No more Mumsy - Who fancies a Make-Over thread?

[MmeLindor.]

Right. I am bored.

I wear jeans every day.

Tshirts. When going somewhere smart, a fitted shirt/blouse or something like this

I feel frumpy and boring. Partly cause I have put on so much weight, I have to admit.

So today, I turned over a new leaf. I joined a gym, had my hair cut and coloured and realised I need a new style. But I don't know what.

Something more quirky and modern.

Any ideas?

A quick way to get quirky is to go out of comfort zone and explore

*different scarves - with unusual prints, bright colours ie zebra print, wear this season's bonkers 80s prints (think jessie j on the voice) but as a scarf, this means you can wear with any plain top you have and look totally different
*earrings - can change the shape of your face
*new lipstick/makeup to go with new hair
*new spring coat, one of the mums at school, a style icon, wears really bright colours and she looks ace, so fresh. she had a quilted style coat on in bright grass green looked so nice. her hair is dyed red,

may I whisper ''primark'' for scarves and big bangles; you can change them at your whim and share with your dd's dressup box......

thrift/charity stores...have a mooch. look for jackets, skirts etc. I never think of buying a jacket, i got my sister one for christmas a few years ago, kind of pale mossy green with a pink flower motif she has worn it to death it looks beautiful. got it in the sale at some trendy store, was only about £4

I was getting pretty fed up with dressing 'mumsy-ish' too, and have tried to gradually move my 'style' into not 'edgy' but definitely less 'mumsy'.

I used to be (pre-DS) quite 'alternative' but really lost my way, style-wise.

Blogs are good, as are, IMO, finding a celeb/person you admire and when shopping think, 'would she wear/buy this?'

Or if there is a shop/range that you really like (whatever the price, doesn't matter, just to pinpoint what you really like) look at their catalogue/clothes online before shopping to get that sort of 'look' you want in your head.

For high street I shop (in a very 'picky' manner ) in Dorothy Perkins, Next (got some navy chinos there recently), New Look.

H&M very good, IMO, just sometimes have to cringe & buy bigger sizes, their clothes are tiny.

I like 'french' style this sort of thing and have been trying to stop buying flowery tops which is a good start.

To start I think a new haircut is best, then the clothes come after it.

I wear more or less the same stuff everyday and I do think I look a bit mummsy sometimes, but if i wear linen trouser I wear converse with them rather than being dressy

TBH weight has a lot to do with it, I'm way too big at the moment, I'm having gynae problems and my stomach is the size it was when I was 7 months pregnant. My boobs are bigger and I hate them, clothes sat much better when I didn't have any!

I know it gets a slagging on here but Next would be a good place to start, lots of different tops.

Just not flowery ones

Oh, I like both those blogs. Thanks.

Have bought some scarves, two pairs of shoes and a fab fine knit jumper with gradual stripes that flows really well.

Am going to stick to cheap shops until I lose the weight then invest in decent basics - like the French idea of those mag 7.

I want a capsule wardrobe. I am going to be 40 next year. It is time.

Love that Zara jacket!

mme wow, you've done some fab shopping! Any links!?

I didn't go shopping today. Cleared out my clothes and sorted into 4 categories-

1 eBay
2charity
3 fits me now and looks good
4 will keep for if when I loose weight again

I figured eBay could fund my new wardrobe :)

Haircut and colour booked for next week

Painted my nails today today :)

Shopping tomorrow after I have dropped the kids off at school.

My stomache is still the same size aswell coco

My make-over is involving:

*loosing weight, its going very slowly. 2lb's though last week!

*I've got extentions in my hair now, to add a bit of thickness. I'm planning to go down to 20 Inches, in around August.

*I'm having my teeth whitened.

*I'm planning to keep my Tan up, maybe the occasional sunbed, but mostly fake-tan.

*I want to have a boob job, however ive just found out i need to find £400 for summer rent in my Uni house, so thats eaten up my boob-job deposit!

