Have one wardrobe in a single size that fits

I moved two pairs of fancy high heels back into the master bedroom walk in closet. I put all the loafers I don’t often wear back in their clear storage boxes with plastic shoe trees and used an Olga Guuci box and a Fluevog boot bag for Mr. Harmless’ dress shoes. All of our dress shoes should stay dust free and in good shape for a few more years. We don’t use any of them much, but they’re way too expensive to replace, so we might as well store them.

I scored a Der Dau boot bag off of eBay for my cordovan field boots. Now, I don’t have to open every bag to figure out what’s in there and I all my boots (except my lone winter pair) are in boot bags so that I don’t have to worry about getting boot polish on the clothes in my closet. I also put my boot pulls in my sole remaining pair of pull on field boots so I won’t have to keep walking back to the trailer when I forget them. I also put a pair of my equigel bands in each of the two zippered pairs of Effinghams that rub my ankles raw. That should make my life a little easier!

I moved my beige silk crew neck T-Shirt to the Too Big Box in the utility room. Great shirt, but crew neck’s aren’t really my thing and it was unflatteringly baggy everywhere. I think I have about seven boxes of clothes in there now. That’s an entire wardrobe’s worth!

My daily black t-shirts are now so baggy that they are beginning to chafe under the arms and are several inches too big in the waist. They still fit in the shoulders though, so I’m going to keep using them until I can find a suitable replacement. Fortunately, my XL Jockey mesh pants still fit, even if they’re starting to get some snags and pilling. They’re good enough to clean stalls in, so hopefully they’ll last for another Summer and early Fall.

I was able to reuse a storage bag for my white show clothes and an under the box bed for my five XL Winter breeches, two pairs of size 12 ski pants and my one remaining pairs of large size fleece pants. The breeches are the now discontinued, but heavenly, Fits Wind Pro in black. Hopefully, I will continue to lose weight and be able to take these in to wear next Winter as they’re practically new. One pair I literally bought on clearance and wore just once before the weather turned warm. Since they retailled at about $280 per pair, they’re definetly worth taking to my tailor.

I regretfully moved my newest size 4 Enell sports bra into the consignment box. For some odd reason, this one is sized larger than the black ones I bought at the same time from the same vender. It’s also larger than my older beige ones. At $64 each, I should have sent this one straight back.

Lesson learned: if it’s at all questionable, send it back before you wear it!

If I lose much more weight, the remaining six (2-beige, 4-black) will be too big and I’ll have to replace them with a smaller size. According to the size chart I should already be wearing the size 3, but their size charts have some over lap and they recommend them practically tourniquet tight. The black ones are finally showing some wear under the arms after ate east three years of weekly use. When I replace them, I should stick to black with maybe one beige for shows.

I also moved an XL Nike tank top with built in shelf bra into the Do Not Wear Box. I think I may have worn this once to do barn chores in. Honestly, shelf bras just don’t cut it if you’re a D cup or larger.

Lesson Learned: Don’t buy anything else with a shelf bra built in!

It isn’t cheap if you can’t actually use it and storage space isn’t free!

Update: now that there’s more room in my bra drawer I moved about four pairs of Queen sized pant hose into it. I’ll be happy when those are in the Too Big Box, but for now they should fit, so I can’t just disguard them. There’s just something fundamentally depressing about tags that say XL or Q in my clothes. Still, it’s less depressing than having to wear clothes that are too small.

I haven’t worn any of my nine Beige 40D Moving Comfort brand bras in forever as they’re too big. They’re also quite worn, so I should probably just toss them. Just in case I do need them, they’re in one of the Too Big Boxes for now. The underwire on one of my new black 40D Moving Comfort Cara bras has already poked through and rendered the bra unwearable. I trashed it and now have just nine left of these. Since I’m trying hard to lose another 24 pounds by the end of the year, I’m holding off buying any replacements for now?

Good news, now my bra drawer closes easily. Yeah!

Today’s Weight: 174 still too fat, but a big improvement over 216.

My Levi’s order finally came. All the 550s fit Mr. Harmless, so those are keepers. Of the three pair I ordered for myself, only the 512 looked good on and were comfortable. Surprisingly, the size 12 fit the best. A little snug, but hopefully the weight will keep coming off. I ordered another pair, plus some more of the same for Mr. Harmless.

My four pairs of Old Navy Divas fit, but the super low cut waist makes me look like I have a weird elongated torso and stumpy legs. Odd, because I’m actually quite short waisted. There’s also a good four inch gap at the back of the waist band. Into the “Do Not Wear” box they go. They’re practically new, so hopefully it will teach me not to buy any more super low waisted pants or jeans again! They worked when I was fatter, but the rise is just too low on these smaller sizes.

