I'm RUBBISH at casual dressing!!!!!

[sweetheart]

Can anyone help me? I'm rubbish with casual dressing and have noticed a lot recently that when shopping I tend to buy stuff which is too posh for weekends etc

I work full time (although not in a business suit environment) and the only times I really go shopping is to buy something to wear on an evening out. The general shopping I do tends to draw me towards dresses I can wear to work as depressingly this is probably where I spend most of my time.

I'd really like to get a decent casual style. My problem is that I am pear shaped and I think I have short legs so I look terribly dumpy in flats! Wearing jeans at the weekend I feel like a weeble or a rolly polly lady!

It's fine wearing jeans out in teh evening with heels but with 2 kids I feel like a right twat prancing around in heels on a weekend.

In winter I quite like the skinny jean and knee high boot look but in the warmer weather I feel stuck. Dresses and flats again seem to highlight the whole pearshap / crap legs thing!

Anyone got any ideas to help?

I love skirts and tops with ankle boots or sandals that have a small heel or wedge skinnies and a top or t shirt with a cardi blazer or jacket are a handy staple too...

Hmmmm I think a skirt with ankle boots would make my already short fat legs look even shorter and fatter. I have cankles!!!!

I'm joining you with my massive cankles and hoping someone has some advice.
I only wear trousers or dresses with heels because my legs look so stumpy.

No help at all I'm afraid but lots of empathy!

Try gap for jeans, they have a huge range if styles and you will get a good idea of what does suit you.

You should read the book 'You are what you wear' - it has a full chapter on this!

Many classic dressers, me included, struggle with casual styles. What looks effortless and glamorous on a LA based movie star or model just looks awful on me.

My solution is semi-structured - lots of jackets - plus classic white and chambray shirts over jeans (bootcuts lengthen the leg). Wedges are comfortable and leg-lengthening. Some dresses worn with opaques work well too - find the most flattering shape for you. And explore ankle boots - I still wear mine under jeans, in love with the Cuban heel atm.

I have Gap jeans

I recently tried on about 500 pairs of Gap jeans. Some fitted perfectly apart from the fact they were all too low-rise and unless you have a washboard stomach they do a person no favours.

I understand about casual dressing. I fancied myself in a pair of khaki chinos, a shirt and loafers. Staring back at me from the mirror was Sandi Toksvig...

Try looking at a few "real women" fashion blogs for some ideas - I love how doesmybumlook40inthis throws things together, and schoolgatestyle shows a bit of variety.

I have exactly the same problem do will be watching this thread

the doesmybum40 woman seems ok, the most recent picture on her blog of maxi skirt, t-shirt and denim jacket would probably be ok. I do find that long skirts seems to make my legs look longer actually come to think of it. They are pretty much the only thing I feel comfortable wearing flats with. perhaps I should buy a few more - only trouble is I never know what tops to put with them!

this as a good casual look?

Yes but the 40 bum lady is something like 5'10" and I dunno, size 8 size 10. I also love her blog but.....

I empathises, sweetheart. I'm very similar shape and feelings to yourself sweetheart. Pearshape, 5'6" but short little dumpy legs that look faintly ridiculous in flats, and can't be running about after 2 kids in high heels. Work clothes are fairly easy I think.

Wedges are great, like Dona says. I do have ankle boots, rightly or wrongly. They probably are neither leg-lengthening nor leg-leaner-ing but I like them. I try on loads, loads loads of looks. Total pain, but I'm getting better at it at knowing what suits. Even at that, I still find it difficult enough to dress casually. I have lots of Sandi Toksvig moments.. (no offence Sandi)

Www.channel4.com/beauty has a guide to dressing for your shape a has suggestions from various shops at a range of prices. I am the opposite in that I am a very good casual dresser, but being an hour glass a totally different shape. I live in skinny jeans of various colours with jersey tops or blouses at the weekend. A-line skirts are supposed to be good for pear shapes, perhaps with a toning t shirt?

A-lines are very good, don't know about you sweet but I feel about 99 years old in them, and again, difficult to make fashionably casual.

I have black high but manageable ankle boots that I wear with black skinnies. That's a bit leg-lengthening, I feel.

Leggings and tunic tops in jersey fabric - look at the Boden tunics/leggings.

then you can wear it with flat or heeled boots and not look over smart and not look like you've gone out in pj's.

yes I agree - it fact I find skirts in general difficult to wear casually. especially short skirt. Maxi skirts you can do the floating around in flip flops look.

The trouble with a lot of the guides are that they either:-

go for pear shapes with long legs or equal body proportions
or
tell you to wear HEALS!!!!

lurking - I'm also about 5ft 6 - out of interest what are your proportions? I'm 167cm tall and my belly button is at about 100cm (with 1cm starting at the floor)

LFC, I'm allergic to Boden - although I did wear leggings and a tunic on Saturday with a pair of pumps and felt ok

I don't think the doesmybumlook40 lady is a good example. Whilst she has really good taste and i love her style, she is model-like proportions and so slim! She looks like a size 6 in the skinny jeans and at that size you can wear what you like hence even Zara looks like designer on her!

sweet am off to get the measuring tape.

I am 166cm, belly button is 98cm from floor. I came across a website lately to do with body proportions. Fit fashion or something. I had never heard of it before. It gets you to take certain measurements and it has some kind of formula that gives you your best looks, necklines, where to wear a belt etc. Will have a look and see if I can find it.

Ok, i found that proportion site thing I was talking about. This is the site.
And this is what it's about.

It looks interesting, doesn't it? I would love to know if it works.

Anybody here done this?

Try Dressipi it's free & may give you an idea of what suits your shape.

I'm rubbish at it too! And I'm pear shaped with stumpy legs. It's so annoying as I'm currently on mat leave so can't even pretend I'm just going to work later or something. I live in a denim A line skirt, slightly below the knee (if I ever lose this skirt I will just have to walk around naked from the waist down) with either a fitted shirt or jersey top. I have given up on trousers completely. I'm signing in here to see what miraculous solution appears