wasn’t at all like a trip to Disney World. Oh no. Here, there was no magic. There was no fantasy. There was just harsh, cold reality. It started with the number 18 on the tag and got worse from there. These days there some more fashionable choices for the larger woman, but all those years years ago I wasn’t quite so fortunate. Ugly shirts, garish colors,and horrendous prints were the norm in “woman’s world.” No cute skirts or jackets. Here the mu-mu reigned supreme.
It was a hard day, but with John’s support and my desperation to have some clothes that fit me, we came away with some basics. A few jumpers, some stretch pants, several sweatshirts with flowers on the front and the requisite t-shirts. It was depressing and embarrassing and frustrating. But too bad for me, because that wasn’t my last visit to “women’s world.” Oh, no. There were many more to come, not because my clothes wore out, but because I outgrew them. As I got bigger and bigger, I would have jumped up and down for joy to see the number 18 on a tag. Instead I went from 18, to 20 and then all the way up to 26/28. Then I really had a problem.
There was no size 30. I reached a point where size 26/28 didn’t fit. Even the stretchiest of pants wouldn’t encompass my hips. No matter how hard I tried I couldn’t get them on. I was stuck, and I didn’t know there were mail order places that would help me with my problem. So I resorted to making my own clothes, and stopped wearing pants completely.
Shopping was torture.
As I lost weight and started shrinking out of sizes, one thing I did was get rid of any clothes that no longer fit me. When those homemade jumpers got too big out they went. When the size 26 pants started looking like I could fit an inflated balloon in there with me, they were gone. Over and over again I gave away or threw away clothes that were too big. I didn’t keep them “just in case,” because I knew there was going to be no “just in case.”
Where are you on getting rid of those too big clothes? Keep or give away? Diane
P.S. I didn’t run out and buy brand new clothes when I needed new sizes – I generally went to Goodwill or garage sales. I did buy new jeans though – it made me feel good about myself.
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Man, we are experiencing that right now with my husband.
weightloss is such a tough thing and he has waited (accidentally as I think his plan was to consign?) too long to give the bigger clothes away I think.
Life conspired a few rough weeks for him/us and he has slipped thisclose to fitting some of those pants and it is so depressing to him.
had he given them away already I think it would be less so…that he’d just realize he needed to re-up the GOOD HABITS and move on.
Miz´s last blog ..Dr Fitness & the Fat guy, MizFit Mama-Tips & Hallmark cards.
In my case, buying clothes have been a torture all my life. Here, the “normal” size for “normal” clothes ends at size 14. Yes, I have said size 14, but with size 12, 5 years ago, I had many problems to find clothes in “normal” stores. So, I know what do you mean. And I knew it when I was 16 years old and I had to go to buy clothes to “women’s world”. Sometimes I used to go to “men’s world” to buy jeans: they had “normal” sizes in the “normal” stores!
Last summer, when I started my weight loss, I was a 20. It was so difficult for me to find clothes that I ended up with three jumpers and two jeans. Fortunatelly, now I’m wearing my old 16-18 jeans and shirts (and during the winter I have done it so). It’s good! But I’m afraid to go shopping. I know there is nothing for me in the “normal” stores. So, I must pray to be lucky in the “big sizes” stores.
I have no idea what I look like – what size I wear!
I was floored to find I can wear a 10/12 -
I still have pounds to go…
Even if it is “vanity sizing” it’s still better than a 22/24!
I gave all my old “fat” clothes away after they got to big for me. Better to get rid of the old reminders and get things that fit properly now. Believe in yourself that you won’t gain the weight back!
Susan´s last blog ..Plateau Is Over At Long Last!
I guess I’m like many in that I had stuff in a wide variety of sizes — from too small to too big. I donate the old, too big clothing to charity. I keep the small ones in the hope that someday I might slip right into them!
I need to get rid of the big clothes this time around. Give myself one less reason to put the weight back on.
