The MakeMeThinner Support Forum

[bk]

Just stopping by, don't have much time to write, but I think it would be fun to keep a thread for our shopping adventures. You all know that I'm having fun buying new clothes, and I see some mentions here & there, but because shopping is one of my #1 favorite activities, I thought it would be super fun to keep a thread just for reporting our new purchases! I swear, I get way more excited about new clothes than numbers on the scale (and for some people, the numbers move a lot slower than their sizes)!

So, I am making a call for the troops to report about their shopping fun!

Tips are welcome too! For example, I mentioned today that woven shirts (like a button-down) are for me a big no-no, because they are too small one day and then too big the next! I have found that knit tops are a much better bet for my dollars. Even if you need to be wearing a suit (which, thank goodness, the partners in the firm I'm working for would be completely horrified if I wore anything but jeans -- its the official dress code!), you could consider a knit (or even blousy) kind of shell rather than a traditional button down.

And if you're not seeing enough changes in the mirror, dollars to donuts its because you're still wearing your old baggy clothes. Go buy new ones! I encourage everyone to shop because even vicariously I love it!

BK

p.s. You can see I changed my ticker from handbag to high heel. After 40 pounds have vanished, it is amazingly easier to wear those stilettos!

[tmartin]

BK, you go girl. You sure deserve to shop till you drop!!!

[bk]

Okay, somebody out there besides me has GOT to be shopping! I suppose I am insatiable! Today I:
1) Took back clothes to Old Navy (bought them and then they did a 20% off sale!).
2) Got my clothes in the mail from Old Navy's 20% off sale. Had to call and do an exchange on about HALF of them. I really overestimated my size there. I prefer to shop online at ON because it's easier than actually getting to the mall, but I should have tried some clothes on there first. I originally tried to order clothes that were smaller than me when I arrived, but they fit when I got them, so back they went!
3) I went shopping at Lane Bryant at the end of Feb. I got jeans in 2 sizes smaller than I was then, and some pants, and a couple tops. Well, I took everything back today. I still have the jeans (I just fit into the smallest size pair today comfortably) and one shirt that will I can wear for a bit. Like I said, I only need jeans, and I can get away with wearing the same ones every day (washing them of course) because they are dark. i didn't even touch those pants and by the time i thought about them they were too big!

But first I used my real women dollars to buy 3 new bras (oy, did I ever need them!). When I walked into the store, the sale associates looked at me like I was an alien, and as I was shopping, it was like I had never shopped there before. I was wandering around looking at stuff and it was like, nope! Don't need it. Won't last. LB was a really great friend to me, and it's almost sad to leave it! I'm cutting up my card, removing myself from all the lists, because I will NEVER be shopping there again! It's a really exciting milestone for me because I have been shopping there since I was 16 or 17. And before that, it was just a disaster. The memory of kelly green pants (girls plus) with this ruffled waist is burned into my brain. It was probably when I was 10, but I think I have been trying to erase it since then!

For those that DO need to still shop @ LB, fyi, there is a 20% off sale on everything that started today and will run through 4/3. I highly recommend, though, if you only need casual clothes, checking out Old Navy plus section, and also the larger sizes in the regular sizing department. they also have a bunch of cute spring work clothes if you can be more trendy in your work clothes. And, it is SO much cheaper!

bk

p.s. and today I got in the mail the necklace I bought to celebrate my under 200 victory. It's white gold, a tiny little heart with wings, with a little diamond in the center. Too precious!

[24KaratGold]

Ah, Lane Bryant. BK, I think I might have had a charge account there longer than you've been alive....

Y'know, I'm not sure that I know how to shop for anything other than "women's sizes." It will be weird....

Sounds like you are scoring some fun stuff!

