I'm thinking of retiring from jeans. Please help.

[SherlockKnomes]

So I am curvy with a big bust and big bottom and a comparitively little waist I'm somewhere between a 12/14, jeans has always given me a bit of a muffin top but now I have a little post baby belly I've started to loath them. I'm always having to hoik them up as they slip down, I never feel comfortable in them so I QUIT!!! I want to wear dresses, nice comfy day dresses that accentuate my curvy-ness in a good way, so anyone got any suggestions for a jeans free life?

I agree, pp, I am going to send it back. I do not have the nicest knees. However, my thought process was knee length and tights (too smart), knee length and bare legs (yuck), kneww length and leggings (weird), so thought maybe I should try shorter with leggings? Like I said, not happy with the, so they are being returned.

I would put black tights and black shoes with navy. Always opaques though. I can't bear tights wherfe you can see flesh through them.

what is pp?

I just looked at white stuff and bode sites. never bought from bode before. saw a dress i like but it's 119 euros, approx twice the price I normally pay. Bit cheaper on uk site, 89 pounds.

Have you looked there?

Really? black tights and shoes with navy?

I wear opaque black tights with almost everything (including my navy Matalan dress); I bought some opaque grey ones recently and felt quite daring!

Boden's UK site is almost always cheaper than the Austrian one Ernest, even with the higher postage, so I assume it's the same with the German one. There seem to be more bargains on the UK site too (I rarely buy anything full-price from Boden and don't think the high price is justified).

glad you said that. I guess i am quite frugal and hate to spend so much on myself and really don't see over 100 quid on a jersey dress to be realistic. Do they often have sales then? WOrth waiting out for? I just ordered 3 M&s dresses for the price of 1 boden one. Mind you had to put up with dh bending my ear about m&s

Yes, they quite often have sales on, 20% off, etc. - sign up for the e-mails and/or keep an eye on the S&B board. I've just checked and they have 15% off plus free delivery and returns atm (although the delivery and returns only apply in the UK).

I've had some really nice dresses from M&S, although you do have to wade through a lot of horrors to find them. Much more reasonable than Boden and quality just as good IMO (have had quite a few things from Boden go bobbly after just a couple of washes). I bought this dress recently; the sleeves look much better (less wide at the bottom) in real life.

Yep, I would wear black with navy. I would also wear black and tan. Failing that, grey?

PP means previous poster, sorry, should have put your username.

oooh I like that linzer! Would look crap on me I think though.
Boden have some nice stuff in clearance atm but nothing that would suit my shape I fear and I'm not in the UK so not keen on ordering things and having to send them back. There is a DP in my city so will need to get there and have a look. Also H and M.

Im out for dinner tomorrow night, and would usually wear skinny(ish) jeans, nice vest top and little grey jacket. But...I am going to wear a dress. Eeeek. My family will be "you're a bit smart??"

i looked at that m&S dress. I really like it, but could not wear anything that length. Got to be on the knee. I envy you it and your legs. ba. so many dresses so v. short.

I saw the beginning of that post Madame and read it as "would usually wear ski-pants..." was

well, it is cold up t'north....not THAT cold though

Yes, it's a bit shorter than I'd normally go for Ernest but I find the shape quite forgiving - I'm pear-shaped so find dresses more flattering than trousers or skirts.

pipoca I'm also outside the UK so have the same problem, plus it's suddenly got extortionately expensive to send international parcels here.
I ordered the red dress from Matalan mentioned further up the thread last night, but have had to send it to my parents' address and am keeping my fingers firmly crossed that it fits.

I really liked the yellow floral version of the same dress, but they didn't have it in my size and it seems to have vanished from the website now. In fact, I've just noticed that they've sold out of my size in the red too so I ordered it just in time.

think all the MNers must have bought it. The way we're going on here, im expecting some sort of news report about how the high street is only staying afloat due to the recent dress trend.

