Got a school reunion in 10 days and am crapping it. Can someone pimp me, fast?

[Bluegingham]

I'm 41, 5'7", size 14 jeans if they've got a bit of stretch in, 16-18 top due to big (and quite good!) knockers.
Decent facial bone structure, highlighted shoulder length hair (needs a cut) and I think I wash up fairly well.

But, I'm SO dowdy these days! With v young children I live in (stained) jeans, fatface tops and a quilted coat. That's it really. And I've got a school reunion and most of my peers from school are v v thin, rich and glam! Think Made In Chelsea types!

For the love of God help me! I'm booked for more Botox tomorrow, eyes and brow, and thought about a good tan before too. What else can I do? What shall I wear?
Healthy budget but clueless!

(and noone tell me to "just go natural, be yourself" etc. These women are seriously groomed!)

Help!

Spanx are amazing, I love mine, I wear them more than I probably should - I'm also short and curvy and still pudgy with eating too many belgian buns baby weight and I feel as though they give me a bit of my waist back.

For the evening before, if you have great platforms, how about a good pair of jeans? The Next high waisted slim fit are really good, and cheap so you can blow your budget on a stunning dress for the reunion, and just the right 'width' at the ankle to be slimming but not do that horrible thing skinnies do to short legs. Then find a great top (some sort of blouse?), good necklace, maybe a blazer? Casual but fab.

Oh, and don't forget to get your hair done about a week before (time for the cut to settle in) and get your nails done the day before!

Banana Republic, Kew and Cos are worth a look op. Blow dry, jewels, tan and fab clothes. Quick shot of tequila and you're off!

Which Spanx? I looked in the website and got over faced! Do I choose the Spanx after deciding what to wear, or are there some staple pieces I need?

Getting nails done day before, hair blown that morning and then travelling up. See there's another thing - the hair. The style seems to be to have kind of scruffy Caroline Flack hair. Do I go with that, or stay glam and Holly Willoughbyish?

And which jeans? The only jeans that have looked realky good are Karen Millen flares but they're so long I have to wear giant platforms to walk. My legs then look normal though. I'm straight waisted, more apple than pear and have a tummy from 3 baby giants in quick succession, all out the sunroof.

Googietheegg, talk to me about jewels. I've got some nice pieces, but they're v understated. Should I go for quality, or costume jewellery? Where to start!

These are my lifesavers with trousers, though the mid-thigh length ones are good with long, clingy dresses to. I'd say just get the nude Spanx if you have been thinking about them, you can wear them with anything really. I find them pretty comfy actually - well, not every day wear but you know what I mean.

I'd go with glam hair. Plus the hairspray needed for glam hair will probably mean the style will last two days!

Jewels - I'd say costume for the pub(?) catch up with the girls, quality with a dress for the reunion.

Just going to order some Spanx now. The waist won't roll down will it? I had v high waist M&S knicks for my brother's wedding, 10 weeks after dc1 and they rolled down and I nearly fainted!

They've never rolled down on me, they're quite tight and high. I think there is a reason why they are about £40!

For the night before I would look at Mint Velvet, they have complete outfit ideas. Jeans I would look for straight jeans if you don't get on with skinny jeans, much easier to find the right length, try gap and topshop, levis and maybe some top end brand do straight that might be good.shopstyle for ideas

I bought this recently, it's very flattering with black tights and high ankle boot/wedges.

Spanx are brill - get the highest waisted ones with legs

Possibily to go with jeans and a jacket:

www.hobbs.co.uk/product/display?productID=0212-6782-2439L00&productvarid=0212-6782-2439L00-DEWBERRY-16&refpage=tops/blouses

Ooh! Have my own slightly up-itself reunion next week. Watching with great interest.

I want to look like this woman, or this lovely calm understated bloody perfect for me dress but too bloody expensive. If your budget is limitless.....

Those Spanx roll down on me, I need the awful fabulously attractive ones that have straps etc, they're great. Here

Blue gingham - can't advise on clothes but I live among women like that (not one myself.) They always have perfect eyebrows and nails - get your brows threaded maybe a day beforehand, and get a proper manicure. Wear heels and very good accessories.

If you haven't threaded your eyebrows before I would go more like 5 days before the event -- in case you go red like I do.

Ok, I've ordered the Spanx. I'm about to order some nude heels - does the actual heel matter?

Just investigating high waist trousers. Can't do skinny so looking at straight leg.

Booking hairdresser for the morning, getting nails done day before, and brows done this week.

The tan: the day before, a couple of days before, what? Home spray or full body professional job?

And lashes? I had my makeup done recently at BobbiBrown and they used false lashes which I've never been able to get on again. Should I get those permanent ones? I can get them done when they do my brows.

I'd go with fabulous jeans (dark blue denim, a bit flared) , an expensive v neck sweater (navy) and brown leather wedges for the night before. Maybe a statement necklace or costume ring, little diamond studs, hair in a messy bun. Get a facial, spray tan, everything waxed/threaded, highlights a couple of days before.
Then for the actual do, go understated but very expensive and stylish - google image Elle Macpherson on the school run. Maybe ankle length navy trousers and a great white shirt. Hair all flippy. Wedges or ballet flats. Expensive cuff with a fabulous ring or a diamond tennis bracelet. Understated!!! You will stand out as everyone else will be trying sooooo hard!

Now trawling mint velvet and Hobbs. Ordered the jeans!

Racingheart, tell me more about these women! What do they wear, in summary?

Ooh a white shirt! Will look NOW! Having white near my face looks nice I've noticed. Detracts from my chins perhaps!

Oh my actual God. How much would you just DIE if you had to face Elle McPherson every morning? I'd have surgery and spend the housekeeping on sunglasses.

Sounds like you're well on the way to getting clothing sorted. Skinny jeans and a flattering top sound perfect. If you want to show your fashion credentials I'd wear some killer ankle boots worn outside your skinny jeans.

On the day get hair professionally blow-dryed. If you're anywhere near a MAC counter/store, you can get your make up professionally done for £25 and you get £25 back towards make up so doesn't really cost anything. Definitely also get a manicure - gel so you don't need to worry about smudges.

And the best accessory is always confidence and a smile.

Do we get to see event pictures [hopeful]?

This season they are mostly wearing bright candy coloured skinny jeans, cropped if they are size 6 and six feet tall or that wrinkle slightly at the ankle if they are shorter. Glam sandals - toes still on show - no boots yet because they still have their summer tans, (which seem dark this year - I suppose to prove they went away a lot during our lousy summer) so feet are pedicured and toenails very bright and sleek in opaque rich candy colours.

Um.. silky and sheer tunics on top. White, yes.

Jewellery isn't costume. It's gold and diamonds.

Hair still straightened, highlightened and v glossy, mid length to long. That's the Surrey scrummy mummies. Some of whom are genuine Chelsea footie wives. Are these the kind you mean?

But that's just what I've noticed and I am sooo not a fashion queen. Really glam women might spot far more specific trends.

Fan bloody tastic. These girls are the Cheshire equivalent - more Scousewife than Chelsea on reflection but only just. Colleen Rooneyesque. V interesting re sandals, pedicure etc.

I think you're brave going - I'd be running in the opposite direction

I think you are going to look gorgeous, from what you've said so far. But OMG I know the type you're talking of. I went to a low key Christmas party in Cheshire once and DH was I was bowled over by Hollywood glamour of them all. I don't think there was a pair of flat shoes in sight.