Dress this woman

[lougle]

Ok, fashionistas, a challenge for you.

You meet a woman. She's suddenly realised that clothes might just matter.

How would you dress her?

The woman is:

5'8" tall
Size 6 feet
Small bust - think 30A from M&S (who knows what the 'real' size is, she's been so traumatised by bra-fittings that she never goes)
Dress size - used to be a slim size 8, but hips have widened slightly since having children and waist is now size '9' - around 27-28", but tends to find size 8 too small and size 10 baggy around the waist.
Body type - straight up and down. Not much in the way of curves.
Colouring - pale skin, green/hazel eyes, mid-brown short hair.

Currently wearing:
3 year old trainers (she's not good in high heels, but can't wear flats either)
H&M jeans slim fit - nice fit.
Faded old t-shirt

Do your best

A challenge too far?

Are you looking for casual clothes or something for work?

Stay at home Mum, but a school Governor, so need to look smarter than I do right now.

I'd like to look 'nice'

So you have jeans that fit so that's great. What other sorts of things are you after. Presumably as a governor you only have a couple of meetings a month so your clothes are mainly for home?

Are you on Pinterest? It can be a really useful way of figuring out what you like and how you'd like to look.

Have you looked at any blogs and if so who's style do you like?

Give us more info and we'll have you dressed in no time

Ok....I lack confidence. I don't know what colours I suit, although there are some colours that I know definitely don't suit me.

I don't know what 'cut' of clothing is appropriate for someone like me, who has not a lot in terms of shape, but is quite tall and slim.

I'm worried that blogs which I 'like' feature clothes that are beautiful, but once they are on me they'd look like a bin liner.

I have a quite pathological dislike of shopping. What I mean is that I long to shop and long to buy clothes, but I get overwhelmed by the enormity of the task, and then only go shopping when I absolutely have to, which reinforces my dislike of shopping.

I want to look well cared for, I want to look presentable. I don't want to wear shapeless, faded old clothes that I continue to wear because that way I'm not making an effort and can't get it wrong - I know I look drab, and so there's no disappointment if other people think I look drab.

Yes, sorry, I go into the school regularly to help, but only have meetings every other month or so. I sometimes interview for new staff. I don't wear jeans then but what I do wear is pre-children stuff, and my eldest is 7

It's mainly casual/smart-casual that I need. Comfortable but making the most of any features that may be hiding.

It's actually taken a lot to type this -my blood pressure is rising just typing it.

I'm shorter than you and although a similar size I do have curves so probably can't help with the cut. Hopefully someone who's tall and willowy will be along soon...

Colours wise, if you know what doesn't suit you then then that's a great start. Have you considered getting colour analysis done?

If you hate shopping have you considered a personal stylist in somewhere such as john Lewis? They should be able to help you figure out what suits you.

Well, I know that black is too stark, although I do wear it often. Pastels and white often make me look more washed out that ever.

I can't afford colour analysis right now, but I'd love to get it done one day.

The idea of a personal stylist is good, but terrifying. I think I'd feel immense pressure to buy their recommendations.

I'm obviously going to sound utterly like I'm selling colour analysis (since it's my job), but I honestly could have written your post (apart from the fact I am shorter and fatter than you) a few years ago. Colour and style analysis absolutely saved me - I used to loathe shopping, because it was a horrible, stressful, slightly panicky experience filled with the terror of getting things wrong/looking frumpy/looking overdone. If you've got any birthdays or anniversaries coming up, maybe drop some subtle hints...

Honestly OP a personal shopper is far less scary than it sounds. They don't pressure you at all.

Perhaps have a look at Dressipi? It's not perfect but a good starting point for thinking about shapes and colours.

They say this about dressing your shape:

1. Tailoring sculpts definition into your shape, so pieces like a fitted shift dress and a single breasted tuxedo blazer to cinch in that waist are key styles for you.

1. Skinny jeans will boost those curves, but a classic bootcut is always a figure-flattering favourite. A straight cut trouser is a key wardrobe staple.

