Do people do clothes interventions as well as bra ones?

[IceBeing]

I have had the bra intervention already which was fantastic...I am just wondering if anyone wants to help me dress less like a penniless student and more like a grown up woman?

What I am currently wearing at work today:
jeans (possibly straight cut - I am a bit hazey on this)
burgundy long sleeved T-shirt/jumper (£8 from Sburys)
Regatta grey fleece type thing
flat black trainer/shoes with velcro (scummy looking)

I am actually a lecturer and often look substantially less well dressed than the students I am teaching...

I have reasonable financial means....I could buy nicer clothes if I new what the hell I should be getting.

NB: this is my very first foray into S&B and could easily be my last....

"Do I need to look at clothes and decide what I actually like?"
Yes! It is fun!

"a crazy low jaw and a large nose and generally being ugly. "
Don't believe you. You sound striking, with a great figure.

Do you have a hair style? Do you want one? Dark ginger is a great colour.

Soft blazers can be elegant without being boxy and businessy.
They can go with trousers, dresses, or skirts.

Do you have any good charity shops near you? I suggest these (if good ones) for you because you are not interested in being bang up to the second; and because it is a cheap way of experimenting with sometimes very nice, well made clothes. You can find lovely things that are much more interesting than jeans, for a fiver. If they don't really suit you - chuck em back and try something different.

I think a good starting point for you would be:

straight slim dark non-jeans trousers (or jeans in a non-jeans colour) (to replace the jeans)
soft blazer (to replace the fleece)

I disagree with the suggestion to try skinnies btw. They are trendier (or are they, still?) but not actually nicer.

icebeing I had to double check that I had not started this thread in my sleep! I think you are possibly my doppelgänger although I am already a little way on the road to revolutionising my wardrobe.

I'd definitely agree that Pinterest is a good place to get ideas and collate them for further perusal.

Noticing other women, whether real or celebrity - what they're wearing, what catches your eye and what looks good is also helpful.

I'm currently reducing my vast clothing collection into a manageable number of items (split into work/weekend/active and smart) which create full outfits which fit, look good and make me happy. I also have a wish list of things I will buy to complement this new system.

It sounds as if you have a lovely figure. And nobody, I repeat NOBODY, is ugly, unless they are ugly inside

Good advice here but may I suggest taking a very stern approach and identifying some things that you must never, ever be seen wearing in public? One does not mean to be harsh, and obviously there is a time and a place for everything, but there are some items which if you wear to work or anywhere people will see you, will instantly downgrade your stylishness.

Fleeces and shoes that fasten with velcro are among these, I'm afraid. Simply ditching those items would immediately make you smarter and more stylish before even beginning on what you can start acquiring!

Totally second not to bother with panic buying in the sales. Get online and on Pinterest and start finding out what you like. With your figure you can wear pretty much anything, you lucky thing!

Oh and - if I were you, I would invest in very simple clothes (for now at least) which are the best of their ilk you can afford. It is all in the fabric and the cut. A grey T shirt from Whistles is not the same as a grey T shirt from Gap - it will keep its shape, wash well, have a shapelier fit, be a better fabric, have a neckline perfectly cut.

A plain crew neck sweater in pure cashmere from Pure Collection or similar will last 10 years at least, and look quietly stylish and expensive. A plain crew neck sweater in acrylic won't.

You don't need to aim to be fashionable. Heaven, in fact, forfend! but with your figure and a decent budget at your disposal there's no reason why you can't look stylish as all hell.

Invest in a blazer style jacket such as this, invest in some decent jeans in several colours: navy, grey and black.

Get some leather ankle boots eg Chelsea/biker and some Converse.

Crisp white shirt
Black roll neck
Couple of good quality T shirts eg French connection/Uniqlo
Stripy T

That's an entire weeks wardrobe right there.

Everything else can just be added on.

I disagree with the skinnies suggestions too (sorry). I think they can look great, and I love mine, but for someone who doesn't want to look either fashionable or studenty, then I'm not sure they are right.

Straight let jeans, cords or wool trousers would look better, I think.

IceBeing you mention your top from Sainsburys, so I conclude that you must b near a Sainsbos with clothes. What about this dress here, with wooly tights (Sainsburys do them) and your knee length boots? Or this skirt with your long sleeve top and same wooly tights and knee length boots. Maybe with this cardigan added for warmth, or a shorter one?

None of that looks try too hard, office smart, too fashionable or hippyish, but would probably look miles better than your fleece and velcro shoes combo.

Oh and get a decent haircut (book the most expensive stylist in the place) and get your eyebrows threaded/waxed.

Sorry about the typos .

Oh yes definitely to a haircut. I've just had a pixie cut after 20 years of long Renoir hair and I swear, it doesn't matter what I wear, I look much more stylish and cool than I ever have before. A good haircut can make a hempen sack look like a style statement!

