Nice clothes ! Where are you hiding?

[Namechangenecessity]

Haven’t seen anything nice in the shops for ages.Im 48 and a winter, size 10/12 and like tailored rather than floaty. All I can find is floppy dresses and the shops seem to be awash with man made fibres!

Other than jeans and cashmere jumpers, I’ve bought nothing for ages. I’m after some nice going out tops and a couple of really nice work dresses as I wfh 3/5 so dont need an extensive work wardrobe . Brands I like are Baukjen, Jaeger , Uniqlo , used to be Whistles/LK Bennett but think both have gone off in recent years.

Any pointers, I don’t mind splashing out or even waiting for sales. All suggestions welcome.

Baukjen is lovely.

I could have written this.

There’s nothing to suit fair haired, pale, light eyed people, just a sea of black or drab floaty florals in polyester costing upwards of £100.

I have three events coming up and nothing to wear.

I signed up to two personal stylist blogs but they all just keep raving about black florals.

So depressing.

@ballpitbonanza the Uniqlo sweater is just the cashmere crew neck. However, I’ve been reading the reviews about this years jumpers and there are lots of comments about the shape being not right, same for the v neck. That’s a bit disappointing as I was planning on buying another.

I do look in Reiss but I find it a bit like Karen Millen, very buttoned up and stiff.

I might look in the Fold sales when they happen. Just find it really frustrating that there’s a such a poor choice of clothes. I have a years old LK Bennett lace blouse that I pull out often to wear with Jeans, it’s cost me nothing in terms of cost per wear, but I think LKB peaked pre the Duchess of Cambridge showcasing it.

So interesting that this has struck a chord with so many of us!

www.baukjen.com/collections/tops-tees/products/rosemary-blouse-khaki-rose-bloom

Nearly £90 for this viscose monstrosity. Reminds me of my mums kitchen curtains from the 1970s.

Uniqlo. Lots of great clothes. Pull on trousers 19.99 atm and last years. They gave a quick turnaround of stock too so lots of new stuff

I often like a kitchen curtains from the 1970s look, but that's horrible and looks like something from a BHS bargain bucket.

Re Uniqlo cashmere, I recently got a lovely V-neck jumper off ebay - often the older stuff is better quality (from lots of places not just Uniqlo).

If you like tailored can you stretch to Joseph? Or look for it second hand?

Personally, when I can't find what I'm looking for in the shops, I take that as a hint that my style needs updating.

What you are looking for clearly isn't the fashion zeitgeist at the moment, so why not embrace what is actually in fashion?

The clothes of today are looser fitting, and rather less flattering than tailoring generally is. However IMO you look better in something less flattering, but more up to date than you would in something tailored, but outdated.

I've got my hard hat on before I say this, but how difficult would you find it to lose some weight?

I find loose, oversized clothes look WAY better when I am a fragile size 6/8 than a still slim, but better covered 10/12.

Comptoir des Cotonniers is who you need. Mid price, good quality, on trend.

@DCOkeford in a million years I couldn't be a size 6/8 and nor would I want to either.I’m 48, nearly 49, I train at the gym most days and whilst my body is far from perfect , it’s not bad for my age, I used to be a size 14. I think being too thin as you age makes you look even older, unless you are genetically tiny.
I don’t want to look like a child wearing my mums clothes.

Personally, when I can't find what I'm looking for in the shops, I take that as a hint that my style needs updating.

I don't agree at all. Just because a fashion for floaty polyester floral dresses has taken over doesn't mean they suit everyone. Some things are classic and don't date; some things suit an individual and are their style. IMO the only time you look really outdated is if you slavishly stick to the latest fashion in the first place.

I have a fitted Hobbs coat for example that has lasted years, still looks new and stylish and gets compliments - because it's a lovely fabric, good quality and classic cut. OTOH if I'd bought into cold shoulder tops because they were the fashion despite not suiting me, I'd have looked daft both at the time and now.

There are loads of shops including high-end designer ones, that do their own look, only partially influenced by fashion. There are also loads of brands that are hard to get in the high street, especially if you're not in London.

Don't agree about weight either. I'm a tall 14. One of the most flattering things I own is a floaty maxi dress that instantly slims me. Tailored jackets look terrible and in a skirt suit I look like a sack of potatoes - we all have different body shapes, I have a long back, pear-shaped bum and they just don't work on me.

Knowing what you like and what works for you is more important than fashion for its own sake.

White Stuff have lots of natural fabrics. Yes, lots of dubious velvet and florals but loads of other styles too.

People Tree and other eco brands

Only on MN would you find somebody telling a size 10 woman that she should consider losing weight.

For going out tops, would you contemplate just a plain black silk shirt? Works with jeans, or tucked into a leather skirt.

Lol OP you do not need to lose weight

Beats me why anyone would like to look like a "fragile size 6/8), in fact, I think that advice is unhealthy, physically and mentally

Thinking about it, who the fuck wants to look fragile?!

Toast.
I don't get Baukjen or Me+Em. They look nice and the quality is good but I'm just not keen.

Try Winser Lindon Namechange, I've got loads from them, the quality is excellent, particularly the knits.

@RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie that sounds nice, any ideas where I’d get a nice one?

Humans , I’ll be up at 530 tomorrow throwing weights about at the gym , I could never be described as fragile 🤣

Hairy hands thanks will check out

Where are you all buying your jeans from?

I can’t find any!

Each to their own, but finding a style, and sticking with it, irrespective of what is in fashion is the first step down the path of frumpiness.

Fashion follows culture, and political sentiment - the oversized/loose fitting clothing of recent years is, IMO a result of the MeToo movement and general feelings that women are not here solely for men to admire.

If you continue to wear fitted, tailored clothes when everyone around you is moving with the times, you just look out of touch.

These clothes tend to look better on slimmer women (in itself a bit of an irony) but it is what it is.

I'm kind of with @dcokeford, although I would never wish to look fragile fat chance and think the op absolutely does not need to lose weight. But the rest of it I tend to agree with.

I think you may be confusing tailoring with bodycon. As I recall, the spring 2020 shows had lots of blazers, tailored trousers and even knee length pleated skirts. It's the silhouette that's changing and I suspect that has as much to do with the fashion pendulum as with MeToo.

And I find it kind of hard to take lectures about the male gaze seriously from someone whose advice to a size 10/12 poster was to lose weight.

Also, if fashion bloggers who I follow because you think they're, well, fashionable start "banging on about" things you don't like and don't want to wear, I'd personally take that as a sign that I'm out of the loop somehow.

I'Ve mentioned Massimo Dutti this season before but they do some nice silk, and are worth a look this season.

This is a blck silk/viscose mix. Looks lovely

I bought this silk cami and
this velvet blazer and that's me done for my million evenings out this season.

I like their cashmere and merino too. Here's the shirts and blouses pages. They have quite a few in natural fabrics.
Not the right season, but If anyone is a size 12 and loves blue this is a great price. Beautiful blue.

Other stories black silk. I know you don't like other stories Op, but I like their silk shirts. They are good.
Oversized black silk
Another
Oh pretty cami

Sorry link heavy post, you started me on a browse OP!