I did a little shopping at Ross on Saturday. I needed a new swimsuit and some shorts for Hawaii, and I didn't want to spend a lot of money because I hope that I'll need new sizes by summer. I ended up with a suit for $14.99 , in size 18, and three shorts also in size 18 (I have great legs; I carry most of my weight around my tummy and on my back, so I'm not afraid of shorts). I got rid of two swimsuits three sizes too big, yay!!

The $268-reduced-to-$40 leather jacket I bought two weekends ago will now button, but it's not quite a good fit yet. It should be in another five pounds, and I'm hoping to be able to take it with me to Hawaii, both for on the plane and in case the nights are cool at all.

I wish MF could do something about my size 12 feet! I was looking at size 12 shoes on ebay, of all places, last night, and discovered that most of them are marketed to cross-dressers! Even to the point of having "private" bids, where the bidder's name is not disclosed! Yeesh. I bought new hiking boots this weekend in a men's size 10.5. Sigh.

[Marseilles]

Dont stress the feet 24!

There are many people out there that would do pretty much anything to have such an UNDERSTANDING.

Bwahahaha...



So punny, hmm?

Have a wonderful trip to Hawaii!

-M.

[raederle]

LOL!!!!!

You know, 24K, at least your pontoons keep you from blowing over in a stiff breeze. I have a friend who wears a size 5 shoe, and she tells me she falls over a lot...

[bk]

The Lane Bryant account has been closed and the card has been cut up!!! It is stored for posterity, of course, after taking a few pictures!

I am hoping that jacket will fit you soon 24K! I bet it looks hot! I am also the apple shape. I used to have great legs, but don't anymore. They're returning, though! It's really a pain for clothes shopping, because my pant legs get loose WAY before the waist ever does. I'm hoping for some more inches lost on my tummy really soon, because I'm afraid the smaller sizes just won't work right with my shape (which is still women's sizes shaped because I'm so short, but now almost into sizes not available in women's cuts).

Shopping for non-women's sizes... So weird! I don't know what to get. Right now I have jeans + some mixy matchy stuff from Old Navy that should get me through a while longer. Dressing a smaller body is very much different than camoflauging a large one. I have noticed that I get sort of agitated in the boutiquey stores or the stores that aren't packed to the brim with everything... Because I'm used to having one-stop shopping! I guess you just have to keep your needs, your style, what looks best on you in mind when you go shopping. Not to buy anything just because it fits! No need for that!

My closet suffers from the black wasteland syndrome. NO, let me rephrase. My old closet suffered from the black wasteland syndrome. What I noticed is that I *hated* the way LB did their "trend items." The cute patterns were always in something ridiculous that looked crappy on me. Sometimes I would "be brave" and buy it, but never wear it. Now I'm wearing colored & patterned clothes because they aren't done up in some ridiculous style (like weird scoopy things under the chest). The proportions were just SO off on me! So I have discovered I actually like prints & patterns & colors, just not the way they were available to me. Unfortunately I am stuck in a city that holds the most conservative dressed lawyers . Hideous suits are the norm around here. Let's just say I'm actively seeking work where I won't feel completely out of place. I feel like a monkey all dressed up in a suit! I guess I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

As you know I'm selling stuff on ebay, and more than a few buyers have been crossdressers. It's pretty funny! But a cross-dresser's gotta do what a cross-dresser's gotta do.

I have to say I do not share the large shoe size problem. My feet are a size 5.5 or 6 in athletic shoes (new balance! depending on the cut), but I get shoes in 6.5 & 7 because of my wide feet. Unfortunately, the wideness is completely unrelated to fatness. I have pictures, dangit! My bones are grow out from each other instead of straight forward. And I have ridiculously high arches.

But yeah, I do tend to trip a lot. Seriously! Comes with the territory.

This week I bought gold strappy high-heel shoes at Target (sold out in all the stores, and a few came back online, so I snagged them!), and two overly expensive handbags. I'd been eyeing them for a while and apparently felt quite impulsive this evening.

