Help to make me stylish please?!

[Bumblesbumbles]

I have no idea how people manage to look stylish!? Stylish people please help!
I’m 40 and a size 10- my clothes just don’t suit me. I have in my mind the look I’d like to go for but am utterly clueless with fashion, don’t enjoy shopping for clothes and am typically tired and have no energy to give it thought! I particularly want a simple, stylish look at work. Any ideas of who I can follow on Instagram etc. I’m looking for high street priced clothes.
I woke early so thought I’d search online but I have no idea what cigarette or paper trousers are!? I’m behind the times....

What is the look you have in mind?

Have a look on Pinterest and make a board of all the looks you like. That I’ll give you a list of things you could get to achieve the look.

Ok- I’m not pinterest so maybe that’s a good starting point. I’m so behind I don’t even know who I’d follow but I like Meghan and Kate Moss’ style. Simple, classic. Skinny jeans, over sized tops, boots etc. Don’t know how to translate to work

cigarette pants are slim leg trousers, cut to the ankle or just above, popular in the 1950's for ladies who had cocktails, but never go out of style if they suit you. great for work though, with the right shoe...

paperbag waist trousers where popular in the late 1980's/early 90's, and were everywhere last year: tapered or wide leg, high waist, lots of material in the stomach region, belt tie around waist. only look good on very skinny people... hideous on everyone else...

Don't know what your budget is but could you book a personal stylist at a department store like John Lewis? They can pull stuff in from loads if labels.

Your style seems, based on your Meghan and Kate mentions, to veer towards modern casual. A great pair of slim fitting jeans/trousers, a simple top which is slightly oversized, but still well tailored, and a good blazer are the basis of this look.

What ever your budget, fit is key and you can make a less expensive item look more spendy by getting it tailored to fit you well.

For work, take a look at J Crew - it has a classically funky vibe and decent quality with great sales (everything goes on sale on that site eventually).

Cigarette trousers with a printed shirt/blouse tucked in is one of my go-to looks for work. Boden do 7/8ths trousers (another term for trousers cropped to hit on the ankle bone) and Jigsaw do an amazing pair called bi-stretch cigarette trousers (I have both navy and black). Agree with the JCrew suggestion above although it can be quite expensive.

On Insta, try following The Fashionable Pan, 40PlusAndNotGivingUpYet and YStyleIreland. She did a recent video about creating a capsule wardrobe although she doesn't work in an office. Still wears a lot of blazers though which is also an essential for the office in my view! Whistles do fab blazers.

Ooo excellent!! Thanks all. Will look up those instagrams- love the idea of a capsule wardrobe video!
Pleased I’m now in the know re the trousers!

www.instagram.com/piavibekegrace/ - A really great older influencer, great styling and really good for inspiration :)

Works with all the good brands Boden, Joules, Mistral ect

No no not Boden or Joules. Yikes, if you want the sort of streetwise chic Meghan and Kate Moss Rick, don't even breathe near Boden or Joules.

Zara