Too old for Topshop, too young for Boden. What to wear?

[Peppin]

I have owned everything in my wardrobe for about a million years, wear the same 8 items out of it on repeat, hate all my clothes and cannot find anything to wear in the shops. This summer I have 2 weddings to go to and have no idea what I will wear.

I am age 36, size 10, slim hips, good legs and bum, big bust, slightly fat tops of arms that remind me of a side of ham, and a horrible pot belly (in reality not too bad but I am very self-conscious about it).

I like relatively structured clothing, or alternatively ruching/draping in order to conceal the tummy. I like a scoop or boat neckline as round necks make my bust look v v matronly. I really, really need to find:

1. a couple of work outfits - would like dress + jacket/cardi but not black

1. some nice smart casual tops for going out in

1. a dress for the weddings

This week I have depressed myself by going in Karen Millen, French Connection, Topshop, Warehouse, Oasis, Reiss and Zara and finding absolutely nothing that suits me. I used to buy clothes in all these shops but now everything in them is too tight/young/"edgy". But I am not ready for Boden and M&S yet.

Would prefer to spend a bit more on three or four items than buy lots of cheap stuff. Would I find nicer stuff online? What labels do mid-30s mums with wobbly bits who want to look stylish buy?

Dorothy Perkins? I know what you mean about being between one stage and t'other and the thing I like about DP is that it has plenty of vaguely fashionable colours / prints / styles but generally in a slightly more forgiving cut/style.

The nearest shop to me is small and only has the more boring stuff so I tend to order it all online.

Funnily enough I was just looking at DP online at lunchtime... saw a couple of jersey dresses that looked quite nice but was then wondering about quality. I tried a jersey dress on in Mango the other day and it looked great on the mannequin but the fabric was quite thin and just clung to me in a very unflattering way .

What is DP sizing like?

I like that heavy viscose-y stuff that places like LK Bennett and Pied a Terre (in House of Fraser) use, but having said that neither of those labels has anything I like at the moment (and LK Bennett clothes are very expensive for what they are IMO).

I'm 35 and this year I think topshop has gone really young
I love whistles who do grown up clothes well
But Zara is good too but you have to go to a big one
Also like cos and banana republic

I'm championing H&M at the mo. Started with those £1.99 dresses...

I am older than you op and also loving H&M at the moment. I also buy lots of things from TKMaxx.

Funnily I used to buy lots from Boden when I was younger but have gone right off it now. I do still buy Johnnie B though (for me).

Sometimes I like stuff from Fat Face/White stuff, but not very often. Zara is good.

I'm 34 and a similar size to you, and have been wondering the same!

I usually find:
Mango a bit weird
Monsoon too old
Fat Face and White Stuff too whimsical and outdoorsy
Joules, Jack Wills, White Company.... no
Per Una - ha ha ha
Zara - bit odd.

So basically I end up in a lot of H&M which I buy on the grounds that if I don't like it all that much, I don't like anything else much either and at least I can afford it! Sigh.

I'll watch with interest.

Am 10 yrs older than you and I like
Phase Eight,not mother of bride stuff but lots of good things in there atm
Autograph
Some unobtrusive Boden
Noa Noa
Sandwich
Some French Connection,usually in sale
Oasis for dresses
Great Plains
Some Dorothy Perkins,wearing stripey maxi from there today and have had loads of comments about it!
White Company

Well i'm a bit older and bit fatter than you and avoid all the high street shops you mentioned. I've recently bought this from Jigsaw. It looks crap in the picture online but looks good with a belt. I've also just ordered this but it hasn't arrived yet. OCADO20 gets you 20% off Me & Em. Isabella Oliver has some lovely dresses which might do for work. Other shops I like are Uniqlo for basics - Breton tops, chinos, some knitwear; Hobbs for workwear and Cos.

Whistles is your answer.

Hi, same age with same figure! I have had luck with Reiss but I guess that did not work for you. Otherwise, I second Whistles. Hobbs (particularly the NW3 range) is now good and sometimes L K Bennett. I've also started to buy less but more expensive from local boutique shops or places like Trilogy where I recently bought a fab Tucker shirt and Question Air (these shops may only be in London)

Damsel In A Dress do lovely 'going out' type dresses (I'm 33 and don't feel dressed as lamb in them). Hobbs is good for work dresses. You can find nice things in Kew as well sometimes.

I'll be following this with interest though, as I am a similar age and loathe all the Karen Millen type stuff.

I do get some (mainly work) bits in Banana Republic, but I don't really "get" Cos. It all seems a bit egg-shaped skirts and similarly avant garde stuff that I am way too uncool to know how to put together.

