Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. A million times thank you.
I have read through all the basics here and now have a whole new appreciation for what fashion means in this century and have the basics for a new wardrobe.
I am currently wearing my first ever pair of ballet flats, skinny jeans and an interesting sweater.
Angel Of The Lord: I buy basics at Old Navy (vintage tshirts and Dreamer or Sweetheart jeans), and pick up the odd nice piece at Gap, Loft, Banana Republic, J. Jill, and Coldwater Creek. I… um… happen to know that you will find all those places at the Marketplace Mall. Not to reveal any information about myself and my whereabouts.
I have spent a lot of time standing outside dressing rooms at Express, NY&Co, H&M, and Gap. My wife is 10/12 but a little taller. Early 30s. I’m not sure if she favors any particular stores for casual vs. business attire. She never seems to have much luck at Kohls…and by the way, the %off coupons usually go up to 30% and you can always find the code online even if you don’t get the 30% in the mail.
I just discovered NY & Co. I have an hourglass shape and I love their pants a lot. They are flattering with stretchiness that is needed for girls like me who have not-so-cute tummies. And their petite size is perfecto for 5 foot 2 me, but they have normal and tall sizes too. Sign up for their email list for deals- I just bought 2 pairs of pants, a belt and a scarf for $50 with free shipping because of a super awesome online deal. They often have coupons for use in store too.
ETA: They have lots of fun colors, as well as blacks and browns. I wish I didn’t look absurd in bright green pants.
Another + for NY and Co. I’ve found some nice business shirts in there that ALSO have a little bit of stretch to them. They all seem to be well-fitting clothes that fit YOU, not so much forcing you to fit THEM. Bonus on the petite sizes, too.
Back when I lived in a place that had NY & Co store, I bought all my clothes there.
Marketplace Mall does not have one.
There is a lot you can do to get rid of loose skin. Just click [here](http://allwomenstalk.com/how-to-tig
hten-loose-skin-after-weight-loss) It really helps if you stick to most of the tips.
As for style, it sounds like you should browse around and find your new style based on what you have right now. You don’t have to lose yourself in the process. Also, you can manipulate mens clothes and make it feminine. Its in trend now (like boyfriend jeans) Here are a few videos I love that show you a few tricks with male dress shirts:
His dress shirt tutorial by Michelle Phan
Another Mens Dress Shirt tutorial by BluffedStyle
(You can also top any tees you might have from Hot Topic and top them off with a fitted blazer and skinny jeans)
As for stores, before blindly entering one you might want to check what they have online and check out their Look Book for styling ideas. Most stores have them on their site.
Here are a few stores that have the best dark palettes in stock.
Zara
White House|Black Market (Would check this one first. They mainly have black and white items.)
H&M
Express
Just a word about H&M… I love them because you can find some cute clothes that are super cheap (like $15 for a sweater that’s not on sale), but their sizing is all over the place. They stock clothing from different makers, and some undersize and some oversize. If anything catches your eye in that store, you really must try it on. I went shopping there the other day and found some M/size 8-10 shirts swimming on me, and some I couldn’t even button.
New York & Co. has some slacks called 7th Avenue. They’re bootcut and a little stretchy so they have a nice fitted look where you want it. Very comfortable too. I’m wearing a pair right now.
Chico’s has some nice “camoflage” clothes if you’re concerned about things like floppy upper arms and extra skin on your sides and/or tummy. Their Traveler’s line of clothes has a very forgiving drape to the fabric and looks good on just about any figure type.
Second the Chico’s endorsement. GF is in a similar situation-- lost a LOT of weight, can’t shop at LB, Avenue, etc. anymore-- and she’s fallen in love with Chico’s.
JC Penney has recently overhauled their stock and prices, and I’m finding a lot of basics there that are much nicer than the stuff they used to carry. Cheaper too. I wear a pretty limited spectrum of color myself, and I can almost always find shades I like there. I second Old Navy too. Gap and Banana Republic can get pretty expensive, but they’re clearance sections are great for good deals.
I like Nordstrom’s Rack and have been told that there are two Rack stores in the downtown area of Chicago. Congrats on your new size!
Mazeltov 
I lost 25 pounds earlier this year and didn’t realize what a difference it made.
My advice is simple: upscale consignment shop combined with decent quality spanx, the kind like this but at TJ Maxx type places, they’re only about $40. Get 2-3 sets and wear under clothes; you’ll feel so much more comfortable, just be sure to get your real size (not size down).
Upscale consignment stores are a veritable goldmine of quality clothes at a really affordable price point.
And Jcrew and Ann Taylor, both outlets and their sales. JCrew is having their Final Sale right now, 30% off all sale items. Finally got a blazer I’ve been desperately needing for work and some wool slacks and regular khakis.
Oh! And Rent The Runway. Netflix for dresses. Have one classic cocktail dress in a neutral color. Everything else, rent. You will be amazed. Google for discount codes, but expect to spend between 60-100 for two dresses in multiple sizes.
Like the OP I recently lost a lot of weight and needed to replace my wardrobe. I have little patience for shopping these days so I go to a couple of stores that have salespersons that will take care of me. These shops tend to be on the moderate-high price scale but I find it worth it because 1) I basically have a personal shopper when I go there, and 2) the clothes tend to be of high quality and will last a long time. I have a favorite local boutique that I go to but another standby is Nordstroms - they have great personal service and can help you put a stellar outfit together that you might not come up with on your own.