Skinny jeans - try M&S Jeggings £22.50
Try The white company for tops, do you like this? It's £18 in the sale
whitecompany.scene7.com/is/image/whitecompany/RSCLT_AW13_361_F?$Flyout778x778$

Would you wear a dress? Could be good with boots.
media.jigsaw-online.com/pws/client/images/catalogue/products/1019553/BL094/xlarge/1019553_1.jpg

Sorry if links don't work, bf DD while typing!!

I agree skinnies + converse = student but highwaisted skinnies in a dark colour with long boots and a crisp white shirt is a different matter

Fraggle it's all in the eyebrows. Get them properly shaped, and your whole face looks lifted. I have an Indian threader who really knows her stuff and I have eyebrows like a Bollywood heroine now.

Your question was iirc "do people do clothes interventions....

Sometimes they do - they spend half a day advising, coaxing, cajoling, looking stuff up, seeking out, linking... And then they say something that annoys another adviser - and everyone piles in and the interventionee finds new friends and stops responding to the brilliant ideas and and and....

Or so I've heard.

What's your subject OP?

I'm much older than you but getting dressed / dressing other people is one if the joys of my life. But some of the cleverest, wittiest, most successful women I know leave the house looking like a sack of green and watery potatoes. But they're happy.

What do you enjoy spending your money on? And why are you afraid of attracting attention?

Fwiw you could dress entirely in black jeans and t shirts - but with the most fabulous jewellery if that interested you. Or dress entirely in Cornish smocks but build a wardrobe of astonishing niche perfume. You don't have to do what other people do.

You do actually sound rather fun to dress - if only you would allow yourself to see the fun.

There's some really good advice on here. I second using Pinterest. There are loads of us on there. You can browse women's fashion and start pinning looks you like and looks you definitely don't like. After a while you'll begin to see a pattern and will be able to see the look you're going for. For example here is my board. I favour straight leg jeans, converse and cardigans. It works for me and for my lifestyle.

Other than that just go shopping and try loads on to see what suits and what you like.

And I doubt you are ugly. If you were that bad your students would recoil in horror whilst you're lecturing which I bet they don't

Also, look for a really well-cut coat. I love the shape of this one, although maybe not the checks-

www.johnlewis.com/reiss-short-check-jacket-black-white/p979321

Something in wool or wool/cashmere mix. No hoods!

I was similar to you.... Until about a week ago when the vipers on here pointed me towards Me&Em and Phase 8 dresses. I now have a couple of simple and stylish, but not scarily fashionable (a la curtain fabric leggings). I have shoes which I think will go. Actually looking forward to getting dressed for work this week!

I envy you TTSDCOP - I was born with delicate little World War 2 arches that have never seen a pair of tweezers - that were the envy of everyone 15 years ago but now the fashion's for a strong brow and I've been eying eyebrow pencils longingly

Poor you op!

I know you don't want Converse,you've said so,and I agree.You're trying to avoid looking like a student and want to look like a grown woman!

You also don't want 'fashionable'.

Avoid skinnies.

How about wearing the knee high boots you have with a knee length skirt?Possibly A-line cord with a bit of detail,or other skirts you like?You could still wear your tops and add a cardi if you like.

Look at other trousers that are not made of denim.

Look for some boots or other shoes for when you are wearing trousers.Doesn't have to be Chelsea boots (which I think are boring,you're looking for your own style,not clone style)

Wide leg trousers to replace your jeans,possibly?

Get yourself a few cardis or jumpers to replace the fleece.

Maybe some pattern in your top?

Most importantly,because you want to be you and not follow fashion (or what is deemed to be) buy whatever you like the look of As only you know you

Also - I really don't think Converse are good for you, certainly if you're on your feet a lot or do a lot of walking. They are very very flat with a thin sole and no heel, and can cause plantar fasciitis/achilles tendon pain (speaking from bitter and very painful experience)

Brogues might be a better bet if you want a flat shoe that's sort of smart/casual.

Also,if your a fleece kinda gal and like that cosiness,because you want to be you,there 're nothing wrong with looking at decent looking gilets,maybe knitted ones?

Oh wow - so many new posts!

Right just picking out a few things that caught me.

Eyebrows...okay so being a ginger I don't have visible eyebrows. I sketch some on in the morning (and I put on some mascara to make eyelashes visible) because if I don't I find people can't tell if I am joking or not which is very VERY important to me. This is the only make up I wear as I am pretty averse the whole make up thing generally.

Now it maybe that I am not drawing on the right eyebrows...but I think I have over the years found the best looking shape for me through a trial and error process....

That Jacket looks fantastic! TSSD

I really like the idea of being the best of a genre.

My clothes cycle is:

1. Decided there are only a few things I have to wear that doen't make me look frumpy
2. Buy the two/three things I hate least at sburys
3. realise that the only things apart from the ones from 2 that didn't look bad have now gone shapeless/grey/bobbly and make me look bad
4. goto 2.

I have largish feet...size 7. I find lots of things make my feet look like boats...

What about some nice blouses?

All my coats are hand me downs from my mother....which might be alright except I think she shops in supermarkets too and is possibly as many as 5 dress sizes larger than me...so loving the coat option!

Heels will make your feet look smaller...