I put a size 18 Romfh white show shirt that I have never worn as it was always too big in a box to go to the consignment store. I picked it up on clearance when I was heavier, and then never showed. A weird green colored Fits XL Tech shirt joined it. It still fits, but I hate the color so much that I never actually wear it. Another cheap item bought with eBay bucks so no returns. I should have saved my $$. Finally two Kerrits XL Icefil jerseys that have always been too long, but are now also too wide went in the box.

For the first time in forever, I think I have too many hangers. I moved the extras to the gym closet so I could use the closet rail for something else.

Mr. Harmless picked up five more plastic storage bins at Home Depot. Yes, I am actually spending money to store clothes I don’t currently need. Maybe not so smart?

I started yet another Too Big Box and put the three remaining, nicer, black XL petite Fleece Coats (really just long jackets) in it.

I moved twelve fleece XL and XL petite sized fleece parks and ten pairs of XL fleece trousers, all in black and gray, to two empty cardboard boxes that were sitting in the utility closet. I’m not sure if I should hold on to these until next winter or just send them on to Goodwill.

I have a single pair of sized large black fleece pants left in the closet. I think they’re 14-16, so they should fit for another 10-15 pounds yet.

I’m dating the boxes and if they’re still too big a year or so from now maybe then would be time to get rid of them? Of course, then I’ll have to store them for a year. At least now I have some more closet space.

Lesson learned: one single normal size wardrobe is cheaper and infinitely easier to maintain. Going through my closet like this is very satisfying, but incredibly time consuming!

Weight: 173.5 pounds

I tried on all my dressy silk t-shirts. All but one now fit in the bust, but are baggy everywhere else. I need more Too Big Boxes or a trip to Goodwill. Possibly also a shopping round for some new t-shirts. Or possibly I’ll simply wear my riding shirts more.

I moved three XL scoop neck light colored t-shirts and one XL scoop neck beige silk blend t-shirt to the Don’t Wear Box, as I never wear these and they’re too big. That leaves me two silk t-shirts left to wear with suits, should the occasion arise. I really need to either take a bunch of stuff to Goodwill or possibly sell it on eBay.

I hate all the space being taken up by clothes I never wear. It makes it so difficult to find anything in my closet or dressers. Putting it in boxes just seems to be filling up the utility closet.

I’m down to a new low weight of 174, which isn’t much of a weight difference, but I must be measuring smaller as my size 16 olive green cargo pants are now too big. Frustrating, as now that my waist is small enough for the funky zipper to lie flat, they’re weirdly baggy in the crotch. Lesson learned: don’t buy stuff hoping that losing a few pounds will make it fit better. If it doesn’t fit right off, return it right away!

Another pair for the too big box! These boxes are starting to pile up. Maybe a trip to Goodwill donations drop off is in order?

How much simpler my wardrobe would be, and bigger my bank balance, if I would have just stuck to my lower weight without bouncing around. I’m losing it at a crawl, which hopefully means I can keep it off as my habits are permanently changing.

Another lesson learned: no more flap pockets on jeans. My old Navy low rise fit great, but the skinny legs and back flap pockets make my butt look huge. Come to think of it the waist gapes a bit in back. Considering my skin tight riding breeches actually look pretty good, I’m thinking this style of jeans is just not for me. I’ve got some plain pocket, boot cut, “curvy” Levis on order, maybe I can replace these?

My two pairs of size 14 short low rise Old Navy Diva jeans now fit, though they’re slightly tight in the seat and thighs when I sit down. Another five pounds gone and they’ll probably be perfect. My once too small belts are now fitting perfectly around the hips where these jeans sit. Guess I’ll hang on to these until I lose some more weight.

Sadly, my collection of XL 18-20 Landsend black t-shirts are now absurdly large and baggy in the waist and the extra fabric is bunching up a bit under my arms. They’re fine for barn chores, but I should try and find something that will work for dressier occasions. My XL 18-20 Landsend old style Performance Sport jackets are still okay in the shoulder and bust, but the waist and hips look like unnecessary maternity clothes. (I have one of the new style in XL, which is much more fitted, but has the same proportions.) It’s too hot to wear them anyway. Hopefully, I’ll be at or around my goal weight by Fall and can replace them with something smaller. Until then, well, clothes that are a little too large look okay, unlike too tight clothes which usually are pretty unflattering. I can live with these until the weather dictates replacing them.

Mr. Harmless just told me getting rid of my too big clothes will jinx my diet. Magical thinking from the normally ultra rational Mr. Harmless?