Oh TTS,
I feel your pain and can relate. Tho it has been 25 yrs since I went thru that exact same experience, I remember it well.

First, congrats for reaching out to the PC community instead of pushing away your plate. I know others who have gotten scared at this point in recovery and given up. Sadly, many become chronic ana patients who hover near the starvation point and never get to enjoy life.

Next, thrift stores and scissors will be your new best friends for a while. Depending on your age and stage in life, you may be able to stick to clothes that run S, M, L, which is more forgiving than a number. Next, be sure to look for high end designer clothes. But not to be cool - it's becuz they run bigger than juniors' duds. Trophy wives don't like to be reminded of their size either. This way you are more likely to assure yourself of being on the smaller end of the size spectrum. Ideally you'd have a friend pick out clothes he/she thought you'd like, hand you the clothes and have you try them on without looking at the tag. But I prefer to shop alone, so I grab a bunch of potentials and head to dressing room.

These next tips are very important. Only try on a top or bottom at a time. Keep wearing one thing that you feel okay in. Close your eyes while getting dressed. If something feels wrong, tell yourself the clothes were defective (it's a second hand shop, happens all the time) and take it off. Throw it in the corner and stomp on it if you want. The clothes are defective, not you! If it feels all right on your body, you can open your eyes. Continue til you've tried on enough to have some new clothes. Then total up costs, decide what you can afford and buy them.

At home, stand by the washing machine with your scissors and a covered wastepaper basket. Pick up each article, cut out the tag, throw the tag into the trash and the clothes into the wash. All sizes become your preferred size once they have been laundered Besides, no one will be able to disprove you.

Tagless clothes aren't popular at resale shops, so when you tire of them, pay it forward to a shelter.

Hope this helps. Keep up the recovery work. It's totally worth it. You have a whole future to gain.

Shaggy