Bye Bye Clothes - or - Buy Buy Clothes

This is going to be kind of weird for me to talk about because it's not something I really broadcast, but I've lost some weight recently. I won't go into how much, but it's been enough for me to go down a couple sizes in clothes. This has been a problem. Most people would say it's a good problem, but that's not quite how I look at it. This is why:

This is just one of about four or five loads of clothes that I have had to get rid of over the past few months. You should have seen my load of jeans that I gave away. Phew! I could barely carry the bag! These are all clothes that I was wearing up to about six months ago, but can't anymore because they make me look like an old, frumpy, bag lady. And I hate it! I hate giving stuff away. I look at this pile and think of all the wasted money. Granted, I got a few (or more) good years out of all these clothes, but it still frustrates me.

On a better note, I have gotten the chance to buy a whole new wardrobe. It started when I got my new job back in May. In fact, I really should have gone shopping before I even interviewed for my job. I got the interview so quickly that I didn't have anything to wear, so I was stuck with an old pair of black pants that were totally baggy and a blouse so big that it made me look like a sack of potatoes. Ugh. I can't imagine what they thought of me.

So, by now I have replaced most of the clothes I've given away. I'm also scaling down my "shelf items." You know, the clothes that don't quite fit but you keep them anyway in case you gain or loose a few pounds. Forget it! I have no plans on gaining any back, so I only have items that will allow me to notice if I expand more than a couple centimeters. No more security blankets.

Here's the best I can do with before and after pics on such short notice. Not that there's THAT much of a difference. I think all the pounds came out of my chubby cheeks :)

BEFORE

ABOUT 1/3 THE WAY THROUGH

NOW