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Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Full panic mode - pictures added

anchie

Veteran

It started innocently enough, I wanted to try todays Angie’s ensemble - dress with knee high boots. And then I discovered that all 3 pairs of my knee high boots don’t fit me any more. They are too wide at the calf, I can fit comfortably 3-4 fingers between my leg and the boot. I have never even thought about this possibility. And then it hit me that my winter coats and puffers may not fit me as well. I have not tried them on since losing weight and I am afraid to do it now. But I am panicking. This is something I have completely forgotten about and don’t have plan for. And the budget.

Dressing

30 replies

Latest reply was from Jaime

Sara L.

Veteran

I have narrow calves so I run into the too wide boot problem all the time. Your boots may still work with skinny jeans since they add more bulk. Unfortunately boots aren't cheap. Your winter coats might be a little big but it probably won't be as obvious as the boot issues.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Do you rely on boots daily in the winter?

Suggestions:
Thick yarn tights, two pairs?
Long skirts/dresses that cover the tops of the boots?
One pair of two-tone boots to start with? Like so https://www.everydaypursuits.c.....format=amp

rachylou

Veteran

Uh... ack?!

!!

tulle

Veteran

They are not easy to find these days, but old-fashioned knee socks (especially cashmere) may do the trick, especially if worn over tights. Does a slight gap bother you a lot?

skylurker

Veteran

Hell. I think you're in for a big wardrobe assessment, Anchie. Try on everything (bras included), see what you have in your size, put the rest in holding zone, or see with cobbler/tailor what alterations can be done. Then you will know what you actually have to wear for fall/winter, and what you need to shop for.

anchie

Veteran

Sara L, you are right about skinny jeans, so one pair that is causal will probably be ok. But other 2 pairs are dressy, I wore them only with skirts and dresses. And I really hope that coats will be ok too, but will not know for sure until I tried them on.

fashhiontern, I don’t wear knee high boots daily in winter, but I do wear them with my winter dresses and skirts maybe 1-2 times per week. I wear more skirts and dresses in winter then in summer because I freeze in them in summer. Can’t do bare legs in AC.

Tulle - gap would not bother me that much if they are new boots. Problem here is not so much that there is a gap, but that the whole boot is molded in different, bigger shape and feels and looks weird.

skylurker - you are right, I will have to face my closet better sooner then later. I just don’t understand how I completely forgot about boots and coats. To be honest, it did not even occur to me that boots can be too big.

Dianna

Veteran

Agree with Skylurker.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Well, Anchie, it wouldn't have occurred to me, either. I think through weight gain and loss over the years, my calves have stayed pretty much the same, though I don't really know!

gryffin

Veteran

Anchie - emergency idea here. In the last couple of years they were showing interesting "boot socks" and boot cuffs cable knit, cashmere, leg warmers etc. If you could find something elegant enough, you might be able to get through the season if the boots still fit your feet. Also what about tucking pants (I never do that because I'm afraid of stretching out the shaft). I would also take them to a cobbler and see how expensive it would be to narrow the shaft if they were expensive. https://www.bootcuffsocks.com/

Lucky Love Lucky Love Boot Cuffs for Women, Cute Leg Warmer Boots Topper, Knit Boot Socks

View Info

Top Pick

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anchie

Veteran

Firecracker - I have not noticed any weight gain or loss in my calves either.

This is the outfit that i was trying on earlier today when I discovered the issue. Not sure how visible it is in the picture because most of the gap is at the back.

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anchie

Veteran

gryfin - I have never heard of this boot socks, and having hard time imagining it, but will look this up. I may even just try to ignore the gap and try to get used to this different fit of the boots.

Anonymous

That amount of gap doesn't bother me at all.

I think you still need to think in terms of "small capsule". What items do you need to look professional at work until your weight stabilizes? The rest is a nice-to-have, but not mission-critical.

