New me, new style - need a virtual make over

[AnythingConsidered]

Following a gastric bypass earlier in the year, & losing just shy of 4 stone, I am now a size 14 (in very kind stores like White Company, Monsoon) to a 16 in places like Hobbs, Jaeger etc. I still have another 2 stone to go, but need new clothes.

The challenge is that I have a waist/hour glass shape (with a flabby double belly!) but having spent years being very round, I don't actually know how to dress for this shape!

I'm 38 years old, 5'7, dark haired shoulder length bob, fair skin, overweight & have alright legs. Wear very simple (if any) make up. I am toned from PT/weight training but the bypass & rapid weight loss has left loose skin, saggy D cup boobs, a double tummy/tummy apron and bingo wings.

I like classic styles, simple designs, understated looks and definitely not trendy. I love a power colour (I'm a winter shading) with pillar box red being my favourite colour, but I also wear navy, black, deep purple & oranges too. Would prefer to spend on fewer items that will last, but also love a high street bargain.

I'm a Director/Owner in the IT and telecoms industry, do a fair bit of public speaking & lots of customer meetings (not corporate). Weekends are casual. Lots of evening do's throughout the year and I suffer from the cold.

Anyone fancy giving me a virtual make over, making some suggestions on how I can dress this new body i both love and hate in equal measures?

Nothing fits I assume? It sounds like capsule wardrobe to begin. This is (IMO) the hardest bit.

You need smart jeans, that fit perfectly and flatter your height. For me, this would be the top priority. And jeans will cross into weekends, so go to a great shop... a friendly sales assistant recommended Selfridges, where they have stylists and advisers who know their way around 400 jeans brands. When you find the jeans that make you cry with delight, buy three pairs: as old people say, one to wear, one to wash, and one for spare. If one were black and two denim coloured, you've just cracked the lower half of your body in your industry and you can afford a little patience to decide what you like, while you get used to thinking about it.

You also need an understated powerful jacket for meetings, which must match or contrast with your jeans. If you find something you like, but it's not an exact fit, you need a tailor to perfect it. Zara are good at jackets, for not too much money, while you think about it. They usually nail the season's high style points but will not wear well for more than six months.

Beyond that, you need slightly elevated basics: T shirts that fit, in your favourite neutral colours or your bright/personal colours, and sweaters in the same tones. Uniqlo is where I'd start for these. Their merino and cashmere sweaters are fine and wash well, as do their T shirts.

All this is a holding exercise, to give you options while you take a little time to decide what you like, without enormous expense. But the right jeans will take time to find and there's no alternative to trying on a lot. Which is why a dedicated trip to a jeans destination should be your starting point. A couple of pairs of flat or low heeled boots that work with the jeans will start you off. Get comfortable with the basics, and then add to it.

That's great advice XingMing thank you. And nope, nothing fits! Good point about starting a capsule wardrobe and building over time.

Uniqlo & Zara are both places I would never consider as they are for skinny/hip/younger girls, so will check them out. Someone else talked about a John Lewis/Selfridge personal shopper experience, so that might be the place to start for Jean shopping.

The MN ASOS post is interesting too as this, again, is not somewhere I would ever have shopped

Uniqlo sizing runs slightly small, but equally can go the other way. Zara Woman is the better range for adult (not size 0) women. Selfridges really is (apparently) the dog's cojones for jeans in the UK: there is an entire floor dedicated to denim, in all the styles and sizes and washes, so a personal shopper would probably be a good idea as you won't know where to start.

A trip to Oxford St? JL, Selfridges, Uniqlo and there's bound to be a big Zara within a stone's throw.

Well fitting bras, and knickers which are comfortable and give a smooth line. Rigby and Peller seems to be the most recommended for bra fitting (I've never been myself).

Do beauty things that you enjoy - if you like going to the hairdresser or blowdry bar, getting your nails done, having facials or skin treatments, then book them in regularly. If you like doing home treatments like face masks, pedicure, styling / colouring your hair, stock up on the bits you need and set time aside. Beauty should be - at least partially - fun.

Winter is coming. Do you have a good handbag for work? (As in - fits in everything you need to take, in good condition, and you love it). If not, have a look around and make an investment. You'll use it everyday and it can make you feel good.

Same for a good winter coat, and scarf (although the coat may be temporary if you're still planning to lose more weight). In the colder months, more or less everyone sees you in your coat, all the time, so it's worth having a nice one.

invest in accessories - scarf, handbag and shoes - they can show off a new style but they wont become redundant as your shape changes :)

pencil skirts might work for you - will show legs and hide tummy if you find the right one.