If you are searching for how to rebuild a new wardrobe after weight loss, you’ve come to the right place.
I lost 75 pounds, great, but now I need clothes! So many of us hold on to clothing after losing or gaining weight. We do it for various reasons: (1) we think we may get back into them, (2) we don’t want to spend more money on clothes, or (3) we see dollar signs when we get rid of said item(s).
Whatever reason you have, imagine losing over 75 pounds. That is a lot of sizes by the way. Being unable to fit into any of your clothing anymore is a wonderful feeling. Going into a new size, heck a smaller size is good news for most. It doesn’t change the fact that your entire wardrobe is gone.
You definitely need clothes. Most people don’t want to spend a ton of money to replace everything they once had.
Need a New Wardrobe After Weight Loss
Being a self-proclaimed minimalist, I (Shannon) feel as though I had a pretty great capsule wardrobe, with a few statement pieces. As I started my wellness journey at the beginning of the pandemic, I started noticing my uptick in walking and eating more healthy meals helped me compensate for my anxiety. I never started out thinking, “Hey, losing weight is a good idea now that I have all of this extra anxiety!”
I can get into the wellness journey in another blog post. The work began paying off in the waistline. My pants began to get a little loose. The body changes were more evident for me when I began realizing I was losing a lot of weight.
Being the planner that I am, the only thing that wasn’t so great is that it was throwing my capsule wardrobe game off. Due to the fact that I could no longer wear most of the investment pieces I had, I needed a whole new wardrobe. Thanks to the pandemic (ahem, that really feels wrong to say), I was living in yoga pants and leggings, so it didn’t matter so much for it being an immediate need.
As the pounds came off, the dollars came in. Cha-ching! As I began losing weight, I told myself that I was not going to hold on to those pieces I could no longer fit because I was not going to get back into those clothes, so, I sold them. I didn’t have a goal weight, but I knew I didn’t want to end up with any kind of weight gain.
Something to Be Said for Momentum
One by one, I put each item online to sell. I wasn’t looking to get rich, but I did want to get a few bucks for each item. Some of the pieces were higher-end since I make a concerted effort to buy quality items that will stick around for a while, so I started making some decent cash.
That was motivation enough for me to keep going on my weight loss journey. Plus, it’s not as if I needed those clothes. I was working from home, and again, living in leggings.
Each time I saw how much money I would make by selling another item, I would go back to the closet and look at what else I could sell. Every few weeks, I went back and sold more. The best way to make sure you don’t get a sense of comfort knowing that your bigger clothes are still in the closet is to get rid of them.
Making Money From Your Clothes
When selling, I recommend Poshmark. My experiences include a ton of online consignment shops and resale websites. I could list all the reasons to not use most of them. I don’t want to waste time on all of the negative experiences. Let’s just say, I’ve had a lot of them. Poshmark makes it super easy. My time is more valuable to me than the fees they take out of my sales. For me, it is totally worth it.
If you have items like t-shirts or lower-end clothes that you don’t think will bring in any money, just donate them (if it is still wearable) to your local community assistance program. If it is not wearable or damaged, you can donate it to non-profit textile companies like Planet Aid, where it will be recycled for good use.
The Reason You Are Here- How Did I Get New Clothes?
That is the big question, right? How did I rebuild my wardrobe without spending any money? Well, you know all of those clothes I was selling along the way? I allowed the balance to accumulate in Poshmark. You have the choice to allow the balance to accumulate. However, you can cash out and transfer it to your bank account. I just kept letting that balance pile up.
I didn’t buy anything new for a long time. You’d be surprised at how long you can wear leggings, even when they get baggy. It wasn’t until spring rolled around, and we started getting visitors, post-covid vaccine rollout, that I started realizing that, “Oh, yeah, I guess it really isn’t all that cool to wear clothes that are super baggy anymore.”
Loose clothes and leggings with elastic waistbands give you a false awareness, I guess. You don’t lose all 75 pounds at once, so little by little, you just realize your clothes are getting roomier.
By the time shorts season was here, I had nothing. I began planning my capsule wardrobe for summer- staple items, and a few statement pieces. You know the drill.
The Poshmark Process
I searched on Poshmark for items people selling, gently used, or new that they had never worn. I purchased them at 60%-90% less than the original cost of the item, with my balance. My bank account never once was touched for any clothing items during the entire time I have lost weight. Yes, it is amazing, especially for a weight loss of over 75 pounds.
I plan to not use any of my own money since I still have a Poshmark balance. Even now, and still have items to sell, as of the date of writing/updating this blog (Hi, 2024!)
We have even used the balance for items that Gerry has needed, so technically, we have added items to his wardrobe by selling items I no longer wear. Win-win, with whipped cream on top!
The greatest feeling is rebuilding my capsule wardrobe, but not touching my bank account. I made sure to purchase clothes that were in good condition but could also be a transitional wardrobe as I was still losing weight as I was selling.
What Do You Need for a Weight Loss Wardrobe?
If you want some helpful tips, get rid of what no longer fits. Don’t sabotage yourself by keeping the old clothes around.
Also, similar to any capsule wardrobe, I recommend a good pair of jeans. I also recommend some key pieces that are versatile and can be worn with almost anything. The little black dress is timeless. Buy one that is not clingy, and can be worn as a beach cover-up later if it is too roomy. The best option as your clothing sizes change is to not spend a lot of money, or in my case, no money.
If you found this blog post because you searched about rebuilding your wardrobe, and have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask away. This has been a fun journey for me. It has been challenging, but also exciting to cultivate a new capsule wardrobe from scratch, and I have loved every second of it.
More Takeaways
The wonderful thing is that this practice, not only has made us realize how easy it is to sell clothes and make them available to someone else who can use them but how accessible other items are when I need them. It reduces our carbon footprint and keeps items out of landfills. It also fulfilled our guidelines for the no-buy year we were in at the time.
The other great thing is that so much of the Poshmark community is eco-friendly. For example, when I have received items, I often see that the packaging has been reused and will have a note written to “please reuse/recycle packaging”, which I love.
For my shipping of items, I always reuse the packaging I have received. When I cannot, I use paper grocery bags that I have stored, and/or tie items with twine, writing a kind note to enclose with the item, asking the purchaser to do the same with the packaging. It’s such a sweet community that I am happy to be a part of. If you are working on your weight loss goals, don’t concentrate so much on the perfect fit. As your body changes, I recommend finding things that are a better fit.
The Weight Loss Itself
If you are wondering about the weight loss journey and found this by searching for that, I know that has been a big question for many. It’s really not a secret. You can read more about my wellness journey here. I’ve been blamed for lying about my weight loss, claiming I had weight loss surgery and didn’t own up to it.
Here’s the thing- I don’t have any issues with anyone having weight loss surgery, nor weight loss medications to assist. If I had either, I would shout it from the rooftops because both are wonderful tools for those who have utilized them.
My weight loss, though much needed, came along as I was working on my mental health. Obesity is a disease, but most often, it is one that is not only a physical disease but a mental illness. As away if you have any questions for me. I am happy to share my entire experience.
