HOC winter thread. The cool and clear chat continues. Part 4.

[QueenCardigan]

Following on from part 3.

If you're a winter then come and join us for chat and links about clothes/bags/make up/hair....

Sorrel- congrats on the new house! Being near shops is dangerous. If you hadn't looked at your friends, did you feel good about yourself? Were you happy with how you looked? If you did the style day and rated some of your outfits for points of interest etc, how would you have scored?

I tool a couple of pairs of silver sandals and silver jewellery. I think I probably had more accessories than the others in fact.

I'm a Romantic Classic so need things that are luxurious, classy, good quality etc. Over the last few months I've had a lot if compliments saying that I look very elegant and groomed. I think it's hard to translate my usual look (pretty much my Pinterest board!) into clothes suitable for 38 degrees. I'm curvy so I know that loose, flow maxis just make me look shapeless, ditto loose beach cover up type dresses.

I think I looked ok but definitely not as god as I do in real life and I did feel quite under dressed which is odd as I'm usually feeling the opposite! (I don't think I do over dress, but I definitely make more of an effort since my Style day).

Re. The Style day scoring, I think the striped dress needed heels to make it look more grown up on me but it had to be flats as we were eating at places on the beach. So, a partial success I guess. I need someone to out some beach holiday outfits together for me before my next trip!

Oh well, I'm back to 15 degrees and rain now so I should probably stop worrying.

Agghh, so many typos! Obviously I don't think I look like god

Sorrel welcome back!

Would you wear a more fitted maxi dress / skirt?

Can't find a good example on line but this kind of thing?

Or this skirt

Cold and wet here - think it will be a rain jacket and trainers kind of a day.

Pretty

I usually steer clear of full length unless it's for formal wear. I'm a smidgeon under 5'4" so tend to stick to knee length. I should probably investigate the fitted maxi/skirt option in the sales (any excuse).

Mr Pop - I saw that dress linked on another thread and liked it. I don't think it would be dreadful on largish boobs (mine!) so I might give it a try.

Sorrel- don't forget you can add belts to cinch things in and stop them looking so voluminous.

MrPop- love that dress!

I've not done the style day but think I'm dramatic classic - much taller than you Sorrel but can't/don't want to do voluminous. I love a slim maxi dress or skirt though - don't have any recommendations as I need extra long but, I think a slim line suits the classic type style.

sorrel I'm sure your outfits were super. I've not done the style thing so don't know how much that may affect your while look. Might be just that the other ladies don't readily complement or something?
Sorry not much help

sorrel sorry, thread not updated so I'm all behind! Thought no one had replied but they have

Hi Sorrel,
I'm a Romantic Classic too and I think summer holiday wardrobes can be a bit tricky for us because we don't really do casual. I've found that I needed to add more pattern / details to my outfits to bring out the 'romantic' side in the summer. Otherwise I look a bit too classic and, well, plain.

I've worn these sandals a lot to add a bit of sparkle to tailored shorts and tops combinations or to dresses. With shorts I also would also try a top with details around the neckline, e.g.Boden. I also wear a lot of skater type dresses with quite bold patterns, like this one from Oasis or this one from Boden.

Thank you all, I think I'm probably being a bit daft!

OhIDoLikeToBeBesideTheSeaside The skater dress thing is good in theory but just doesn't really work on me. The waists are never in the right place and they make my boobs look even bigger than they are. I have a dress with a similar pattern to that Oasis one and my consultant said it was too girly for me really. I think I probably needed to have remembered my lovely Mango dress (I bought a silver belt to wear with it too - grrrr!) and should have opted for fancier tops as you suggest.

fooogle I sort of jokingly mentioned that everyone else looked great and how many lovely dresses they'd all brought with them and they didn't really answer apart from saying thanks. One of them was my sister and she just tells me I'm a loon anyway .

I'm going to look out for some plain silk/viscose dresses in a t-shirt shape, perhaps with a waist. I do love a sleeve though...

fooogle I did try that Boden dress a while ago. It looked dreadful on me. I hate things without sleeves and the waist wasn't in the right place. It would have been much too hot for the weather we had anyway.

Oops, sorry that was to OhIDoLikeToBeBesideTheSeaside

Linking this blog cos there are a few posts about holiday wear - she wears a lot of plain clothes pretty succcessfully.

correct link

I've just had a look at that blog, thanks for the link. I'm afraid (this is going to make me sound awful) that there wasn't really anything (apart from shorts) that she was wearing on holiday that I liked. Strappy dresses and jumpsuits are a no no for me and kitten heels make my legs look fatter. I am so hard to please

Just ordered this on a whim...[http://m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/mango-bleached-denim-shirt-light-blue/p1413100#page_loaded]
Bought a hopefully ice pink cashmere jumper from charity today (uniqlo one)... Not sure if it may look a bit girly though (despite it being a mans jumper!)

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/mango-bleached-denim-shirt-light-blue/p1413100#page_loaded

Oops link fail, sorry.

Quick question about the style day: if you don't have (because you have no need for) formal or dressing up outfit do you just bring something else along ? I have t shirts and trousers but nothing close to a dress.... Let's hope I'm not a romantic sweeping dress type who should wear jewellery at all times ! (I can probably find my wedding ring if I need to but that's about it...)

OK, I've had a stern word with myself and had another look at that blog!

I quite like the idea of a jumpsuit but I think it would look dreadful on me, too slouchy. I probably need to go and try some on.

Little A-line skirts and dresses are probably the best bet it's just hard to find them in this era of strapless and skater styles let alone in lightweight fabrics that still give some structure. It's just as well that I don't have another holiday planned until Dec!

Something like this perhaps, but in a Winter colour!

Or this {again, in one of our colours)

French Connection?

Too floaty?

I don't know much about being a romantic classic - are these dresses right for this style profile? You mention structure but these don't have much structure?

The second and third dresses might work, especially if you added a belt. I agree with MissScatterbrain though. I think they might not be structured / tailored enough for a romantic classic.