• I've been planning to have my eyebrows tattooed on, yet again the money thing is a bit of a problem, as thats £400

When i make an effort, for day time or evening, i do look nice, or used to, but since putting all this weight on, i have lost all my self confidence and i just want to go back to Uni looking and feeling great!

I think im going to concentrate on (money wise) £500.00 boob job deposit, teeth whitening £100.00 and money towards new clothes.

I am dying my hair at the weekend, and next week I am not wearing my "practical" jeans. And I will wear heels one day.

And proper make up.

Bought most of the clothes in TK Maxx so not online, I don't think. And in Tesco.

this one and one with a zip down the back, which sounds odd but it really fab.

I bought a pair of green sneakers, which will go really well with the bag I bought a few years ago.

Tomorrow: jeans, white fitted shirt, blue and white striped scarf, green shoes and bag.

Off to Germany for a few days. Forecast is 25°C and sunny so I will work on getting a bit of a tan which always makes me look better. And might get the bikes out and go for a wee spin.

Oracle
sounds good.

Coffee
did my nails today too. And shaved my gruffallo legs.

Kate
That is a big list. I have ruled out any kind of operation, cause I am a big wuss.

Was at the gym this morning and really enjoyed it. Will go 3x a week once I get back from Germany.

Lindor I know, but I feel frumpy and horrible when I used to be fashionable & stylish. Im afraid if I don't do it now, I never will. I wouldn't be happy living the rest of my life looking like this! Sad but true!

TSC is this it?

I need to find some 'not cardigans'. I buy a cardigan that looks lovely for one wash and then I'm a bobbly scruff. I am giving up on them.

I hear you. I am SO BORED with my clothes right now, particularly my work wardrobe (it's easy and it works but it's dull as hell).

I think I need new shoes. But I have no money.

I do think though, that you don't need to find one "definitive" style, just stuff that works together so that you can decide one day that you're going for Parisienne Gamine and Wafty Hippie the next. I think that also helps alleviate the boredom.

Good point, Abs. I can be whoever I want to be today.

Am feeling tres chic. I am sitting in a biergarten in southern Germany, white open necked blouse (had to take smart scarf off cause it was too warm - there is a question - accessories in the summer?) jeans, cool green sneaker and handbag. Whipped laptop out while kids play in the park - they have water here so they are bound to get soaked.

The locals are looking at me as if I am a big city gal in their small town.

I might even get a bit of a tan!

I am trying not to spend much money, but am going for charity shop, Tesco and TK Maxx. And when I lose weight, I have two boxes of clothes that will fit me again.

TBF, concerns about accessories that would be "too warm" doesn't happen that often in the UK.

BUT - I suppose you then go down the jewellery route?

You sound like you are looking 'tres chic' MmeL

I wish it was too flipping warm here for accessories! Have been dragging out my 'winter' scarves again, thought I could move on to lovely spring ones but no way.

But agree Abs, jewellery, I like Tatty Devine for cheap quirky necklaces/pendants.

A little bit of vintage is the way to go quirky. I have some patterned 1960's cashmere jumpers, some classic style knitwear and a couple of 1950's summer dresses, + a few silk scarves with unusual patterns. You can mix that sort of thing in with normal clothes and all of a sudden it looks a lot more interesting.

mmelindor If you have time to go shopping while in Munich, you could try Hallhuber (very good for basics) or Promod. Both also sell online, so you can check out their clothes before you go to the shops. Have fun and enjoy the sunshine!

Can I join you? I recognise myself in quite a few of your descriptions - the weight has crept on this year so very few of my clothes fit... I can't wear white t shirts as have disabled daughter who will decorate my shoulder with food/drool etc whenever I pick her up... I live in a hot, humid country surrounded by very well groomed slim ladies... their style is not really my thing, so I tend to stock up on clothes when I am back in the UK, but already it's too hot to wear jeans for example. I like the clothes from www.eileenfisher.com but in reality I am short, apple shaped and not loaded enough for their prices! I do like scarves, statement necklaces, and I love shoes, but I only tend to wear sandals here. Any suggestions?