Personal shoppers: I need your recommendations, before I slump into middle aged matronhood for ever and never dare leave the Inferiority Complex again

[motherinferior]

I hardly ever start threads these days, but oh please fellow MNers, I need help. Especially as I'm working three days a week in a Proper Office, where jeans are permissible but you do have to look quite presentable, and some of my lovely colleagues regularly pop out to spend squillions on a nice new frock.

I really do seem to have lost the plot, style-wise, over the past seven years (oddly enough, the ones coinciding first with motherhood and then with turning 40, and then with motherhood part 2). I don't want to turn into a Proper Laydee but I do need quite badly to revamp my act a bit and drag it out of quite such current mumsiness.

Where would you recommend? Am a shortarse, probably not quite as enormous as I think I am as I fit a size 10 around the bottom and 12 around the norks, red hair, still a bit of a vintagebohohippywanabe, don't do flat shoes, do do norks. Can spend some cash but not squillions...

AND NOW...the feedback...is...drumrolllllll....

Oh. My. God. I spent rather a lot of money ? although less than DP had suggested (on basis 'bugger off, for goodness sake, and stop asking me what you should wear') ? and now own, oh my goodness, two dresses. Wrap dresses. I was under the impression (a) wrap dresses were OUT (b) I?d look hideous; but they?re Fenn Wright and Manson, not exactly that off-trend, and the two friends I took assured me they were fab. (Good tip ? take an old mate, one who?s known you since you were both 20, and another who hasn?t known you that long, and between them they will ruthlessly back up what works and what doesn?t). I am still not sure they?re ME, but bought them on the basis that that, precisely, was the point. Also a pair of I have to accept rather divine black trousers, slightly floppy yet tailored, Hobbs, fit marvellously, and a couple of tops one of which I would have bought one I wouldn?t. I really tried to push the envelope and go for stuff I wouldn?t normally go for?

And I?d recommend it. Totally. Really good to have someone else appraising you and saying ruthlessly ?that doesn?t work? and/or ?right, that dress is perfect but we need to take it up just an inch and a half? and so on. But I would take backup of people who know you!

Frocks etc still being altered to fit shortarsiness. Oh goodness me.

Oh wow, that sounds fantastic! I love Fenn Wright Manson,I lived in one of their smock tunics when I was pregnant with ds.

(To read later when back form pool)

Oh that sounds great, well done. Now WEAR them!

[I HAVE MET THE WOAMN UNDER DISCUSSION- SHE MOVES TOO FAST EVER TO BE SEEN AS A MIDDLE AGED FRUMP]

Sorry! Had to shout that!

Peter Jones.

I feel really shy about wearing them....

My brother is getting married in November and I been trying to find that perfect outfit (I would love a dress, but dresses don't seem to love me). I have just been examining their friends on Facebook, however, and they are all young happening London meedja types so I have decided to embrace my inner middle aged matron as, let's face it, that's what I am.

I may wear a tabard and offer to help with the washing up...

But good on you, MI - sounds like you got some good stuff.

"I been"...I have been".