Help me out of a style rut...please!?

[SunAtLast]

I'm 45 soon and losing my baby weight finally. (youngest is 2!)

I need help. I'm 5ft 4, size 14 on top, sometimes 12 on bottom. Quite busty 34f. I've been living in tunic tops and leggings for 2 yrs.

I'm back at work in sept and need some new workwear plus some school run stuff that will make me seem young and dynamic rather than old and tired - like I feel. I've been reading the frumpy threads on here and I recognise that I'm heading towards mega frumpery.

What shops should I go to? Look at online?

I've been buying m& s and h& m only. Even wearing a couple of per una tops

I'm not very rich.

Pleasure, sun, out of interest we're the same age and very similar body shape. I'll PM you if you like with a few of my recent purchases. All H&M, sorry John Lewis!

Sorry, yes Jigsaw is quite expensive, though cost per wear is cheap as the clothes seem to last forever! You can get similar wrap dresses in loads of places though-I think I saw some quite recently in H&M, though they won't have been lined.

That would be great Numberlock.

I'm going to look in jigsaw anyway and try on a few things to get some ideas.
Finally have a day to do stuff for me this week so it's great to have a plan.

That's just reminded me of my jammy friend, she stumbled across a shop in York and every Jigsaw item was reduced to £20! She bought about 6 items for less than the price of one of the originals!

Why does this never happen to me lol.

Went shopping today.

Navy blazer from h&m
Suede brogues on sale from kg@carvela
Black tunic top with tan horizontal stripes and green tunic top with black belt. Both h&m.

V happy with my purchases. Thanks to you all and numberlock for pm links.

Had a look in charity shops in posh area. Nothing today.

Re accessories. Saw fab scarf in biba but it was £75 Eeek. Another in hof which looked v like the mumsnet scarf at £49. Too pricey.

So I need some cheaper scarves and a couple of pairs of navy and black trousers. I'm a bit nervous,about the 7/8th length. Won't it make my legs look stubby? Any recommendations?

Thanks for the update, Sun! All sounds great and very co-ordinated.

I'll have a look for some scarf suggestions. Did you try in the trousers in H&M? I agree with you in three quarter length on general but they have some great ankle skimmers and slightly shorter that are a lovely shape, very 60s mod chic a la Jean Seberg!

Ps. By coincidence, I found a Blondie T shirt in Matalan tonight!

Can you send me the links to the Biba scarf you liked?

I couldnt see any trousers today that werent summer ones. Will go back in a week or so.

Im heading to tk maxx on Friday. Primarily for a new bag but hoping for some treasure.

Biba scarf was in House of Fraser I will look on the website for it.

this one
www.houseoffraser.co.uk/Biba+Devore+logo+evening+scarf/168008885,default,pd.html

Good news about the blondie tshirt, it found you!

Very nice, will have a look and see if I can see anything similar.

It sounds like you're a similar shape to me (5'2, 32E, size 12) and tunic tops and leggings would look dreadful on me tbh.

I like The White Company for jersey dresses which can be dressed for work (am also a teacher) or for casual (eg on own with flat sandals when hot, with a cami layered under and leather biker jacket over and worn with boots in Autumn etc etc).

For tops, I find Hobbs are good for plain t-shirts, often with flattering cowl necks. I also get the odd draped plain top in M&S. I find that plain colours are best for me with tops.

For work too, I like slim leg trousers (7/8 or full length) with a cropped jacket (get lots of these from H&M as they are v cheap) worn 80s style with the sleeves worn up. My trousers need replacing though and am struggling to find any, so hopefully this thread will help me! I also like pencil skirts and little silk dresses (Warehouse often good for the latter).

Warehouse, Oasis, H&M, M&S - often have nice scarves for under 20 squid.

Thanks Remus, I will check out The white company, I like plain colours and the dresses sound perfect.

I didnt say I looked good in the tunic top and leggings combo, just been postnatally stuck in them for the past 2 years due to them being fairly forgiving with the elasticated waist and bagginess..

