Clothes shopping post 40

[Gwladgwlad]

AIBU to ask where you shop post 40? Have a spring wedding coming up but struggling to find anything 'in between' teenager and looking like my mother (although my mother would love it if I did start dressing like her!)

Top shop= too studenty
New look= a bit young
Zara= too bloody small
Boden= makes my skin crawl twee
M&S= my mother
Monsoon= bit frumpy/ my mother
H&m= great but not for a wedding really as clothes can look badly cut
Dotty P= skirts too short
Warehouse= skirts too short!

AIB really fussy but where do you go?

Have you a john Lewis near you?

Wallis?
A department store like Debenhams might give you a wider range.
Next?
I just bought a nice dress for a wedding from M&S

Jigsaw, whistles, gap.

Oh and coast.

Per Una, now you're 40. It's the Classic range once you hit 50

Or alternatively you could shop wherever you see clothes that you like...

Damsel in a Dress in John Lewis do some great dresses for the over 40's.
For casual everyday wear Jigsaw and Mint Velvet also in John Lewis.

I like Damsel in a Dress, also Anthropologie.

Boden - but only knitwear and basic tops, no prints
Mint Velvet
Fat Face (occasionally)
Hobbs
Oasis

White stuff, wallis, fatface, east, selfridges, and never ever m&s.

I got a delightful dress in phase eight recently. (But I like boden, well some things)

M&Co, Esprit, French Connection and Oasis

'Great dresses for the over 40s'

Am I the only person in the world that finds this thread completely depressing? There are no special shops you have to use once you hit 40 - wear whatever the fuck you like from wherever the fuck you like

Mostly Gap
Bits of White Stuff, Boden, Fat Face
Jeans from Next

There was a thread on this a few days ago (also on AIBU) - it's moved to p.11 now, but may be worth a look, OP. There were lots of posts & loads of ideas.

Phase 8
Jigsaw
Good Department stores

For a wedding I'd even push the boat out and look at LK Bennet, Reiss, Jaeger too.

And why over 40 - I'm over 50 . My mothers heading towards 80 and has a pair of leather trousers

i second

fatface
mint velvet
basics from next but I say also M&S

I like monsoon too! - Im not quite 40 I must be frump central

Love phase eight day dreses, wash easy, hang, no iron easy to wear.

Dont forget you can lift an outfit completely with your acessories and hair/make up.

Dorothy Perkins. They have several styles in there that are in the concessions and various ranges that aren't too short.

Anyway at 40 you should be able to wear shorter items still, I'm 37 and wear short dresses!

Also Autograph at M&S do some really nice fitted dresses that even I would wear, it's not all Per Una and Classics you know!

Try Oasis for flowery stuff.

Phase eight is one of my favourites, but Monsoon has stuff too, you just have to look. I also like Hobbs, White Stuff, Mint Velvet, Coast etc I'm past 40, but have just bought an outfit to wear at my Brother's wedding from Monsoon. Definitely try department stores like John Lewis, Debenhams and House of Fraser as they will have several different manufacturers/designers under one roof. Good luck.

My Mum is 64 and wears longer dresses from Dorothy Perkins, she also has tunics from New Look! Even I'd wear some of her stuff and I'm quite trendy. (I am, honestly). Age doesn't stop you wearing nice clothes as long as you don't look like mutton IYKWIM.

Do you have a Debenhams or a House of Fraser nearby? They have a wide variety of ranges.

Also try ASOS, Very or various ranges at Littlewoods. Myleene Klass, Holly Willoughby and Kimberley Walsh do nice dress designs - google them.

Look for nice accessories too - go in Accessorize.

If you've a bit more budget for a wedding then Reiss, Hobbs, LK Bennett, Phase 8 would be my go-to places. I think you can wear what the hell you like at any age, but paying for a bit more tailoring, cut and better quality fabric pays off at any age...

Phase Eight has got some lovely stuff for weddings, I got a dress from there last year and it looked fab.
But as others have said, just trawl all the well known High Street shops, 40 does not mean you have to turn into your mother.

Ok. I just had a look and Holly Willoughby and Kimberley Walsh's ranges are available at Very.co.uk.

Myleene Klass is available at Littlewoods.co.uk.

All 3 ranges feature nice dresses, mostly knee length or below.

Another good website for dresses is Stylefruits.co.uk

OP I never wear any of the "labels" that have been mentioned so far. Never ever. (Oh, except the odd vest from Top Shop. My very favourite sweater came from there a few years ago but since then the few impulse buys are always a mistake.)

Trying to think where I've bought stuff recently... Cos, Hervia Bazaar, ummm... oh yes TK MAXX Gold Label (?) - cut price Stella McCartney, Chloe, Ralph Lauren....

But I seem to buy more online (more of very little...) and hardly ever full price: Browns, Matches etc. I like the pretty pictures on the Toast site but never seem to buy anything except bed linen, The Outnet is too frustrating.... I'll remember more once I put down the phone.

But - perhaps you need to be a little more "ambitious"? That is, aim higher and work harder to find what you want. Buy a copy of Vogue, look at the stockists list at the back. Check out every possible website; don't just laugh at the prices, see if there's anything you like that might eventually be reduced (I'm extrapolating based on your original list - you may have masses to spend.) Most places have sales; the choice of clothes available had never been wider.

(BTW I am much older than you - and would be proud to be as well dressed as my mother.)

Bhs, George at Asda, peacocks, debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, john Lewis?