I know the feeling. I think everyone’s weight fluctuates a bit, and while I don’t usually fluctuate between sizes, I do notice that sometimes my clothes feel tighter than other. I think for me, the first tip works better. Buying my pants in one size up would still be a bit large even at my heavier times.

When I’m up a few pounds, I rely on a good shaper to do a little trimming under my clothes. I find Sassybax’s shapewear panty a great one for below the waist, and the torso trim style bra for the upper half since, like most women, I tend to gain a little weight across my upper back, too.

I disagree with that approach. I have struggled to lose 20 lbs. I immediately got rid of all my bigger sizes as I went down. I didn’t want to have any excuse or latitude to let my weight slide. That is an old Weight Watchers tip but it’s true.

I have gained some weight over the holidays and now a lot of my bottoms are tight. It’s a wake up call, and I know if I gain anymore I won’t have much to wear. Having been down this road many times, I know it’s the only way for me.

I’m short (5′3″), but even for me it’s 10lbs or more for a size change. I know that does lessen as you get to the smaller sizes.

Yet another reason for my vast skirt collection. Shari, I hear what you’re saying, but I personally care more about having clothes that look good on me than I do about maintaining a certain weight, even though (or because) I’m rather larger than a lot of commenters here. (Not huge, but larger.)

My weight has been very stable for around 14 years, till about ayear ago I gained ~5 lb, which is almost ( but not quite) a size on my smaller frame. I felt it in the fit of the pants/jeans only, suddenly they became much tighter. I bought a couple of bigger pairs, and a couple of months ago lost that weight and went back to my usual. Now those pants are too big. I am constantly torn between having them taken in and saving them if case I gain the weight again. For now I am saving them.

Hi Angie, So true! I am constantly going up and down within a 1-7 pound range and, though I’m not tall, I tend to remain in the same size. The good news is that I accept the weight fluctuation and realize it’s a partly physiology and partly exercise and food choices that affect it. Because I’m a pear the pants fit is most affected by weight change, as you said. I already have only A line skirts so those are always fine.
I’m at a higher weight right now and feel much more comfortable and attractive in the pants that are cut a little looser around the upper thigh. I definitely have my “skinny” clothes and have my “less skinny” clothes and for me it’s required. When I’m in my less skinny clothes it sends a signal to my brain to stop and look.

Funny you should bring this up today. It is jeans casual Friday and I had a particular pair of jeans in mind to wear. This is a pair that fit perfect a year ago and I loved them. (For various reasons I haven’t worn them in a while). I have 4lbs since then and like Tanya, with my small frame, a few lbs makes a difference. So the jeans are big in the waist. I wore them anyway, but I have a feeling I will be tugging them up all day!

Like Dee, since I’m a pear, it makes a bigger difference on the bottoms when I gain or lose weight. I like Shari’s idea of getting rid of larger clothing to celebrate big weight losses. But with small weight changes, I just keep what I have in the back of the closet, just in case.

It’s a toughie. I employ both of your strategies all winter, especially sticking to skirts. Even if I can’t shoehorn my rear into a single pair of pants, I’m usually fine with my skirts!

I am tall, so it takes much more than 5 lbs. to make a significant difference in how my clothes fit. This may sound like a good thing but it’s not because once my clothes get tight I know I have to lose not just a little, but a lot!

Right now I’m losing weight so I use belts and little alterations to change the fit of pants or skirts. I’m more of an apple shape so my waist is what changes the most. This is why I like knit tops that do not have to fit precisely and that cover the waistline. Tunics and sweaters are great!

Yeah, very timely for me since I’m currently dealing with the aftermath of some holiday overindulgence. I’m applying a little of both strategies – I have a few pairs of pants that are on the roomy side, but not enough to avoid the punishment of having to squeeze into jeans that used to be flatteringly form-fitting and are now sausage-casing tight.

It’s only about 5 pounds, but it’s enough that the size 27 jeans leave indentations on my hips.

This is a good topic and I haven’t found a solution except for two sets of pants. I got rid of all the clothing from 8-40 pounds ago. Getting back to that weight wouldn’t be healthy. But now 3 pounds make a difference between a 1or 2 and a 4 in pants. I put on weight at the waist/midriff. So many temporary things can make a less-than-5-pound difference that my only solution has been what you suggested…2 sizes in the closet.
Your idea of more skirts and dresses is one I will consider seriously, especially for summer. I love the adjustability of wrap or stretchy nylon knit tops that will still create a waist.

jeans with stretch in them help me during tough winter months- and your right, a-line skirts and dresses!

I love jeans that have a stretch to them that’s built into the fabric. That way they fit well if you’re just up or down a few pounds, and look good, too.

I agree with Shari for the most part. When my jeans start getting too tight, it encourages me to cut back a little on my calories and move more, heading off weight gain before it gets out of control.

With that said, I suspect I’m perimenopausal or something, because a few times a year my belly just explodes…. I will literally look 6 months pregnant! It doesn’t last long, just a few days. For these times, I have looser, more forgiving clothing that I can turn to.

20 lbs – if it’s fat and not muscle – can mean the difference between a 0p and a 6p – that’s FIVE whole sizes!!! Eek.

I’ve always gotten rid of clothing that doesn’t fit properly. I love what Stacy and Clinton on WNTW say about “dress the body you have today” and getting rid of clothing that doesn’t fit your body now – not the body you had when you were younger, not the body you want or the one think you might get if you gain weight again, but the one you have.