Tomorrow is office chair shopping day, which is no fun, but it's something that really needs to be done, and the one I want is finally on sale. My current chair is nine years old. Let's just say it has seen better days. At least I get to pick up the Target shoes and my Old Navy exchanges from the UPS store! And pickle shopping. Wooooooo!

Someone else please go shopping so I don't feel so obscene!!!!!

[raederle]

bk, just to console you, I went crazy shopping this weekend. I figure, if I spend a lot of money on stuff that's small (with non-elastic waistbands), I will be forced to stay skinny, or go broke replacing the skinny clothes! My entire closet was black and brown, like yours! Sometimes I'd go crazy and buy navy blue-- wild woman, huh? I always used the excuse that I needed to dress conservatively because I work in a law office, but I realize now I was just kidding myself-- I was always afraid of wearing something "bright" that would attract attention to me. Well, since I had no spring clothes that fit, I had to go out and see what was there. (Wiinter was okay because I could get away with wearing "baggy" sweaters over long skirts-- these were really sweaters that used to be tight and now are way too big! )

Anyway, I took a deep breath, told myself not to fear light colors, and went to the mall. I got two jackets and a skirt at J Jill, all in light colors (one a beautiful powder blue-- how's that for breaking the mold?). I also got some pants and skirts at the Gap, and then, because I just couldn't stop, went online and ordered more skirts and shirts and a bunch of new shoes (I gotta coordinate with the new spring clothes, don't I???) And from Ebay, I found a PINK trench coat-- GADS! Pink!!!! People will SEE me!!!

So, today I am wearing new, light khaki pants, a brown sweater shell (to help ease the transition...), and a light khaki striped jacket (doesn't look as ugly as I think I made it sound!). I am just soooo impressed with myself. Not a single item of black! Friday I might go crazy and wear the powder blue jacket... what if the Earth stops spinning?!?!?!

WAY TO GO, bk, for walkin' away from LB forever. That must feel woooonderful! Soon you'll be cruisin' the small and medium racks at TJ Maxx, which are usually deserted... It's the place to be, I can tell ya! Lots more selection! Too funny about your Ebay crossdressers; I was shopping on Ebay last night for some slips to wear under these skirts (even though they're lined, I'm paranoid that a stiff breeze on the metro will give some folks a free show), and found that lots of them (especially "vintage" women's clothing) are marketed toward crossdressers. Ah well. I guess the guys need those bigger sizes and don't want to pay too much for 'em! Must be hard finding a bra that fits a size 42 chest with AAA cups...

[bk]

Rae - your purchases sound AWESOME!!!! Good for you for getting out of the rut!! I'm trying too! Of course, I went shopping again today I don't "do" brown, so basically I had a lot of black and gray (and some pink!). Today I picked up

Old Navy: a light turquoise canvas mini skirt on clearance (on best friend's advice, in a size 8. HAHAHA. I'm still in a 14, but it's quite cold up here still. yay size 2 best friend for being so supportive!), a tan shirt not in safari style, but that color, so I can wear it with my wood accessories. plus after it gets too big i should be able to wear it over a tank top, 3 tank tops in medium (on sale for 5, and i wear them to bed), 2 cute polo shirts (one pink/orange stripey, the other pink with white/pink/green colorblock), and a camisole in pink & green (i LOVE that combo! matches a handbag that a friend gave me. so florida. just like home!). and a pair of purple glitter flip flops. everything on clearance.

gap: silk flutter skirt marked down from 54 to 20. heehee. i can shop at the gap. the tops don't really work for me, because my chest is too big. GO FIGURE. it looks pretty tiny to me....


filenes: pair of kitten heel sandals in multi metallic strappiness with little bows. last pair sale (50% off) + 10% off coupon. YAY SMALL FEET! i am VERY into the metallics lately.

i went into ann taylor loft (!!!) but didn't get anything. their sale prices are acceptable for goal weight, but not for right now. i was really pleasantly surprised at their stuff (not a huge regular ann taylor fan, a bit too prissy for my personal tastes). they had a lot of cute stuff, and a nice petites section (YAY). I may wander back into NY&Co with a coupon I have from one of my magazines (my mailman hates me. I read about 10 magazines/month and get about 6 books/month delivered. half.com people! i love buying things used/on clearance!).

the only black thing I bought was one of the tank tops, which was completely acceptable. i have not even been trying not to buy black, it is just automatically occurring (or not occurring, rather). i loooooove clothes and it was probably my biggest motivation for losing weight. i just got tired of looking at the magazines and being sad that i couldn't wear anything.

