Casual - why can't I do it ?

[Msarsebiscuit]

I've been looking around t'internet, trying to buy some clothes that I can do ordinary stuff in - I've bought the S&B recommended Levi jeans and the Next biker jacket. The trouble is that I naturally gravitate towards the 50s glam school of dress, essentially my style is Mad Men Glitter Tart. I trundle along, determined to buy flat shoes n shit, next thing you know, there's another jewel coloured pointe dress in my basket.

Please tell me what I need to buy, imagine you are Gok to my shortarse, size 14, 44 year old casual-deficient little self.

( ps Tethersend, you are some kind of Internet Clothing Fairy ).

Me neither. Hoping for inspiration.

Why do you need to do it? You sound very stylish.

Gawd bless ya Miss Honkover, I dress ok for my various physical deficiencies but whenever I try to do jeans & top, flattish shoes/ boots it looks rubbish and I, frankly, have a whiff of the dumpy. I'd like to do the whole tunic dress, opaques, knee high boots malarkey too but I suspect it'd make me look like a spud.

Eggrules - I'm so happy it's not just me, we can form our own support group.

How about tunic, skinny jeans and flats? A bit more edgy than the opaque and knee boot combo?

Oh I am just the same. If I try it I just look incredibly scruffy. I gravitate towards the same type of clothes as you, OP, but I expect you look a lot better at size 14 than I do at 18/20....

I have to wear things that show off my waist (I do have one) because otherwise I look like a potato, too.

Thanks Miss H, I just worry that tunics are too straight up and down for me, thus making me look rather blobesque. Je suis useless. I think I'd like my casual look to be a bit French rock chick art student - this may be a faint hope for a size 14, big knockered, middle aged woman.

AlexandraMary, I bet you look lovely. In my experience the dressed up look is like falling off a log - flattering cas with curves is a trickier matter altogether.

How about casualish top with shortish fitted skirt, thick tights and long boots. I'm another one who finds work/going out clothes easy - every time I go to buy something I end up with another fitted black dress, but struggles a bit with casual. I am reasonably tall so can get away with tunic/tunic jumper and leggings boots.

Gap have got some lovely stuff in atm. Shame my arse doesn't fit in anything as still trying to lose the babyweight!

My god you need tips on casual dressing?

Why don't you just be yourself and buy what you like and be done with it?, to hell with fashion and all that crap, I've never paid any attention to such things it's all just aspirational clap trap the illusion of converting wanting to need in order to prop up a multi billion pound industry.

I'm size 12, 32 years young, live in Uniqlo jeans, anime T-shirts, spiked bracelets, long Bench coat and trainers, now that is casual how hards that?.

Little bit of politics there, Ryoko.

TM Ben Elton, 1986.

( Oh and my job involved a homeless gentleman kissing me on the ear on Friday - it's my human right to be frivolous and shallow )

Ryoko I think you may also find that what you can carry off with aplomb at 32 tends to look a bit mutton dressed as lamb once you hit your 40s.

Not politics exactly just capitalism, a good pair of jeans lasts 5+ years, (IMHO tho the worst jeans I've ever had where Levi, cost £70 lasted only 3 years), My Doc Martins are 16 years old and I'm still wearing a punk leather jacked I got when I was 14.

They need to create the scam of fashion to keep profits up.

If you think tunics are too up and down then I'd put a belt around a shortish length tunic (or use a wrap around ballet style cardigan for the french student look) to emphasize your waist, skinny jeans (higher waisted as that's usually more flattering IME) and flats. A soft, lean blazer would be flattering too as it would pull everything together and give a nod to your more dressed up style.

Who cares dress how you like, fuck what anyone else thinks.

Aaaaaanywaayyy, cheers for clearing that one up Ryoko.

Devonshire Duckling, I like the sound of a blazer - I generally suit structured jackets and I have the Levi's jeans ( demi-curve ? ) with a muffin top avoidance waistline.

I'm a size 12 hour glass shortarse and also struggle to do casual.

I tend to wear:

skinny jeans, fitted t shirt and longish cardigan, with knee high boots (I call this my Yeo Valley look)

grey jersey straight skirt (M&S Autograph and I bloomin' love it), grey marl tights, jumper and knee high boots (I call this my middle class middle aged mummy look)

thick tights, denim mini, cashmere or other jumper and knee high boots (my do I look like mutton yet look)

jersey mini dress with a long sleeved t-shirt under it, opaques and (you guessed it) knee high boots (my ooh I need a cardi look)

All accessorised with a range of cheapo scarves from H&M

How about little cardi and boots with one of your dresses?
Or well fitting jeans,heeled or wedge ankle boots and great scarf??
I have 2 pairs of Marks' 'cigarette trousers'which look I wear with wedge desert style ankle boots'long sleeved tee,cardigan and scarf/jewellery.

RLBG, that all sounds very stylish and not even faintly muttonesque. I like the sound of the grey M&S skirt - perhaps I'm more middle class mummy than French rock chick. How distressing .

Thanks to you all, I may have to hit Google ( and eBay for some right on, up cycled clothes, obv ).

And that was a genuine thank you, not a sarky ' oh no I'm going to have to look at clothes ' thank you. I appreciate your help

Is this style and beauty?

If you're a fairly glam dresser then just do casual in a glam way - so dark jeans, sexy knitwear and nice boots.

Thanks Mrs RCB ( wasn't he the mucky bloke in Riders ? don't know where my copy is but the dirty bits were well thumbed ).