a day at the mall

I live in the middle of nowhere and we went to the mall after church today.  The mall is a good hour away and I was excited as I can now where regular clothes.  I made a list of all the stores I wanted to go to.  We went in Christopher and Banks first and the clothes were nice, but I didn't know what I wanted.  Then we went to Ann Taylor and the clothes were gorgeous, and expensive...but I started to have a panic attack.   Even when I was this size in high school, teen plus sizes didn't exist and it was always hard for me to find clothes.  Now I have so many choices.  I had a dang panic attack in the ann taylor.  I don't know what I like, I am used to the buyers of lane bryant deciding what I wear without my choice involved.  I didn't get anything there.  We went to JC Penny cuz it seems normal, but the plus size section is tiny.  You buy what's in your size.  The misses section is the whole length of the store.  I was so overwhelmed.  How the heck do we find out our styles now without spending days at the mall trying stuff on....and I am so scared to try on what I think is my size on and it not fit at a certain store.   This is such a head trip.

Aw sweetie ((hugs))!  Here's a suggestion.  Go back to the mall during a time when they aren't so busy like a week day.  The clerks will have more time for you and can be really helpful.  Also, do you have a GoodWill or Salvation Army near you.  They let you try on the clothes and are usually less crowded too.  You can go there and try stuff on until you get more comfortable.  Not to mention it will be cheaper.  Let me tell you, I'm becoming quite the clothes HO!  I love going to GoodWill.  I know all the "good stuff" will fit me now.  I'm not at all shy about walking out and asking the clerks if something looks ok on me.  I still think I look fat no matter what I try on.  I've found the kids working at the GAP to be really helpful.  They even have a buzzer where you can ring it and ask a clerk to bring you a different size.  They don't mind. I sometimes take my daughter (age 22) with me.  She gets quite the kick out of helping me pick out clothes.

Oh, Terri, I'm with you on the clothes HO thing!  I am, too - and a shoe Ho, too!!  I've bought (no lie) about 25 pairs of shoes in the last 2-3 months.  I'm at the thrift store all the time, or Wal-Mart clearance racks, etc.  I'm pretty stable at a size 12 post TT and don't really expect to get any smaller.  My thighs and butt are where they are going to be.  I wear a "M" top and my waist is about a size 10 (maybe even an 8 - it's about 32") and my hips/thighs are a size 12.  I've bought so many clothes lately its just not even funny.  My husband is ready to strangle me cuz everytime I leave the house I come back with either clothes or shoes!  LOL! Michelle -191#

I have so mant clothes now that they won't all fit in my closet.  I hang them there in outfits and try to wear them in order.  I have a rule that if I get it out to put on and it's too big, it goes in the "take back to goodwill" pile immediately.  Just this morning, the first THREE outfits I tried on came right bacl off and into the pile.  One had my FAV pair of blue corduroy pants!  WAH!   I'm just the opposite of you.  My hips are so tiny but my waist is HUGE!  Well at least in proportion.  I just did measurements.  My waist is 28" and my hips are only 34".  My plastic surgeon said I have a lot of extra skin above the belly button. The goodwill near my house has 1/2 off the entire store EVERY saturday.  WOOHOO!

You could do what I did. :)  I went in to a store, told the first clerk that offered to help me that I'd recently lost a LOT of weight..  That because of my weight, I hadn't shopped in YEARS, had no clue about my current size, or style, or anything else....and could she please help?  Oh, I also made sure to tell her that I was still losing, so I'd need to buy things just a tiny bit small, and only things that were very versatile...because I'm building a wardrobe from scratch. It's really pretty funny...the stores that were so helpful...well, they've gotten a lot of business from me lately.  Many of the clerks know me by name now.  The other day, one of the clerks said something about wearing a jacket with so many other things that I might have at home...and I reminded her that I didn't have other clothes at home...just what they'd sold me. It really helps, I think, to take the pressure off when the clerks know your situation. Plus, if you're having fun trying on clothes and they understand WHY you're so tickled, it's fun for them, too. Cindy

Asking the clerks for help is a great suggestion.  When I was trying to find jeans, a while back, I asked a clerk to help me find jeans for my body type.  I ended up with 2 pairs that looked good, for the first time in probable 20 years.  Good luck with your shopping and have a great time.  Susan

I am a bit of a clothes horse.   I must be because I can't relate to your dilemma at all.  I felt like a kid in a candy store (good analogy for the formerly obese) in the ladies section.  I got to try style after style after style.  What a rush.  I tried on clothes that I thought would look terrible or too young on me and often, I was very surprised to find that the styles i could never have worn as a fat girl, looked darn good on me.  Use the large ladies department as YOUR own personal candy store.  Try on everything and anything.  It is fun and you will learn a lot about your new body.  Loose the anxiety.  This is a perk of becoming skinnier.  Good luck.

Since I don't work outside the home I don't need much in the line of clothing. Nice stretchy pants to chase the grandbaby around in maybe couple pair of jeans and some tops. I know sears, penney, and other stores now are reducing alot of their winter clothes. I picked up a couple of tops for about $2-4 !  In my mindset I will still be this size this time next year. So I can put these clothes away for next year. When I go into a store the first place I head is the "Clearance" racks. Usually some good buys there. And now that I have more of a choice in clothing I don't seem to find anything I like....Oh well , I would rather have that problem then when I couldn' t find anything in my size before. Best time to go shopping is during the week, the weekend is so hectic like everybody is on a "speed shopping" high. Good Luck, Sandy

Ease into it.  You'll be spending like a pro in no time.  :-) I'd suggest looking at online catalogs for the mall stores to get an idea of the styles and sizes available before you go back again.  Think about where you'd like to go in these clothes and that will help you to coordinate your outfits.