Is Dorothy Perkins beyond the pale? MNVogue, your input please :-)

[MargeryFenworthy]

Have gone through almost a year of gruelling breast cancer treatment and finally emerged 'better' but bigger. It's great to be getting back to some kind of normality but I'm hating feeling plumper and the fact that all my clothes are tighter adds insult to injury. I've decided to just bite the bullet and buy some bigger things to get myself through the next few months but for obvious reasons don't want to spend a fortune. I've bought a few bits in Topshop and Warehouse and have spied a few things in Dorothy Perkins...but is that just too much? Any guidance on savvy buys to get me through this hopefully temporary time would be gratefully appreciated. x

What kind of things - work, holiday, sport? There are so many sakes on now if you have time to shop around.

Get some nice things that can work when you slim down again. You deserve to spoil yourself!

All of the above...! Am back to work and finding that is a challenge as I like to look good. Ugh, just feel a bit lost and don't know where I go from here.

Nothing wrong with some bits from Dotty P's!! You can find bits and pieces in lots of shops if you know what you're looking for and what suits your shape etc.

Just a side point you might want to get your title edited, some people may point out that 'beyond the pale' has offensive roots as a phrase and so upsets some.

Offensive? What's to be offended about?

Lovely to hear that you are better. :)

How about a couple of jersey tube skirts for Autumn? They tend to have elasticated waists so you might be able to buy a size down so it lasts as you're losing weight for a while?

This sort of thing Uou can generally get them in midi or mini versions.

Thanks Remus...however I simply cannot do long skirts/dresses. They do nothing for me whatsoever!

You can generally get mini versions too!

Well done on getting through a tough time. I hope you get some great tips on here.

Remus** I came down here to suggest a jersey skirt too, H & M have some knee length ones for under £10 at the moment. They're good for other wardrobe-fillers on a budget as well.

I was never aware of any meaning other than this; . This 'pale' is the noun meaning 'a stake or pointed piece of wood', a meaning now virtually obsolete except as used in this phrase, but still in use in the associated words 'paling' (as in paling fence) and 'impale' (as in Dracula movies).

The paling fence is significant as the term 'pale' came to mean the area enclosed by such a fence and later just figuratively 'the area that is enclosed and safe'.

Congratulations on getting through a tough year.

I actually have bought a few nice things from DPs over the years...it is definitely throwaway fashion in my book though and not great quality. Good for a year or so!

'some people may point out that 'beyond the pale' has offensive roots as a phrase and so upsets some.'

I don't consider the phrase's roots to be offensive.

beyond the pale denotes the lands outside of London and its walls in olden times where all the uncivilised lived! The pale refers to the large wooden spikes and from the Latin pallus.
Hence if you went beyond the spikes, the pale it was pretty dire.

HTH to the poster who was professionally offended

I can't remember it was just on one of those 'can we please not use this terribly offensive phrase' threads and I didn't want anyone coming on and being mean! I believe it's origins are in the religious divide in Ireland.

Anyway didn't mean to derail! ASOS is good for trying and returning lots of things as it's cheap and easy, if you don't fancy too much shop trawling

Re. Dorothy Perkins OP, it's one of those shops that rarely has anything that catches my eye but every so often comes up trumps. And well done on coming out the other side of your illness

Some people are just determined to be offended.

These look as if they could be useful.

mykongdim you're wrong about the Ireland derivation. But you're intentions are good! I can't get too worked up about every little thing and save the ire for the terrible awfuls.

H&M are good for cheap basics.

www2.hm.com/en_gb/ladies/shop-by-concept/basics.html

I'm not sure about the sizing though without knowing what size you currently are. Most items go up to size XL. I am a size 12, and generally buy L which I think is around 12/14. so presumably XL would be around 16/18.

for you, as others have said you certainly deserve to treat yourself.

Love H&M. But I'm a 12 and I buy a S!

Agree it is not great quality but i do get a few bits and pieces, got maternity jeans and work trousers that have done the job.

Got a couple of summer jumpsuits this season to wear on holiday, not expensive but look fine for evenings etc..

Dorothy Perkins Eden skinnies re pretty good - lots of stretch and very comfy, loads of colours too - although they don't lAst forever as they fade quite quickly.