How long do you keep your clothes for? Should I embrace my post pregnancy 'curves' and clear out my pre-baby wardrobe or keep it in hope? Please help!

[phyllisdiller]

I have a HUGE stack of clothes from my pre DC days, I managed get back into some of them after having DC 1. DC2 was followed a little quickly by DC3 (now a few months old) so the last time that I wore clothes that were not maternity or post maternity was 2009.

My poor tummy is trashed and I have no where near the same amount of time spend getting back into shape...

So do I keep my slim clothes in the hope that in a year or 2 I will get back into them? Or do I embrace the 'new me' and build a new wardrobe?

Keep them! It might take longer this time but you'll eventually get there. I threw out so much stuff after DC1 and I should've just waited.

Having found out I was pregnant for the first time this time 4 years ago and just gotr back into those clothes now, I would say keep them!!

If I have not worn something for a year, then it either goes in the bin or if in very good condition will go into the charity bag.

I think you should get rid and embrace the new you!

Keep them! I threw away loads in a fit of pique that I would now fit into. I still mourn the loss of a fabulous pair of karen millen trousers that were perfect!

I think (and sorry to disagree bellavita, I don't meant to be argumentative) that the 12 month rule is fine if you havent really changed shape much. But it is rubblish if you are the kind person who struggles to lose weight post natally.

FWIW, I never felt remotely like myself or up to exercising or dieting until each of my babies was 12 months old. I got pregnant with DD2 when DD1 was 14 months so it's taken me a long time to get back to how I was. BUt I am there now. And I a,m so happy to be wearing lovely clothes I thought I'd never wear again.

TBK - hey tis fine to disagree, no need to be sorry

I'm with Bella.

But realistically how much weight do you have to lose to get back into the pre-pregnancy clothes?

Because if its a couple of stone - well when you've lost it - I'd say you'd deserve some new clothes.

I think I'm finding it so hard to see myself wearing them again because I used to have to work so hard to be that slim (a lot of the clothes are a 10, I'm a good (very good) size 14). My stomach muscles have split with each pg so I feel having these clothes in the bottom of the wardrobe is making me feel worse about my body iyswim.

That is a very good point MrsCampbell (very long cross post, rocking the baby and typing). I have about 4 stone to lose.

I would pick out the really lovely things, that you remember feeling good in, and ditch the rest.

I am 3 stone lighter than I was 18 months ago (though I was 9 months pregnant 18 months ago).

At the start of this summer (if you can call it that!!!) I tried, really, really hard to be comfortable being a bigger size, and learning to dress my 'new' self. But I never quite found my groove. I just couldn't get the hang of it.

So I joined a gym and lost the weight. No pressure, very gentle, ate plenty of pizza and drank lots of wine along the way. And I surprised myself by getting there.

I'm really pleased I kept a few lovely dresses from my pre-dc self. They've been tucked away in bin bags for a long time, but it's been amazing being able to wear them again.

Keep the ones that are special to you in some way. By the times you're back to the right weight they may be out of fashion. I don;t mean to sound negative :)

Well - having had 3 dc's and fluctuating weight - by the time I was back to my fighting weight - all my old clothes just looked well . . . old.

Ebay most, keep any real favourites and buy stuff as and when you lose weight. I personally think its better to buy cheaper stuff when you're weight is changing so you still feel good and fashionable.

Good luck!

I was just about to get rid of all mine when I developed a serious illness and lost a stone and a half in about a fortnight. I am now wearing things that haven't seen the light of day in ten years - it's a good job I'm not even remotely fashion-conscious!

Well, this is the thing, I suspect some of them look 'old' already, DC 1 is 4, so of the old fav's are from 2004 (do people wear boot cut any more or is that a whole other thread?!)

I have kept a few bits pre ds I can't bear to give away yet. I live in hope.
Ds is 9 next month

I've got a lovely day dress from Warehouse that I wore to a wedding in 2007 that is more in fashion now than it was when I bougt it.

I wore it on pre school pick up last week and was complimented on it by 4 different people - I never get complimented on my clothes normally!

So keep the nice things that made you feel good.

(twas a register office wedding in Winter with four guests, btw, hence day dress!)

Boot cut? Can of worms. Don't ditch them just for that :)

Spiderlight - weight aside, I hope your health is improving.

Keep - but keep them out of sight for a while. If you put them in space bags in eg the loft, they'll be ready if you need them, but they won't be cluttering up your current wardrobe space or lurking there to taunt you until you get back to your pre-dc weight

But it might also be worth remembering that your shape changes as you get older anyway, regardless of weight, so the style might not be right for your new body shape.

But I keep everything

Keep them. I e-bayed a few items that I thought I'd never get back into again. Once the dc's were toddlers and I was ran off my feet I ended up really skinny and could easily fit all my old stuff again.

Now I keep everything.

I?m going to keep them hidden away where they can?t taunt me and look forward to new clothes should I/when I lose weight. If the old ones fit then it will be a bonus...if not never mind. At least I will have something to wear! I have been having great difficulty buying clothes because of the guilt from the great pile of un-worn stuff sitting in the bottom of my wardrobe.

Funnily enough some of the things I love the most are a little bit kinder on size anyway so I have more chance of getting into those. Thank you all!

If you have the space then keep them. I'm on my third pregnancy, each time I got rid of loads of pre pregnancy and maternity clothes, each time I cursed myself for doing it.

Have name changed back to PD for an update (if anyone is interested...).

The huge stack of clothes is now down to two small plastic tubs! The rest fits, I have just laughed at my comment 'I have no where near the same amount of time to spend getting back into shape'...running around after 3 DC's keeps me fit currently.

Just over a stone left to go...have been wandering round the house in cira 2004 baggy combat trousers...

I have recently just lost 2st and still have about another stone to lose. I keep trying stuff from pre dc and some stuff looks nice and some out of date. I had a few smart dresses that now fit and rather than wearing them for weddings etc I wear them during the day with flip flops. They don't look smart enough now. It's nice to see what you can get back into though.