Mary Portas - Is it your age or your shape that determines what you like?

[LornMowa]

I am not sure that MP has got the right concept. I can see that her new clothes range would look great on her but when buying for myself I would have to be more concerned to ensure that the clothes suited my pearshaped body rather than whether they suited my 40+ age.

Mary Portas

[SickleBOO]

Definitely shape. Some stuff out there would make me look like someone had either shot Bagpuss out of a cannon or a Bury black pudding left out in the sun too long.
I don't look 40+ (people think I'm younger than DH).

[MyChildDoesntNeedSleep]

I think shape is more important than anything.

If you are a 40 year old with a body 20 year old would envy then you'd look better in a 'young' looking outfit than than your overweight younger counterparts would.

Shape is always my primary concern.

[SickleBOO]

I thought she'd said she wanted her look to be affordable? I couldn't afford much out of that line!

[thestringcheeseincident]

Shape is what I look for.
I love the way she dresses and the clothes look great, on her, but literally none would suit me as I have big boobs.

[polyhymnia]

Shape, definitely.

I actually don't agree with MP's basic concept that there's nothing for 40 + women on the high street - I'm older than that and I and my friends buy at Hobbs, L K Bennett, Phase Eight, Whistles, M and S Autograph, Zara, just to name some of the most popular. And carefully chosen Boden too.

The trick is to choose things that suit and flatter the shape and style them interestingly. Other than the obvious things, like avoiding super short skirts and loads of cleavage, there are few hard and fast age-related 'rules' now. Only thing I would agree with is need for more good styles with sleeves!

[snail1973]

Totally agree. I was so disappointed when I actually saw her range the other night. Not one thing would suit me. Big boobs, size 16-18. No chance.

[bigTillyMint]

I agree that suiting your shape is most important.

But her range only seems to be the kind of thing she would wear, and definitely not good for big boobs/ over size 16.

And way too expensive for what it is.

[BedHog]

It's hardly 'High Street prices' is it? £200 for a pair of skinny jeans!! £35 for a vest virtually identical to the one I bought in Primark for £2 last month!

The styles don't look vastly different from anything else you'd find in any high street shop either. Most sensible people buy for their shape surely, nobody's going to think 'Oh I'm 40 now - better go and buy myself a leopardprint wafty blouse' if they hadn't contemplated wearing such an item in their 30s.