It was time to replace an old pair of jeans. And for a fleeting moment, I thought about picking them up at my old stomping ground.
Thankfully something woke up inside of me and yelled “Hell no!”
Despite those damn menopause pounds I’ve added back on, I’m not going back to Lane Bryant. Ever.
I don’t know if that was the kick in the pants I needed, but it worked. I’m making a bunch of changes right now (post coming later on those changes). But I’m excited and finally feel energized. Something I haven’t felt in a long time.
Trying on a new workout outfit. Notice the wind-swept ‘do and wonderfully applied makeup!
While shopping for some new workout wear, I made a point of doing a mini exercise routine in the dressing room. I needed to see how the clothes moved with my body. If I couldn’t see my upper body, abs or quads move, then the gear’s too loose.
I tested clothes in my current size (18/20) and a size smaller (14/16). I did a couple of squats, bicep curls and mountain climbers, keeping a watchful eye out for anything bunching or revealing.
Two styles of shirts passed the test and three failed. The Capri leggings fit perfectly. The best thing about the test: The smaller sized clothes won out!
I ended up buying my new gear at Lane Bryant. I liked what I saw at Old Navy, but my new favorite store just couldn’t beat Lane Bryant’s 40% off everything sale. Cha-ching!!
Also Lane Bryant just rolled out its new TruDry line where the fabric pulls moisture away from your skin. Perfect for sweaty workouts!
I ended up with a couple of Capri leggings, tank tops and tees — all 40% off!
Yes, I got a very conservative outfit for a business meeting…but it’s a size 20 baby!
It looks like the 1.8 lbs. I lost this week pushed me into a size 20 officially! I popped into my nearby Lane Bryant for an outfit to wear for an upcoming presentation (I’m helping a friend market her new business line).
My pre-make over consulting session isn’t until Thursday (followed by shopping on Saturday) and the presentation is early Friday. So I decided I needed to get something without my fashion gurus. I chose a simple but cheap low cost look – a pencil black skirt and shirt.
As I tried on the 22s, I realized how baggie the clothes looked. Awesome! The size 20 skirt fit fine and the shirt is a little snug in the chest, but not for long.
OK, it’s not real leather…but it’s a size 20 and I love it.
In all my excitement, I noticed a cute quilted faux leather jacket. Mistakenly I tried it on…and loved it. Cha-ching!
Then one of the all-too-freakin’-helpful sales ladies let me know that their 1/2 off jeans sale ends today. I tried on the 20s and they fit. Cha-ching!
Then I spotted boots in the corner. The last time I owned a pair of boots…1984, when I lived in Texas (I think it’s a state law). It’s not that I hate boots. My big-ass calves just won’t squeeze into any boot known to man.
I decided to give it a shot.
These boots had a zipper on the side, so no struggling sliding my fit into them. However, the zipper stopped mid calf.
Well crap.
I’m calling these baby boots since they only go up to my ankle. 1/4″ off my calves get me into the adult boots!
I felt a bit defeated…until I spotted the ankle boots. Cha-ching!
At the register, the same happy-I’m-spending-$$$ sales lady told me that they have a black suede heeled boot for wide calves online.
She had to tell me.
I think I need to go cash-only when shopping with my make-over gurus next week.
Breaking out the belt to stop my jeans from falling too low. How awesome is that!?!
It’s official! My jeans are too baggy. With minimum effort (and wiggling), I can pull off my jeans without unbuttoning or zipping. My fist easily fits between my belly and the denim.
Oh and did I mention, I washed the jeans yesterday.
Woo-hoo!
It’s cool outside so I decided to toss on my jeans, the first time I’ve worn them in a month. Clearly my body underwent changes during that dang plateau.
So I’m about to exit the land of size 22.
There is no way to know when I’ll officially reach size 20. I’m assuming in about 8-10 lbs. But in reality there is no hard and fast rule on the number of pounds you need to lose to drop a size. All designers define sizes differently – trust me, a size 16 at Old Navy isn’t the same size 16 at Lane Bryant. Plus where you lose weight is also a big factor.
For me, I drop a size every 13-15 lbs. Right now I’m on track to overhaul my wardrobe when I weigh 240. Which translates into 8 more lbs.
With great weight loss, comes an intense interest in fashion. Hell, I just purchased my first Vogue – ever. What’s happening to me?
Simple: It’s the first time I can actually picture myself wearing outfits that don’t come from Lane Bryant. Not that I’m knocking LB. It’s treated me amazingly well all these years. It just would be nice to walk into a department store *cough* Macy’s *cough* and be able to try something on. Well that day is coming.
Right now I just window shop as I’m keeping a very lean closet. I’ve got 113 lbs. to go before I invest in a full wardrobe so no need to go crazy shopping…yet.
I love the orange polka dot (of course!), but the shag slipper flips are very comfy.
During my adventure in Texas, I splurged a little on some accessories. My sister introduced me to the Sam Moon, an amazing store that is impossible to leave without buying something. Purses, jewelry, hats, scarfs, and flip-flops – they have it all.
I ended up buying 4 pairs of flip-flops and had to ship them back to Virginia. Well they arrived and look more fabulous than I remember.
I’m giving my black purse a needed rest while I break in these sassy handbags.
OK, Confession Time I picked up some purses too. This is huge for me as I’ve never owned more than one purse at a time. Sigh…yes, I’m lame. It just seemed like a pain to move things from one purse to another. Well it is, but now I know looking fabulous makes up for the hassle.
