Do you hold onto clothes that don't fit?

[var123]

I am size 18/20 and I have various clothes starting size 10. I just can't seem to bring myself to throw away the nice stuff that I used to be able to wear.
Also, when I yo-yo diet (right now I am at the top of the yo-yo!), I've learned not to throw away the bigger sizes.

What does everyone else do? Is this holding onto stuff part of the psychology that prevents me from changing my diet permanently?

[mrsnec]

I think it depends on the individual. I have clothes in the same sizes as you and have been all those sizes.when I lost weight the consensus was to bin everything that doesn't fit so I never get there again but I have some lovely stuff in bigger sizes I couldn't bear to part with,some jeans, a designer dress and my wedding dress for example in 16s when I'm a 12 now. So I don't keep things thinking I might need them again just that they may have cost a lot.

Now the majority of my wardrobe is 12 and 14. I ditched anything smaller than that because I can't see me ever getting there and it's too hard to maintain anyway and none of it was that posh.

[var123]

In my case, I really don't like the stuff that is bigger than size 14, and really I prefer the 10s and 12s. I only keep the big stuff because it would hurt doubly to re-buy it.

I keep the 10s and 12s because my life was happier then and I don't want to put the last traces of it in the bin. (Plus IF I ever get back into a 12, I won't be able to afford the expensive stuff again).

[WowOoo]

I kept the nicest of the smaller stuff.
I'm glad I did because I finally did manage to get back into it all after a good few years of wondering why the heck I was storing it in the attic.

The big sizes I have now got rid of and am determined not to be that size again.

[FoodieMum3]

This time last year I was a size 16 and had been for 2-3 years. Possibly an 18 in some clothes. I had a wardrobe full of size 10 clothes from 5 years or so before. It's funny because I have a 3 door wardrobe and one door had size 10, one size 14 and one size 16. I didn't plan on losing weight, well, certainly not to take me to a size 10.

I'm not sure why but I couldn't bring myself to throw out the 10's. I think I did ebay one or 2 dresses, but that was because I wouodnt wear them anyway in my 30's.

I've lost 3 stone this year and wearing the size 10's now. It's funny, fashion hasn't changed one bit in 5 years - I'm wearing the exact same skinny jeans etc that are in the shops right now.
I've thrown out my 14's and 16's and kept some nice 12's for/if I regain some.

My advice is to keep the smaller clothes. By passing them on you're admiting defeat to your weight. If you WANT to be slim and wear those clothes again, you CAN. It is the best feeling in the world.

Hope I'm not coming across as preachy