Need new clothes, but what to buy?

[DumbledoresGirl]

I went through my summer clothes today and I hate it all. Dresses are too fussy or old, skirts don't fit, tops are boring, shoes are ancient.

I am not a style freak. I am a plain, boring SAHM with not much money but no desire to buy from cheap places. So help me out please. What one or two essential items should I buy to make me feel better without breaking the bank? And they have to be sensible, ordinary clothes that a boring SAHM would be likely to wear.

If you don't reply with good ideas, I will wear jeans and t-shirts all summer, interspersed by my favourite skort on hot days.

DG defineatly teh supermarkets if you are on a budget. I think ASDA has some good things, am wearing their must have white brodrais anglais dress as we speak. However I think you need some nice shorts - long knee length ones that can be worn with flats and dressed up with heels. I have black ones that I am wearing non-stop at teh mo. A nice printed full skirt, not gypsy, more 50's look good with a simple vest/t-shirt. A nice cardi that throws over everything, I got a nice one in Monsoon for £36 which is a bargain as I wear it almost every day and it washes well.

Keep the colours simple, I am wearing loads of black and white with bright red shoes!! Or denim. This look chic rather than mumsy. Personally I avoid linen as I hate the crumpled look on linen trs.

Good advice Crunchie, thanks. Only one thing, I don't really like black and white. Are colours OK to wear? I used to wear nothing but navy but now I like all sorts of colours (not pastels though). Is that ok for a woman my age?

Colours are fine, but I wouldn't go mad, choose one or two toning colours, eg Turquise/greens and blues. This way you don't get clashes (unless you add hot pink to this combo, which I do)

I often layer tops, a couple of clashing vests are good too (but not with red shoes) and are casual and not mumsy

H&M is great at the moment (imo)

If you've got good legs, they have some very pretty summer dresses for less than 20 quid each, also loads of nice t shirts at around the £7 mark, linen trousers for about £15.

And they're not old-ladyish either

I have linen trousers from Tesco (last year). They were a bargain and have been great. Also some cropped linen ones from La Redoute.

I'm 42 DG and have had a couple of things from Top Shop - the vests are good - a bit longer than the norm - no builder's bum here

I'm struggling for shoes at the moment - looking for a wedge/espadrille but not too high and none of that tie round you ankle malarky. Any suggestions?

I am LOVING the longer length t shirts ... at LAST, not more struggling to ccover up my stretchmarky belly!