Help me look like this woman I saw in the street!

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

Trudging along in the rain the other day in flat boots, jeans, and sensible knee length waterproof school run type coat.

Then this woman hoved into view looking fabulous with her bob in a beany hat, egg shaped woolen coat, midi length flared skirt poking out of the bottom of it, woollen tights and ankle boots. She looked like she should be in focus at the front of a slow motion shot whilst the background blurred out and a Jacques Brel soundtrack played.

She looked fab, everything was coordinated in terms of colour, she looked really cosy but actually fucking stylish, rather than me galumphing along.

So, I've decided enough with the jeans. I want to look feminine, chic, perhaps a little boho. Not like I've just raided the rails of White Stuff or Fat Face. I used to be so much braver with clothes but now I'm mid 40s, short and a bit fat, so this could be a challenge. I'm aware an egg coat would make me look like an actual egg. And I don't want to be the sort of middle aged woman who puts in pink highlights and wears zebra print DMs because they're "fun".

Any suggestions of where to get the type of clothes I'm on about? I don't mean necessarily copies of hers, it's more about being more original and somehow, oh I don't know, lovely.

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

That is nice, Dancer, although be careful to make sure you clothe your lower half, the girl on the website appears to have made this elementary error.

I'm going to give it a miss, I think with my non-willowy stature there's a likelihood of me looking like Michael Foot in it.

[Dancergirl]

I'll give it a go damn you S&B, do I NEED any more clothes??

[momb]

I have no advice to give as I am beyond style disaster and struggling to even look washed these days.
But, as someone who many moons ago did wear lovely wool coats and berets (before beanies: it was a while ago) I will say OP that the lad in the egg shaped coat was probably wishing for a waterproof coat like yours at the same time you were admiring her stylishness. That egg shaped coat won't be eggs shaped for long once it's got properly soaked a couple of times.......

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Oh loving the Noa Noa website. Lovely children's wear too. Its a bit over my budget Where do fat, poor yet stylish Scandinavian women shop?

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

Have a look at Lagenlook, as suggested upthread. I only had time for a quick glimpse, but looked like it had potential.

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

Stay with us, momb, we have some lovely suggestions to make to return you to your former glory. Have you heard of a designer called Tina Bacon..?

[banivani]

Lois, allow me to answer that, at least from the perspective of a Swede.

First of all, very few people are stylish. Indeed, I get complimented on being stylish now and again and really I'm not, I just don't wear jeans and jumpers all the time. My hair is a disaster but that's for another discussion. So that's one hurdle gone I suppose. Secondly, most people tend to shop at our big chain stores, H&M (and you KNOW what their plus size offerings are), Lindex or Kappahl. Basically it's a sea of black and grey and sad sacks of polyester. Or you can shop online at ellos.se or La Redoute (Taillisime is such a stylish collection, isn't it? Not.). However, the offerings are about the same as for non-fats, i.e. a bit dismal, so you're no different.

I'm a size 42/44, I've bought Boden and Phase Eight in a sz 16, and most clothes here are cut for tallish cylindrical people I would say. Hard to fit into. :( Oh yes I'm bitter. And I'm not a fat fat person, I'm just standing next to the plus size section like so I have more options. But to they fit? Do they my arse.

I can comfort you with the fact that NoaNoa are REALLY awkward-fitting. I have two items from them in a sz XL to accomodate any sort of boob and this means that the waists and shoulders are massive while they still gape at the front. But they are pretty!

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Thanks I'm a 14/16 too I know what you mean. I like h&m and la redoute but haven't bought from them for a while. I hadn't heard of Ellos, will have a look!

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Lagen is nice! I'm not supposed to be spending

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

I love black and grey. I wonder if I'm secretly Swedish.

[SirChenjin]

Rejoining you all from the comfort of my train seat home to see if you've discovered the holy grail of fashion for the women getting on a bit - and it appears not. You're rubbish, the lot of you. Tina and the baby Jesus are vair vair sad.

I had a training day today so went a bit off piste. Currently rocking my waterproof parka, M&S jeggings (loud and proud), a long figure hugging sweater from French Connection (get me!) with a long white sleeved top underneath. Chunky knee length boots and a scarf.

Oh hang on...

[PreAdvent13610]

Coats need to be pure wool to be fairly waterproof. With a good tweed, you may smell a bit sheepy but most the water runs off.
I may have turned into a bumpkin

[SayAGreatBigThankyou]

I wore a Boden lace T and thought of Tina. Managed to resist the menopausal statement necklace though.

[SayAGreatBigThankyou]

I might wear boyfriend jeans and sparkly Ash trainers tomorrow, but worried about cold ankles . And only really have a breton stripy T to wear on top.

[LynetteScavo]

www.johnlewis.com/gina-bacconi-chiffon-pleated-bodice-dress-beige/p1131981?s_dressipi=true

[LynetteScavo]

Sorry, didn't mean to post that I was in shock JL thought I might actually want to wear it!

[SirChenjin]

You'd better be quick Lynette - they only have size 10s left

Can you imagine the horror of pitching up at a tea dance and finding someone else wearing the same Tina Bacon dress? Although they do all look quite similar, you might get away with it if you stared determinedly into the middle distance and pretended you hadn't noticed

[AppleSnapple]

The problem with clicking on the Tina bacon JL links you're all putting on is that the lacey monstrosities are now winking at me as ads on my phone!
Now I'm not blaming anyone but me for clicking them, I'm just saying I'd be ashamed if someone stole my phone and thought I was into that stuff!!

So- what about Hush? I've had a couple of nice dresses from there of late...?

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Lynette £350.00 to look like to look like an extra in Poirot.

[WhataRacquet]

JL thinks I should wear this I would look like a reject from a 70's sitcom

[SirChenjin]

That's erm...flowery

[LoisWilkersonsLastNerve]

Oh goodness me! Might look good on a 6ft tall, 18 year old hipster, wearing it ironically of course.

[HeyNonnyMaybe]

Now you see, with less Morticia-y sleeves I'd like that.

Am I beyond hope?

[banivani]

No, I like it too! But lose the hippie sleeves, please. ;) I do have a soft spot for seventies glamour and maxi dresses though. ;)

[hollinhurst84]

I think I broke the JL style thing
It seems to have actually given me half decent plain stuff