Hadnt thought of oasis for scarves, will wait a few weeks until the winter ones comes in, just summer cotton ones out in the more affordable shops today..

I got this bargain recently. It's lightweight but feels lovely.

Am now tempted by this one.

For cheap scarves I would head to Zara, Massimo Dutti - have found the odd gem in h&m over the years.

Not sure where you're based but picked up a couple of lovely scarves in Oliver Bonas @ St Pancras last time I was in London for work. Sure there's branches all around. Can't link as on phone atm...

Hi Sun and Remus.

These are the kind of trousers I'm talking about:

www.hm.com/gb/product/02682?article=02682-A

Or do you mean more formal/suit-style trousers?

Numberlock Love those trousers. Am ordering them now. Thank you.

Also Remus I ordered a couple of pairs of jeggings on offer from your thread with m&s link yesterday in indigo and black (Not brave enough for colour yet)... And found perfect dress on white company website... It's £££ more than I usually pay so need to wait til nd of the month. Are they good quality, long lasting?

So that the trousers/ dress situation sorted.

Oliver bonas. I got a fab scarf there a couple of years ago. There's one near me so I will check it out next time I'm nearby.

I'm nearly ready for autumn. Now, bag is next on the list. Anyone got a good recommendation?

I've got a satchel for weekend, perfect for hands-free shopping etc.
(No prizes for guessing where it's from ) I can't find it on the web site though, will try and find something similar.

And something similar to this for the office:

www.marksandspencer.com/Foldover-Flap-Drop-Lock-Handbag/dp/B002I6L2AG?ie=UTF8&ref=sr_1_5&nodeId=1625695031&sr=1-5&qid=1344498931&pf_rd_r=1XK8C0CXSGG4Y1XM106H&pf_rd_m=A2BO0OYVBKIQJM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=1625695031&pf_rd_p=215570647&pf_rd_s=related-items-3

I love my jeggings! (Mine are from Dorothy Perkins.) They are very flattering and will look great with your new blazer. Get some pumps to go with them.

Just having a look for a scarf similar to the Biba one, do you have a colour preference? This one is in teal and only £15.

www.viyella.co.uk/fcp/product/viyella/Jewel/Teal-Devore-Scarf/2684

www.viyella.co.uk/fcp/product/viyella/Jewel/Teal-Devore-Scarf/2684

I find that The White Company dresses are very good quality. I usually buy them in the sales for about 50 pounds but even the one I bought full price has been worth the money. They wash really well and don't even need ironing!

Thanks for the trousers link, Numberlock. I would never have thought of looking at trousers in H&M but will have a look tomorrow. The polyester content worries me a bit but I also don't want 'proper' wool suit trousers. It's a tricky one!

Bags - I have a small brown leather camera bag from Hobbs, a medium sized tan leather slouchy one (TK Maxx) and then a big black leather tote thing for work (from Clarks).

Excellent news remus I detest ironing! I'm getting it. Sod it.

Numberlock what pumps do you recommend?

Thanks for the Viyella scarf link, itis v similar, better in some ways. I love the colour. God my credit card is taking a bashing this week. I'm expecting the bank to ring any moment to check unusual usage!

I think I will hunt in tk maxx for something similar to that m&s bag you linked to Numberlock. If poss in leather. I like the look of satchels but find wearing thm annoying as I'm quite top heavy the strap kind of accentuates that iykwim.

God my credit card is taking a bashing this week

I know it seems like you're spending a lot of money at once, but it will be worth it. You've more or less got a capsule wardrobe for the whole autumn and winter now (and the following spring), both for work and weekends. You can just keep adding to it. Remember to stick to these 'rules' in future now you know what suits you and what you feel good in.

Plus you won't need to panic buy, something I used to do loads and end up wearing it once, I hated it because I bought it out of desperation, obviously a big waste of money.

As for pumps, I've got something similar to these in red:

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_1,mon_1.16/2430386136

I don't feel right in a totally flat shoe and like a bit of detail.