Ideas for a simple wardrobe of outfits - going shopping tomorrow!

[Littlemiss74]

I have too many clothes & yet nothing to wear. I’ve always been terrible for sale ‘bargains’ & impulse buys but without thinking what the item will go with. I have a wardrobe full of random items that don’t go together.

I’m 46 work f/t, 2 dc’s, & perimenopausal so struggling a bit with my body changing & feeling too tired to deal with mountains of clothes.

I would like to start again & have less clothes but more that work together. I want to look modern but not like a teenager. I’m 5’3” and size 12.

I’m going shopping tomorrow. Could anyone suggest some ideas for some staple items i could buy and where from? There aren’t loads of shops where I’m going but think there is a Zara, Mango, house of fraser, new look, tkmaxx, oliver bonas, next & a few others.

I’d like clothes for casualwear when at home or wfh & a few smart casual for when I need to go to office.
I don’t go out much but I’d like one outfit for an evening out & one outfit for a day out/lunch with friends/family. This should do to start with!

Really would appreciate any suggestions or maybe some instagram pages I could follow for ideas of how to put things together as this is what I struggle with.

I feel for you OP, the shops are very strange atm - it’s the end of the sales but due to stock issues they haven’t got as much A/W stuff in as normal and some are still trying to shift what they didn’t sell last year. And of course so many are no longer there.

I’m the same height as you (but wider!) and I’ve found M&S good this year although I’m still after the holy grail of comfy flattering jeans. I also shop in small independents when I can, they have things you don’t see everywhere and don’t always have to be expensive - have you got any ‘nice’ towns near you where you’d find shops like that? Added bonus is it’s a much nicer experience than a hot crowded shopping centre.

I think you first need to work out what you want to wear. I’ve recently lost lots of weight so have had to start again. I’m 44 and 5 1, so not dissimilar to you.

In the nicest possible way, ignore the advice that a capsule wardrobe needs a skirt, smart trousers etc if that’s not what you wear.

I’ve just got myself some Lily jeans from M & S in extra short. They come in quite a few colours and are only £19.50. Current jean trends need to sit above the ankle. I think at the moment anything longer looks a bit frumpy. I’ve also got some M&S Mom jeans. Not too baggy, just a more relaxed fit.

I would avoid Next tbh as I think everything from there looks frumpy.

Lots of good t shirts in H&M and Dorothy Perkins online. Only about £8. I’ve stuck to mostly black and wear tucked into jeans with a pair of Stan Smith trainers. Again, trend at the moment is to tuck tops in. Only needs to be half a tuck but I find if I wear anything untucked at the moment it looks odd.

I think sweatshirts look better than hoodies at our age. I’ve got a couple of sport branded ones - New Balance and Adidas and chuck over my jeans and t combo when it’s chilly.

You don’t necessarily need to spend more to look better. I think unless you are spending loads more the quality seems to be the same in most high street shops.

I would get a couple of dresses that suit you. Primark have had some nice ones in recently, or Tesco! Dresses can be worn with sandals, trainers, boots - really versatile. Can be worn to work, out etc.

Don’t think you need to buy everything at once. Just start with a couple of outfits you like and add to them. Shops are just starting to get new autumn stock in now. I love a longline cardigan and just got a fab one from H&M for £17.99. Looks way more expensive and goes over jeans and t, and looks a bit more dressy than a sweatshirt.

Just try keep cuts and colours simple. Good luck.

I agree with a PP - decide what you like first, and what you hate. A long sleeved t-shirt under a wool jumper does fuck all to stop the itching for me - you need to know this before you waste your money! I also know I don't wear shirts with collars, or floral prints, they don't suit my style.

@GorgonzolaSouffle I like that pair of white/cream? trousers but I can't find them. Do you mind sharing a link or the description thanks

Thanks for the recent replies and suggestions. I’m going to sit & read through properly with a coffee in a minute and make some notes/look at some ideas online.

