If you’re around 45, 5’3” & size 12, please tell me what you wear that looks nice.

[Littlemiss74]

I’ve just received 3 deliveries, all sale purchases.

First leopard slinky skirt from Hush - looked lovely on website, looked cheap & like a tight sausage skin on me!

2nd - grey leopard print sweater dress from Oliver Bonas. Again lovely online, I looked like a sack of spuds in it! Huge, shapeless & grey!

3rd - rust coloured leopard print dress from Joules, midi length. This actually fits me very well and the colour really suits me. Not 100% sure about the length as I’m short and have never worn longer dresses. It would be nice for work though.

I was looking forward to my sale purchases and I’m disappointed that 2 of them looked so awful on me.

I’ve let myself go since wfh & just wanted a few nice clothes that I could afford. But I look horrid. I don’t know what to wear for my age, shape or style anymore. When I look in my wardrobe there is nothing I want to wear. It’s mostly old, too tight or dull.

Please can anyone help me with getting a few new things that will work for me? Fed up with orderinf stuff & sending straight back!!

Placemarking...

I’ve got some nice clothes but they’re all jumpers or summer dresses which isn’t really useful atm.

Very tempted by the H&M long sweatshirt dresses but again not exactly elegant.

@StrangerHereMyself that’s the thing - i like the look of these things on other people but they never look like that on me! I’m wfh so haven’t worn any of my nice work clothes for nearly a year. I only have occasional video calls so just stick on a decentish top & leggings. I feel scruffy & frumpy and just generally a bit yuck. It even affects my mood I think. Up until now I’ve thought there’s no point buying any nice wfh casual gear but now it’s dragging on & I need to give myself a boost somehow😩

Just asked my 8’year old dd what she thought of the Joules dress on me - she said it’s nice, makes me look very mature!!! It’s going back!!

I think a lot of Zoom dressing is about getting your perfect colours and doing your makeup.

What sort of shape are you and what do you like to wear?

Sorry can’t help but following. Currently wearing jumpers and jeans to wfh and none of my work clothes or summer clothes are going to fit anymore

@Twilightstarbright i am a size 12, kind of pear shaped although the nipped in waist seems to be disappearing more with age & lockdown!!
I have always suited things that nip in at the waist so I suppose it’s no surprise that these baggy sweater dresses do nothing for me.

My favourite jeans are high waisted skinnies with ankle zip from mint velvet, they stretch to fit me & never sag - recently I’ve been feeling a bit restricted in them at home so have moved more to leggings. I don’t know what to wear with the leggings that won’t make me look scruffy.

I like long cardigans but nothing nice to wear under them except black long sleeve top.I have too much black & grey which prob doesnt help. I have brown hair with highlights, olivet skin, brown eyes so warmer colours look best on me but I find them harder to find.

I do like the athleisure look but don’t feel I have the body to go with it😄 I have been looking for a nice comfy but cool hoody but can’t find one I like.

I love the casual look I have seen on Hush website, joggers, tshirt, trainers - looks comfy but still modern. But I’m too nervous to spend their prices in case they also look awful!

Littlemiss
I had a look at the leopard skirt on Hush website. A polo neck or fitted top would he best suited to balance out the frilliness of the skirt.

Have you considered buying from the petite range in shops? The cut would be far more flattering to your body shape.

@Faith50 thank you l, unfortunately the Hush skirt is too tight - I ordered a 10 as everyone seems to say the sizing is huge but in this case it was too tight for me.

I'm 5ft2" and I've been wearing a lot of Uniqlo lounge wear - their ankle length active wear joggers are a good full length for me. And I live in their Heat Tech stuff during the winter months.

If you want more loungey leisure wear, they do a good range of hoodies/sweatshirts.

Otherwise, I like "cropped" cardis and jumpers to wear over skirts/ joggers - cropped makes them a good length on my short frame.

I keep eyeing up wide leg joggers, which would definitely need taking up, but I think the shape might work with a close fitting jumper on top, especially if you have a nipped in waist OP.

I would agree that on the shorter end (like myself) cropped jumpers and fitted clothes are better so they don't make you look bigger than you are.