John´s last blog ..Long Day
This weights heavily on my mind… pun intended. I know I need to get rid of the big clothes but never have. Since I am a yo-yo dieter, I often got back into them. Even more reason to toss them! I know it is what I need to do… now I just need to do it.
WaistingTime´s last blog ..Is Food a 4-Letter Thought?
I have to give them away. I think it’s a healthier mind set for me. Also, I think in the long run, It’s a better investment in me to get rid of the crutch and carry on. Even if I do experience medical related weight gain- I’d rather have to consciously buy clothes to remind myself that this is temporary. (some meds related to my condition can cause that) It’s always good to be stuck in a healthy place.
JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last blog ..You Can’t Find Me!
I am horibble and I have kept the clothes. I think it is a comfort thing. You are lucky though, my shoes did not even fit me!!!
Staci´s last blog ..Relocation
Goodwill all the way! Let somebody else benefit from your weight loss, too!
Joanna Sutter´s last blog ..Wise Crack
I just did this over the weekend. Purple Heart called last week so I cleaned out my closet. I am proud to say that I kept only two items. One is a long silk dress, that I would like to make into a skirt. I love the color so that will be a spring project. The other is a skirt with embroidery, I am not sure what I’ll make out of it.
However, at my lowest weight in 17 years, I got rid of the smaller things a long time ago. I will have to start buying new “to me” items. I have indulged in a pair of jeans and just bought some leggings, the XXLs were too big!
It is frustrating still to shop because I am just into size 16. The size fluctuates so much that some fit and some done. In the fall I bought some great jeans at Gap, size 18. These were practically falling off me so I tried size 16 but they are too tight.
I have no idea what size I’ll be when I am done, I feel like I’ll always be a 16/14 but I don’t really know for sure.
I had few clothes in the bigger sizes to begin with and they were well worn and ugly! I threw them out as I got new clothes. It wasn’t a matter of “just in case” but “these should be in the rag pile”.
Oooo, I am cringing as I just remembered that I had to wear my mom’s fat clothes a few times as a teenager when I needed something “dressy”. THAT was very very humiliating as she has never been one for clothes.
That brought back memories. I remember the first time my husband and I went out to dinner after our first child was born. My beautiful winter coat that I had bought the year before would not fit around my body. I too went to consignment shops to find new clothes so that I would be less apprehensive about giving them up when I lost the baby weight.
karen@fitnessjourney´s last blog ..Your Home is an Analogy for Your Life
Re-stocking my wardrobe has actually been one of the biggest challenges post-weight loss!! For a really long time, I refused to buy larger clothing. But there came a breaking point when I was at my heaviest. I figured I was going to be overweight forever, so I had to just suck it up and start buying nice clothes that fit me. Just a few months later though, I dropped 30 lbs and was literally swimming in all those nice clothes I had just bought. My whole life I’d been a solid “medium,” and my heart broke when I moved up to a “large.” I’m still working on buying new clothes that fit me now that I’m a “small.” But it’s expensive!
Susan´s last blog ..The Age Old Weight & Rep Debate
My first trip to Woman’s World was in First Grade. If you found it demoralizing as an adult, imagine being 6 yrs old and trying to find anything that resembled anything the rest of your classmates were wearing !
I have no problem parting with clothes- I donate anything outgrown to Goodwill, and i currently buy most of my transitional clothes there. I have no plan to remain at this size for long, so why pay full price or them and run the risk of feeling so guilty about the expense that I force myself to stay at this weight simply to justify the expense spent ? I have wondered what am i going to do when I get to my goal and I have no before outfit to hold up and show my progress.I think i will simply hit the Goodwill and find something in that size if need be .
Diane´s last blog ..Beautiful Dreamer
I’m keeping my clothes- well ONLY some of them- mainly because I want to be able to take one of those token pics in one of my old pair of pants when I’ve hit goal. If you’ve kept any of those jumpers you should take a pic in one! lol
First off, YAY!! I saw your update in my dashboard today.