To give a bit more detail, I’m 5’3” size 12 - always been a pear shape but possibly turning more apple like with the help of lockdown and perimen. My waist is becoming less defined than it was & i have put on a few pounds mainly on tummy area. I am more curvy than straight up & down.

I work in admin so desk based job part wfh and part office. Office is smart casual and even more casual since lockdown, people have been going in in jeans and trousers but I like to have a distinction between work & home clothes so I probably wouldn’t be that casual if going in to office.
The rest of the time I’m at home being a mum, walking dog etc.

In terms of style I’m much more concerned about being comfortable these days, so nothing too tight or clingy, and nothing itchy! I think that has led me to living in leggings and tshirts for the past year but looking a bit online I can see there are more stylish ways to be comfortable.
One of my favourite looks is the kind of thing on the Hush website - not sure what you call this style, does it have a name that I could then google for similar looks? Sadly I don’t the body of the Hush models but that is the look I am being drawn towards. I particularly like the boyfriend style jeans with a tshirt and white trainers. The jeans are exactly what I want but they are alot more than I have ever spent on a pair of jeans & I worry that if they are not quite right or go baggy & end up too big I will have wasted £75. I would be happy to spend that if they were going to be perfect as I know i would wear them alot.

Just to say i have tried pinterest many times but I find jt frustrating when you see something you like but can’t identify where it was bought from or it’s in another country etc.

One other thing I would love is to have a couple of ‘go to’ outfits; one for a day out say a lunch with family/friends and one for an evening out. It’s rare that these things happen but if they do I’d like to have a whole outfit with shoes, jacket etc that i can just pull out & put on. I don’t need lots of things as this isn’t a big part of my lifestyle.

Thank you again for all the ideas & suggestions which I will now read through.

I know exactly how you feel! I am the same height, pear-shaped with an ever thickening waistline. Recently I did what is always recommended on here and made an appointment with a John Lewis style advisor for an autumnal return to work wardrobe as I felt a bit out of touch style-wise. Unfortunately it wasn't a positive experience, she body-shamed me by looking me up and down and saying that there must have been an error when filling out the form size-wise (I am a size 8 top and 10 bottom but she clearly didn't believe me) and then ignored my explicit dislikes and, for example, brought me only tight trousers that I don't like and that are not flattering for my body shape.

I just spent the morning going through my wardrobe and trying clothes on to identify what I actually need and now have a clearer idea of what I want to buy. I would recommend buying clothes online as there is much more choice, particularly size-wise, and you can try them on with your other clothes to see how they fit with what you already have (and no pressure from snooty sales assistants!).

I think Hush has a 'cool' vibe but feel that I am not tall and willowy enough for this style. I like Uniqlo which caters well for shorter heights, for good quality basics, I find M&S good for trousers and have a lot from Boden whose petite range is good.

I love my hush joggers and I’m a 14 and short.

I don't know where you're based, OP, but there's a shopping centre near me that has its own stylist, so you can shop with her from all the shops in the centre - I go to her at least once a year, she's really good at working out your own personal style (from what you say you like, and are drawn to). She also doesn't body shame you!

Start with the jeans. Get the hush ones and return them if they aren’t right! I bought a pair a few years ago and was wearing them today, they are fab.
Do that now.
Next, get a new pair of sneakers.
Then, start browsing. Get 2 beautiful, organic cotton oversizedb(or fitted, whatever works for you :) tshirts. Easy peasy.
Jackets:- one denim (khaki?), 1 blazer that you can push sleeves up.
That’s your casual outfits. Get a gorgeous pair of silver hoop earrings, chuck some chains in and a get a new bag and you’re good to go.

It’s a bit of a uniform, but fresh, new and it’s a formula that works. As long as the jeans are perfect, it will work!

That would be a really good start

@nzeire ok I think I will order the Hush jeans - what is the sizing like? I am a 12 usually in Next for example. I just don’t like it when jeans grow
in size, you know when they go baggy at knees etc which I’ve found you don’t always know until you’ve worn them for a little while.

