Hot weather clothes for a heffalump!

[pigmcpigface]

I am overweight - size 14, .5 foot 4. I'm trying to lose some, but I have to face the fact that when I go to Italy this summer (squeeee) I will probably still be fat. The weight is largely round my stomach and thighs.

I don't have ANY summer clothes that fit. I would like something that looks elegant and will keep me cool. It needs to be fairly robust, as I will be running around a lot (and walking a long way). I am not confident enough about my body to wear anything very revealing - short dresses are definitely out.

I would really appreciate some advice on how to dress to look as graceful and elegant as is possible for a heffalump like me!

whitewine - it is encouraging to hear that it can work! I haven't felt fresh or energetic in ages, but I'm sick of just feeling fat and lethargic. I don't know how many times I think about being overweight each day, but it's a lot. That energy could better be spent doing something about it.

I love those tops too Remus, especially the blues. I’m waiting for a discount code on my sparks card and then I will order them.
Pig I’m also feeling pretty similar. I’ve been lethargic and overweight since a nasty dose of food poisoning left me with Ibs and associated bloating. Michael Mosley Healthy Gut diet is brilliant for healthy recipes and ideas . This particular diet can also be used to lose weight by incorporating a bit of fasting/calorie counting or just eating better. I feel happier eating more healthily.
Vivid linen is a clothes company set up in Hong Kong. I used to live there and wore their clothes for many years.They sold mainly to expats as the locals are really not that keen on linen.So many customers left hk and still wanted to buy the clothes that they now sell online.However sadly it looks like it won’t be the weather for linen for a while now.

teta - so sorry you're feeling under the weather. I love Michael Mosley. Can't believe he's 61, he looks amazing.

I bet linen is a godsend in the HK climate! Their website is lovely - is their sizing UK or Chinese-oriented? My experience of clothes shopping in China has been that sizes are TINY!

Sorry I can't link but The White Company have a lovely light grey a-line linen dress with short sleeves that would look fab with your silver trainers and you could wear cropped white /black leggings underneath if you wanted. Great quality t-shirts - Toast are expensive but their boxy t-shirts last for ever and come in loads of colours. Cos have got a very nice swing t-shirt dress with big pockets that fits really nicely and is knee length. I'd also recommend Yours linen cropped trousers and tapered ankle length trousers which are about £17 and have elasticated waists - bliss.

Mate, if you're a size 14 you're only a little bit overweight and even then only by medical standards not visual ones.

I'm a size 14 and I just dress however I like, I've never considered myself a plus size or anything like that. I do get a bit of chub rub but I use a lube stick and it's fine.

If you prefer sleeves, trousers etc then great but please don't cover up in the glorious sunshine purely because you think you're too big to inflict on the world. Life's too bloody short.

I wear a bikini and everything.

Thanks for the reassurance morris. As I said upthread, this is very much an issue I have with my self-image due to past events. Also, I genuinely don't "wear" weight well. There are many women who look their radiant best at a size 14 - I'm not one of them, partly due to the fact that I don't go lovely and curby and buxom, but flabby, lumpy and unhealthy.

I’m a little taller than you at 5 6” but am a 14-16. I’ve got some Poetry linen trousers which are comfy and I’ve some really light jogging in denim and other colours that I’d wear with a shoestring strap vest top (Primark are great for these) and fairly fitted linen shirts over with just buttons done up, at the waist to give a bit of shape (amazingly, I still have a waist).

I’m sad I can’t go with shorts and am contemplating NOT going to Lisbon at the end of May because it’ll be so hot and I’ll be hot and everyone will be in bikinis but, for the amount of sunny weather we get here, what I wear is fine.

suki - Oh, please don't be put off. I've been to Lisbon in July - it's actually surprisingly manageable, provided you don't get unlucky and hit a heatwave where it pushes 40+. We were there in around 28-35, but the heat is quite dry, and buildings and streets are well-designed to cope with it. Just make sure you get a place with aircon and a fridge so you can get out of it for a bit and chill plenty of water to take with you (Airbnb places are quite good and cheap on the whole). It might be worth booking a few days in Sintra, as it is a bit cooler, too, with its woodlands and gorgeous gardens.

If you're in the city, I honestly didn't see anyone in a bikini - you're more likely to encounter an older lady dressed very conservatively while doing her daily shopping.

Oh, OK @pig. We are ridiculous aren’t we? I wish I didn’t care.

Suki - I know! I just want to look elegant, rather than like a red, hot blob. Some great suggestions on this thread may well help me achieve a rather better result.

If you search on eBay for lagenlook, you’ll come up with lots of lovely floaty linen clothes. Maybe not as architecty as you want, perhaps more art teachery ...

But much more reasonably priced than Vivid Linen which is lovely but ££!

oooh, Lagenlook - never heard of them, but they look fantastic! Can I just check - because they look quite sheer - are those tops see-through??

pig Vivid linen sizes equate : Large - 14.
Umm Lagenlook - always thought they were mad brightly coloured patterned things.However I spy some plain tops and it’s definitely well priced. But so voluminous!

Ummm...with the Lagenlook clothing, it all seems to be in one size 14-18 incl. Is this possible? I like the look of some of it but think I may resemble a sack o’ spuds 😐

I got the M&S silk top in black, because I look dead in cream and don't really 'do' blue. Was going to wait for a Sparks offer but then remembered that the last time I thought I'd wait for Autograph silk, it all disappeared - so I splashed out full price this time. It had better wash well, or I'll be taking it back!

I can't wait to see what you think Remus! It looks super glamorous as a top.

My silver trainers arrived! OK, OK - I realise they are way too hot for Italy! - but they're great for England . They are from Ecco, and are actually in the kids' range, so bonus of no VAT!

www.eccoshoesuk.com/ecco-s7-teen/p7473

The dreaded maxi dress can work well but only if you choose very, very, very wisely. There are some awful ones out there. I like drapey ones, with actual straps and by that I don't mean spaghetti, unpatterned, and in colours to suit.

I think lagenlook is a style of dressing. It would seem to mean lots of layers of linen.

I’ve found the linen to be pretty good quality.

I look like a pig in a dress in a maxidress. Seriously. The most unfair thing about this whole situation is that, despite being obese, I don't have glorious big boobs.

LIFE IS SO UNFAIR.

I really like those silver trainers.

I love the weather and temperature today because I can wear my jeans with a long fine knit and feel OK. I don’t stop traffic but, I’d pass in a crowd with a shove 😊

Culottes? I have a paper bag waist maxi skirt with slits which is so cooling and doesn’t cling

I looked at lagenlook, and all I can say is that I would look SO UNTIDY in those clothes.

Yes, those trainers are cool Pig.
Anyone else wear maxi skirts at 5ft 3?
I tend to wear ones with a fold over waistband so I can adjust the length. Somehow I find them much easier to wear than maxi dresses, as the proportions on these are often wrong.
I’m still debating on those M&S silk tops. Managed to buy silk t shirts from Tk Maxx for half that price and they’re ok but I’m not keen on the capped sleeves. Got the package home and then realised I’d ordered 4😲. How did that happen?