I’m with Shari and shiny – when my jeans get a bit tight I know it’s time to get back on my health regimen. For me, using my clothing to keep aware of my body isn’t about weight, but about health. I have a high stress job and I struggle with stress eating and getting enough physical activity, so the fit of my clothing helps me notice my habits.

I find that 5 pounds is the difference between a size 4 and size 6 for me these days. I don’t tend to change weight enough in my upper body to justify differnt size tops. I do have a few bottoms in size 4 and a few in 6 so that I always have SOMETHING to wear. I did get rid of all my size 8 bottoms since I know that when my size 6’s are tight, its time to reign in the snacking! But I have accepted my size fluctuation straddles the fence between a 6 and a 4 and that’s just fine with me!

I often am surprised when someone says they go down a dress size with as little as 5 pound weightloss. For me, I have to lose at least 10 pounds before I can even think about a smaller size…AND it usually takes a good month or two of keeping that weight off for me to be able to wear that smaller size. It’s like my fat has a memory of how much space it should be taking up.

I do have pants that I don’t like to wear because they are too loose, but when my other pants get tight, I know I have something to wear. I only keep a few of these in my closet and try not to wear them unless absolutely necessary. I don’t want to get too comfortable!

I also use the old “My jeans are getting snug” to motivate me back into helful eating.

Does anyone else find that when they gain weight, their shape changes? When I’m thinner, I’m a pear shape, when I weigh more, my upper body and waist fill out and I’m rectangle shaped.

I think it depends how much you weigh to start. If you are only 110 pounds, losing 5 pounds probably means going down size. If you’re 160 pounds, 5 pounds is proportionately much less, so it’s unlikely to change your size.

I tend to gain and lose weight around my tummy and chest, even though I am not an apple or inverted triangle. I’m not really sure how that can be resolved, if at all. I’m not keen on buying duplicates of everything. In the winter it’s not so bad because I can always layer and hide anything that bugs me, but in the summer it’s a lot harder. Yet another reason I prefer winter fashion!

This is a relevant and timely topic for me, and I am not sure how to handle it. I’ve lost about 10 pounds since November, and essentially it’s made a one- to two-size difference. Because of the way I lost the weight, most of it was fat, and that has been replaced by muscle, which weighs more. At 5′ 10″, 10 pounds is not dramatic, but this has changed my body considerably. I’ve gone from a size 8 or 10 to a 6, and the 6s are starting to get roomy. So I’m not quite sure what to do. I’ve been wearing some things too big and buying some inexpensive size 6s on e-bay to tide me over. Not a great solution. And if I lose more, those will be too big. Right now, I don’t have the answer and am just having a few key things altered and taking it day by day.

I agree with Shari to some point on one level and I think that it’s good to take a ‘wake up call’ from clothes. But on the other hand, I have for a long time had a healthy 5lb fluctuation and since I consistently eat in a very healthy way, it often doesn’t seem to be a result of eating or exercising habits. I always just had a few options on slightly smaller or larger clothes (particularly jeans) and use them as needed. If I were to go larger than THOSE options, I would make a concentrated effort to lose that weight, but otherwise, that fluctuation seems normal and healthy.

I’ve dealt with this in a different way over the past year of losing baby weight. Because my size was constantly changing, I had difficulties keeping stylish options on hand. Here are some of my ‘lifesaving’ strategies’:

- Adjustable clothing: wrap skirts, wrap tops, wrap dresses. These work well for my body type and are easy to adjust within a certain range.

- Tailoring: I have some knit and woven tops which I bought in my two-to-three-month postpartum stage and have since tailored myself to fit my current shape (which is only slightly larger than my pre-preg shape).

- Layering: some slightly too-large tops can still be stylishly worn if layered correctly. A very fitted top might now fit well when worn over another layer, or a cardi might hide some looseness, or in the case of a very thin woven top, a sweater vest or other option might smooth things out.

This has all worked well for me and I’ve been able to navigate the postpartum difficulties with some level of success!

As Kyle mentions, gaining or losing muscle can make a big difference, too. I’ve stayed the same weight but been sick or lax on exercising, and I’ve gone up a half-size or a size. Or I’ve exercised and eaten better, and lost a half-size or a size while staying at the same weight. When I was actively losing weight last year, I had only 2 or 3 pants that fit well at a time, and it drove me nuts.

It’s always nice to have a few knit and stretchy things around, but I do keep some clothes on the larger end and some on the smaller – I’ve got things a few different sizes, anyway, since different brands fit differently. There’s nothing more flattering than clothes that fit you perfectly on the day you wear them.

My weight can fluctuate within a single day. I often regret purchases that I make in the morning. The fit can feel totally different by late afternoon. The only problem is that I have more shopping energy early in the day!

I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately as I’ve lost some weight & toned up since last summer. I still have a little bit to go before I’m at my ideal. However, what I think I’m finding that works for me is to only keep those clothes in my closet that I feel FAB in! Otherwise, I think I get overwhelmed with too many things in my closet & trying to go back and forth. If I get rid of the stuff that’s a bit too big for me (I don’t really have investment pieces that fit this bill so that probably makes it easier), it seems like it’s easier for me to stick to my plans (eating right, working out, just an overall healthy lifestyle). I’m guessing it’s probably a little different for everyone and the trick is probably figuring out what works for each of us!

I was going to say the same as Chelle – my weight, particularly in the tummy region can go up and down in a day. Some skirts and pants only fit until about early afternoon.

I wish someone would make recommendations for women who are NOT pears; I am an apple and a short one at that and have a lot of difficulty finding what is flattering for my body type. Help….please!!! Any and all suggestions would be greatly appreciated.