I am getting rid of clothes that are too big for me. What is decent to wear will go in a spring garage sale. Whatever doesn’t go then will be donated to Goodwill.
I do want to keep one item of pants or a skirt to hold up next to myself for a photo when I reach my goal. Then I’ll probably get rid of it.
Have a great Friday, Diane!
I wear the same pants everyday except for work-out pants. Sad. I refuse to buy more fat clothes. I completely wore out my last pair (because I refused to buy more fat clothes) but had to before being arrested for indecent exposure when the thigh seams completely wore away.
Gina Fit by 41 Maybe 42´s last blog ..Dr. Oz and Diane, Fit to the Finish
Oh my I can relate. I haven’t been to a Women’s World but we have Fashion Bug. I can’t wait until I’m able to shop at real clothes. I’ve just gotten down to an 18 so I’m really proud of myself. I’m not sure what I’ll do with my fat clothes when I get to goal. I’ll probably donate them or maybe put them up on ebay.
Anonymous Fat Girl´s last blog ..My son’s conditions have no cure, but my OBESITY does
I majorly need to go through my closet and give some stuff away. In my mind, there’s always that What if…
Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last blog ..Warning: Eating Food May Cause Choking
It’s really amazing how once we start to gain weight, it’s easy to give into the mindset of “well if I’m already x size, then what does it matter? Bring on the food!” etc, and then the clothing sizes just keep going up.
I give away my old clothes that no longer fit- unless they’re clothes for a “smaller” me. Those ones I keep
Sagan´s last blog ..Product Review: YouBar
The minute I notice that a shirt or pant is too big is the minute it’s tossed in the “donate box” on the floor of my closet! I haven’t kept anything other than a few hoodies or sweatshirts that have sentimental value. I am gearing up to post some progress pictures and the photo shoot is going to have to happen in the JCPenney dressing room because I no longer have a pair of jeans in size 26 or a shirt in 3x!!!
I took my ‘big clothes’ to good will as I started dropping sizes. I started out a size 22, and when I got down to size 14 I started packing up the too big stuff.
Brenda´s last blog ..evil temptations
I still hate shopping. The excess flab may be gone, the trauma remains. I don’t do it until I absolutely have to, which is now, and still I delay. Even my bras and gym clothes from previous time I lost weight are getting to be too big.
I’m currently moving down to size 6, but I’m keeping everything 10 and below. I know many gain the weight back, and while I’m unlikely to get back up to size 16+, size 10 might be seen again. I can’t afford this right now, and even though I’m easy to fit, I still cringe at the thought of shopping.
julie´s last blog ..Thoughts on reaching goal
Good tip about Goodwill. Not knowing how successful I would be with weight loss, I dropped some considerable money on clothes that I can no longer wear and tired of altering.
I still have a lot of clothes that I need to organize and give away but I definitely plan to give them away.
By the way, they still euphemistically refer to the plus-size department as Women’s World in some stores.
‘Drea´s last blog ..Looking Like A Pusher
Congrats on getting rid of your old clothes!! I think if you keep them you’re telling yourself “just in case”! You have a strong will and heart full of determination and motivation. Keep it up!! You’re an inspiration to all of us!
Jen
Jen-JensFitnessTips.com´s last blog ..Olympic Special #8: Cross Country Ski Cardio Machine
I couldn’t wait for another weekend to rifle through the closet and throw more out! Good thing I kept all the size 10’s and 12’s, and/but unfortunately, I didn’t accept my own weight loss because some of them became too small before I tried them back on: what a waist! I will have a very nice tax write-off this year from the wardrobe and a half I’ve donated since oh, October-November. It’s awesome, and I think getting rid of the obese clothes is an important step in making sure maintenance is for LIFE.
