Goth/steampunk/rock chick/metal trousers advice

[BoffinMum]

As part of my official midlife crisis I am going back into singing (which I did for a living a really long time ago, but as a posh soprano of the breaking glass type), and seem to be subversively inching towards a kind of nerd folk metal as a genre. This all involves moving across from my current style of dress, which I would call "John Lewis Sale' but which my daughter calls scathingly "Connecticut Mom', towards a more exciting goth/steampunk/rock chick kind of look.

I have found a website called 'Attitude' and bought a daring hoodie with pentagrams on, bought a fake leather jacket and boots from H&M and bought a t-shirt with a mesh top bit to show off some flesh. All good so far. Now the perfect trousers to go with this would be skinny leather jeans with a few zips but unfortunately I am a big overweight, pear shaped, and about a size 18-20. Hence wearing skinny leather jeans would make my legs look like large parsnips in black bin bags, rather than the sexy babe thing I am after. Does anyone have any style workarounds for this sort of thing?

And just put on some skinny jeans. They're only a problem if your top isn't long enough if you have a tum. (Absolute sartorial no-no.)

I went to see Blondie a few years back and Deborah Harry was wearing a leather bike jacket over a long mesh skirt with leggings / tights she looked amazing ...... Dr Martins and attitude ... go for it girl

I think that is a good point, whether it's for gigging or life. I think that is where the mid life crisis comes in. Both I think, but mainly gigging or meeting new musicians I might want to work with.

I like the Imelda May look by the way.

Sadik, I do like those combats.

You need a trip to Camden Market, OP. You could get fully kitted out there!

It's definitely worth bearing in mind Boffin as most people (perhaps lady gaga aside) don't dress for the stage day to day.

I'd create a daytime uniform, keep it easy. Maybe some skinny jeans with a bit of stretch (we're all different shapes but I find Dorothy perkins ones good for my giant arse), and a number of different tops/shirts/layering pieces for day to day. One nice coat-maybe just a hint of steampunkishness - joe browns do a nice tweed coat usually.

Boring items like black tshirts can be jazzed up with accessories- it's not always about the clothes.

Stage wear, my general rule of thumb is to dress like a cartoon version of yourself. It translates well and gives people something to look at.

I dont know how you feel about corsetry, I like them- my preferred brand is Snobs. I layer a corset with shirts. it's cute.

Clicked on this for ideas, am going through an eerily similar mid-life crisis! Do you think this is A Thing? Are we just a different kind of cliche

I've replaced half of my (also weirdly similar) JL wardrobe with Zadig & Voltaire stuff. Wait for the 70% off warehouse sale. I now look like Chrissy Hynde after a few too many prawn cocktail sarnies and not enough cigarettes

Are you, by any chance, considering dying half your hair silver..........??