Notsogrumpy I like that Jigsaw dress and actually was looking at it last week as it's in the window of my local Jigsaw with a nice belt on it - I kight go back and try it on.

Also like Isabella Oliver but have sent back everything I've ever ordered from them as a 10 seems very clingy but a 12 is too loose .

Kiitybloom, you're talking my language. I love the Tucker blouses but they are £££ and I am still working on my justification arguments for acquiring one. I have a Donna Ida near me, I might go in there (previously too afraid as the shop assistants are about 23 and very skinny and "fashion").

I do like Reiss and Kew sometimes but this season they're a bit meh.

I think there is a gap in the market for mid-priced, quality separates for the 30-50 age group.

Im 33 and today I walked past a shop window with a lovely top in it. I was a little annoyed I wasn't my size 8 younger self, I would have bought it. Know what you mean about being in the middle.

I shop at Primark, Next, H &M and supermarkets. Though I haven't bought anything for ages as I am now at that stage where I will look to buy something when I need it not because I see something that I like.

Wallis? Phase Eight?Monsoon maybe?

I'm 42 and a busty size 12.

I like:

• White Company for v v plain jersey dresses
• Hobbs for plain tops, bags and work jackets (most of their stuff is too long for me though)
• Warehouse (occasionally) for little silk dresses/tops (although nowhere near as good as they used to be)
• Oasis for jeans (although they are often too long)
• H&M for el-cheapo cotton-mix blazers and even el-more cheapo scarves
• Topshop for cheap but reasonable jersey stuff
• M&S Autograph for plain/striped t-shirts and M&S for skinny jeans

My main problem now is that nowhere seems to do skirts which I want to wear and aren't too long - wish the White Company would cotton on to the jersey pencil/maxi skirt thing.

And Selfridges for VW sales - if you want a dress for the weddings, which you could wear to both and adapt with accessories, that would be a great starting point.

What about Joy?

pretty dress
office type dress
floaty butterfly dress for weddings
Chanel inspired cardi
smart bow blouse

There's not a massive range, but nice items.

I find the occasional gem in small independant boutiques,often found in middle class market towns
Brands such as Avoca,Nougat,Noa Noa,Sandwich,YaYa,Crea,etc etc.

what about toast???
www.toast.co.uk/content/homepage2.htm

I moved from those shops you mentioned abouve to:

white company (not to be confused with whitestuff), very classy and chique yet casual. current season a bit of a disappointment though.

Noa noa

sandwich

turnover

Lauren by Ralph Lauren (bought a lovely silk knee length shirt dress for £100 this week), not the cheapest but well made stuff, classics that last. Look out for the sales.

jigsaw

HTH :)

I'm 34 and similar size/shape to you.

I get most of my stuff online from Gap, Mint Velvet, Wrap and Isabella Oliver. I never buy stuff full price, though - I'm signed up for all their email newsletters and pounce when they have sales/special offers. Wrap is particularly good because their stuff works across seasons - I'm wearing a pair of wafty peg-leg trousers today that I got in their winter sale.

I am of the same age, I am loving Ted Baker, Kookai and the concessions in House of Fraser.

Also the Hobbs online shop has a fab outlet section.

We are deffo too young for Boden!

Good luck hun x

Agree with Remus - with your figure, Vivienne Westwood would be fab.

I'm the same as you. 33, size 10/12, in shopping limbo. Agree with the other poster that Whistles is the answer. Have had quite a few things from there, especially at sale time.

Oh i like this thread alot! Im 36 (feel in my head about 10 yrs younger though), size 12/14/16 depending on which shop i go in ha ha, and HATE topshop, Karen Millen, River Island type shops which seem to cater for size 6 to 14 and anything slightly larger its a no go. I do love Dorothy Perkins mainly - bought one of their 16.99 dresses (lots of colours i chose the teal blue green one) for example, and it didnt look much on the hanger but super flattering on suprisingly! Some of their sizes are a bit odd i find, depending on the style but generally they do some great stuff which isnt too young or too old.
Wallis has good basics, like leggings and jeans but majority of it a bit old - waterfall cardigans - yuk.
French Connection doing some lovely stuff (look on ebay outlet or if you have a discount outlet nearby); i bought a lovely dress which they do in different patterns, with a very flattering neckline and tie waist which i have worn and worn with leggings and can be glammed up for evenings. Next okay for basics too i find, but you have to try on.
My budget isnt really in the realms of Whistles though, but i will have a peek... will watch this thread, as its definitely hit a nerve with me - Im in my 30s but not ready to wear slacks just yet