Sunny´s last blog ..Hunger
Along those same lines, I just went through my closet and got rid of a bunch of clothes that I didn’t love but fit. Looking in my closet was depressing because I hated a lot of what was in there, but I wouldn’t go buy new clothes because I already had plenty. Getting rid of those clothes was such a weight off my shoulders! I might have fewer clothes now, but at least I like what’s in my closet. I’m adding to my collection slowly but surely, and I don’t buy anything unless I love it and it fits WELL.
I also get rid of my too-big clothes as soon as I can’t wear them anymore – I don’t want to go backwards and I feel like if I keep them, then I am giving myself permission to do just that.
Jill´s last blog ..So THAT’S Why I Can’t Lose Any Weight!
I think getting rid of the BIG clothes helped me. Almost like- good riddance. Plus I know that I do not have them to fall back into! I donate all of the clothes and have found a friend that needs some too- so she uses my “fat” clothes as motivation to get to her goals, which is nice for me.
tj´s last blog ..Wednesday
Every few months I like to go through the closet and get rid of clothing and give it away…there are plenty of people that could use my old or bigger clothing.
Growing up, there were not a lot of cool options for an overweight girl. I did not have many different outfits, and they just didn’t look very good on me. At least it is different now. I used to shop at Lane Bryant a lot when I got older, well sort of, because it was expensive. Again, stuff just doesn’t hang that well on a short, overweight person.
Losing so much weight, like you, I did a lot of goodwill and consignment shopping. As I went down, I would take the old clothes and donate, then purchase new ones. That was such a budget saver, as you can only wear big clothes for too long before they just get way too big.
I actually still shop consignment LOL!
Lori (Finding Radiance)´s last blog ..Custard Oats primer
Shopping is a miserable experience when you are somewhat larger than most.
AndrewENZ´s last blog ..One Hundred Push-ups in a Row
Somewhat related: I encourage my (serious) weight-loss clients to keep their old clothes, but to slash them up severely with scissors when they have under grown them. Thus, they have those clothes around as a humbling reminder of where they came from, but don’t have the option of using them again to wear. Food for thought… so to say.
Emergefit´s last blog ..I don’t buy it….. and neither should you!
I got rid of most of my clothes that are too big, but I still have one or two pairs of bigger jeans that I can’t seem to give up. I don’t know if it’s because they were expensive (I buy nice jeans), or if it’s because they are only one or two sizes too big, and I worry that I might need them again one day.
I think I need to let them go, don’t you?
Lara (Thinspired)´s last blog ..After the Fall
This is the first time that I began right away getting rid anything that was baggy on us, and it was affirming to us. I had such a huge variety of sizes thanks to so many giving me clothes that I haven’t had to buy much, but I am about out of my stock, so once I lose about another 40 or so pounds, it will be new territory. Can’t wait!
Pam´s last blog ..Weigh In For 2/26
I gave my clothes away to the Salvation Army or sold them immediately when they were too big on me as I was losing weight. Reflecting, I kind of wish I had saved the pair of size 22 jeans I was wearing the day I decided to make a change for the better. However, I felt like getting rid of these articles of clothing was a huge emotional cleanse imperative to the transition between “old me” and “new me”.
That being said HOW MUCH FUN is shopping now? I love it.
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I’m still debating, I really want to get rid of them but I feel bad!
Lauren @ Eater not a runner´s last blog ..cool down and warm up
Most of my pants are too big now but I don’t give them away or sell them yet. First because buying new clothes can be expensive, even if they are second-hand. Secondly I’m not at my goal weight, no use in buying a new wardrobe now. And last I’m not confident enough yet to believe I can keep the weight off.
Fran´s last blog ..A day in my life: Thursday February 25th 2010
I got rid of lots and lots of stuff in the fall. Around Christmas I was getting to think that had been a bad idea. But that may well have helped me get back in the swing, knowing that if I started going up again, I’d have to re-invest in fat clothes. Ugh!
beth lamb´s last blog ..Aversion Therapy and also tomorrow night challenge
I’ve always been quick to give away the fat clothes but still have single digit sized items from 10 years ago. It made it even more depressing when I regained weight and had to buy bigger clothes because I got rid of all the fat clothes because I was NEVER going there again. I’m gearing up to do a massive closet clean out soon. It’s a huge project.
