Complete outfit £150-200 spend

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I'm about to come into a little bit of money and from it I 've decided to treat myself to a nice outfit/few items to see me through spring. Help me please- I've completely lost my look/identity and am very guilty of choosing comfort over style.

I'm a stay at home mum, and currently live in jeans, stripy tops, cardigans and a pair of tan lace up brogues that have now seen better days. I've worn all my clothes and boots to death as I live in the same things pretty much. I'd like to look 'put together' but not overly groomed. My current favourites are fatface for jeans (but not tops, they all seem too flouncy for me), and I buy bits of joules and Boden on eBay, plus the usual basics. I like floral patterns, blues, greys, greens, and never wear red, black or pink.

Hit me with your best- for my top budget (£200) I'd like to get at least a complete outfit, including shoes or boots that I can wear every day. I'm a generous 12. In the right clothes I actually have a reasonable figure/ hourglass shape but currently I look like a playgroup leader who's been raiding jumble sales.

How about these trousers this jumper (I get a small in men's), these brogues
And possibly a nice jacket?

I chose options with lots of colours... But the jacket is black although Hush have a lovely selection of casual jackets...

White stuff, H&M or Zara?

I like Roman clothes for hourglass figures.

www.romanoriginals.co.uk/?gclid=CN7R4r_wltICFW0R0wodtZcO6g

Very good on a tight budget and some of their clothes are similar to phase eight.

Love the brogues and the jacket! Couldn't open the link to the trousers. I've never shopped in gap- do they wash well/wear well?

I do like white stuff, I've had some nice things from there before. I like the unusual buttons and things on them. I'll check their website!

Thanks curvy there is a Roman store in my town but I have to admit i've always just walked past thinking it was all evening wear/formal wear.

Sorry will try again. I am currently wearing some girlfriend jeans that are fabulous but they do stretch so I would go for a snug fit. They wash forever... chinos

Also Me and Em are priced but have these lovely fluid shirts that are comfy and a little bit smart. As I have a 'bosom' I struggle with traditional tailored shirts... shirt I wear with jeans and with a fine knit over the top or with skinny coated trousers for s night out with red lippy...

Pricey!

Also I would say that while the Uniqlo might look a bit 'boring' they are super flattering, go with everything and just make me look 'put together' whatever I am wearing. Also they machine wash like a dream...

Ouch, pricey indeed!

Chino trousers are a good idea actually, I'm sure I once had some khaki ones that were sort of tapered and 7/8 length. They were very flattering. Makes a change from jeans all the time, but I wear jeans because they are comfy and my current pair fit really well. Once you find a pair like that it's hard to stray from them because nothing else cuts it.

I saw some lovely toms on a different thread that were more 'shoe' like than I've seen before from them, they were lovely. Would look nice with chinos in the right colour.

Yes I've heard a lot of uniqlo mentioned on here. We don't have one by us, but I suppose I could order online and send a few bits back? Or keep them!

Yes I chose these ones because the silhouette is quite modern and they would look great with brogues but you absolutely need to try and make sure they are right for you... Also Gap always do s nice selection of colours so you can hopefully find one you like. I just saw they have 35% off in the website today which is a bonus

Yes if you are a size 10-12 small in the men's is the way to go. I prefer the men's knits as they don't cling and just look a bit cooler (grasping at straws). I have a bottle green one and a teal one because I wear a lot of navy/black on bottom. I didn't even try on in store so I think you could easily order online, unlike new trousers posdibly

Sorry second message re Uniqlo, first re Gap

I think Swimming has a good point: not necessarily that particular shirt but about spending a chunk of the money on one thing that works really well and makes you feel good. E.g I think well cut, well fitting trousers/jeans are worth spending more on. Or shoes if they're your thing. Then I'd go low budget for everything else. You might also find that one great thing will lift the rest of your outfit so you don't need as much new stuff as you think.

I was just about to ask that very question flo, about what you think is worth splurging on and what isn't worth it. For me, I think it's silly to have expensive tops for everyday wear because they just get worn and dirty with little dc. I tend to keep my only nice ones for best but then don't like the fit of cheaper ones after they've been washed.

Have any of you used a personal shopper service and would you recommend? I want to break out of my 'style rut' a bit but don't know where to start and tend to talk myself out of more expensive things and play it safe.

I think the thing that's worth splurging on is the thing that puts a spring in your step, if you know what I mean? At the moment that would be trousers for me (but I would say that as I'm on another thread obsessing about them). Or a great jacket. But for some people, it's shoes. Tops get sweaty and attract spillages so, to my mind, aren't worth a big expense.

Whenever I think I'm getting into a style rut I just go out and try loads of things on that are out of my comfort zone - and take photos to look at later. But that's not so easy if you're a SAHM so a personal shopper might be the answer, athough I've never used one.

I also watch what people are wearing all the time: in the streets, the coffee shop, the supermarket, wherever - get lots of ideas that way.

For me when doing mummy thing it's a jacket you can throw on over everything and cover up spills!

Found this today- how much of a Joules copy is this??? Don't know where this fits into my new outfit but I bought it anyway!