(oh right, i got some keds ballet flats last week. ahem.). i can't justify the money on the clothes, so it is all going to shoes! i didn't like the office chair, so I just didn't buy it. however, i restocked my paper & manila folder supplies. let me tell you how exciting *that* was. i'd rather have the money go to the clothes, but a girl cannot live on fashion alone. she must have office supplies as well.

I really wish I had the patience to shop for myself on ebay, but I just don't. I have to be looking for something very specific, and I am that way with accessories, but not clothes. I have to look at everything that is available before deciding to buy something.

right now i am very thankful that i have already told myself that i don't need a lot for every size (and i'm turning t-shirts into tunics and wearing everything as long as i possibly can) because i would have a serious budget deficit! i only have one bottoms, a pair of jeans. see, i am being SOOOOOOO good! i am betting when my family sees me (i still haven't told them about my WL!) that they will throw a wad of cash at me to go nuts with. that will be a relief for my poor closet that is now quite pitiful (but colorful!).

your pink trench sounds very darling. are you being good and wearing it?

btw, ONE more piece of advice for everyone following our blabbing about excising black from the wardrobe. it is an excuse, but a valid one for me. i'm MESSY. i spill on myself ALL the friggin time. i cannot go a day without spilling something on me. buy the scotchgard (test first please), and spray on clothes! it is good even for stuff that needs drycleaned. TEST TEST TEST (primary ingredient = acetone, so don't do it with a fresh manicure). but it should help repel those diet coke spills that seem to strike oh so "randomly" when you're wearing a very light top... it was murder to find it in boston (target, in the cleaning aisle, NOT with the laundry stuff), but i finally found it. you can use it on all sorts of stuff (i bought it specifically for my new keds). i'm on an accessories protection kick. also got some highly recommended (but surprisingly inexpensive) leather & suede cleaner & protector. i am sure i will report back on my findings (i never protected 2 pairs of pink suede shoes that now must be replaced.)

ladies, i call upon you all to report your purchases! i must now go assemble my friday night/girls' night ensemble. sorry for the rambliness, it's just that i get so durned excited about my new stuff!

bk

p.s. it was really *weird* to go to the mall and just waltz by LB. and be greeted so nicely in all the regular size stores. the sales associates didn't even bat an eye when i went to try stuff on. wooohooooooo.

[LilMsTexas]

I can just FEEL your enthusiasm and that is AWESOME! I bought some panties and bras today and it was just FANTASTIC buying some pretty stuff and not granny stuff! I'm scared to really go clothes shopping yet and I have enough in my department store I call my basement that will get me through some size changes. When I get to goal I will have NOTHING that is so old that I will be able to wear that and it will be allllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll new clothes for me ladies and gentlemen. So I'll revist this post at the end of July and I may even post pictures But you keep going on and having tons of fun!! I'll live vicariously through you for a bit
CHEERS!

[bikipatra]

Omigawd, you brought up Ann Taylor and I remember the last time I shopped there. I used to shop there all the time when I was very thin. My suits from then look like doll clothes to me now...one is a size 4 jacket and a size 6 skirt! But years later,I had a job interview and needed a basic black pansuit. I weighed 150 pounds. I have skinny arms and legs but I am very curvy and filled out a size 16 suit. As she was bringing me the size 16 jacket because the 14 didn't accomodate my busom, the saleslady said in front of other sales associates and customers "You better be careful-if you gain any weight you won't be able to shop here anymore. This is the biggest size we have." I was shocked! If the interview had not been the next day I would have walked out. I look forward to the days when I am not so hard to fit. And don't have to give rude sales people commissions!

