Ooof - the Trousers of Truth

[TawnyPippit]

My colleague completely avoids weighing herself but has TheTrousers of Truth, a brutally simple concept: you choose a flattering but slightly uncompromising pair of trousers and either wear them or try them on regularly - if they fit, no action needed, if they don’t - have a word with yourself.

So Every Single Day of lockdown, I have worn leggings. Nice ones - thick ones, high waisted ones, some Lululemon ones, the sort that are called “compression” or “close hold” etc. When feeling giddy and in need of variety I have cracked out the Uniqlo joggers. So obvs my “sense of waistband” is entirely skewed. In practice for some imminent light socialising I have put on a pair of trousers (ie ones with no stretch) for the first time literally in a year (Mint Velvet Biker skinnies, I think). Oooof.

Result/observations: Well, I can get them on. Let’s just say that they won’t need a belt as I seem to have my own internal pressure system holding them up. I suspect I will be pretty pleased to take them off at the end of the day. I’m calling it a score draw, which actually isn’t that bad a result.

(I haven’t tried a underwired bra yet - too much at the same time!)

If my bra feels tight around the band and I can't wear it comfortably all day I know it's time to get a hold of myself. Given I've worn a bra a handful of times in the last year it was a bit of a shock. My mirror lies.

I love all the names we've given these things! I have the Barometer skirt - a pencil skirt I've had for coming up 20 years. I tried it one last week - it fits, but is definitely on the snug size

I also don't weigh myself and have The Shorts of Measurement.
If I can do them up then thats acceptable. I don't actually wear them out.

I have some Trousers of Truth. Looked great last summer. Then I fell off the exercise wagon and onto the snack track. After lockdown winter they barely do up.
I also have some Nostalgia Trousers. A fantastic quality pair from my early 30s when I had a 23" waist and size 10 was too big. I get them out occasionally and laugh hollowly but they will never be thrown out.

I dared to try on my truth jeans today. I lost a stone in 2019 and they finally fit again but now they are very close to not doing up. Still I was surprised they did up at all and they'll hopefully give a bit. I like to buy low waisted jeans so my stomach can sit over the waistband for extra wiggle room

I have The Levi’s of Aspiration - a beautiful pair of 501s that I’ve had for years that have always been 1-2 sizes too small, so in truth they were never that comfy but I try them on now and again to see how close to buttoning them up I can get. At the moment I can - just - but I look like two cushions stuffed together.

My trousers of truth have been through 3 phases since lockdown. They started off too big, I lost weight in 2019 and was on the thin side at the start of lockdown last year. Then they fitted, now they are snug. I never actually wear them, they are my scales.

I have a Skirt of Success. I loved it so much that I bought it to diet into. Just a few pounds, nothing drastic. I've done so much dog walking in lockdown that it now fits but it's massively out of fashion (knee length A line with big appliqué flowers) and my legs have started to look their age, vein wise.
Sod it though, I'll wear it round the house and feel fab.

@oversize
I've a skirt like that. Red linen, a line knee length with applique flowers. Marks and Spencer off ebay years ago. Probably decades old 😊

I’ve got Emergency Trousers that I bought from a charity shop after I got soaked on a trip out on a row boat 3 year ago. They were far too big but were the only trousers in the shop that I thought looked ok. They’re not Emergency Trousers any more sadly, I’ve put so much weight on over lockdown that they’re the only trousers I can actually wear at all. I can pull them on and put an elastic band through the button hole and loop it round the button so they aren’t officially done up because I can’t pull the zip up but at least they’re on and as long as I’m wearing a long enough top to cover them up I’m good to go! 😭

I wish I'd done this when I was a size 10.

I used to have Trousers of Truth because the scales are lying little bastards. Post lockdown I can’t do them up so I’m deeply envious. Respect.

@lifes2

Ha ha! Just come back from the shop and wore my size 10 pedal pushers for the first time since last August, admittedly with a baggy shirt to hide my massive middle.

So that's given me a wake up call, I had to peel them off (elasticated waistband). But, I think the weather is going to cool down this weekend (UK), so I have time to (hopefully) shed a few pounds before it's warm enough to wear them again.

Yes, we have a brief window to get our shit together. The last 2 days have been our warning sign.......

I have to remember and keep forgetting) I can only wear an 18 if there is loads of stretch otherwise I have to admit to a 20. Cue me trying on 4 pairs of size 18 trousers this morning . Early!

I currently have a wardrobe full of beautiful (I think ) clothes all silently judging my lock down habits....I'm dreading summer as all of the mainly new summer clothes I bought last year are stored in a suitcase and I know most of them won't fit me this summer

I had a Shift Dress of Truth. I could usually get it on but it was a question of whether I could sit down in it.

I use my wedding dress for this purpose