Losing Weight? Alter the Old, Try Something New

Dear Fashion Police: What are we supposed to do when we’re tired of our old clothes but we’re slowly losing weight? I’m 49, 5-foot-2, 142 pounds with 20 pounds to go. It’s not so bad at home, but at work it’s tough. What are some good business casual-type interim weight loss items?

--LOSING IT

Dear Losing: Congratulations on your weight loss! Believe us, we know it’s not easy.

While losing weight can boost one’s self-esteem, it does pose problems during that in-between stage. You’re sick of your old clothes, which are too big, but not yet ready for a brand-new wardrobe, since you haven’t reached your goal weight.

But don’t toss the old stuff just yet. First, alter what you can. Have pants and skirts taken in; jackets too, if necessary. How can you tell if something needs to be altered? If the waist is so large that cinching it with a belt creates puckers, alter it. If you’re swimming in your jackets, see if a tailor can take in a few seams.

Then, buy a few new pieces that will go with what you already have and work for business casual. Tunic tops, cardigans, shirt-jackets and tailored blouses that can be worn out will still look good as you continue to lose weight, and as you slim down, you can wear them tucked in.

Gradually add new pieces as you lose weight. Buying smaller sizes will give you motivation to stay on your program.

Not knowing your body type, it’s difficult to give you specifics about what to wear, but since you are petite, we recommend sticking with a monochromatic palette. Keep accessories simple--choose one or two per outfit, such as a scarf and bracelet.

And don’t pile on too many layers; they’ll just make you look heavier. Tops and jackets should just skim your body, not float around you.

Once you get down to your goal weight, find a new home for your old clothes that no longer fit. One, they’ll just take up room in your closet. Two, you might not be as tempted to fall off the diet wagon if you know there are no big clothes waiting for you.

Dear Fashion Police: I found a two-piece outfit in creamy white with embroidered pink flowers on the top front. How strong is the “no white” rule for guests at traditional weddings? May “Aunt Betty” wear off-white to a family wedding?

--”AUNT BETTY”

Dear “Aunt Betty”: We are sticklers for the “no white” rule, which we also extend to off-white, beige, etc. The reason is this: It’s the bride’s day to shine. Unless she’s wearing periwinkle, it’s considered rude to wear anything white or close to it, even though your dress isn’t a wedding gown--we hope.

If this is the only outfit in the entire world you can wear to the wedding, you could ask the bride if she has a problem with it. But keep in mind that out of respect for you, she might say “No” when she really means, “Oh, dear God, please don’t wear that.”

Then again, you could have a beautifully close relationship and feel she would answer you honestly. So follow your conscience. If you have any hint of a doubt about wearing the outfit, find something else. That way you won’t have to sit through the wedding listening to our voice in your head saying: “Told you so!”

From the Fashion Police Blotter: Do you own more than 100 pairs of shoes and can instantly recall what each pair looks like and where you bought it? Do the words “shoe sale” make little beads of sweat pop out on your brow? Have you been forced to choose between your significant other and your shoes--and you chose the shoes?

Then don’t miss “Women and Shoes: A Love Story,” airing April 22 at 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Romance Classics. Host Lizz Winstead (co-creator of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show”) explores every aspect of women’s shoes and women’s obsession with footwear. There’s a trip to the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, a shoe trade shoe, a shoe repair shop, interviews with shoe designer Kenneth Cole and comedian Sandra Bernhard, and a let’s-let-it-all-hang-out confession session with several shoe-aholics.

There’s also Nancy Sinatra talking about the whole boot phenomenon. Listen carefully--at one point, she actually says “fuhgeddaboudit,” which alone is worth the time spent watching.

Write to Fashion Police, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to socalliving@latimes.com.