Mid-thirties: what's your style and where do you shop?

[INeedThatForkOff]

I've spent the last few years being overweight / losing weight / having babies / being overweight ... and I've just been wearing whatever fits and doesn't cost too much. I have no style to speak of and I don't think I'm going to find it in the local branch of Shite Stuff.

I have three stones to lose and I'm going to just get by with BFing stuff and a few eBay bargains for the time being, but I want to have a clearer idea of the look I'm aiming for. I'm never wearing leggings again once I'm at my target weight, and I got tired of jumper dresses and chunky boots between DCs.

Sometimes I fancy quite a smart look (cardi, blouse, skinnies and flat riding-style boots); others I veer towards a funkier look (short skirts, opaques, a more casual boot). Depends who I'm looking at at the time!

So, will you share your look and favourite shops with me please so I can shamelessly steal them

I'm 36 and, like you, my weight has yoyo-ed in last 10 years due to child birth and, more recently, stress. I'm 5ft and a size 6-8 so have to be quite careful with clothes. However, what you describe as liking sounds similar to my taste.
I work but don't need to be in a suit. For work I wear: slim trousers, jersey pencil skirts, slim fit shirts, fitted cashmere jumpers and cardigans, heeled ankle boots, brouges, wool blazer, scarves
For days at home or out and about: skinny jeans, straight leg jeans, breton tops, silk or cotton blouses, fine merino cardigans, riding boots, wedge trainers, heeled ankle boots, leather biker jacket, down coat, scarves and bracelets
Meals out, meeting friends, drinks: slim trousers, vintage style blouses, jersey dress, opaque, suede heels, blazer, skinny scarves
Dressy occasions: Lace dresses in black or neutral with opaque and heels. Wool knee coat
I am a high street shopper as my budget doesn't run further though I avoid very cheap stores like Primark and New Look. I have stuff from ASOS, Boden, Next, White Stuff, French Connection, M&S, Lands End, Clarks, H&M, Topshop, Monsoon, Benetton.

That's brilliant, just what I was looking for. Thanks. I love the sound of your style. I've essentially avoided trousers and jeans for nearly four years, and before that bootcut was acceptable

I'm the same age as you and my weight has also fluctuated for th last few years, mainly due to two children. I am currently on a slow weight loss drive (shredding plus only eating when hungry and stopping when full!), so am a size 12. I'm 5ft 4in and work at home so I can do school and nursery runs etc.

I usually wear high rise skinny jeans with longish tops (mid-thigh), or dresses with leggings underneath in place of tights (so they don't really look like leggings). I often put a cardigan on top (a thin longish one, or a thick short one) and sometimes a long sleeved top underneath for warmth, and I usually wear mid-calf flat boots. I like colour but on either my top half or bottom half, not both, so a bright print dress over black leggings, or colourful jeans with a plain top. I don't really do skirts, but will sometimes wear skinny flared jeans with a slightly shorter top, plus baseball boots.

My summer uniform is cropped skinny jeans with loosish tops, or a dress (usually fitted top half and flared bottom half) with Birkenstocks or wedge sandals. Again, a cardigan is often to hand as I get cold!

I shop in the same places as the other poster - not Primark, Top Shop or New Look, but I do like Fat Face, Boden, Warehouse, Oasis and Dorothy Perkins. I have recently discovered NYDJ and love them, and have also had an underwear fitting as the right size bra makes my clothes look much better!

I'm more late thirties than mid but I wear straight legged or bootcut jeans, tops (tshirts and blouses) in neutral colours (grey, navy, black) and then I have a rather large selection of cardigans. On my feet I either wear leather calf length boots or converse. For going out I love my flared jeans or dresses or cropped trousers.

I have found piniterest really helpful in consolidating my style. By pinning looks that I love onto my inspiration board I realised the look that I'm after and has helped me focus more when shopping.

I shop in gap, John Lewis, mango, oasis, warehouse, Dorothy Perkins, fat face and h&m mainly.

I shop pretty much everywhere but doesn't mean I will see anything though.

Uniqlo for basics
Warehouse and oasis for tops
Next for work stuff cos it suits my shape

I occasionally go to new look for high fashion items which are likely to go out of fashion quickly but I don't want to pay a fortune for.

Forgot to add my style.....

I like to be comfortable in my clothes so they need to fit well. Though I'm petite I very curvy so clothes with lots of detail don't suit me. I think that's why I go to uniqlo a lot as the clothes aren't fussy.

Yes I'm going to use Pinterest too. Haven't used it much before so will need to work out my privacy settings as I don't want to share ny style crisis with everyone

Thanks so much for these. I'm reading and mulling them over. I think I'm going to start plucking up the courage to ask RL people who I meet through toddlers groups etc about their clothes - although I've just realised that there are only two whose looks I really like. I'll draw the line at asking random strangers in the street though You know, developing an interest in clothes is a great motivation for losing weight.

I'm going to step away from the internet and eBay when I'm at my target weight, unless it's something I've physically tried on beforehand.