Keeping or not keeping the clothes isn’t what will determine whether you will keep off the weight. It’s how sustainable your new lifestyle is. If you’re on an onerous diet and fitness regimen that you regard as temporary, keep some of the old clothes. But if your new lifestyle is one that you are really enjoying, and would like to maintain, then get rid of the old clothes.
You mean like the “same size” pants described here?
https://www.esquire.com/style/mens-fashion/a8386/pants-size-chart-090710/
@ucbalumnus vanity sizing has been a thing in women’s clothing for decades. I have been roughly the same weight for years, but have worn sizes 2-8 during that time. In the 80s, I wore size 8 pants. Today, no slimmer, I am a 2.
I have clothes ranging from size 0 to size 12 in my closet. They all fit my current self. 
The first pass is easy. Ditch the too-big clothes that you never really liked and/or were fad purchase. Perhaps keep some of the classics you loved in a size up.
Yes, sizes do vary! I lost 20 pounds and have been delighted to fit into size 8 pants. Then once in a while I smile when fitting a size 6 until I realize I also still wear size 10 that fit about the same way.
Wow @ucbalumnus, I knew women’s clothes were vanity sized but it seems especially annoying with men’s sizes where the size actually is a measurement.
@maya54 congratulations! That’s an amazing achievement! Do you have room to store the clothes that don’t fit you? That would be my deciding factor as to whether to donate/toss them or hold on to them.
I do have room but don’t want to store forever. Maybe for six months? What’s amazing is how bad clothes I used to love look on me now.
Don’t assume that men’s sizes are an actual measurement! The size blue jeans I wear in one particular brand is not the same as in another. And then you have slim fit, relaxed fit, etc. It’s a mess, maybe not as bad as women’s sizing, but it’s still a mess. I understand the many reasons that people whohave lost weight may want to keep the oversized clothing for a while or get rid of it immediately. Do whatever you feel comfortable with for whatever reason. Me, I kept some of the oversized clothing to wear when doing messy yard work. Didn’t care if I got mud, grass stains, tears etc on it.
What’s interesting from this discussion, though, is that it highlights the difference between “dieting” and nutritional/behavioral lifestyle changes. Diets are not sustainable and when you go off the diet you rebound. Approaching nutrition and weight loss from a behavioral change perspective (in the absence of complicating medical issues) leads to sustainable, long term weight loss without rebounding. The reality (again barring medical complications) is that weight management is 25% the science of nutrition and 75% the psychology of behavior change (and no, there no studies setting these percentages, they are convenient shorthand illustrations). Learning the basics of good, healthy eating and weight management is easy; it’s not that complicated (in the absence of actual medical issues). It’s in the changing of habits, the making of permenant behavior changes, learning to read your body’s physiological signals about hunger and how to respond etc that is difficult and requires a lot of hard work over many months. A short term fad diet or highly restrictive diet engaged in for a few months or until you drop the weight is not going to lead to durable changes.
Amen on the MichaelNKat post.
I transitioned from my fat clothes to workout clothes. Think it was 2 years until I purchased newer clothes. Primary reason is that I’m so damn cheap!
Congrats to all the big losses!
Can we do a thread about what happens (as I have to believe) to most of us …. keeping old clothes that are TOO SMALL!
I did get one suit that I bought in the 80s altered so that it would fit my expanded waistline. It was a skirt suit I really liked (lightweight wool and fully lined).
I’m finally getting ready to give it away. The blazer no longer fits right either. The seamstress did give me extra years with it.
It took me way too long to realize that pregancy had expanded my rib cage and hips and nothing would fit the same.
@TempeMom , having kept those too small clothes, often for a very long time (over a decade ) because I intended for them to fit again, and having gotten to/through a point where they are my size again, I no longer like them (look dated) or they are no longer flattering. Time and gravity put the same pounds in different places! These clothes made me feel like I had tons of clothes but nothing to wear, so getting rid of them has made me feel less burdened.
I will be more ruthless going forward with everything that doesn’t fit. Always easier said than done, mostly because I hate to spend money.
I’m about the same weight as I was when I got married with a lot of ups and downs in between. The problem is that that weight is distributed very differently now! Even if they fit, the clothes from back then would look terrible on me.
@MichaelNKat , nice job mansplaining my post #40! 
@Massmomm , “mansplaining”, lol? I’m not sure I even know what that means. And given that I spend half my week surrounded by 25-30 year old female trainers and coaches at my studio, I’ve been told that I’ve been overcome by excess estrogen and to just give up. ? But yeah, your post 40 hits the nail on the head too.
I wouldn’t consider that Mansplaining at all- maybe just filling out previous comments a little. I appreciated it.
Mansplaining isn’t a compliment to the man explaning… but I will agree to the content in both #40 and #56 as being very true!
Actions (changing your life style habits for the long term) speak louder than words (“I’m going on a diet and am going to lose weight!”)
We’ve heard from all sides on this issue - including those who have lost weight and swear getting rid of clothes was the right thing to do - and those who feel the opposite. If I’m the OP I do what feels motivating for the near future - the next several months - you’re on a roll with your weight loss…could be that getting rid of some of those clothes could be the icing on the cake (so to speak!!!)
Regarding post 48 (and 40): for me it’s more like 99% psychological / 1% physical. I have lost and regained 50 pounds countless times using both unhealthy (anorexia) and healthy (exercise, making meals ahead of time) methods.
I am currently up 15 from the 40 I lost slowly and healthfully over a year. I have to be like mad eye Moody- constantly vigilant -because missing a few days of exercise here or eating a few chips there can be enough to start a binge. Today I followed the AA mantra- I don’t have to forgo the desired food forever, just not today…
And I have gotten rid of so many pairs of pants that had to be rebought. It’s very discouraging but one day at a time some people do lose and keep it off.