Lacking courage to offload most of my clothes.

[GorillazInTheMidst]

This time last year I lost a couple of stone and toned up and since then I’ve managed to keep it all off.

I’m just about to get my winter clothes out and I know there are lots of things in there that I’m bored with, and are a size 14, whereas now I’m a 10. I don’t have masses of clothes, but I’ll get to march and not worn half of it.

Also, I don’t need that many. I wear a uniform to work, spend most of my spare time down the gym, running, walking the dog or doing chores. I just need a few nice things.

In my head I want to cull, sell and donate a lot, but I’m also thinking arghhhhh, the items are not cheap. A lot of it is Reiss, The White Company…along that price range.

My catwalk is work (not a uniform but it’s basically very formal), gym, chores and occasional nicely dressed up.

I feel like getting rid of nearly everything and starting again but am lacking the courage. I’d love to go on a shopping spree but also don’t have loads of dosh.

sell it all on Vinted and then use the money to buy clothes you want

Sell pieces if they are nice? Then use the money to buy decent second hand ones in the right size (especially if you know the brand and the sizing?). Honestly if it’s the investment angle that’s holding you back just sell them. Let go of clothing that doesn’t actively serve you and let it be worn by someone who will enjoy it before it’s too dated.

They don’t fit you, therefore you really do not need them!
I was a 14 and I’m more a 12 now but my 14’s are ridiculously big and not wearable. Especially jeans. You are a size 10, therefore cannot wear them comfortably even if you wanted to

I just bought a new raincoat. It took me bloody ages to do it. My last winter coat has been sewn up again and again, it's gone shiny from being tumbled too often, it looks like an immersion tank jacket and Ive had it eight winters. I am hopeless too. I have a similar need and no desire at all to tackle it.

Similar position here. I've got clothes from years ago, more like a decade, that I've held on to for when I fit in them again. Now I finally do fit in them and it's just stuff that's not me anymore. The sentimental element though, of the fact I used to long to be back in, them stops me from getting rid. The reality is I will never wear them and if I were to, I'd feel so out of place and silly.

I was in a similar situation where a change in size meant I was unsure what I wanted or needed. I booked a John Lewis personal styling appointment (they are free). Best thing ever! I felt no pressure to buy but refocused me on clothes that now suit me. Booked it on the website. I offloaded everything that didn’t fit to charity shops or Vinted.

I lost 5 stone recently and I've chucked everything thats too big so I can't go back there. Im determined never to get that fat again. I have bought new clothes but also a lot on vinted, Amazon and Ebay to save money.

I wonder if you have any favourite pieces you can have them altered?

I’m also in this situation. I have lost four and a half stone this year. Gone from size 14/16 to 10/12.

I have a Vinted addiction. A completely new wardrobe, financed by selling my old clothes. However, there is a tiny part of me that worries about getting rid of ALL the clothes that are now only slightly too big. I need to get over it, and so do you OP.

Vinted is amazing. Take nice clear, well lit photos on a plain background, make sure to show close ups of size labels and any flaws or marks. Good honest descriptions. The selling & sending process is so easy on there, I buy and sell things all the time.

I’ve got the same going on, I’ve found it easier to let go of things season by season rather than all at once. For instance I’ve just started getting out my autumn clothes (I rotate and put out of season in storage).

Ive found it easier to have some criteria. Too big clothes don’t look great - one size you might get away with but not two. My style has changed along with my lifestyle - lots of these clothes aren’t relevant to my life anymore. And some I put on trial - it goes in the wardrobe and if I don’t wear it it goes forever.

I enjoy buying new clothes though! My wardrobe is a lot smaller now but full of clothes I (mostly) wear.

I was going to say - Keep your absolute favourites and store them in a too big box or vacuum bag. If you haven't got them out by next year, they can go too. But then I re read and you don't love them. The cost is spent anyway, you're not getting value out of storing them or not wearing them, so sell them for sure.

Vinted Vinted Vinted. I'm in a similar position to you - have lost some weight, went from a size 18 to 12-14, and flogged loads of my old clothes to rebuild my wardrobe. In some cases I just bought the exact same item in a smaller size; Vinted is great for that.

But also: are there any clothes you can get taken in? My favourite COS checked wool trousers now swim on me, but I love them so much so am heading to a dressmaker next week to get them adjusted.

The good thing about clothes is, they're rarely unique.
So, ypu can sell your too big stuff, and either find the same in a smaller size, or go for a new style.
And should you need larger sizes again in the future, you can do it all again.
Hanging on to anything that no longer makes you happy is pointless. It just becomes an issue. Let it go and allow some new joy into your life.

Sorry, I sound very kondo, but living with a hoarder, I know how it can affect you.

Do you mean you think you’ll jinx it if you get rid of your larger clothes? As women I think we need to expect to change size through our lives for one reason or another, for better or worse, and that your clothes will need to change accordingly. Once you have that in mind, it’s easier to have clothes come and go.

Even if you did go back up, it doesn’t sound like those clothes would be what you’d want to be wearing. We evolve, what we want to wear evolves. Those clothes will be good for someone else, have use to someone else that just doesn’t apply to you. These are sunk costs for you now.

Its harder because a lot of stuff you get now is worse quality even at higher price points (or rather these days you have to pay White Company prices to get old M&S quality) but that still doesn’t make these clothes right for you and you’ll deal with your future needs in the same way you’ve always dealt with them in the past.

I’m in the same boat. Have lost over two stone and gone from size 16 to size 12. Initially I thought some things might fit, but too loose clothes look awful. It’s the sheer volume of fabric in sleeves, shoulders, skirts or trouser legs!

So, my daughter said to try Vinted. I did, and have sold nearly all my big clothes now. I’ve bought a lot of new clothes from there and some new things too from shops (mainly M and S). Some of the things on Vinted don’t fit or suit me, so I just put them back on again.

Honestly, do try it - it’s so cathartic to get rid of the old stuff and have a new wardrobe. I go for higher end makes. Spend time doing a really good list of brands on the personalisation tab. Mainly I buy new with tags or without tags as I find other people’s idea of what constitutes’very good’ and mine aren’t the same!

Absolutely this...

As much as you are "giving them away for a song" you also can pick up other peoples bargains on there too.

Completely agree. Check out influencers that you can relatecto on Insta, sign up to your favourite shops for ideas and hunt for things in Vinted. Also consider mainstream shops for style basics eg Uniqlo, M&S, Zara, River Island and H&M.

Loving all the great advice on here and completely agree! I am 69 and a petite size 8...been at my highest a 18..A lot of time spent at 14/16. I bought clothes to hide my weight and now I buy clothes to celebrate the new me. I can pass for much younger but very careful not to dress too much that way..no more mini skirts 🤣 but I adore jeans and happy to wear shorts too