I would also like some leather white trainers that I can clean as had canvas which are filthy ruined.
I have awkward feet, need something not too narrow. Comfortable but on trend if poss & not too chunky - can anyone recommend please?

There are many nice white trainers around but I question whether it’s a good choice at the end of summer. I might focus a bit more on autumnal / winter choices.

Agree. Some ankle boots probably a better buy at this time of year.

Yes good point re trainers will wait for those then

I think I was thinking possible end of summer sale bargains again, that’s how my brain works when it comes to clothes!

I'm sure if sale shopping is necessarily the way to go if you're trying to rebuild your wardrobe with good basics. Sales can be too full of unsold dross and disheartening unless there's something you've had your eye on and get lucky.

*not sure

The hush jeans hsve hrld their shape, I like oversized, so went size up in boyfriend, which are just perfect. So I imagine, true to size.

There are big hush fans on this board, post another question!

I avoid sales now. As I don't wear it and impulse buy.

Footwear/ I bought white Nike AF1 in April time and invested in a can of crep spray at the same time (I never do that) they were £55 as I got juniors size 5 1/2.

I just bought some black converse high tops for autumn/winter.

Both of these are EVERYWHERE. The sales assistant said they sold more converse hi tops than anything else so just a warning if you like a unique style!

I'm also going to buy some per una biker boots from m & s as I have 20% as they are £85. The last ones I bought Was December 2018 from
Tesco.

I have never bought brands before! So did clutch my pearls at spending more that £20 on a a pair of trainers!

As for jeans- I got some mint velvet (kind of similar to hush) ones from vinted for £2.50

Sainsburys Tu girlfriend jeans come up on hear as recommend or Tesco contour are popular purse friendly skinny. I have TU premium skinny in inky blue also.

T-shirts: the next cap sleeve are ok. But I would be looking at getting long sleeved right now from primark. Tesco have nice sweatshirts in.

Not sure if my ramblings are helpful but figure you can ignore if you wish!

As a 5ft 3 50+ woman i like m&s Mom jeans. I find boyfriend jeans too baggy for my short legs. Cos are very good for elastic waisted smart & casual trousers & H&M/Cos/Arket are brilliant for plain tops.
I think as others have said you need to find some images of clothes you like first and decide what sort of style you are. Pinterest & Instagram can help there.
Hush clothes are not brilliant quality mostly and you can easily copy the styles utilising other shops.

@cherrypiepie that’s funny you should say that about juniors trainers as I was looking at some Nike ones only £35 size 5 in juniors - i might get them as hopefully we have a bit of summer left and not quite ready for boots. I did wonder if the juniors would be ok, are they narrower or something than an adult size 5?

@Littlemiss74

My usual shoe size in women's is a wide fit 6.

I tried all the women's Nike trainers and they were too big so I reckon you will be ok!

Get some spray!!

[quote Littlemiss74]@cherrypiepie that’s funny you should say that about juniors trainers as I was looking at some Nike ones only £35 size 5 in juniors - i might get them as hopefully we have a bit of summer left and not quite ready for boots. I did wonder if the juniors would be ok, are they narrower or something than an adult size 5?[/quote]
My trainers are kids ones, they're fine, not narrower or anything.

[quote Littlemiss74]@cherrypiepie that’s funny you should say that about juniors trainers as I was looking at some Nike ones only £35 size 5 in juniors - i might get them as hopefully we have a bit of summer left and not quite ready for boots. I did wonder if the juniors would be ok, are they narrower or something than an adult size 5?[/quote]
I have always worn kids 5-5.5s!
I have never thought they could be narrower. I have normal width feet so I assume they are just a size 5... but cheaper

I follow “putting me together” on Instagram, she’s excellent at showing how to style an item in several different ways, or how to combine 6-8 pieces into outfits. Unfortunately as she’s based in the US, it’s not easy to buy the pieces she shows, but I like it for ideas.