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Original poster

i look like a bag of spanners-i need help if youre a size 14 come hither.

57 replies

ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 22:16

i see plenty of women, who are bigger than me, or same size as me, who look fantastic.

but i am clueless.

i have not bought any new clothes for about 3 years because i have no idea what to get. i keep waiting to lose weight, and this is clearly not going to happen, as i exercise regularly, i eat ok ish, i am now almost 40. i am hankering after being the 32 year old me who was 2 stone lighter, and that isnt going to happen.
i live in a friends cast offs and she is a size bigger than me. i look terrible!

so im a 14. im 5 feet 4 tall. i have good legs ( i run)
i am pear shaped, but i do have decent norks, im a 34 C and a 14 everywhere.
my face is not that bad considering. i dont look my age. my hair is in a long bob and is highlighted and cut well at a very good salon.

i look ok in leggings or skinny jeans if the top is long enough to just cover my hips.
i look ok in dresses if they are wrap or belted.
A line skirts are good on me.
no clingy tops though.

i often see people discussing dresses and the like on here....the great plains sale for instance, or the coast sale - and i imagine everyone who shops there is a size 10 and 6 feet tall.
so tell me that im wrong. tell me, if i can wear nice clothes and be a size 14?
then tell me where i can buy nice clothes....cos i am so sick of living in my mates size 16s.
i need help. really.

help dress me.

OP posts:
Cybbo · 27/12/2011 22:21

Yes of course you can be a size 14 and look fabulous. (I am size 14)

But you have to figure out what suits your shape

you have described some nice items of clothing that flatter you- just look for thsoe shapes on all the sites or in the shops- everyone shops in Kew/FCUK/Hennes/Zara etc. You've just got to be discerning ,and try stuff on, and not get sucked into whats 'in fashion'

Cybbo · 27/12/2011 22:22

Make sure your hair isnt too frumpoid though . 'Long bob' sounds suspiciously mumsy

scotsgirl23 · 27/12/2011 22:33

Make absolutely sure you are wearing the right size bra. And that means not going to m&s!

I'm a 14, have plenty of fat days BUT i think I largely look ok, dress to suit shape etc. I wear dresses. All the time, pretty much, but that's because they suit me and flatter me a lot more than trousers.

I buy from a mix of places - Oasis, Karen Millen, Ted Baker, Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Hobbs, a couple of suits from next (they had a brief phase of making ones with skirts that aren't skin tight), debenhams....

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 22:34

im growing it. it is bloody mumsy at the mo, middle parting, check - fringe - check.

i wear it twisted up a lot at the moment while its growing.

do you reckon this would suit?

am tempted....

OP posts:
Cybbo · 27/12/2011 22:36

Yes I think that would be lovely. Great price too! have you got some half decent boot/tights/chunky or slim fit cardi to wear with it?

scotsgirl23 · 27/12/2011 22:44

I normally find that quite a flattering shape. I'd just watch the accessories so it doesn't wind up looking too mumsy (on smaller sizes, delicate prints somehow look cute/boho, on a slightly bigger size matronly is far too easy to achieve!) - depending on the shade in reality I'd probably pick out the pink in it for bag etc. Or go for quite chunky jewellery?

rookiemater · 27/12/2011 22:53

I'm a size 14 and do find it a bit difficult to find things tbh. I buy quite a few things from Boden - they had a great tunic style dress which is great with thick tights and boots for work and going out, also a few jumper dresses from Phase Eight again with tights and boots as I have reasonable legs. I also got a fab long jumper from Sainsburys that I wear with leggings and also a huge knitted cardi/throw thing that I pull over to hide any lumps and bumps.

I did go in for wrap dresses a lot a few years ago, but found I had to be really careful not to show too much cleavage and then if I added a vest t shirt underneath it looked a bit frumpy.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 23:07

well ive ordered the dress....

and a top

hope the returns policy isnt too difficult to negotiate if it doesnt fit.

why cant i just diet and get a bloody stone off? id be so much happier at a size 12. Sad

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 23:28

Am still open to advice btw.... I need some flat black boots. And jeans. And tops. And dresses.

OP posts:
racingheart · 27/12/2011 23:38

What do you think of this?
I'm about your size and shape, and find that sort of cut is the most flattering. If you have good legs (I don't) you could go much shorter though.

For jeans, it's worth trying Gap Curvy - recommended on here by loads of pear shaped size 12-14s. They do them in a lovely soft dark denim.

Tinselrella · 27/12/2011 23:38

I live in dresses now - used to wear jeans all the time, but have now been converted to dresses. I get so many more compliments now - I look good with minimum effort. I am 41, a size 14 but tall - -5'10 and have v good legs, but crap tummy (am working on that though).

