If you are a size 12/14, late 30s and not well off, what do you wear?

[LingDiLong]

I have never been very interested in fashion and have no sense of style. I am sick of looking like a scruffy, overweight frump. I don't have a load of money to spend on clothes but I really want to try and look a bit better.

Any help or recommendations?! I had a very.co.uk discount card through the post this morning and I've been looking at casual/skater type dresses as a change from my usual jeans and tops.

I buy plain colours - mainly navy

I do buy the occasional expensive thing (Hobbs, Jigsaw) if I can but mostly shops in H&m in tesco!

I am not really a fan of dresses as they are not practical where I work.
I like smartish trousers and fitted tops with a longline cardi.

I like this type of look (would probably wear with a cardigan)
tablet.hm.com/gb/product/25479?article=25479-B

Or this
www.clothingattesco.com/tops+t-shirts/f+f-sheer-panel-knitted-top/invt/jf411106&bklist=icat,4,shop,catgwomens,womens-tops-and-t-shirts

Like cream, red, Breton stripes, pearl earrings

Would recommend getting a good haircut and shellac nails, body lotion with a hint of colour etc.

www.clothingattesco.com/tops+t-shirts/f+f-sheer-panel-knitted-top/invt/jf411106&bklist=icat,4,shop,catgwomens,womens-tops-and-t-shirts

a nice jacket and floaty scarf can change the look of jeans totally
I'm looking for gladiator sandals to wear with skinny jeans this summer, got a cord jacket from charity shop for £3

also long unusual pendant can change a top; or a smart shirt if you don't usually wear shirts

tkmaxx have racks of long line cardigans New Look worth a glance too, love their sale rails

Im mid 30s with no money, will be watching this

I invest in footwear and then buy cheap clothes. But when I say cheap I like to invest time into sourcing reasonable things cheaply. Which means biding my time in the sale rails! I hold out for 70% off so tend to buy out of season. For instance I bought a gorgeous summer dress from warehouse for 10 at new year.

But I appreciate that at 38 my style isn't everyones cup of tea as the footwear I invest in to go with the dresses are DM's.

my choice of investment footwear are Vans trainers

I shop a few times a year & don't have much cash to splash. I do what others have mentioned & buy out of season in quality shops so the clothes last wear & tear and toddlers.

Sainsbury's have a nice spring collection at the moment. I buy a lot of classic styles in monochrome colours which can be worn anytime of the year. I avoid wasting money on one season trends & would rather invest that money in good shoes or a bag.

Try a personal shopper to give you fresh ideas. John Lewis and Debenhams offer a complimentary service.

I'm early 30s and size 10 but I have very little cash so lurking for ideas!

I also always check out the supermarkets and sale rail in New Look - have got better recently at not impulse buying crap because it's cheap. I keep aiming for less clothes of better quality, but it's hard when you just want a quick fashion fix. Sales have started though - Next had some nice jeans and trousers for about £14 yesterday, some navy trousers with biker detailing. River Island and Oasis also had reductions. Christmas sales I usually go mad in, that's when the best reductions are and I don't think full price is the true value half the time anyway.

I usually 'invest' in jeans and trousers then get my fashion fix from buying cheap tops in sales or from very cheap places. I need to wean myself off cheap ballet flats as they do always look so cheap when I see them on other people - but I looked at brogues and they're so expensive. Primark skinnies are ace, always a good range of colours in both their standard skinny fit and the supersoft ones.

Good coat and bag too - I do Ebay like crazy to be able to have designer bags with my Primark clobber

I wear a lot of H&M and scour the sale rails. Even if buying cheaper clothes I try to buy natural fabrics. Accessories like statement necklaces and scarve can help to change the look. I'm very much a jeans/trouers and top kind of girl.

Hold off for sales and you get get some amzing bargains from high end shops. For example today I am wearing:
The White Company lace front top: original price £75 I paid £22.50 in sale
Mango wool mix pencil skirt: original price £35 I paid £16
Other Stories slip: original price £25 I paid £7

In addition do not discredit Charity shops and Ebay. Try to find ones in better areas. I recently bought a genuine Prada bag for £35 and a Shirin Guild cashmere cardigan for £15

Good accessories are also a great investment. TK Maxx has some great scarves etc and lots of the jewellery shops have fab sales- I'm wearing a Dogeared three disc gold necklace today reduced to £15 from £50.

It's just a case of establishing which brands you like, trying things on when not in sale to establish price and then grabbing bargains online.

establish size not price- oops

Thanks everyone, lots of great ideas. I really struggle to find anything in the sales as most other women in the world seem to be a size 12 or 14! Plus I think you need to go shopping a lot more frequently than I do to find bargains - I really hate shopping and tend to go for cheap fashion fixes rather than taking my time and investing in something decent.

Sales and charity shops are where I get most of my clothes. I buy decent leather shoes and boots though as cheap ones are not worth the money. Just recently I got a 100% wool genuine pringle jumper for £1 in a charity shop and it's in perfect condition. primark skinnies are very good for the price and you can often get 100% cotton vests in there for around £2 each. New look skinnies are also good but more expensive than the primark ones. Outlet stores can be good as well, I got a Michael - Michael Korrs dress in my local HoF outlet store for just £15 and a DKNY dress for only £10!

I spend more on my coat/jacket and footwear, and sometimes handbag. The rest is from new look, primark, Dorothy perkins and I like the vests in h&m and fat face. I never find anything in the sales. I've just started doing a bit of cleaning during school hours so wear leggings, long vests and a cardigan, it's comfortable to clean in. If I'm not working i wear skinny jeans, Breton top, or a shirt. I have a big collection of scarves that always smarten up an outfit too be honest people mostly see me with my coat on. New look and primark have some lovely shirts and skinny jeans. Quite like the Eden jeggings from dps.

My clothes are cheap, buy I always make sure my hair is clean and keep on top of dying it myself, I always wear simple makeup and never leave the house without lipstick or gloss and a squirt of perfume. I always paint my nails myself and get my eyebrows waxed regularly. I'm lucky to have some very nice jewellery and watch and drive a very nice car, people are always surprised when they ask where something is from and it's usually primark. I recently got measured for a new bra having always worn primark, the size difference was huge, the bra cost £35 but what a difference it makes to the way clothes fit, so consider that.

My friend wears simple tops with big necklaces, which I might try once it warms up.

New Look have nice dresses from other brands in their shops. I wear a lot of flowery dress/leggings/cardigan/biker boots type combos don't care if its fashionable or not.

Try and go for quality not quantity. Get one nice item for £20/30/whatever, rather than a pile of primark tat at a fiver or tenner a time.

I don't generally bother with the sale rale. As others have said, 12s and 14s sell out and I just CBA with it to be honest.

I know its not popular on here, but I often look in M&S, mainly because there is a massive one on a retail park near me and it opens early so I can look when its quiet on the way to work. However there availabilty in 12/14 is absolutely fucking appalling and they will sell out instantly in everything in these sizes.

I'm wearing ripped jeans and purple docs and all day have been thinking how I must be too old for this look.

Age appropriate doesn't need to mean frumpy but I think being size 14 and wearing these things with fat pink knees poking through them is NOT the right look!