Can some kind soul please help me?

[ScreamLikeYouMeanIt]

I'm sorry if this turns out to be really long. Just wondering if some of you kind people could please suggest any places or key pieces that I may be able to find some new nice clothes from? I've never been confident with clothes or how I look and as a result have a really bad wardrobe of unsuitable clothes. Now thanks to a wonderful DH who is encouraging and supportive I feel confident enough to start having a coherent, more fashionable wardrobe.

I am 5'11 and a size 16 top and bottom, so certainly a larger lady. I'm a classic hourglass shape with a 12/14 waist, a fairly flat tummy and 36E chest . However, I find plus size ranges generally too unfitted/unflattering on me whilst the regular high street ranges (top shop, river island etc) are designed for those less curvaceous. I'm 24 and work in a school where I am happy wearing fit&flare dresses with cardigans, tights and ankle boots. I don't want to be cutting edge fashionable but nor do I want to be dressing much older than my age.

Does anyone have any suggestions for places from which I can buy my casual 'weekend' clothes from and extend my work clothes? Thank you if you got this far and put up with my clothes moaning. It's an area of my life I'm really un-confident in.

Sugarhill boutique for day dresses. Might be an option.

Thank you Madbengalmum, some of those dresses are beautiful.

I love Jaeger clothes. They are a good for; generous in size and last. They are classic and modern. They have good sales though so worth waiting for it to be on offer (they may have 20% off at the moment)

If you have a little more £ then Joseph. You could get 1-2 key pieces from here for your forever clothes e.g. Black trousers; a shirt etc.

Good luck x

Joy tend to have lots of fit and flare dresses in interesting prints which might be worth a look?

I really recommend ASOS - they have lots of things in both their standard and tall ranges in a size 16 so there's a lot of choice. Something like this is easy to wear if you want something simple that's not a dress:

www.asos.com/asos-tall/asos-tall-stripe-crew-neck-t-shirt/prd/7555699?iid=7555699&clr=Blackwhite&SearchQuery=asos%20tall%20crew%20neck&pgesize=9&pge=0&totalstyles=9&gridsize=3&gridrow=2&gridcolumn=2

Apologies, that's out of stock in your size but it gives you an idea and the stock changes all the time!

Thank you all for the suggestions. I like alot of the stuff on ASOS and the like the price too! Unfortunately DirtyDancing although I would love to be effortlessly chic and pull off Jaeger and Joseph, I'm not sure my figure or purse are in agreement. Ahh sigh . Thank you anyway

have you been fitted for a bra recently?
I bet you are not a 36e
if you fit a size 16 top then you you will be a smaller backsize

getting a really well fitting bra will change your fgure-making you look slimmer so i suggest a trip to bravissimo for a fitting prior to buying new clothes.

I agree about the bra fittings. John Lewis are also reliable though not M&S.

I'm currently living in these after a tip off from someone on this forum. Sooo comfy, you throw them on over your head and feel glam but not too dressy. Great for hourglasses! www.bombshellhq.com/search?q=tea+dress

I love the blue spot one Teaandsymphony, are they good quality? I may be able to persuade myself round to the price if I can think of enough 'special occasions' in the next 6 months. therootoftheroot I have done to bra intervention thing in the past and came out a 34E but just discounted it as inaccurate, is it more accurate then boux avenue, m&s etc?

Bra intervention is definitely more accurate than M+S! It totally changed my figure

I am a size 20 and fit a 36 back bra. If you are a 16 you will almost certainly be smaller round the back and bigger in the cup. M and s are useless.

My DD is a 30 FF. She's a 10. We found Selfridges in London to be accurate and once you know your bra size in the type of bra you like you can just order on line from where you like. You are the same age as my DD, OP.

She buys loads from asos and Zara. She likes jump suits, all sorts of trousers from wife to skinny. She finds Zara jeans excellent and likes their tops and jackets. She just bought a pink boucle one with appliqué butterflies. Massimo Dutti do good casuals too and Warehouse have greatly improved
recently. There is also &OtherStories. She tends to avoid Top Shop, River Island and Oasis but they may be your style. Shoes from Zara mostly. Have fun looking.

wide to skinny!

Personal shopper at large dept store. not sure how it works but there'll be a thread on it. good luck.