Where do you buy clothes if you are a size 16/18?

[oinkytonk]

I have put on a lot of weight recently, and though I am planning on losing it, I want to find somewhere that sells nice, well fitting clothes in the above sizes.
Up until now I have been shopping in supermarkets/New Look/Dorothy Perkins, as I have been reluctant to spend money on clothes that will hopefully soon be too big.
However I am now of the opinion that if I can at least feel good about myself, it might give me the incentive to get out and about and hopefully lose some weight. (bit of a hermit at the moment).
Thanks .

at 16/18 you can shop at most high street shops. Debenhams have a huge range of brands in those sizes. and cheaper clothes that you won;t mind being too small for them in a month or two, you have primark and new look.
my friend is a size 16 and shops almsot exclusivley in primark and always looks brilliant and you'd never guess.
next for basics, evans start at a 14 but tbh i prob wouldn;t bother with evans as you can get nicer clothes elsewhere. h&m again some good basics and some funkier pieces.
If you want to spend a bit more, White stuff, John Lewis, Coast.

Similar boat atm. But am losing it slowly. I bought some stuff from La Redoute. Some of it is really nice and not expensive.

got a couple of nice tops and dresses from la redoute in that size, good value, nicely made and a but different

weird posted without reading orm's! great minds

I just shop in normal places (not topshop - their 16 is tiny and they don't do 18 ) - sainsburys is a big favourite of mine, I am abit funny about supermarket clothes but I always find exactly the right thing in sainsburys and they fit and wash so well! Recently got gap-a-like cord trousers, fit wonderfully and it's very hard to find things that don't sag around my arse, but yet don't dig into my belly. New look too, abit of boden as a treat, gap, M & S... I don't want to go mad as I am failing trying to loose weight so am concentrating on getting nice shoes/bags/scarves etc. that will last and just basic clothes.

Bookmarking this thread as have recently gone from a 24 to a 20 and am going further down! Am SO looking forward to not having to walk into Evans!

Can't wait till I am a 16/18 so this thread is useful.

Yay Buda! Well done! I have been rapidly going in the other direction but am working on it - back to running and cut right down on the booze.

M&S
Monsoon
Primark
ASDA
Gap
Boden
New Look
Next
Fat Face
La Redoute
Dotty P
Wallis

I find Oasis, Coast (stores that SAY they have a 16 but its really vanity size 14 sizing) etc too small and I am a 16/18 true hourlgass shape. Yes I am fat too but also built with weightlifter type arms and legs.

Thanks Orm. Have been at it since end of March on the Nothing Tastes Better thread. Been losing and regaining the same 5lbs for the last couple of months due to being a pig at weekends but seem to have sorted that and have lost a 'new' pound this week! 22 lbs gone so far. Want to start running. Am walking every day at the moment with the dog but want to do Couch to 5K.

Evans looks awful on me as as should be petite. Dont have the build for it, the tops look dreadful. The pictures look good as the models have wide shoulders. My problem is I have no shape, no boobs and round belly (selling myself here!) Working on the Julie Tupler thing to pull it all back in. Hate clothes shopping I always look terrible!

So fabulous at additions direct.

I've had a few nice things from SimplyBe, though the delivery is rubbish, quite slow.

Mind you, it might be worth not ruling out spending on some nice things. I lost 3.5 stone last year and afterwards actually had quite a lot of success selling on my larger-sized clothes from M&S, Zara, Coast and Whistles on Ebay and taking them to swishing events. I even got full RRP for a pair of Duo boots!

Anyway, anything that makes you feel nicer and relieves your hermitude (?) is worth it. Good luck.

You can shop in any high street shop really ( cos I used to be size 16!!). I'm a size 20 at the minute and find debenhams excellent.......they have a huge range.

I always found the likes of warehouse and oasis difficult as a 16 because their sizes come up small and were too tight on me.

New Look sizes are generous....I'm an 18 there but a 20 most other places

Oh and I've also had a few bits from Simply Be and Marisota.....their sizes also seems to be generous too. Quite expensive for what it is though!

Phase Eight - lovely jersey dresses and very flattering if you have an hourglass figure.

I'm a 44/30/42 and look good in jersey dresses.

I don't have any additional ideas about where to shop, but I agree with your method

I spent a small fortune (by my standards!) on a new suit 18 months ago, deciding to buy the correct size (16) rather than trying to squeeze into a smaller size. Didn't even wear it once before I'd shrunk to a 12 as had bought it as soon as the spring range came in stock and didn't feel it was appropriate weather for two months!

Hope the method works for you to - it was the best £150 I ever spent!

Thank you all for your replies .

I actually went today and got a fine knit sweater, tunic top, vest top, velour tracksuit, loose fit shirt and longline cardigan from H&M and it only came to £80! I was well impressed!

Just also had a look on the Phase Eight website - I used to think it was a bit mumsy , but there are some really nice pieces on there like

this

this

this

nice jeans

I'm getting a bit carried away now

Not a fan of their shoes though - although there is a nice pair of flat grey boots.

I can see me dragging DH there on Sat!

I shop in White Stuff at the moment; it is pricey but their shops have decent sale racks and I like that I'll always find something that fits me (am 16ish at the moment courtesy of having had DD2 16 months ago).

oinkytonk - if you are a 16 please don't buy that stripy dress! Not a good look. Stripes like that only look good on Kate Moss lookalikes. Sorry!

I'm a tall 16 and there's tons of places - Monsoon flatter my shape, think DP has gone downhill in quality but they do have nice stuff, White Stuff (cardis are very small though), some Topshop things as the style at the moment seems to be slightly loose, but 16s are like gold dust.Gap Curvy jeans may fit you well.

Don't do wide stripes, but thin ones can work well. Go fitted over baggy.

im a size 16/18 and i shop in:

primark
matalan
debenhems
per una
next

plus supermarkets if i see something while food shopping.

i avoid horizontal stripes as a rule. especially since i have big boobs, big waist so they makes me look rather strange

one tip i live by. never never go into topshop. i see lovely things in there yet even their size 16's are too tight to get on. seem more like a size 12.

I think it depends on the shape - I have some tees from Topshop that fit well, and I am very busty. Dresses I do not even bother with, unless they're jersey, and even then it's unlikely.