Friday, December 3, 2010

Day 135: 24-Update Friday (# 5)

Yes, it is once again time for 24-Update Friday, my biweekly attempt to squeeze into the like-new size-24 jeans, which have taunted me for years from the back of my closet.

Here is a link to the beginning, as it turned out, of the 24-Update:  The Very First Attempt

Yes, I was literally afraid (and almost at the point) I'd have to call someone to help cut me out of them.  Pretty funny stuff, looking back on it.  At the time, however, I was more than a little worried.

On my most recent attempt, as you may recall, I was able to actually get the zipper 1/4 of the way up.  The botton and button hole still had a 2.5" gap to master, before meeting.  I was able to get the very edges of the wasitband material to touch (barely) if I sucked in my abs - well, where abs should be anyway.

So, for today's attempt ...

24-Update # 5:  Progress!

By now, it is no surprise that I have plenty of leg room, so I get the jeans up the legs with no "second skin" issues.  These days, it is all about navigating the jeans over the hips and mid-section. 

So, here is the milestone moment for today.  I ZIPPED & BUTTONED THE JEANS !!!

Okay, I couldn't breathe, and had to do a LOT of sucking it up.  I struggled for several minutes, but I did it.  I couldn't bend, or move, but it was progress!  The jeans were like a second skin, of course - a really TIGHT second skin.  My biggest fear was for the middle of the zipper ... it looked like it was going to split, the material was pulled so tight through that area.  And the second biggest fear was that the button would fling off and knock a hole in the facing wall if I coughed or inhaled.  Well, that, and I may have squeezed some internal organs too hard ...

The zippered/buttoned moment lasted 30 seconds, folks.  I couldn't walk, breathe or bend, but two weeks ago I couldn't push it even half that far. 

I am still a long way from wearing them - in private, never mind public - but for a brief shining 30 seconds, I was elated. 

I had to unzip them carefully, so the zipper wouldn't split, and then (literally) peel the jeans down to the legs.  You know, when I first tried them on, I weighed 279.  I theorized I'd need to lose 22 or 23 lbs before I could wear them.  Well, I'm 257 as of my last weigh-in - 22 lbs. down.  Clearly, my estimates were way off.  LOL  I think I'll need to be closer to 245 lbs before I could truly wear these.  I failed to take into account two things about these ancient size-24 jeans:  1. they were manufactured before the modern stretchy/comfortable jean material was invented, and 2. they don't have elastic - anywhere.  There may actually be a third reason, but that would be conjecture on my part.  Perhaps, over the last 10-15 years, manufacturers have been more generous in their cuts/sizing - and these ancient jeans were more ridigly sized, in keeping with the era in which they were created.  (Yes, the infamous size-24 jeans are OLDER than 15 years.) 

Anyway, the size-24 jeans are once again neatly folded and back in the drawer, awaiting the next biweekly attempt. 

Join me again in two weeks to see how it goes. 

I have to admit, I won't take it quite as far again next week, if the material still appears as tight.  I really pushed the boundaries this morning, and risked the garment in the process.  I don't want to have saved the jeans all these years, just to split the fabric or break the zipper, rendering the jeans useless.  (Thus, the mere 30-second "summit" moment.)  With luck and persistent hard work, I hope to make the jeans wearable - at least in private - by Valentine's Day.  Yes, today's attempt has given me an idea of when they may actually be wearable.  They have to fit right, however, before I'd wear them in public.  That will be a little further out, I'm sure.

Now I have to go and stretch out a little bit.  I think I squeezed the internal organs a bit too much.  Can one bruise a spleen?

Happy Friday!

14 comments:

  1. Don't worry about the spleen - it's way too high up!
    Congrats!

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  2. Way to go, Even though you could hardly breath this is major progress, remember when you could not even get them up over the legs....Celebrate.Breathe.....just once I zipped a pair of jeans up with a hangar, ha that was many years ago. take care.

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  3. I love your Jean Days.

    I have a little black frock I wore about 30 years ago. I wore it once or twice and kept it for years. If it is still waiting patiently I'm not sure it will ever be possible for my arms to slide into those little sleeves. I must have a look and see if it survived all my various purgings.

    The joys of losing weight are many and varied. *smiles*

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  4. Very humourous, Anne.

    Yay for the progress. You'll have them on in no time!

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  5. Clothes are the true tale teller!

    Humm, say that 4 times fast, lol!!! Congrats :)

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  6. That is an uplifting post! You will get them on for good and soon!! You have made excellent progress. fitting into those jeans is a tangible marker of your success. Stay strong!

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  7. I love reading your jean updates...always so amusing! Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning and congrats on getting them zipped...even if the seams were pulled and stretched. :)

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  8. LOL very funny, ha ha. I'm glad your pants were able to be zipped and buttoned! I have a pair of pants that seems impossible for me to ever wear. I should do this also, try them on periodically. They are capri cargo pants. My hubby bought them for me at Costco! Ha ha I know, who buys pants at Costco, but they are really cute and for some reason he thinks since they are my size I should be able to wear them. But they are "low cut" you know the kind, they dont truly come up to your waist, but sit about and inch and a half below it. This type of pants I have never been able to wear because of my potato shaped middle. If I could just get some waist definition going!!!! Well you have inspired me today to go get on my treadmill.... :-)

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  9. LOL too funny. Before you know it those size 24 jeans will fit, and then poof too big for you. Keep up the great work. Gracie

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  10. I believe you will meet your goal. Way to go.

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  11. I love it when you do the 24 Report!

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  12. Vanity Sizing is a reality. When I wore size 18-20 in the 80's, I weighed 175. Right now, I'm fitting into size 22 jeans (really tight) and size 24 (loose in spots, so I guess I'm size 23). I'm 241. So, clearly the fashion folks have caved to the "vanity" of clothing buyers and sized generously.

    This is why I suspect we see so many size 2 celebrities (and size 0, and if chunkier, size 4 for Hollywood). Back in the 60's, my sister was slender enough to be scouted by Playboy, and she wore size 7 most of the time. In the 70's, my willowly, model-thin best friend wore a size 5. When I was 139 in the seventies, I wore a size 11. At 139, I guess I'd wear a 6 now. Weird.

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  13. You are doing awesome! I can just imagine the big smile when you did them up :)

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