What to do about clothing - other than buying

So, I'm at a point where my clothes are really too big. But I'm only down about a size and can't afford to buy a new wardrobe. I have to dress semi-professionally for work, so I can't live in thirft-store jeans like I want to, either. 

What can I do? Today, I'm wearing a giant top with a belt around my ribs. It makes things a little better. Are there other ideas like this? I want to get every last bit out of the clothes I have before I buy the next set. 

 

Us guys have it a little easier, but for work clothes check out stores that sell overstock items. In our area I used Burke's Outlet. It is almost like thrift store prices for new clothes. I just bought enough to get by because I knew in 6-8 weeks I would be buying some more.

Dresses are more forgiving and will fit for longer during your loss phase.  If you are a sewer, take in pleats in the back/front or both of dress shirts will make them fit longer too.  Pants are much harder to alter and tend to get to big in the butt in my experience.  I would buy dresses at thrift stores, so as your bottom shrinks it wont matter much :)

I found many dresses, dress pants, blouses and skirts at thrift stores. All in great shape and helped me through this phase. Also you can alter to big clothing with decorative buttons making pleats to take in the baggyness on blouses. Also don't overlook the clearance racks for some good deals for smaller sizes.

 

decorative buttons making pleats

dec 

 

Can you sew up the sides of your pants to take them in? Honestly I purposely bought pants without pockets so that I could just sew up the sides. I'm not a seamstress, but I sew well enough for that. I also found a thrift store where I could get pants for $2. Even I could afford that. When my belts got too big I used my drill to make more holes. I am the queen of frugality.

maybe start a clothing exchange in your area? or if you go to a support group?

Consignment sales can be FABULOUS! I just bought 38 items for 400$! That included a leather jacket, leather coat and some other normally high dollar ticket items. 

And you can sell your clothes at a consignment store, too! I like the 'pop up' sales for quick turn around, but plenty of shops exist. Also, talk to your surgeon about having a swap! Plenty of folks are in your exact situation and would love to bring items in and get other items!  My surgeon is having one next month--I cannot wait!

Good ideas!! I am keeping my smaller pants up with belts now..lol need smaller clothes!! I have literally two HUGE boxes of my old clothes and I am talking really nice stuff. Posted on some groups FB and did a Craigs list posting for like 200.00...most people offered me 20.00..ummmmm not!! Going to try a local cosignment shop.

I buy and sell a lot of clothing on Ebay. I usually only sell shirts to consignment stores because w/ shipping, I don't really make much online for them.

To be honest... I simply keep the amount of pants (usually shirts aren't a problem) that I have to a minimum. Yeah, it sucks... but I have one pair of black pants for work and one pair of gray pants.... and I wear them multiple times in a week before I wash them. Now.... if I had gotten them dirty or something happened to them, I would wash them before that... but I'm doing the best I can to make due with what I can afford! If you wear simple black pants to work, nobody will notice!

I did the same thing when I was losing. I always had one pair of black pants, one pair of brown, and one pair of jeans that worked. Yep. People got to see me in the same clothes multiple times a week...lol.