When do you purge sized out clothing?

dizzys

I have some clothing that I shrunk out of that I still like a lot. The items are a bit beyond TOM/ bloated big. Probably about 10 pounds beyond or 1- 1.5 full size up from my current sizing. When is the best time to purge? Or do you keep? " just in case"

12 years ago

Dressing

10 replies

Latest reply was from Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

I've been mulling this question myself recently, after my weight loss. So far I've gotten rid of everything that is 2 sizes up, and most of what's a full size up, and am only keeping a small pile of things that are a half size up - as you say, TOM/bloated sizing. Exceptions so far are two pairs of Jackson trousers from BR in a size up that are not made anymore, and are just perfectly my shape.

Some people say that keeping larger clothes around makes it easier for them to gain the weight back, so they don't. I personally don't subscribe to that philosophy and think that having a few 'in case' outfits makes me less stressed. Especially with dressier stuff which I don't wear that often - what if I suddenly need to go for a job interview or to a funeral and I don't have time to go shopping for appropriate clothes? The more casual stuff I will either wear or cull more often, because it's my daily wear.

I think it's also a-ok if you want to get rid of everything, or keep it all, if you like it and you have the space to store it without it stressing you out.

12 years ago

suzyq

Active Member

I usually purge pretty quickly. I now realize my weight fluctuates between seasons/vacations. I now keep a few toppers and bottoms but just my favorites. I then I try and figure out why I like them. Since you still like them are any of them worth modifying?

12 years ago

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I purged it quickly when I lost weight. Most of it was out of style anyway and I didn't really want it around any more. I think different strategies work for different people. As Laura says, it might be good to have a backup funeral outfit. I wouldn't use a too small interview outfit, though. You want to seem very professional for that.

12 years ago

dizzys

Active Member

For now they are not taking up too much space. A blazer, a dress, couple of pants, a few blouses. Dressier things that are not daily casual wear for me. I like them, but am finding that tayloring never seems to work out exactly right. I am annoyed because I did not get a chance to wear often. I need to learn to buy for my every day casual life more than my once a week date night and church life. Then they would get used right away.

But I may be moving soon and am thinking of the hassle in storing and packing things.

12 years ago

Vildy

Veteran

My weight fluctuates some. At one point I had a favorite snappy little skirt suit and thought of keeping it and altering it down. Taking preliminary steps, I could see that some items just look better (to me) at certain dimensions and I wasn't going to like it so much a few sizes down. So right now I don't have anything too big unless it's by accident. I recently tried on all my coats and jackets and found a chocolate brown wool coat with black velvet collar that was a size or so too large for my current taste. I purged it.

Too small is another story. I like my clothes a lot and I'm happy aesthetically with whatever I weigh but I have more energy and quickness at a lower weight and I enjoy that. I don't want a psychological barrier to losing weight because I will have to get rid of so many clothes I enjoy. So I usually keep a couple of TooSmalls in a tiny second closet so that I have something special to greet me. I don't use them to motivate losing weight, just to take the brunt off of losing weight and losing my wardrobe at the same time. Although currently I have nothing in this category.

12 years ago

Caro in Oz

Veteran

If clothes don't fit me properly I don't want to wear them; so for me it's easy. If they can't be tailored (or aren't worth the cost) then out they go.

Too small is another matter - I would only keep extra special things that couldn't be bought again.

12 years ago

Gaylene

Veteran

I'd purge anything a couple of sizes too big, but maybe hold on to a couple of items that I loved which were just a bit larger until my weight had stabilized for a year or so. Losing weight is easier than maintaining a new weight; most of us who have lost weight don't want to regain it, but life can always throw a couple of curve balls into the best laid plans. Gaining back 5 or 6 pounds can happen and it's nicer to have a couple of things that you can fit into comfortably until you get back to your desired weight. If you haven't worn something after a couple of years, though, I'd consider purging it.

12 years ago

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

Dizzys, sounds like your moving might be a good opportunity to purge the things you aren't wearing. I would only keep what you truly love and/or couldn't find quickly again for a special need.

I have a friend with health problems that mean she frequently gains and loses a fair bit of weight. She's a slim person already so she can go from a size 2 to a size 6 and back again in a month or two. She's fortunate enough to live where she can keep clothes in all those sizes and have the room for them, but she's still in a capsule wardrobe most of the time because only a few things fit at a time! I think anyone who's in a similar situation (I had an ex-coworker with Crohn's disease who had similar issues with clothes) or if you are pregnant or recently had a baby, your strategies have to be different than the rest of us who are generally a fairly stable size unless we are trying to lose weight.

12 years ago

Active Member

Over the last one year I have lost close to 40 kgs and gone through quite a few size changes.

During the year I kept purging those clothes that became unwearable - jeans that were too loose to stay up or looked very unflattering, tops that had too big neck lines & arm holes to stay up. I gave most of these away to people who I knew would be able to wear them. However if something is wearable, despite being loose - like a tunic or a cardigan - I have kept those to wear in rotation.

However I have also kept a few of those "unwearable" clothes that I particularly liked with me. Not because I'm afraid of putting it back on, but to wear during pregnancies, planned for the future. Most of my big clothes were cotton, flowy & comfortable. In case you do not anticipate any such need you could purge the whole lot of such "unwearable" clothes. However I do always purge after I have a replacement. Purging before replacing a pair of jeans for example, will cause me to settle when out shopping as my motive becomes to plug the gap asap rather than buy the best fit.

12 years ago

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

If it's a little too large, but I love it, I keep it and wear it anyway. If I pull something out and find I am swimming in it, out the door it goes!

If something is a little too small, I attach an index card to the hanger, with a 'try-on' date for the next month, and put it in my clothing storage closet with off-season, costumes, and ebay stuff to sell. If it's way too small (shrunk, bought untried from ebay, etc.) I resell or donate it or give it to my niece.

12 years ago

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