Just spent ages choosing stuff on Matalan site only to discover they tont do international deliveries. Nooooooo. Id set my heart on that red dress and nother 2, and some head bnd thingies, and a couple of tops.... Not to mention all time wasted.

Anyone know if there an int. site?

Just wanted to thank the OP for this thread. Have been struggling for ages with ill-fitting, unflattering jeans that slip down my bum whilst the zip pops open don't know why I've been putting up with it so long.

This thread is just what I needed, brought three lovely smart/casual dresses today and am in love. Very happy Cherry

Ernest, they have a store in Jordan....not sure if theres international delivery from there?

Cherry, would you mind sharing where from and what you bought?

Hi Mdme...I got 2 from Dorothy perkins (a plain black jersey & a stripe) and one polka dot one from Primark . they are sooo much more flattering then my jeans! All knee length, skim my hips and pull in at the waist. Feel so much more elegant...gonna wear with navy/coloured tights, ballet flats & short cardigans. Also brought a doughnut bun & learned how to do a new hairstyle to finish off my new look

Found Drissipi very helpful too, so thanks for that tip!

Ooh, the yellow floral dress is back in stock at Matalan (and the red one is back in the sizes that are out ot stock too). Very tempted to go for it... although maybe I should have waited a few days to place my order after all, as now I'll have to pay postage.

Ernest Yes, that's why I'm having my order sent to my parents' and they're posting half of it on to me (also bought some trousers for DS that are too big for him atm so they can wait until the summer). Is there anyone in the UK you could have your order sent to?

Ernest Just had a thought - if you don't know anyone, I'm sure my parents would be happy to send a parcel on to you. I don't know about postage for large-ish parcels, but they often send small- to medium-sized ones on to me and it's generally quite reasonable. You have 28 days to return items, which should be plenty of time.

Hmm, still can't decide about the yellow dress. It would be silly to find something else to buy to get free postage, wouldn't it?

What do we think about this one? I'm 5 foot 7, size 10/12 top 14 bottom, can't wear heels . I'm off work long term sick but am trying to build up a power wardrobe for when I go back

I bought this in this colour and jade but I feel a bit "matronly" in it. Not sure why I think it is where the waist falls on me. Will have to get DH to give me his opinion. He is always completely honest!

Ooh, Ben10, I love that stripey Joy dress. I actually love most Joy dresses, but am on Mat Leave at the moment so really cannot justify £50 on one dress Avidly watching for their sale though.

I like the second one, but don't love it. Yeah, get his opinion. You are lucky that he is honest with you. I try on dresses for my DH and he goes "I love it" for two two reasons (1) he likes the actual item, not necessarily ON me and (2) he loves dresses so would be happy to see me in any dress. He doesn't understand when I as "do you like it?" I mean "does it flatter me?"

does anyone actually have in their possession that red matalan dress? is it starchy, how is it sidewise? length (on a shorty?)

thanks for delivery suggestions and offers. YOu#re v. kind. have asked my fil. (sil would disown me if I bought something from matalan) I have never bought from them, nor even been in a shop, but i remember teaching ds1 to read and we were stuck in traffic outside a matalan and he sounded the word out - his very first word, and he was so excited he just wanted to sound out everything he saw that day and really just took off from there, dived head first into the world of books and hasn't emerged since. It was a magical moment.

Fond memories.

Anyway, ahem. as you were.

I've bought a few dresses from Matalan before (it's one of the few clothes shops where my parents live). Their summer dresses have generally been just above the knee on me (I'm 5' 5"), although that one looks like it might be a little longer. Quality usually fine (especially considering that I've often only spent around £10-15), although I did have problems with the straps on a couple of dresses, where the plastic loop at the back snapped off. (Very thin adjustable straps, though; quite a different design from this dress.)

Will wait and see what others have to say before I buy the yellow dress. Possibly. Or I should be able to tell you about the red one in a week or so's time, Ernest.

Admit it - who bought my Joy dress in a size 12! OOS now, only 8 and 10 :(