So if you unexpectedly had a windfall of around £500.00 and were a generous size 14 who hasn't bought anything for ages, what would you buy ?

[rookiemum]

Ok its me, its me.

DH has just bought a ridiculously expensive lap top out of the joint account because its a necessity donchaknow and I was grumbling about it as our sole accounts means that the only items of clothing I have bought for the past 18 mths are on special offer from Sainsburys ( not that I am knocking them at all) and i can't wait to get pregnant again because at least my maternity clothes were bought in the last 3 years.

In a hard won victory I have wrangled out a £500 spend hurrah! However I don't know what to buy, my work clothes ( casual smart) are shoddy and my casual clothes are probably a bit too casual oh and most of them are somewhat tight.

Mumsnet style jury what would you recommend for a woman in my position ??

I'd wait till the jan sales!

get your colours done!

I have always been a bit sceptical about getting my colours done, fishie you think its worthwhile, do you think its stopped you from buying the wrong clothes ?

Frosty you are probably right, but still what should I buy ?

oh wow yes i am transformed! well improved anyway. more confident in choices and it lessens the amount of mistakes.

on the other hand it is a jolly expensive way of being told you can't ever wear black.(although my sister can).

What's your hair/ eyes / skin colour? I read the 'colour me beautiful book', maybe you're an easy type!

Oh thanks tugamommy. I have green eyes, natural hair colour is ( I think because I am only on nodding acquaintance with it) light brown and very pale skin.

I read the book myself once many years ago and I think I am a spring, but do let me know if you think I'm not.

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there were some lovely handbags in nice colours this morning in M&S

Well it's your present hair colour that counts, not your natural one. The colour groups have changed a lot and it's not seasons anymore. If your hair is not too light, like bleached blonde, than you should be a soft (like Kylie MInogue). Then you need to work out whether you're warm or cool, ie whether you suit colours with yellow in them or blue. If your hair has a bit of red or copper in it and if you have freckles and golden tones in your skin you're warm. If your hair is more 'ashy' then you should be cool. Most people are cool, I think.

If you are soft and cool, then black is definitely not your best colour! You should suit all soft colours, like sof pinks, heathers, muted greens, greyish blues, grey, light browns (but not terracotta). The season's electric blue, any vibrant colours, like fucchsia, yellows, oranges, tomato reds are not so good.

Kew usually has lots of things in soft colours.

If someone pressed £500 into my hot little hand and told me to spend it on myself I would run very fast in the direction of Zara - you could do a very nice little capsule work wardrobe from Zara Basics for £200, leaving you with £300 to spend on the fun stuff. In my case I would probably try to stretch this to two weekend casual outfits, a glam going out outfit (inc shoes) and a smart pair of boots.
I am loving my knitted dresses this season and Zara have some nice ones - good for work or weekend.
But before I went anywhere I would audit what I already had and make a list of stuff that would fill the gaps and bring it up to date - I find I make far fewer mistakes since I started doing this.

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I'm not so sure about Zara, I find the sizes 'snug' to say the least, I'm a 14 too.

I think with your colouring Kew would be great,as tug said. You could get your staples there, then splash out on a fabulous coat or sparkly cardi from Jigsaw to go with it all.

You're sooo lucky!!

Ooh more responses fab.

Have to say I don't like Zara that much but maybe its because I went there once when I was a fairly trim size 12 and the Mediums wouldn't even zip up. Do jumper dresses work for those of us with a curvy figure and should I be wearing trousers for the bottom bit ?

I think I am soft and cool from what you describe tugamommy, I do try to keep away from black round my face as I know it doesn't suit me.

I am near shops but online is good too. I don't know what Kew is, I live in Scotland, maybe its just an England thing.

Rookiemum - I love jumper dresses and I am a large size 12/small 14. I wear a slip underneath though to smooth things out and stop bagging.

Ooh how exciting! If I had £500 to spend on clothes I would:

• Go to Gap and try on every pair of jeans in the shop and then buy 3 pairs - one dark blue bootleg, one slightly lighter (but still dark iykwim) wideleg and one v v dark or black straight leg.
• Go to M & S and buy a couple of v neck cashmere jumpers - I can wear black, so one would be black, the other probably a soft grey or maybe a plum or something - your colours would obviously be different
• lots of long sleeve or 3 quarter slleve scoop neck tops or wrap tops in plain colours
• Go to Next, Clarks or M & S and buy a fab pair of knee high boots in either black or dark brown
• go somewhere else (don't know where) and buy a big leather bag in a bright but versatile colour and another, smaller one, in black
• buy lots of pashminas in all colours
• spend any money left over on long necklaces

Have fun!

Kew: www.kew-online.com/kewwebshop/

cashmere sweaters a good investment

agree on decent jeans and Gap good for trying different styles

Agree, get a cashmere jumper.

New handbag.

boots.

earrings/necklace for everyday wear

uniqlo's cashmere jumpers are supposed to be v good value and lots of colours

some classic jewellery from Liberty's

I have some brown boots similar to the King Arthur style in smart women's boots here

www.clarks.co.uk/

rookiemum we are very similar colouring. pink purple red and blue for me with a bit of jade/teal and dark brown. lots of grey. nothing yellow whatsoever. yes kew v good colours, boden can be good too. i seem to get a lot of gap stuff in basic neutrals, navy and grey.

i'm a 14/16 and have jumper dresses, but i think they'll really date.

i like layers (not thick or chunky), so lots of nice vests and wrap cardies to be worn with skirts or jeans. they do say that trousers are coming back in, gap had some nice grey straight legged ones.

this is so fabulous

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with 500 pounds I think I'd buy a wonderful coat.

Ooh thanks everyone, I'm in Edinburgh, could do with my own shopping advisor !

Am liking kew online, some smart stuff there. Cashmere jumper seems like a definite, mmmm now did see some nice ones in Sainsburys this morning, but no onwards and upwards for me.

Maybe I should plot what to get then wait for the christmas sales.