So maybe that means you need a new pair of boots. Maybe that means a new wool coat (but maybe not a puffer).

anchie

Veteran

smittie - very wise of you, and it is calming my panic. I have 4 wool coats and 3 puffers, but I don’t have to replace everything immediately. Maybe only one new is enough or maybe even one out of existing 4 is still ok. I will try them on tomorrow.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Wow. This is significant. The winter wear...oh dear.

I like what Skylurker and Smittie said. First, try it all on and assess. Some pieces may be fine. Some may be fine with small adjustments or simply wearing them a slightly different way. And you may need to create a small capsule of winter outerwear that fits well.

If the boots are still in fantastic shape and you love, it may be possible to have them made a bit snugger at the cobbler's.

unfrumped

Veteran

What smittie said.
Don't be afraid to " assess". Be happy you made health changes. Be ready for new fashion opportunities but don't panic--you do have clothes.
I like the reminder to think in terms of small capsules. Several great outfits > lots of lesser ones.

anchie

Veteran

Suz and unfrumped, you are absolutely right. I need to face my fears and assess the situation. It may even be not that bad. And in any case, I do have clothes, I will not be freezing or walking naked and will not get arrested if the clothes don’t fit perfectly

I am going to make big pot of tea now and attack my closet.

anchie

Veteran

I tried all 3 puffers and I think they are still ok. What a relief. They a roomier then before, and there is plenty of space for layering which is good. But I don’t think they look too big. What do you think?

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anchie

Veteran

Winter wool coats are suffering from the same issues as my trench coats - too wide in shoulders and sleeves too long. Yellow Boden is best fit because of dolman sleeves. I don’t like red one at all, this one will be the first to go.
Let me know what you think and what should be my priority?

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Tanya

Veteran

I agree that the yellow Boden is by far the best fit. Both the red and the camel look way too big to me, I think they sadly need to go. I am not quite sure about the black, it looks somewhere in between.
The puffers are also borderline to me, but keep in mine that I prefer my outerwear more fitted. They look like one of my puffers that I purposefully sized up in to be able to fit a leather jacket or a faux fur vest underneath. I cann0t tell too well, but it may be that the first taupe-esque puffer has the best shoulder fit?

Toban

Veteran

I agree that the yellow is salvageable for now and the others are visibly too big. I echo previous posters to identify your minimum needs and keep a tight capsule while your weight continues to change. I sympathize, I am 1/2 way to my weight loss goal and have dropped 1-2 sizes and nothing is fitting and I need pretty much everything but still have a lot to lose so it’s a dilemma. I’ve prioritized bras and jeans in the right size, then am identifying the most important pieces that I need to fit right to feel good. I have some clothes that I kept from a lower weight and some stretchy knits that are still working.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

First, you have a beautiful coat wardrobe! No wonder you are concerned about losing it!

I agree that the puffers are wearable and it is likely no one will notice, particularly once you layer them up. If you happen to find a new one you love, and can afford it, all well and good, but no emergency.

That yellow wool coat is stunning on you and I am so glad that it seems you can keep. I agree with you about the others. The size seems obviously too large. It is so interesting how this works with different items of clothing. The shoulder fit seems key. Where that is off, the arm looks too big and loose and everything sort of hangs wrong.

However, at least you do have some coats that can be worn and now you can be on the lookout for one new wool coat for your capsule.

skylurker

Veteran

Of the puffers, #2 looks the slimmer in pic, #1 looks oversized (like : it could be intentional) and #3 looks too big.
Of the coats, I agree the yellow is ok, #2 and #3 look way too big to me, #4 is also too big - though weirdly, it looks trendy to me (because it's big in shoulders but not in body).
Good fitting coats wouldn't be my priority, because I wear them on the street among strangers and take them off as soon as I'm at work but I don't know about you - if you meet clients outside the office for instance, a nice coat would be important?

Emily K

(website)

Veteran

Maybe just taking up the sleeves on the puffers will help them to remain useful, longer. It seems like I'm constantly stuck in this situation of changing size and I just try to focus on buying one item that I can remix in the most ways to keep getting utility out of the wardrobe as a whole. And I've accepted that I will have a lot of placeholder items until my weight settles, because it's not worth it to buy really nice things for interim sizing.

