The last thing I want to do is look like mutton dressed as lamb. QUOTE]
Hi kiwi
Nah! Never mind the mutton / lamb conundrum, I am 56 and have had a lot of fun buying clothes from Mrs Chinese lady at the market and from Millers Fashion Club. These are cheap 'disposable' clothes for wearing at home and with friends and are just for fun
For business, I have bought some classic tailored pants in size 10 and some corporate looking tops and a tailored jacket, but as time has gone buy I have realised that for new people I meet, this is what I look like. They didn't know me when I resembled a barrel on legs!
Experiment a bit. I have bought a few things that certainly do not suit me at all, well - tough! I can wear them around the house and not worry too much, but I found that clothes from twelve years ago are certainly a bit sad and aren't as nice as I remember them anyway.
You are still losing weight, so don't spend too much, but do buy yourself some clothes which fit you now.
For my Birthday last May when I had achieved my own personal goal of 65 kilos, I bought a pair of black slacks (size 10) and a knitted aqua top with matching camisole to wear out to dinner. Now, those slacks are really baggy around my non-existent btm and keep falling down. They cost $19.95 and I got about four months wear out of them so I was OK with that.
I would not have bought that style of top before but it is quite pretty and I have worn it a few times since then. It cost about $15 so big deal.
I have bought some really perky tops from Millers for less than $20 but can fit in to their size 8 - not many Miller stores carry size 8 and their size 10 hangs off me. Still, I was never one for the op shops and would prefer to spend $20 and buy a couple of new items rather than spend $5 and buy secondhand.
But for your own self respect and for safety, do buy some new clothes and buy things which fit. You will soon get used to having a waist and to having clothes not just made of knitted materials.
Even when you reach goal weight you will continue to lose weight during refeed and continue to shrink for a couple of months afterwards, by which time you will 'believe' your shape and have more confidence in buying to suit you. It takes time to replace an entire wardrobe and it takes time to realise that you can just walk in to any shop and look for 'your size'. In fact, I have to order in size 8 and please remember I am far from skinny, I am at the top of the medical weight range at 60 kilos and 165cms, and I have found a few great bargains on the discount tables as all the larger sizes have gone first.
And anything I feel is a 'bit young' I just pass on to my daughter or future daughter-in-law (we all weigh 60 kilos) and they get the bonus!
Have fun, be a bit brave, don't expect too much from yourself too soon but I have bought a really hot pink and white striped club tee shirt from Millers ($12) and I just love it! I feel really pretty in it and who cares if it is a bit 'beachy'? So have a great time experimenting, don't be too staid, and while you're at the shops pick up a new lipstick, too, and maybe some nail polish and a vial of nice perfume. It's all good and you will develop a number of styles as you continue to reinvent yourself!
Cheers
Kristine
