New clients reach out to me for many reasons. Some reach out because their lifestyle has changed – they’re not dressing up for work as much as they used to, they just had kids, or they’ve recently moved. Others reach out because they want to demystify the process of getting dressed – they’ve never had a real handle on style and they finally want to figure it out.
And other clients reach out because they’ve shifted sizes. They have clothes, but they don’t fit anymore. And these clients also often realize that with a shift in weight, their feelings and priorities around clothes have changed. So, I wanted to share some tips about how you can get dressed if you’ve shifted sizes.
But first, here’s what this post isn’t about:
It’s not about how to look thinner.
It’s not about camouflaging those ‘extra’ pounds.
It’s not about ‘figure flattering’ outfits.
When I work with clients, the goal has nothing to do with shrinking yourself, to meet some vague notion of ‘looking skinny’. The goal is to help you feel better in clothes. And to create an intentional style, so that you’re getting dressed on purpose (and not by default). So, you can look in the mirror in the morning, think, “damn, I look cute!” – and then forget about what you’re wearing and have a great day.
So, with that being said – here are 3 ways to get dressed if you’ve shifted sizes.
PRIORITIZE EVERYDAY STYLES
If your size has changed, you might first think about the wedding you’re attending in a few months. Or what to wear for your next girls’ night. And you might not even consider what you’re wearing for working from home. Or running errands. Or taking the kids to/from soccer practice.
But here’s the deal: you deserve to feel good in your clothes every day. And not just when you’re seeing extended family at a wedding. And not just when you’re meeting friends you haven’t seen for months. You deserve to feel great for family pizza night. And when you’re doing a Target run. And even when you’re on Zoom calls all day.
So, the first thing to prioritize is what you wear on a daily basis. Whether it’s cute joggers. Or jeans. Or an easy t-shirt dress in summer. And whatever it is, you need to first figure out what works (and what doesn’t) in your current wardrobe.
I know this may not be your favorite thing to do, but it’s time to try on a bunch of things from your closet. No, some jeans may not fit – but some tops might. And some jackets and cardigans might be totally fine. And even a couple sundresses. Remember, certain things may not fit exactly the way they did before – they might just fit differently. And that’s totally okay.
And if you find that you have a good amount of gaps in your wardrobe, it’s time to go shopping. Again – I’m not talking about shopping for any kind of special occasion clothes. I’m talking about shopping for what you wear on a daily basis. Think of your most common outfits, the items you wear the most, and some of your favorites. And then write a targeted shopping list to get these in a new size. And if you’re not sure how to figure out what you need, here’s how you can get started.
FOCUS ON FLEXIBLE PIECES
A common (and understandable) reason why you may postpone shopping is that you feel your shift in size may be temporary. It may have just happened or you might be on a focused plan to get back to the size you used to be. Or you might feel like it’s ‘admitting defeat’ by buying new clothes. But I’ll say it again – you deserve to feel good in clothes right now. So, you can buy a small, capsule-ish wardrobe that works for the most common things you do. And then you can reevaluate in a few months, as needed.
If you do feel like your size may shift again, focus on flexible pieces. And by ‘flexible’, I mean literally flexible pieces that can work at different sizes. Here are a few ideas:
Drawstring/elastic waist pants have natural give. So they can work if go up a little or down a little. Just make sure the pants are comfortable around your biggest area (for many women, it’s hips or butt).
Knits and sweaters are also flexible by nature. They have stretch, which provides literal wiggle room. So, while that waist defining woven dress may not flex a size or two, a t-shirt or sweater dress can.
Jackets and cardigans don’t necessarily need to close. I know, that might sound counterintuitive coming from me. But if they fit you through the shoulders and nothing is pulling, it’s okay if they don’t close if you’ve gained some weight in your bust or stomach.
As I’ve said before – pieces that you can wear at different sizes may fit one way when you’re smaller and another way when you’re bigger. And it’s not good or bad, it’s just different. If you’re still not sure what to buy to wear right now, here’s my list of what many clients find useful in summer, and what they also find useful in fall.
STICK WITH WHAT YOU LOVE
It might feel like you want to abandon style altogether when you’ve gained weight (believe me, I’ve been there). You’re not seeing the same person in the mirror. And it feels like you can’t wear what you used to love. But you can. And focusing on what you love is a key strategy to enjoy your wardrobe, no matter your size.
You have favorite colors, right? Maybe some favorite prints? Details that you prefer on tops and dresses? Focus on these when you’re creating a wardrobe at your current size. Because going for an all-black wardrobe to try to look smaller doesn’t do you any good. And it’s basically punishing yourself for changing sizes. If you feel like you’ve lost touch with what you love, read this for an exercise I give all my new clients.
And one more thing to mention about shifting sizes (that I probably should have started with). Give yourself grace. Don’t punish yourself for changing sizes. Weight gain happens, weight loss happens. And you can be happy in clothes, no matter your size.
Do you have any questions about getting dressed if you’ve shifted sizes? Drop them in the comments.
If you’re looking for more inspiration on getting dressed (or if you want to see my tips more often), follow me on Instagram for regular advice and behind-the-scenes of my work with clients. And if you’re not already signed up for Style Mail, click here. Style Mail is my twice monthly email with tips & strategies to manage your closet, inspire your style and simply enjoy your clothes more.