Greyscale

Veteran

I love that yellow coat! It looks stylishly loose on you.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I'm nodding along with Skylurker, Smittie, Suz & Tanya.

WE ALWAYS dress the body we have now. Clothes MUST FIT WELL. I am not pedantic about fit and lengths for nothing!

Anchie, you need to edit and review your closet thoroughly. Build a shopping list, and prioritize the purchases. We can help you do that.

anchie

Veteran

Tanya - you have a good eye Taupey puffer is oldest of the bunch of was little bit snug before, now it fits the best of the 3. But because it does not have a hood it is not everyday wear for me.

Toban - glad to know that we are in the same boat. It is not easy to decide and prioritize when you are not even sure how long you will need the clothes. And if you get only one of each - one pair of jeans, one blazer, one coat.. etc it all ads up. And this is still not enough for minimum variety.

Suz - yes, the shoulder fit seems the most important. The most visible bad fit is with the items that have a strong shoulder like coats and blazers. Sweaters and knits seems more or less fine, they just bunch little bit more around the waist.

skylurker - I have opposite problem, more colleges see me in my coat than in the outfit under it. I bump into some of them already in the public transport on the way to work and then I have a long walk through building complex where I work and I see and greet more colleagues on the way to my office, in the elevator etc.

Emily K - I feel exactly the same. It seems that I am constantly in the wardrobe building mode, and I desperately want to be in the maintenance mode. I am frustrated because of it, this is the 5th time that I am rebuilding my wardrobe in the last 12 years for various reasons. A new job with more professional dress code, a pregnancy, new body after pregnancy, a weight gain, and now weight loss. And it happens only after I accept my new body, complete the wardrobe, start buying nicer things and purge the old wardrobe.

Grayscale- thank you.

Angie - too bad I cannot engage your professional services, I really need help. But this forum is second best thing, thank you for that. I will continue with the edit tomorrow. I need to make a list of imminent needs and have to work on the budget for it. I will start a new thread about it when I am ready.

Toban

Veteran

Anchie, I completely understand your frustration. I had a near panic antic when I realized I have an upcoming multi-day meeting that needs more formality and nothing fits. I had a bit of an advantage in that I had some smaller size blazers that I could use as a starting point but had zero bottoms that worked. A lot of soul searches to come up with a bare minimum essentials list for this weight size. Two weeks of stress in filling the bare minimum of those holes and crossing my fingers that my online shopping would yield success in time for my trip (they did -yay). And if all goes well with my weight loss, many of these items won’t fit in two or three months! I accept that cost for both professional and health reasons but it is challenging. An additional complication is that my husband is also losing weight and needs a lot of replacement clothes, too. Our sports clothes also need replacing. As a result, I’ve ignored my outerwear wardrobe for now because at least I’ll be warm. Our lists will be different but I appreciate you sharing your journey and thoughts here.

Sal

Veteran

I think all the puffers are fine. I think the yellow coat is fine. I also think maybe the brown one could work with the sleeves taken up....

If you could get by until January when sales start you could pick up a new one at that stage? If adding one right now I would look for a neutral colour that you could wear a lot and not tire of....

I can understand how difficult and expensive this in, especially in a cold climate.

Dianna

Veteran

I agree that your Boden coat is the one that fits better. It is beautiful and the color is amazing on you. The puffers seem to be wearable, the three of them. Also, have you tried them with the right layers, as you intend to wear them? Also, Anchie, I understand how you feel. My weight has fluctuated up to 20 pounds for the last 10 years. I have an underactive thyroid, and have been in treatment for a bit more than 20 years now, but the last 10 are the ones where my weight has been in constant fluctuation. As soon as I think my weight has stabilized, I start gaining and/or losing weight again. At this point, I have just accepted that I need to keep clothes of three different sizes in my closet. But then, when I can wear them again, sometimes they are not current anymore. As a result I try to invest more in footwear and accessories, and in my clothes look for silhouettes that can work even if I gain or lose a few pounds.

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