Would anyone like to help me makeover my sad wardrobe please? I'm desperate!

[thestylethatdecadesforgot]

So, since DD2 was born 4 months ago, I have thrown out all my saggy clothes that don't fit me having been through two pregnancies. I have thrown out my one pair of maternity trousers that looked truly awful! I have ebayed lots of stuff that I like but I don't ever wear. So my wardrobe is looking quite empty.

The trouble is that the things I have bought recently, I liked at the time, but they already seem to look funny, not hang right, fit oddly etc etc. So I'm at a bit of an impasse and would love some help.

I'm 28 years old, 5ft 6, 8.5st and have brown, wavy, shoulder length hair. I have wide shoulders, small chest, and at the moment a larger-than-I-would like bum and thighs, which I intend to eventually lose!

I have decided that I like vintage and heritage looks but I can't go trawling the shops with the children so I buy new online in those styles. I also like preppy but I have no idea what to buy or where from to achieve that.

I wear lots of skirts but they have to be knee length or longer because I don't like my knees! I have decided I don't like A-line cuts anymore, they don't do my shape any favours, so I need some ideas. I love pencil skirts and smart blouses but when I wear them, I still seem to look frumpy and old -fashioned, I have no idea how I do this to nice clothes! I like corduroy, I like knitted, I like jersey for the way it hangs. I like autumnal colours, plums, purples, dark greens, mustards etc. I would love to wear scarves, but don't know how to tie them nicely.

I'd love to wear dresses and I like lots of different styles but don't know what I could carry off. I love the idea of tea dresses, thick patterned/coloured tights and nice boots. But I can't seem to put the ideas together.

Anyway, that's a lot and I could probably say a lot more, so any ideas would be very gratefully received! Thank you all very much!

Have you tried a personal shopper at debenhams or similar. No obligation to buy and they do the hard work.
I have a small upper body and I have large hips, dresses are hard to find that fit, I end up showing my boobs to the world. Its hard to give suggestions without knowing our seeing you but good luck.

When I was trying to revamp my style recently I found it would be useful to have some sort of idea/icon in my head for what I wanted to dress like.

Post baby I tended to go for 'mumsy' syles like flowery tops & comfy trousers and realised I wanted to revamp a bit. Every time I saw pics of myself I thought how boring & frumpy. I've always been interested in fashion & style (however unstylish I look!). But just feeling that I know what I'm looking for is better.

My style 'icon' is Charlotte Gainsbourg so now if I buy something new I think, does that 'fit' with the look I want.

From your description, you should maybe check Zooey Deschanel for inspiration.

Also remember reading advice that said if you try something on in a shop, only buy it if it really suits you/looks fab (probably read this here).

I had so many useless purchases in the past that were just 'ok'.

hth

Try setting up a Pinterest account, you could then save pictures of whoever's style you like and also clothes that you like on online shops. This might help you order your thoughts - style wise, and you can build on it from there.
Good luck and enjoy it.

Pinterest is a great idea, thank you. Also to pick second who's style I like. Right off to google and I'll come back with some names.

Thanks everyone!

Sparky absolutely yes that is what I think when I see pics, to the point where I avoid photos at all costs.

I love Zooey Deschanel's style, that is exactly the sort of thing I'm after but possibly slightly more grown up as I have two kids to chase after!

Some ideas,

little casual dress like this or cute bird print dress, with long sleeve plain black (or matching/contrast) top underneath, some leggings or patterned thick tights, cardi and some boots or brogues?

Am jealous, you must be slim, I'm same height & would be a waif at your weight

Can you not leave the kids at home one day to go shopping? (Not leave them alone obviously!). That way you can just try on lots of different things. Maybe take a trusted friend. I always find online shopping difficult until you get to know what really suits you and the sizing in each shop otherwise you'll forever be returning things. At the moment you'll find loads of stuff in your preferred colours in you can get past all the glittery dresses in the shops!

Sparky I love the cardigan, thank you! The dress is along the right lines print wise, way too short for me though,knees thing! Good neckline for me though and I think the wider neck makes a thing of my shoulders being wider rather than trying to hide them. Thank you very much. Couldn't get the first link to work, sorry.

I'm not waif like sadly!

Id like to leave the girls at home Cadbury yes but the youngest is only 4 months and is ebf, haven't managed to express enough for a feed, so my window is around 4hrs and it takes an hour each way to get into town (Oxford Street). I'm thinking new year sales,she'll be six months by the end of Jan and could survive withs one solids, I could leave them then.

I like the personal shopper idea but I'm nervous they'd get me all wrong.

If this helps anyone help me, I like some Hobbs knitwear and pencil skirts, lots of White Stuff things, Monsoon Fusion and heritage stuff. I've been buying and returning online for weeks now! I've tried some Great Plains things that look lovely online but in reality just look awful, anyone else found that?

For scarf tying try googling Wendy as somewhere on you tube there's a whole thing where she ties them in different ways. Sure someone could probably give the proper link. Or there's lots of scarf tying on Pinterest.

That's interesting about Great Plains, I love their stuff but have never bought anything from there.
I really like Mint Velvet, although the shops inspire me much more than their website...have you looked there?

I'm usually disappointed with Great Plains in the flesh. Even the catalogue was awful this season, though.

Read this blog on 'defining style' - it is brilliant. A perfect starting point if you're feeling a bit lost. It's no quick-fix though and does require 'homework'.

Uwaga, thank you, I read it, there's some really good advice on there. I'm going to have to have a go at working through it.

Crescent moon, thanks for the Wendy link, I watched it, it's really good and the ties are really easy! Now I need to buy some scarves.

I read some of her blog too, I really like her style. There's a fab I crew blazer she wears in one post, it's the mind of thing you could build a really good outfit around.

I went into Ted Baker today with the children, not much fun, but saw this gorgeous coat:

m.tedbaker.com/women%27s/women%27s_clothing/jackets_+_coats/99545-short_wrap_coat/detail.aspx?

Hope that link works, I'm on my phone. It doesn't look very good online and I would have passed it by but it's really nice in real life. But at £239 ill have to wait for the sales!