Could you upgrade your leggings so they're smarter? Petite straight leg jeans in black or blue with a cosy jumper and nice earrings is a go to look for me.

Uniqlo heat tech stuff is great for layering.

I get a lot of jumpers and dresses from & Other Stories

@missmoz can you recommend any good jeans as I'm in need of some new ones (short hourglass figure)

@VaVaGloom I most of my jeans from the petite ASOS section. (Ignore the styling with bralets and crop tops etc!)

www.asos.com/asos-design/asos-design-hourglass-high-rise-stretch-slim-straight-leg-jeans-in-washed-black/prd/21060101?colourwayid=60137264&SearchQuery=&cid=15157

I also really like the Levi high waisted tapered jeans but they're a bit more pricey www.levi.com/GB/en_GB/shop-all/high-waisted-taper/p/269860006

Marks & Spencer petite mom jeans www.marksandspencer.com/mom-high-waisted-ankle-grazer-jeans/p/clp60448793?color=BLACK#intid=prodColourId-60467865

If you like wearing long cardigans why not get a knitted loungewear set with a matching cardie, in navy, black or grey - you could always add in leopard print trainers, crossbody bag or scarf?

I also wear long cardigans with untucked camisoles from Wallis with thicker straps and jeggings.

I think you can wear looser clothing but maybe you just need it to be not overly baggy. I also buy some skinny jeans a size bigger so they’re comfy to wear at home - I’ve got the right tight size for nights out!

What about little leopard tunic style dresses with a v neck and fluted sleeves? Wear with tights and ankle boots and a tight roll neck jumper under for now, over skinnies and then with sandals in the summer?

A pleated leopard skirt with an elasticated waist and a tight black jumper either round, roll or v neck, whatever you prefer?

Like these....

And these....

This also popped in to my inbox this morning, it’s got an elasticated section on the back waist to give it subtle shaping, again you could wear with tights and your long cardies now and sandals and a denim jacket in the summer. It has a collar too, so smart for zoom calls!

I'm a similar size and height. Shirt dresses seem to work as long as they're made of soft material. If you can get one with a waist tie then you can choose to have it tightly nipped in at the waist or loose so that it gives a bit of shape. Linen dresses that just sit are a no-no for me. I end up looking like an oblong

Following this thread for ideas!

Finery has a really good sale on at the moment

This shirt dress would look great and is reduced to £20 from £90
www.finerylondon.com/victoria-printed-dress-1113ss200146-mti

but there's tons of good stuff there

I’m a similar size and height, anything oversized / loose fitting makes me look so much bigger than I am

I’ve found a need something more structured, and as I’m bigger on the bottom half clothes which are more detailed on the top half.

It’s not a perfect science, but I now only wear plain colours on the bottom half - be it jeans or skirts.

To draw attention away from my waist, which isn’t as defined as it was, I try to find jumpers / blouses with detailing around the neckline - boatneck necklines work very well on me, as do bardot tops in the summer. Tops covering my hips are a no go outside of the house - they need to end just below the top of the jeans or again, I look bigger than I am.

With dresses, skater style seem to work best on me - always on or just above the knee as below the knee makes my legs look even shorter

I can get away with some maxi dresses in summer, so long as they have some shape to them - loose smock types make me look ridiculous

I do struggle with where to buy things, it was always Oasis but now they’re owned by Boohoo the quality has declined.

I tend to shop at Next / Simply Be / Very but with a mix of own brand and branded products from each. River Island jeans are quite flattering, the odd top isn’t too young looking. Simply Be shape sculpt jeans are also flattering.

For hoodies while WFH I go higher end, Barbour typically as they’re not as shapeless as sportswear.

I’ve found it much harder to get away with cheap clothes - I used to love Topshop and Zara but obvious chain store fabrics make you look a bit underachieving in later life. That said, the difference in quality between top of the high street and so-called designer is absolutely marginal so I won’t spend just for the sake of it.

As I’ve aged my face seems to have become more masculine so pretty dresses and skirts make me look like Grayson Perry. Jeans and trousers are so much more flattering.

Accessories have taken on a new importance, especially with Zoom where your face can disappear in a sea of black jumpers.

@Trillo - Grayson Perry 🤣🤣🤣 eerily accurate for me too 😂😂