If you are a short, fat, skint apple, where do you buy clothes?

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I have a payment due in two weeks for a piece of work

I want to spend a bit on clothes but not a fortune. I will have about £150 to spend. I'm still losing weight but need some clothes to do for now

I am short (5ft1) a size 12 on top and a 14 on the bottom, and boy do I have a bottom, massive arse and huge thighs. I'd like a whole new wardrobe, but realistically a couple of decent pair of jeans and some tops will have to do.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

my biggest issue is in my head- I'm not a size 10 nor will I ever be again. And I don't know how to dress my shape at all.

Would it be worth booking a style person in john lewis or house of frazer ?

[xigris]

Freddie I could have written your OP. It's hard isn't it? Two suggestions, one is Gap for jeans. In a fit of despair and feeling somewhat masochistic, I went in there to look at jeans. I thought it was just the domain of skinny girls but I was sooo impressed. A really nice, really young girl spent ages helping me find a pair of jeans that suited my lardy curvaceous figure. I'd really given up all hope of finding a flattering pair of jeans. I've just had DS3 and I've joined Slimming World as really need to lose a good 3 stone. I've asked DH and my family for Debenhams vouchers for my birthday / Mother's Day etc. My plan is that when I've lost the weight I'm going to try one of those personal shoppers at Debenhams. Hopefully this will be an incentive to eating carrot sticks rather than a packet of one or two custard creams

[OneMoreGo]

I am a similar shape and was full of dispair recently while jeans shopping, until I found Next Vintage Slim Fit jeans. They are more roomy and straight leg than skinnies, but still look fashionable. I have massive calves which are the bane of my life but these look alright, wheras skinny jeans look fucking horrendous on me.
Link here. I got the mid blue ones on the left in a 12 short and they are really lovely. Worth a try on just to see.

[xigris]

Ooo! They're nice One. I may have to have a look at those!

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I love those jeans!

I have put on a pair of grey size 12 bootcuts from per una sorry and they have stretch and they aren't high rise but they fit so well I don't look lardy thighed I look in proportion and I have a nice top on and I feel NICE nice shoes too that I'd forgotten I had.

Sigh. More effort in general required.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

And it feels WEIRD to be in HEELS

[DCIlouisemonroe]

I am also thinking steer away from jeans and treat yourself to some dresses,Just wearing a dress makes you carry yourself differently.If you feel too overdone try a dress with thick tights and biker boots,
You are not 'fat'
Like all off us you have bits you like and bits you don't.
Think of a friend or celeb whose style you like it doesn't matter if her shape is different to you.You then need to unpick their style and decide which bits you like and why.Or even cut some mags up and do a 'style' board
Then go shopping try all those shops you wouldn't normally try .
Midweek is good for shopping quieter and new stock often just arrived
Agree make up and hair go a long way to helping the overall feeling.
Even little things like clear nail polish a little scarf or some pretty earrings(I picked up some great earrings in Tesco yesterday).
Sometimes we just need to be braver...we all get stuck in a rut fashionwise.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I don't have biker boots or any thick tights really. Well one pair of black wooly ones.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

And. To be totally honest. The problem is I HATE shopping. So I just give up and either buy the first thing I see that vaguely fits or give up and come home and eat cake to console myself.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

And another thing. When I make the effort with make up I think it looks nice. But I rarely make the effort. And my nails are a disgrace I bite them and pick the skin at the sides.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

But my old Levi 501s fit

[DorisIsWaiting]

Have you been on the bra intervention threads? and had your bra size checked as you may want to add a new bra to the shopping list!

[DCIlouisemonroe]

Opaques velvet finish Tesco £4 nice sheen to them and make your legs look brill.

If you don't have biker boots maybe a chunky wedge? or a Mary Jane style shoe?

Have you a TKMaxx nearby? Often have shoes bargains or try Amazon.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I did go to Debenhams because my boyfriend made me and got fitted and I was wearing totally the wrong size of bra so I have 3 bras that fit one black, one white and one beige. The rest I am still wearing but they don't fit

I could be persuaded to buy biker boots if I'm not too old for them and they wouldn't look daft.

I've also realised I have a load of shoes that are just a teeny bit tight at the toes and there's a great wee cobbler round the corner from work so I'll drop them all in there as part of my re-vamp and then I might actually wear them

[freddiemisagreatshag]

And I realised I have some GREAT shoes and some GREAT bags

I have 4 pairs of Irregular Choice shoes/ankle boots I have never worn

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I was thinking even if I wore my Levis with a white shirt and some chunky statement jewellery and the Irregular Choice shoes I'd look so much better than I usually do? And if the rest of the outfit was plain, the shoes would be OK?

[freddiemisagreatshag]

In my defence, I was keeping the shoes good.

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

Debenhams super skinny jeans are v flattering on my 12-14 apple frame. Theu do a short length which is longer than normal shorts (I'm 5'2" with longisg legs proportionately)

[freddiemisagreatshag]

Today's supposed to be the day but it's snowy and cold and I don't want to go because I hate shopping

[freddiemisagreatshag]

If I go to House of Fraser vs Matalan for eg will I notice a quality difference? I really don't shop. Ever.

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

I buy cheap so I can have loads of choice i would get bored with just a few expensive items.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

So today I got

Doublewear which is fab and the first foundation ever properly to match my skin tone. And a primer (WTF is that for??) so I got a wee gifty thingy with other stuff in it.

And two pairs of black trousers - one wide legged, which look fantastic and a tapered pair which are also fab.

Suit jacket to go with the two pairs of trousers. And a lacy jacket thing out of Next which is a bit less formal.

And 5 different tops, all smart, look great.

And a suck me in slip thingy for under my existing dresses - the woman in Debenhams wouldn't sell me any dresses until I bought that and went home and tried on my dresses with the suck me in thingy under them.

And 4 pairs of thick tights. For my existing dresses.

Am knackered. Tried on loads of jeans but didn't like ANY so am giving up on jeans. Until I lose weight. Or something.

[MortifiedAdams]

OP Im your size and shape (but with less boobs), and I wear Primarks super skinnies. They are £11 a pair, and I have two in blue and one in v.dark blue. They are so so comfy and I usually wear loose blouses/tops so although they give a slight muffin top its not too.noticable.

I also buy h&m vests - very long, past the bum, and stretch well (wore mine before during and after preganncy and they sprung back).

H&m tops are great too - and cheap in proce but not.material.

[freddiemisagreatshag]

I AM going to Primark tomorrow. I just ran out of steam and couldn't be bothered to put any more clothes on I tried on a million things to get what I got and I was utterly utterly fed up

[MortifiedAdams]

Ooh well if you are going there, look for their spanks. I have the under bust to mid thigh ones in black.and nude and wear them.on nights out (under yet again, the superskinnies).