Wardrobe guidance for clueless manky middle aged mner please!

[Molesworth]

I have been out clothes shopping three times recently and come back empty handed and down in the mouth - PLEASE HELP!!!

Am size 12-14 (more 14 than 12 but it depends on the shop), small of nork, 5'9", long of leg (34" so need shops that do long trousers), large of foot, bingo of wing and thick of middle (no discernible waist or bum)

Like the skinny jeans/tunic/layered look - but have not found the right jeans yet (tried skinny fit in gap but 12s are slightly too small and 14s are slightly too big).

Tunics confuse me - can anyone point me towards nice examples online?

How does one work the layered look?

God I'm clueless

[Oati]

You need the ultimate accessory: - a shopping trolley

[Molesworth]

snurk

oh yes and I really want a nice jacket for spring but can't understand these balloony looking things in the shops

[ScummyMummy]

Have you been to the Oxford Street Topshop? Definitely lots of skinny jeans and tunics in stock when I was there a couple of weeks back.

[Molesworth]

please don't make me go to oxford street

I end up walking around like matter out of place not knowing where to begin

[ScummyMummy]

Go on either a weekday morning first thing or a Friday night and head straight to the jeans section. Then you can search for a tunic to go with your perfect s=kinny jeans. It's not crowded at those times and the staff are surprisingly nice if you want help but will leave you alone if you don't. Or isf Oxford Street is really untenable try a smaller Topshop? It has some great jeans in all different styles atm.

[motherinferior]

The last pair of skinny jeans I tried on in Topshop were quite gynaecologically low cut, though.

[Molesworth]

thanks scummy

I have a local topshop so I'll take a look in there first

there is a dizzying array of tunic styles - is it a case of trial and error to find right one?

Am I too old for topshop at nearly 39?

[pinkchampagne]

I recently bought some skinny jeans from French Connection, and they were in the sale!

[ScummyMummy]

I think there are a range of rises as well as styles in the big Topshop, mi. Was impressed with the range. I tried on a pair recently and the rise wasn't a problem (and my belly doesn't do very low rise, believe me!). I nearly bought them but decided I look bad in skinny jeans full stop tbh. Too curvy.

[motherinferior]

Oh good. I kind of rippled from the stretch marks up in the pair I tried on. Not a good look.

[ScummyMummy]

You are NEVER too old for Topshop. Honestly- I've seen all ages in there from 8 to 80. There are some obviously teen styles which I would avoid personally but lots of stuff to suit all ages and styles.

[motherinferior]

I do have a fab Topshop frock and I'm 43.

[Molesworth]

Oh good, I shall venture into local one forthwith and try the jeans.

Any advice on a) tunics b) layering (how to) or c) jackets?

[pinkchampagne]

I never think to look in Top Shop, because I always thought of it as young stuff & at 34 felt maybe I was a bit past it! I will now take a look in there when I'm next out shopping!

[Molesworth]

chiz chiz bump bump

[granarybeck]

can't help Molesworth, but bumping this for you as I felt the same when attempted new wardrobe shopping on Saturday. I'm going to try again tomorrow so will listen for suggestions.

[Molesworth]

ah a fellow sufferer GB - commiserations!

Are you after tunic/layers/jeans/jackets advice too?

[marthamoo]

Oh I'm sorry...but manky and middle aged is not you! You are an extremely attractive woman perhaps not in the first flush of youth - but that's boring anyway...you have Maturity and Experience, which are far more attractive.

I also am liking the tunic/dress thing - have a brown one from TopShop and a black one from Tesco. Can't handle the psychadelic ones really...

I wear my tunics with my slimmest bootcut jeans as my baggier fit jeans look too bulky underneath. I don't have any skinny jeans - I remember them from last time round when I was about a size 8 and they actually looked nice on me...

[granarybeck]

Yes pretty much. For various reasons not really bought clothes for ages and now feel in desperate need of an update. It's strange how a gap in shopping and I feel really unconfident in what to buy. This has never happened to me before but feel a bit lost!

[marthamoo]

How do you spell psychadelic - that doesn't look right.

[Molesworth]

psychedelic - oh dear that doesn't look right either

but I agree, the psyche[a]delic ones are way too loud

I've had a good trawl around the topshop website and have found some rather nice plain tunic tops

would one put a long sleeved top under a short sleeved tunic to achieve the layered look

or would I just end up looking like Toni Arthur circa 1973?

they have some hideous items as well and I'm frightened I will somehow end up buying those in error

e.g. turbans

[Molesworth]

e.g. is this nice or am I hopelessly misguided?

will I somehow stumble out of shop with this ?

[Molesworth]

I really like this

nice or nasty?

[marthamoo]

PMSL @ second one - I think I had one like that in 1974.

That first one is very similar to my brown one - which I have worn a lot.