Help me find lots of clothes right now.

[NoelEdmondsHighFlyingTurds]

I've changed job and need an overhaul of clothes. It's a casual industry, and I love the skinnies and ankle boots/brogues thing, but I'm only 5'4" and size 16.

Skinny jeans give me parsnip legs, and of course straight legs don't seem to work with ankle boots. Brogues make my feet look tiny as my legs are short and very fat.

Can't do dresses or skirts because they're all too short - it's impossible to buy a dress that is actually knee length it seems. Also, I want to cover my lower legs anyway.

Am feeling a bit down about it, because I'm overweight and mid 40s I feel like I look really unkempt and butch in straight jeans with turn-ups and trainers.

I feel I need to find the perfect jeans or trousers and buy loads of pairs.

These are insanely comfortable and leg lengthening. Can be worn with a straight/slim leg jean as no need to tuck in. I have several variations and despite a crippling bad back can wear these all day.

Add a nice top ( Mint Velvet fan, here) and possibly a scarf. Do your hair and some nice makeup and you are good to go.

That's hilarious, I've just popped over from Amazon and seen this thread. I have 6 different pairs of Fly in my basket already.

Hi Noel - I am the same size as you and with the same shape. Here is some of the stuff I find works. It might not be your thing but some might be worth a try.

I wear long jersey black maxi dress in a long column shape from Simply be. I tend to wear converse type trainers with these or Hudson Daisy brogues in tan. These brogues are good because they elongate the feet without being clunky.

Over the maxi dresses I wear a selection of boatneck shaped tops, Bretons or trapeze shaped casual jersey tops. In winter I wear slouchy knits or more fitted v-neck cashmere jumpers. I keep to a basic palette and accessorise with scarves etc.With the trapeze ones I wear them a couple of sizes smaller so they swing but aren't too voluminous. Boden has some good ones right now. Boden lightweight boatneck tops are also cut for our shape and can be layered up nicely. Slouchy tops work well too but only if they are moderately slouchy.

Long silver pendent necklaces are good as are stacks of silver bangles.

I have a lot of luck with Next with respect to jeans. There are some cigarette ones they are currently selling that give a slimline look but not the parsnip. I wear a long vest and layer a trapeze type top over this and then wear my brogues and that sorts out the proportions. I have a couple of Toast jersey tunics that are mid thigh and that are on sale at the moment that work well with these.

Next have a really good denim jacket that is cropped in the right place and works well with the maxi dresses.

I wear cropped leggings with knee/just above the knee tunics or dresses. The cropped leggings slim down the calves and show off slimmer ankles.I stick to all black or all navy and then wear brogues or converse.

Also Hudson Encke boots work well because they are really low cut on the ankle so avoid giving the cankle look.

I too am chunky of calf (and possibly of thigh)

These khakis are fab in navy for a more casual look Gap

I wear them with these shoes in white Gabor

And you can't go wrong with Sloan fit straight leg trousers for a more formal look Banana Republic

Ooh, more helpful posts over night! Thanks so much.

Dee, are the trapeze tops you mention the same as swing tops? Don't you get teeny fit syndrome with the Daisy brogues?

Love those khakis, eleventy.

Am storing up the ideas!

Black jeans and black ankle boots could work, less of a visual break so perhaps avoiding the leg shortening effect?
I'd personally go for suede ankle boots, just less clumpy somehow? And definitely go for a small heel, makes a massive difference

Boden skinny jeans are more generous in proportion than others. Otherwise Gap real straight are a good slim but not skinny cut

Hi - yes, sorry. The tops are called 'super soft swing tops'. The brogues are tapered at the top so stop the stunted foot look . I'm a size 5 too.