1. If you're keeping it tailored and fitted with trousers and skirts you can go for a pussybow blouse to add flattering volume up top. Or keep it sleek and chic with a fitted high neck jumper or one of the new season's shape accentuating peplum tops.

1. Belts are the perfect waist-cinchers!

I bet there's tons of things in the shops that would look fabulous on you OP - I'm small and curvy and keep seeing stuff that I love but needs longer legs and less norkage lol.

Do you have a friend you can take shopping who's got a good eye and can help pick things out for you and give you an honest opinion?

I'm a SAHM and get a lot of stuff from gap, Dorothy Perkins, h&m and mango. I tend to stick mainly to jeans and wear navy or grey tops and try and introduce colour with cardigans. I'm actually getting my colours done at the weekend as I've lost all confidence with colour. For going out or when I need something smarter I wear cropped/ankle length trousers with a blouse type thing.

With your figure you sound like you could do anything! I bet swishy maxi skirt would look amazing on you!

You're all being very kind, thank you.

I like fitted clothes (on other people - I don't have any) and I like the idea of swishy stuff .

I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing very short skirts or low-cut tops, but like some of the vintage styles.

I just need to overcome that idea that I will never look nice whatever I wear, because I'm not nice to look at. I can't believe I've actually finally typed that, but there you go. Should've namechanged

You mentioned blogs - whose style do you like?

You sound to have a similar figure to Kat on doesmybumlook40 - do you like how she looks?

In terms of celebs whose style do you like? Jennifer Aniston's laidback style could look great on you - just been googling superga and saw some lovely images of her in vintage wash rolled up jeans, white superga with a navy jacket.

Navy linen trousers
White t shirt
Colourful scarf
Pumps

Keep the look simple and add accessories.

I wore black jumper and trousers today with pink accessories and a cerise scarf with zebras on it. Got lots of compliments!

First thing is to get a good bra - you can measure yourself. Tight under the bust (this is your actual band size), then bend over at 90' and measure loosely round the fullest point of your bust. Report back, and be prepared for a shock on your true bra size!

How about skinny jeans? We're about the same size and shape, and I do skinnies with a blousy top or dresses/tunic with leggings as my basic

Any of these colours suit you? I think this is me, and it is blooming hard to find anything that doesn't swamp me colour wise

One of my sisters is the same height as you and she looks great in this. Possibly wrong time of year for wool, though..! I hope

Oh lougle Why do you think you're not nice to look at? We're not just being kind - you genuinely do sound like you have a great figure.

There are lots of nice jersey blazers in the shops at the moment - would that be a good start? I've bought one recently and it really smartens up jeans etc

I've signed up to dressipi, thanks for the suggestion. It says my style is "Easy Chic, Elegant, Polished, Contemporary"

Sounds good to me

There's some more stuff here about dressing for your shape.

sirtoffee, those colours are lovely. I'm not sure what suits me, tbh.

Dressipi says that I should be wearing True red, aubergine, emerald green, magenta, charcoal.

Kat on doesmybumlook40 has some nice stuff, but I'm not so sure about the looser stuff, I think I'd be drowned.

My current jacket is woefully awful - like a sack. I need to change it but can't seem to do it. I think I hide in it, a bit.

QueenCadbury, I'm quite amazed, but DH says I'm an 'X'. I think of myself as an 'I' because I've always been told I have no shape. DH, who is bluntness himself recoiled when I showed him 'Is' and said 'no, you have a waist'.

CMOTdibbler according to the tape measure my bra measurements are:

Chest 30"
Bust 33" with bra on (which is slightly padded, so possibly not quite that?)

That would be a 30C??? That can't be right. I'm tiny. teeny tiny. Don't even wear a bra most of the time these days. In fact, some days I think my nipples are bigger than my breasts

30c - at least, as I should have said to take your bra off before measuring as it lets all the breast tissue come forward.

I would have always described myself as small busted, but after the bra intervention threads on here, am now wearing a 30FF and look far better.

I've just bought this shirt from Next which I'm wearing with skinnies or black ankle grazing slim trousers. I love the colour