Weight loss, dressing in "transition"

[aelred]

Hi all,

I'm 55# down as part of an aggressive weight loss lifestyle change. I'd like to start upping my game as for years I've been in the typical "fat guy with untucked shirt and cargo pants" mode. That said, I don't want to wait until I completely get to the goal and then have a sudden wardrobe change.

Any suggestions for approaches to these transitional steps? With the hopefully obvious caveat that any potential purchases would be temporary phases as I continue to shrink...

 

[Sfroide3]

I did loose over 50lbs in the last few years. I also wanted to upgrade my wardrobe during that time. I bought a few Levis that I finally ended up reselling with a big loss. That was a very bad idea money wise. I decided not to buy expensive pieces before I pretty much reached my goal (leather jacket, suit, shirts, pants). I think upsacle thrift store is the way to go. There is Levis for less than 15 bucks that are pretty much new. You gotta be aware that everything you buy new is a 75% net loss after a few month.

Even for shoes. Weight loss can affect your feet size. It could also become a bad money loss. Second hand shoes is also a good solution.

If you want to invest in something that won't suffer from your weight loss - A nice watch ! That good be a very nice reward after all these efforts. Easier things to do could be a new haircut to emphasize the change.

 

[aelred]

I suspect all of that is going to be true. I have another ~50 to go (depending on how much lean body mass I retain).

I fear that my cherished Aldens (in 3E width) and 3 pairs of AE (also in 3E) are going to become boats in the long run. My single "real" suit that I purchased from English American as MTM is also sized for 55lbs ago.

Now that you mention it, I've become so conscious of wearing my apple watch for tracking heart rate and such, that it may be an opportunity to break out my GMT and Seamaster again!

 

[samtalkstyle]

As @Sfroide3 said, thrift yourself some good quality stuff. I literally halved my bodyweight at one point (150+kg to 75kg at my lowest) and my wardrobe was constantly changing over the couple of years the process took. Thrifting made it a much cheaper transition, and even made me a little bit of coin from flipping the designer/big name items I found.

 

[ValidusLA]

So....I think it depends how much money you want to dump in.

I played rugby in college and when I stopped playing I actually lost a bunch of weight but got fatter and puffier. Then I gained from being lazy, then I lost most of it and got a good weight w/ a good drop sizing.

The thing is that as you get older and diet and work out and lapse etc you will seesaw a little.

If you are going to go in for expensive stuff like bespoke clothing I would heartily not recommend getting it at your very lightest. Get it at what you can realistically sustain.

 

[aelred]

@ValidusLA, thanks.

I turned 50 this year, and have become very conscious of the (lack of good) example I was setting for my son. So, I've adopted a very aggressive keto and IF plan, and the family is joining in for overall much healthier eating.

I've been looking in the closet, and realizing that despite being a "techie", I fell into the classic "fat guy trap." Even if it doesn't make too much sense to get the good stuff now, maybe I start with the items that won't change much (ties, squares, etc)

 

[polyfusion]

If you are going to go in for expensive stuff like bespoke clothing I would heartily not recommend getting it at your very lightest. Get it at what you can realistically sustain.

This is excellent advice.

 

[ValidusLA]

@ValidusLA, thanks.

I turned 50 this year, and have become very conscious of the (lack of good) example I was setting for my son. So, I've adopted a very aggressive keto and IF plan, and the family is joining in for overall much healthier eating.

I've been looking in the closet, and realizing that despite being a "techie", I fell into the classic "fat guy trap." Even if it doesn't make too much sense to get the good stuff now, maybe I start with the items that won't change much (ties, squares, etc)

Good luck on your journey. I actually just hit my 1 year IF mark yesterday lol. Sorry I missed your age before. In terms of weight loss - how much are you looking to lose. What is your current drop (Shoulders minus waist)? I ask this because it will have so much to do with how jackets, suits, and most other clothing will be able to fit as your body changes.

Most OTR american made jackets are sitting at like....a Drop 4 or 6 or something (so if its a 42 its meant for a 38 or 36 inch waist, whereas some European stuff (like some Suitsupply stuff) is at like....a drop 10-12 often.

 

[aelred]

My drop is shifting quite a bit right now. I'm probably somewhere between a 48-50 jacket still, and a 42 pant, but those numbers are shifting rapidly. Since I'm a bit of a geek (i.e. engineer) I am keeping a lot of biometrics. I'm anticipating winding up either a 44 or 46 assuming I retain current muscle mass. So it'll be interesting to see where this winds up.

My goal isn't a weight per se, but I sure would love to fit into size 32 pants...

 

[aelred]

Slight shift in question, as the actual clothes part is in flux due to shifting measurements.

Maybe some ideas on accessories to start rewarding myself and building up what I can that is neutral re: size?

 

[ValidusLA]

What type of stuff to you like and how much do you want to spend?

Ties? Pocket squares? Lapel pins? Cufflinks? Watches?

 

[aelred]

Watches: mostly downsized the collection to a few divers (GMT Master, Seamaster 300, early Kobold) plus a few cheap/quirky pieces like a Seiko orange monster. I mostly just wear my Apple watch now for health monitoring.

Hmm, ties or squares might be an option. I don't see lapel pins in my future and cufflinks would be a maybe depending on where I go with shirts.

 

[ValidusLA]

Sounds like you've got some nice watches squared away.

Ties and Squares are super personal choices and can vary wildly in price. Here's where I tend to go:

Ties: I like Drakes quite a bit, as well as Brioni, Charvet, and Shibumi Firenze. With Shibumi Firenze you can do custom width and length at a very reasonable price.

There are honestly lots of great ties. Turnbull and Asser is nice though I haven't bought a ton.

Hermes hard to beat, but pricey. Ferragamo if you like critter ties.

Squares: I like Rubinnaci and Rampley and Co.

You can shop all of the above except for Brioni and Shibumi at The Rake [edit]. Shibumi has their own site direct (and if you are in the US once you log in it will lop off VAT and you will see incredible value). Brioni and Charvet you can shop at Mr. Porter.

 

[aelred]

Thank you for all that, especially the hints on shopping!

 

[samtalkstyle]

If you are going to go in for expensive stuff like bespoke clothing I would heartily not recommend getting it at your very lightest. Get it at what you can realistically sustain.

Spot on. I levelled out at a good 20kg more than my lightest (I went overboard trying to get as shredded as possible) and had to change wardrobes yet again!