I'm experiencing a happy problem. I've shrunk out of my clothes! I'm just about at midpoint (down 30 pounds), so I've still got a ways to go.
The problem is I have to present a professional appearance. Any new ideas on keeping clothing costs down and what to do with my big clothes?
I know about consignment shops, but any other ideas are welcome! [email=null]null[/email]

I ran into the same problem. Here's some things I tried:
Of course, keep an eye out for sales, especially clearance sales. This is true for stores as well as catalog sources. Here are some catalogs & web sites I shop. All have fairly reasonable prices, and even stores that specialize in casual clothes often have separates you can use for work.
www.jessicalondon.com www.chadwicks.com www.lanebryantcatalog.com www.roamans.com www.lanebryant.com www.speigel.com www.junonia.com (expensive) www.jjill.com www.justmysize.com www.silhouttes.com www.catherines.com www.eddiebauer.com www.landsend.com

Another thing I have done with some success is shop on eBay. Often you will find new, unused clothes on sale, or things that are like new. I'm very careful about what I bid on, because it can't be returned. But some of my favorite transitional clothes came from eBay.
I have also "saved" quite a bit of money by SELLING clothes I no longer need. You can go the consignment route, of course, but I've sold mine on eBay. Because I buy so many things on clearance, and nice plus-size clothes are sometimes hard to find, in some cases I've wound up getting more for an item than I paid for it originally! I only sell things that are in excellent condition, and put in a complete description with a picture. So far I have sold everything I put up! That really helps with the clothes budget.

I was wondering about the same thing because I will be in the same situation. My clothes are starting to get loose now, but I'm not ready yet to replace them. I'm fortunate in that I can wear casual clothes to work.
What about getting things you can wear for a longer time frame? Like wrap skirts or those shell type tops. Also if you get skirts & pants in basic colors, like black and navy, you could probably get away with wearing them more than once a week if you change the shirts.
I hate shopping to begin with and will feel like I'm wasting money buying halfway clothes...
-cheryl

There was another post on here that mentioned finding some excellent clothes for great prices at a thrift shop. I would also think that consignment stores would be a good place to look.

Please don't feel like you are wasting money when buying halfway clothes. You will look and feel so good when you wear clothes that actually fit! You don't have to fill your closet...just a few basics to get you through the season. I am also a huge fan of catalog sales. Thanks for all the websites!