I've just thrown out most of my clothes - please help me not be naked.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

After reading a thread in AIBU about people looking polished, I've snapped. I'm fed up of looking like a scruff bag. I've evaluated my wardrobe. All my every day clothes are ill fitting, old and very very sad.

Almost everything is in ragbags now. I'm starting again. Down to my shoes.

My usual style is jeans, plain t shirts and hoodies with sketchers or converse. Im still dressing as though Im a student despite having left that behind 20 something g years ago. I'm 5' 5" skinny, but top heavy. I need stuff that is comfortable, practical (for things like cycling into the shops) but looks nice.

I've no idea where to start without replicating my usual style, My total nemesis is shoes. I like leggings for instance but have no idea what shoes to put with them.

I need serious intervention for anyone who is willing. I'm going to make a start shopping on Sunday.

Gorgeous bags, Nickaninus! I don't need any more bags .

Thanks!

I love bags, I don’t need any more either.

(Try not to even look so much anymore.)

Slightly out of place with myself Snog, like I'm a bit embarrassed to be looking good and people might wonder why I'm more dressed up on a normal day.

I really need to practise this
I love that first bag Nink! I might put in a birthday request for something like that. It's so much nicer than my sad floppy bag. I'll have a look at the link. Thanks for measuring it!

Styled by Susie does an online thing where they can tell you what styles suit you, what colours look best & they can give you links to stuff on the internet. Sounds like it’d be perfect for you. I’ve booked in a personal shopping session with them for next year once I’ve lost my baby weight

French Connection has lots of cheap cotton (96-100%) striped dresses at the moment - super versatile. You can wear without anything or pair them with tights, leggings or your skinnies.

Warehouse and Wallis for nice general dresses on a budget. Phase Eight, Hobbs or Jaeger for more formal dresses at a higher price point.

The following sell a range of bag styles and are good quality - The Cambridge Satchel Company, The Satchel Company and Modalu.

You should get a pair of sandals for hot weather - Debenhams, House of Fraser or Clarks would be a good starting point.

For smart, comfortable shoes have a look at M&S or even LK Bennett (at sale time).

Primark are good for cotton tops in a range of colours - vests, tshirts and long sleeves. See also: Gap

Dorothy Perkins and H&M are good for nice and cheap cardigans.

I think that Reebok do the best looking and most comfortable (I walk miles and miles) leather trainers. Get the junior version for a discount if your size is less than 6.

H&M, M&S and Hobbs are good for trench coats (good for spring)

What are your hair, skin (including undertones), eye and vein colours? With these, you can figure out which clothes colours suit you best - the right colours will help make you look amazing!

happytobemrsg I did something similar after dd2, I used a local image consultant who was a friend of a friend. Totally worth it for guidelines and a basis for what I buy and wear.

What you are saying Thedarklady is that I'm not finished shopping yet. Thank you for all of your suggestions!

I'll have a look at Styled by Susie, I can't imagine me seeing a style consultant though. (not sure I've got the cash either)

I definitely need one OhYouBadBadKitten! I lack body confidence & my style (if you can call it that) is so dull 🙈 my plan is to see them to build a couple of seasonal capsule wardrobes which will hopefully teach me enough to be able to add bits to it myself.

Glad you’re enjoying the process of building your own capsule wardrobe! It seems to be about buying something which can be worn a variety of ways. Im not supposed to be buying much now but decided to get this ( www.silkfred.com/boutiques/love/clothing/leopard-print-long-shirt-with-split ) since I can wear it now with a growing bump & later. I’ll wear it open so like a light jacket with jeans, black T-shirt & trainers. I think it’ll also look nice open with shorts.

Glad to see it helped you quirkychick. I’m also hoping a looming deadline of a personal shopping trip will help me get back to shape!

OhYouBadBadKitten if you don't feel you need a style consultant don't, I had just completely lost my style mojo after dd2. happytobemrsg I had my colours/style done about 7yrs ago, it was really helpful. My image consultant was a friend of a friend and had a cool, retro style, so I felt she "got" who I was, rather than trying to make me something else, she was also independent so not necessarily doing something a particular way.

Yes you definitely need to be careful that image consultants don’t impose their own style on you otherwise you’re no further forward just a bit more skint

I wouldn't have the strength of personality to stand up to a style consultant if they tried to impose their style on me. Im rubbish with standing up for myself if I think it's going to upset the other person.

If you have an image consultant you definitely want one who gets you and helps you. I met mine at a bbq party, we were in matching red dresses, I later decided I would use her as I liked her and her style.

A friend called in with her teen daughter yesterday. The DD and I were wearing almost matching shirts and she is not a trendy teen, so I hurriedly pulled it off and stuffed it behind the front door.

Anyway, I've had my hair restyled today, so it's gone from the wild geologist look to something a bit more chic.

Heh, that shirt is for the bin then!

So you will need at least one replacement shirt...

I'm in shirt and jeans today, too. My teen mostly wears joggers and hoodies, but I think that was to accommodate her growing, changing body.

Also, pics of new hairstyle please!!

Sorry, no pics - I need to maintain my privacy on here. I'd love to otherwise. I'll see if I can find a similar pic later so you can see the sort of thing :)

I think it might depend on the style of the shirt? Mine is plaid, lumberjack style.

You can budget for a nice one from Barbour, later on in your reinvention journey! 😊👍

Following as I really need to do this. I have 3 double wardrobes and 2 sets of drawers all full of clothes and I hate them all. I never feel good in anything I wear so really need a huge cull and then to create a small capsule wardrobe that I feel good in.

I’m mid 30’s, 5ft 7, size 8-10 (wide hips, narrow shoulders, big boobs at the minute as breastfeeding).

Can anyone recommend their top 5 wardrobe essentials?

On handbags, when I posted about my daily go-to I forgot to say that beyond going well with my throw-on coats/jackets, it also goes perfectly with my go-to leather jacket (a dark bottle green colour), my olive/burgundy tweed jacket, and my waxed coat. So it literally goes with every option from casual day-to-day to more smart casual, to fairly smart. I was trying to illustrate how one fairly expensive (but good quality) well-chosen bag can be a proper workhorse in terms of usage and versatility.

You would obviously need at least one more dressy bag for evenings/events.

For summer my wardrobe essentials for daily wear would be:

A good casual jacket, carefully chosen to go with your overall wardrobe (spend as much as you can comfortably afford. Make sure it’s cotton or at least mostly cotton, possibly linen if you prefer)

Two good pairs of shoes (spend the most on these, as much as you can stretch to, because good quality footwear makes your outfit and your feet are important!) mine would be a pair of trainers and a pair of shoes with a block heel

One pair of sandals - if I had to pick just one it would be a low-heeled tan pair

One crossbody leather bag in tan or a lighter colour, or possibly straw weave

Three casual dresses in cotton or other natural fibre

One pair of cropped jeans, lighter in colour

One pair of chinos in olive green/khaki

Two tees

One shirt

One sweatshirt in a lighter colour

(I know that’s not five items, but i think it‘s useful to have an overview of what you’re working towards. Then you can buy to that plan in whatever way and at whatever pace best suits your budget.)

How not to respond to someone when you have to ask 'do you like my new hair cut?'
'what's different about it?'

FFS dh. It's a proper style. It looks nice.

Awww kitten don’t take it to heart too much! You got that hairstyle for ^you*.