Lose Weight?.... What Do You Do With Your Non-Fitting Clothing?

[Lafont]

I'll try to make this brief. I've been on diets on and off for over 50 years. I recently lost approx. 20-25 lbs., which really makes a difference in my slacks and belts - the rest is okay. I cannot rationalize wanting to lose any more weight at this point. A few of my pairs of slacks fit okay but others would start sliding down immediately, or at least when I start really walking. First I tried buckling the belts tighter, then having new notches made, then starting to replace the more ill-fitting slacks, including shorts, and added a shorter belt. I've also discarded items that have some wear but not necessarily at the point where I would have done it were the item to fit better.

Maybe I've gotten more and more sensitive to fit but even some of my new slacks don't seem to fit that well and I still have to fiddle around with the belts, etc. (which may be uncomfortable). Naturally, I want the clothing to look and fit as well as when I was last heavier. Looks and comfort are both important. In the past sometimes I've had clothing "taken in" but I decided not to get into that this time around.

Those of you in this situation - what do you do with the older clothes? Keep them around with the newer stuff? Hide them away so you'll have them at the (perhaps unfortunate) time when they might once again fit? Do you give them away or toss them so they're out of your life? As I try to purchase better quality-type clothing (though not the most expensive) I like the idea of the items lasting in decent condition as long as possible, so I might feel sort of guilty in ridding myself of a garment "before its time." Anyway, what do you do?

 

[patrickBOOTH]

I lost 100 pounds. Long story short I ended up either donating my fat stuff, or giving it to people. I bought a small wardrobe when I lost 50 pounds, then after about another 20 I got some things tailored. then when I was at the weight I wanted to maintain I bought a new wardrobe and donanted/gave away stuff I had.

 

[dapperdoctor]

keep it in case you get fat again

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Or get rid of it as an incentive not to.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Some things cannot be altered at all and other things very little. You can alter a suit only a bit before it looks ridiculous and shirt collars cannot be made smaller.

 

[globetrotter]



Or get rid of it as an incentive not to.

+1

that's what I did.

but 50 pounds you can still alter a lot of stuff, 100 pounds you can't.

if you can alter your stuff do so, but anything iffy, just give away.

good luck

 

[FlaneurNYC]



Or get rid of it as an incentive not to.

This.

I went from a 36" waist to a 32" and a 44/46R to a 38/40R chest and I consigned or gave away everything.

 

[RDiaz]

I lost 132 pounds and I don't know what to do with my old clothes yet. I was keeping them just in case I gained some weight back but that stopped making sense a while ago; those things are just frickin' HUGE. Getting rid of them is a good incentive, so I guess the best thing you (and me, lol) can do is donating them...

 

[patrickBOOTH]

Another weird thing for me is that I went down a shoe size and a half. I must have had some major foot fat.

 

[Thanks SF (a new me)]



keep it in case you get fat again

Better

Or get rid of it as an incentive not to.

The Best approach

Another weird thing for me is that I went down a shoe size and a half. I must have had some major foot fat.

+1.. my left has always been slighly smaller. Now i feel like both shrunk a little thus having a weird sizing .

I donated all the items I know will not be part of my moving forward wardrobe inventory. I kept a few of the better quality items just in case and have some items altered within proper tailoring cost/boundery.

Also, I kept a suit which is 4 sizes up from my current measurements, to constantly remind me of the hardwork I did to lose weight ....

 

[globetrotter]



Another weird thing for me is that I went down a shoe size and a half. I must have had some major foot fat.

hah, me too

 

[TM79]

Consign/sell if it's good quality. Donate if it's not.

...says the guy who has been the same measurements his entire adult life.

But my point is I'd try to get money back on them if possible to fund buying things in my new sizes.

 

[peach]

Congratulations Lafont on your weight loss, not an easy thing to do in any quantity that is easily recognized. I agree with Patrick, get rid of your fat clothes. They do not look good on you and reward yourself with new clothing. I have found that when my weight starts to creep up and perhaps it takes two or three pairs of slacks to find the proper fit to go out, I will make the dietary changes until almost all my wardrobe fits well. This has happened to me a couple of times after a 25 lbs. weight loss several years ago. That coincided with my discovering Styleforum and the definite upgrade in my shopping decisions ; I can no longer afford to get fat and out of shape.Tough love but absolutely keeps me honest. Personally, I enjoy giving my older clothes away and it is usually a big improvement to what the recipient normally wears.

 

[Lafont]

Yes, sometimes I've used clothes as an incentive. Guess I will look into having some of my slacks "taken in." Many years ago my father used to take them to people for this - probably in and out. Right now I'm having the rise lowered on a new pair of dress slacks - they were shortened from 32 length to 29 without the accompanying rise alteration. Today I'm taking my newest pair I had purchased with the "old" waste size, from Brooks Brothers. Perhaps a little good yet to just donate. Or I could keep trying to wear them with the belt notch accomodations - never perfect. Don't know yet if I'll keep a pair of the new size which I had just bought to wear instead....

 

[sportin_life]



I'll try to make this brief. I've been on diets on and off for over 50 years. I recently lost approx. 20-25 lbs., which really makes a difference in my slacks and belts - the rest is okay. I cannot rationalize wanting to lose any more weight at this point. A few of my pairs of slacks fit okay but others would start sliding down immediately, or at least when I start really walking. First I tried buckling the belts tighter, then having new notches made, then starting to replace the more ill-fitting slacks, including shorts, and added a shorter belt. I've also discarded items that have some wear but not necessarily at the point where I would have done it were the item to fit better.
Maybe I've gotten more and more sensitive to fit but even some of my new slacks don't seem to fit that well and I still have to fiddle around with the belts, etc. (which may be uncomfortable). Naturally, I want the clothing to look and fit as well as when I was last heavier. Looks and comfort are both important. In the past sometimes I've had clothing "taken in" but I decided not to get into that this time around.
Those of you in this situation - what do you do with the older clothes? Keep them around with the newer stuff? Hide them away so you'll have them at the (perhaps unfortunate) time when they might once again fit? Do you give them away or toss them so they're out of your life? As I try to purchase better quality-type clothing (though not the most expensive) I like the idea of the items lasting in decent condition as long as possible, so I might feel sort of guilty in ridding myself of a garment "before its time." Anyway, what do you do?

Donate most of the items, consign the good stuff?