It's the HOURGLASS thread! Share your buys/finds for Casual, Work and Occasion that make the most of your hourglass shape!

[Weebleswobbles]

Hopefully title says it all

Very excited to hear from other hourglasses for exciting inspiration.

I went dresses-only three years ago because I was fed up of looking rubbish in anything else. It does make casual a challenge but I do love a regular internet browse endless search. I am taller than average so really struggle to find long enough dresses in the summer. And I don't do black or grey (Autumn colouring) so that always makes things twice as hard.

I often alter the waist on dresses, just by hand. I am really not very adept but they look much better once I've doctored them.

I do like vintage (I love topvintage.net/) but I find that I can only wear wiggle styles because my hips look so enormous in the full-skirted styles.

I'm autumn colouring too (I am afraid I have too many gorgeous little black dresses to stop wearing it though)! And I have a similar thing with full skirts - they make my hips look gigantic. As far as I'm concerned, the less material/stuff (pockets etc.) on the hips, the better.

I wear a lot of blouses [like this one - pricey but worth it and surprisingly flattering to breasts thefoldlondon.com/product-tag/bowery-blouse/] with pencil skirts (tucked in) and fitted dresses with high necklines (I have quite a long neck) and below the knees, with a fitted jacket. Then there are 40s and 50s vintage suits too - making sure I avoid anything too shoulder paddy.

My problem is casual. I look infinitely better in skirts than trousers, but don't want to look too formal at weekends. Maybe I can ask this group, what do you think about pencil skirts/dresses with tights and ankle boots for a more formal "weekend brunch/lunch" look?

Hi Gah I wear something similar at weekends: above the knee fitted or A line skirts with tights and biker boots. I don't like the look of my thin ankles in ankle boots, though if I've a thick pair of socks which match the colour of my tights & I can wear them folded, I sometimes do. I'll try and do a link to the kind of boots I mean.

The other thing I wear at weekends is high waisted skinnies (e.g. the M&S ones) with a shaped long jumper. I've ordered the Sprit one recommended upthread in emerald green (postage a nice 99p!). I wear my ankle boots with these.

Fly Boots: [[Mol 2 Warm £130.00
BLACK - P142907000]]

Sorry, I haven't got the hang of how to do links yet, but if you go on the Fly Boots website and select knee high boots, you'll see the kind of thing I mean. I also have a pair of Russell & Bromley mid calf boots which lace up the front and have a fur trim which (I think) look great with casual skirts. They're years old though.

Gah, as an only-a-dress wearer I'm probably not in a position to objectively comment . For casual I try to find fitted styles in more relaxed fabrics, such as denim, cotton or marls.

Weeble, how exciting, hope you enjoy it.

I did a lot of dresses until I had kids a few years ago and found it impossible to crawl around the floor after them. It took me a long time to make the jump from boot cut to skinny though I've recently decided it's slim that I suit not skinny.

Tonight I made myself a pair of tweed slim trousers which I'm quite chuffed with. If anyone wants to make their own clothes these trousers are the easiest thing going and perfect for me as a hourglass
sewoverit.co.uk/product/ultimate-trousers-sewing-pattern/

Thanks cheapskatemum :) the boots look gorgeous. I might just try the high waisted skinnies - though am worried what they'll do to my bum (which is generous - my hips aren't particularly wide but the 37" measurement comes mostly from my bottom ) Love the sound of your R&B ones - I may try to search for something similar, that sounds like a great look.

Underneath I like the sound of that, makes a lot of sense. I do have a pencil denim skirt that I get a lot of use out of (Baukjen again) with a blouse tucked in www.baukjen.com/uk/baukjen-sale/skirts-sale/maree-denim-skirt-washed-indigo.htm?utm_medium=GoogleMerchantFeed&utm_source=GoogleMerchantFeed&utm_campaign=BaukjenWomenswearUKMareeDenimSkirt&utm_content=ProductFeed&_$ja=tsid:44169&productid=33231&gclid=CPqis-nWh9ICFSsq0wodmEQPAA

Thanks for the trouser pattern link, SunnyL. Going to try making my own clothes again this year after a long break & these look great as one of the first things to try. Finding trousers to buy that fit waist & hip is a perpetual struggle when you are curvy.

Ooh, I can contribute!