Amazingly I bought 2 dresses from Wallis today - somewhere I haven't shopped in about 20 years. Imo they look fab - this leopard print, which is a great length to show off legs and incredibly flattering and this with a bird print.

I now am officially addicted to buying dresses and have at least a dozen gorgeous every day wear dresses hanging up in my wardrobe. In fact so addicted am I, I recently added a dress to my online shopping basket only to think, hang on...that looks familiar. And there it was, already hanging up in my wardrobe!

racingheart · 27/12/2011 23:43

In fact, take a look at lots of Phase Eight stuff. It really is cut well for pear shapes, and shows off enough but not too much cleavage. That sweater dress might look gorgeous with dark jeans and boots.

Top row centre here, this sweater dress could look great. (I have one similar in grey and it's flattering - somehow disguises the gut - not sure how!)

eandz · 27/12/2011 23:47

I'm a 14.

I'm thinking about buying this: www.hm.com/gb/product/96786?article=96786-C

I usually wear a solid colored dress, leggings and ballet flats and a chunky necklace.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 23:53

Well I'm trying new things. What really jars me is that only 5 years ago I was a size 10. I'm so fed up and I don't know how to dress now I'm bigger. I'm not Huge, but I'm nit the right shape anymore! I was running 3'x a week before I broke my coccyx and I will run again, but it seems I'm stuck at this size no matter what exercise I do. I should stop drinking, and Xmas never helps! But I have been a size 14 now for 5 years and if I could accept it and find clothes that fit and flatter it might help.

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 27/12/2011 23:56

Cheers , I'll check out phase eight, just as soon as I can get laptop off DD...

OP posts:
Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 28/12/2011 00:26

bollocks!

i ordered the dress in the green!

not sure if that one will suit me tbh....might look like a peacock.

do you think the green one will still go with black opaques and a black cardi?

OP posts:
CuriousMama · 28/12/2011 00:37

I'm size 14 too, 5 ft 8 with a tum and fairly broad shoulders. Also good legs and nice norks Grin I really need to tone my tum as for years I keep being asked if I'm pg. I dont' get annoyed (friends do that for me) as I know I look it.

Sorry to hear about your accident I hope you mend soon.

tinselrella that bird dress is very nice. You sound similar to me, though I'm 43 and a bit shorter.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 28/12/2011 00:42

racing - the sweater dress link doesnt work....which one is it? im trawling through mango now and cant work it out....

OP posts:
rookiemater · 28/12/2011 09:44

Tinserella i am loving your Wallis dresses, particularly the bird print one. I never go into Wallis but might pay it a trip now.

Dawndonna · 28/12/2011 10:46

I'm a 14 and I wear a lot of phase eight too.
This is my favourite and I always get complimented when I wear it. It's comfortable too.

www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/warehouse/All-Sale/Petula-Dress/201443568

trixymalixy · 28/12/2011 14:12

I'm also a size 14 pear with big boobs and think I look reasonable when I make an effort. I have given up on jeans and live in dresses which I think are much more flattering on me.

If you have decent norks then v necks are a good shape. I also am a pear shape with big boobs and if wear something that doesn't have a waist then I look like a sack of spuds, so my rule is that all dresses must be fitted in at the waist.

I have just bought this in the great plains sale and it is very flattering on.

Original poster
ThatVikRinA22 · 28/12/2011 15:29

im going to have to have a trip out alone (ie - devoid of kids and DH) and try some stuff on i think.

last time i went i ended up with nothing as they were all moaning about how bored they were waiting for me to try things on...

id love to just throw caution to the wind and order a shedload of dresses, but i know i would end up queueing for hours to send most back.

OP posts:
OrmIrian · 28/12/2011 15:37

tinserella - I am a bit taller than you (5'11) and much as i like the look of that Wallis bird dress I'd be afraid it would be too short in the body. I have bought 'standard' length dresses before and ended up looking like Alice after she'd drunk from the little bottle Grin Have you bought dresses from Wallis before? Are they OK for length?

MrsHankey · 28/12/2011 16:36

This thread was good with lots of tips.

I'm 14/16 (bit more of a 16 at the moment though Blush) but often get told I look slimmer/have stylish clothes.

My usual 'uniform' is slim trousers or jeans, long boots or ankle boots, drapey longerline but not tunic-length tops/knitwear, a patterned scarf.

I like the style of Great Plains clothes, also Kew (can't get link to work) but unless on sale a bit pricey for me. I tend to use that type of thing for inspiration then get cheaper but of that style in somewhere like Dorothy Perkins.

Oblomov · 28/12/2011 16:40

Dresses suit me aswell, as you describe. I think you have some of your basic ideas sorted, just need a full bits of actual clothing to pull it off. Not quite sure what the problem is, I mean in a nice way. are you sure there is a problem?