I have three bags of clothes just waiting for my church’s annual garage sale this summer! I haven’t lost a ton of sizes, but enough that 2-3X stuff looks inflattering and unattractively, so now the only clothes I have are generally 1X and XL. And we’ll see what happens after this baby, I am hoping to lose more during the pregnancy, so maybe some of my prepregnancy clothes
will be too big?
Other than a pair of ‘posterity pants’ for size comparison, I am not hanging onto any clothes that are too big (except my wedding dress!).
Taryl´s last blog ..Healthy You Check-in
When I lost 70 pounds the first time, I was in a size 18/20. And I thought it was the worst. size. ever.
Now that i’m in a 26/28, I LONG for my size 18 jeans.
I reached my lowest size which was a 12, and I was ecstatic. Shopping was fun for the very first time in my life.
When I think about that… it gives me a push to lose this weight.
Thank you for sharing that with us Diane! I am inspired. And, I want to say that we have similar stories. I too had been getting too fat for 26/28. It’s kind of devastating when that is the last size…
~Kellie
The Chubby Girl Diaries´s last blog ..Fabulous Food Finds & Update
As soon as I shrunk out of the 26/28’s, I cleaned out every single thing in my closet except for 2 or 3 shirts to wear around the house. I mailed them all to a friend who needed them. I got down into 22/24 jeans and bought one pair. Shrunk out of those into a size 20, which is what I wear now, and immediately mailed those 22/24’s to the same friend. It’s kind of like telling yourself failure is not an option. If you fail….you’re going naked, lol.
tammy ortagus´s last blog ..Sodium Sucks
I never kept big clothes of me but i always keep thin clothes from ages that doesn`t fit me anymore
In case i could wear them again…
Diane, such a post!!! I felt for you as I read it & I am sure many others have felt that way too!
I do think donating clothes that no longer fit is a great way to say to yourself, I will NOT GO BACK! Maybe keep 1 or 2 things to remind yourself OR show when you get on Dr. Oz or something!
As for me, I can’t even throw away old clothes that still fit!
Yes, I am still trying to get ton WNTW! They would have a field day with me. My hubby even wrote cause I will not spend money on clothes for myself. I am sure you understand with 7 kids! Me, every time I turn around either another grandkid (7 of them) or kid (3 of them) bday OR a holiday! I guess new running shoes are more important so I don’t injure myself! 
You are amazing Diane!
Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Dieting & Life Help – Are you Whole or Hole
Most of them I’ll throw away because nobody would want to wear them. I only wore them because I refused to buy any more clothes at the size I was. Last summer was the first time I’d bought jeans since I’d started gaining weight 15 or so years ago. (and I was thrilled to find that jeans now had spandex.)
Siobhan´s last blog ..I forgot about the chocolate …
I have been purging as I go along. Although the pants I have on are about to fall off literally – I have been holding them up all day so time to ditch these too.
When I think about getting rid of my big clothes it really scares me. I know I never want to go back to where I’ve come from and yet I’m scared that I will. We all know how hard it is to find cute plus size clothes. But at this point it’s not too much of a worry for me because I still have a long way to go!
Alissa´s last blog ..Double-Cheese, Spinach and Chicken Pizza
Definitely get rid of them! At one point, I had sizes 2 through 18 in my closet. It really caused me some trouble in adjusting to the new “me”. Though, it was a good thing because a 2 wasn’t maintainable and an 8 is my happy place!
Have a great weekend, Diane!
Nicole, RD´s last blog ..Bloomin’ Onion
I didn’t get rid of any of my bigger clothes for a while because it seemed to make things so final, and in the back of my mind I kept thinking, “What if I need these again someday?” But then I realized I don’t WANT to need those clothes again someday, so it would have been foolish to keep them. I felt SO good when I got rid of my first batch of big clothes!