This jumper from Boden is ace - thin fabric but the sort that skims rather than clings to lumps and bumps, hugs boobs, v neck just the right depth to avoid buxom barmaid look, waist doesn't nip in, but a suggestion of waist is visible rather than unflattering bagginess so good for hourglasses with a bit of a tummy. And with judicious use of money off codes and free £10 voucher you can get it for about £35:
m.boden.co.uk/en-gb/womens-knitwear/knitted-jumpers/wv143/womens-tilly-v-neck-jumper

Looks by at the pics on the link, I'd say it like old much better in a shapely figure because it needs filling out. Looks a bit 'blah' on the model.

What a helpful thread.
I'm a tall hourglass / pear with a very defined waist. I've recently bought some Jamie skinny jeans from top shop in the tall length which I absolutely love. They fit really well. The other jeans that fit are Levi's with the differing waist to hip ratio.
For smart black trousers, I like Karen Millen best. Good length and they do sit on a waist in just the right spot.
For dresses and skirts, I make my own. I got so fed up of being made to feel like an oddity but it's become a very absorbing and satisfying hobby.

Just back from hoc session - ''twas fab. I'm a jewel winter. Now going through all links posted here to see if they are in winter colours

My people!

I'm an hourglass, complicated by the fact I am also really tall (5'11). I live in fitted midi dresses for work or going out, but struggle with casual wear. H&M high waisted skinnies are OK on me, but I have to wear a longish top with them or I'm all big bum . I miss Levi Curve jeans .

What sort of casual tops do you all wear? Anything remotely boxy or with any neck other than a shallow V looks dreadful on me. I just can't seem to 'do' tee-shirts stylishly at all.

Work trousers are my holy grail, too. I have never found a pair that flatter and are long enough.

(Oh, I'm also also a Jewel Winter, Weebles )

Tshirts look fecking awful on me, especially the ones with the standard round neck. I tend to wear lots of v neck blouse type things tucked in but they don't look very casual. If I attempt casual I instantly look a good stone heavier.

All made worse by my fat upper arms which mean I can't wear anything without sleeves because they are enormous.

H&M have some great V neck tshirts at the moment that are 100% cotton, wash well, don't stretch out of shape and are flattering - all for £8.

Great thread. I've very recent realised I'm an hour glass rather than a pear (39, 31,40). I've succumbed to the Tammie 7 go all mankind jeans (they only had a 30 left, here's hoping I can squeeze into them) and the Boden skirt (Again, In the petit as it was all they had) which is going to be short but I had a voucher so WTH.

My Best Buy recently has been these running tights:

www.tkmaxx.com/womens-sportswear/charcoal-grey-active-leggings/invt/17071954

They are pretty snug in the waste and have a hidden draw string, so don't ride down and leave my mum tum hanging at the gym.

Hi Djangor! Waves! Was it the No Spend 2016 thread we met on? As you can see I'm spending a bit again now, but trying to restrict myself by remembering the salutary lessons I learnt on that thread. Less is definitely more, I don't want loads of ill-fitting tat! Good luck with making your own clothes. I'm half way through a summer dress. There's a few wobbly seams, but otherwise sew far sew good (groan)

Eastwest I've just been looking at that Boden Tilly jumper and you've answered my questions about fit, thank you! I don't find the colour selection very inspiring though. I'm a HoC winter, don't think they'd invented the jewel sub caste when I had it done, but bright colours like emerald green & sapphire blue look good on me. Is it that straightforward?

Eastwest - thanks for the Boden jumper- it does look good. Amwith Cheapskate - I don't know which of those would be best for a winter so will go with the blue and the white

Cheapskate and jayzuz - have another thread running for great places to buy hoc jewel winter colours from (other than kettlewell) - do post there if you've got recommendations

What about this? Good for hourglass? www.veryexclusive.co.uk/lk-bennett-hendra-cap-sleeve-pencil-dress-pink/1600079177.prd?itemAdded=true&_requestid=31400

Hi Gah, I love the dresses on the Fold, have you any from there. I'm the same size as you & according to their sizing I'm a 10, I'm wondering if the measurements given are true.

Wrecked I have the hendra dress, it's great on me. Makes me look v put together

Hope no one minds me bouncing this but I wanted to ask about casual jackets. Thinks to sling on on the weekend which are casual and wearable (i.e. I can wear going to Tesco or to my mums for lunch) but also a bit stylish and will scrub up ok.

I'm thinking biker jacket but I don't wear black so maybe grey? But I'm so short waisted I'm not sure. Blazers suit me but too formal and I think bombers are a total no go fur to waist hiding.

What works on others?

I have a nice waterfall jacket from Oasis I got a few years ago, I always find that style very flattering, or something cropped and fitted.

Anyone have any suggestions of what to wear to a wedding in early March? Fairly casual affair, don't want to look wintery but do want to be warm!