[bk]

Ooooooh Christi. You hot lil Texas Mama! I read about your afternoon delight in another thread You go girl!!!! I was never a size changer so I very quickly ran out of clothes to wear!

Biki- I can't believe they said that! How awful! Just think that you won't have to deal with that problem again!

And yes, I am very enthusiastic! It's all very fun to wear all my new stuff! I took my new metallic sandals out for a test drive last night. So adorable. Got hit on plenty - by a bunch of 21 year olds!!!! YIPES. I asked one how old he thought I was. The answer - 19!! How am I ever supposed to find an older and much wealthier man to fuel my shopping urges like this?!?! Hmm. Maybe I can find a trust fund baby...

[Karen]

I for one have never enjoyed shopping. I must say however, after losing 65 pounds and going from a 26 to a 16-18 it is a LOT more fun! I do wish we would get out of this everything linen phase.... it is stiff, itchy and wrinkles just looking at it!

I have had to do clothes shopping as I am going to New Zealand next month and will be meeting new family (my hubby's mum, sons, sis and bro) I have had a great time gathering outfits to take. I've left the tags on pending a final "try on" just in case I am down another size by May 24th. (The local sales have been just too good to pass up!)

A month ago I went thru closets and drawers and got rid of everything that did not fit. This morning, getting ready for church was almost scary. I went thru SEVEN outfits that were just TOO BIG to wear. I finally broke down and got into my "too be packed" stash. This afternoon, I will be doing another grand give away of things too big. In the past, I would have kept them for ...just in case I need them later. But not with MEDIFAST. I am NEVER,EVER going back to those sizes. I can feel the determination within me... it has never been there before.

I plan to be at goal by Christmas. I will have to have new fall/winter stuff, then new spring/summer stuff again. Tis a good thing I am beginning to like this shopping thing!

[bk]

Yeah Karen!!! We will turn you into a shopping maniac!! BK + linen = not a good thing. I am a walking wrinkle disaster. If you don't like it, don't buy it!!! I am so happy that you had to break into your stash to clothe yourself this morning!

I, too, am practicing extreme closet madness. If it doesn't fit any more, it gets sold or donated. I still have my winter coats, because it is still a bit chilly up here, especially at night, but those will be given away once spring hits in full force. Give away everything because you will not ever need it again (but save your "fat pants" so you can do one of those poses with your entire body in one leg!).

And definitely do not take those tags off until you put it on and decide to wear it! I have gone straight past some things I bought, which I returned promptly.

A tip, especially since you think you may hit goal around Christmas. The early fall stuff will start coming out in August. Then it will go into clearance after they start putting the full fall lines out. Shop those clearance racks for the sizes you think you will need! (You can try on the larger sizes to check the fit/style). The thing is that it will all be sold out by the time you need it. Remember, the bathing suits get stocked in the stores by the middle of January! If I had actually planned on losing weight before I did, I would have bought some winter clothes on clearance. I've been stuck with these spring/summer clothes while it's really quite cold here.

Happy Shopping!!!!
bk

[bikipatra]

Hubby knew I had been feeling neglected so he took me shopping! I got some ballerina flats with great soles from Cole Haan. I got 4 headbands and some bracelets. I picked out 5 pairs of adorable springy panties-one pair had strawberries on them. I needed some more of my sugar body scrub with essential oils, so we went to Sephora. Last time I bought it I was getting a lot of other things so I didn't notice it was sort of pricey. For a medium size jar it was $62. Hubby said it was worth it though because it makes my skin so soft! As usual, I took a MF supplement and a diet soda to the mall with me so I wouldn't be tempted by mall food. It was a good trip.