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.

Have a look at Brora/ Baukjen/ White Company/ Poetry websites. They have good sales at the moment, clothes are great quality, well fitting and more classic than typical high street stores. Also JL has a personal style edit, where they suggest outfits for you. They also have a good selection of clothing brands. Kin and their own stuff is surprisingly well fitting and washes and looks good, does not cost £££ I would avoid the likes of Zara/ Mango/ H&M, quality of garments and fit has really gone downhill in recent years. For coats/ shoes LK Bennet is my go to when they have a sale on.

Have you seen Emily Innes -style me happy on Facebook and Instagram. She is plus size stylist and really inspiring

I would get a pair of black trousers, a pair of jeans and a pair of joggers.
I would then get a couple of t-shirts for the joggers and head and couple blouses for the trousers.
I would then get a smart jumper (for work), a casual jumper and a hoodie.
I would then buy a smart skirt and a maxi dress.
Next I would buy a blazer (can be used to smarten up the jeans or make the trousers into a suit.
Last thing I would buy is a glitzy top for going out at nights, and a smart blouse for lunch time day outs.
Shoes wise, one pair of boots, one pair of courts, one pair of heels and pair of trainers (white will go well with the dress)

@Littlemiss74

Quick update, I’ve stopped for a coffee! It’s going very badly, I haven’t got anything yet😞 So far been to Zara, tried a few things on but I’m clearly not the right height or shape for their clothes! Also I just found alot of it too fancy, I need simple and comfortable (but still on trend.. is that even possible). Tried one top on and got it stuck it was so tight😂 The only thing I liked was a plain white tshirt and then the queue was so long I couldn’t face waiting. The store is not that big so I don’t think the selection was that wide, not like others I’ve been in before.

Then tried Mango, nothing appealed in there and much of it was summer sale stuff.

Wandered round and found that actually lots of the shops aren’t here anymore, New Look, Fatface, French Connection all gone!

Am now having coffee in House of Fraser so will have a look in here after but not holding out much hope. Is it just me or do lots of the shops look like jumble sales with sale stuff just randomly everywhere..it puts me off

Anyway here are some the shops left; House of Fraser, M&S, Next, TKmaxx, primark, Oliver Bonas - I’m not very hopeful for any of these.

Aaggh why is it so hard just to get a few nice clothes. Feeling fed up now.

OP it is sale season at the minute so shops will mainly be rammed with summer stock. You may be better to wait a couple of weeks when the autumn winter range is stocked in full (and summer stuff taken off the shelves)

Back of the Wardobe on instagram has a great post ( latest one) of 4/5 outfits she's put together from current shop stock going into Autumn.

Work, going out, et etc They are all casual smart, smart casual.

Have a look, lots of ideas, All your shops as mentioned. Good mix of prices.

She's very good. Real life focused.

Following @Littlemiss74! I’m in the same boat - always love the advice on S&B, it’s one of my favourite boards on MN 🥰

John Lewis do a great personal shopper service. Your situation of wanting a capsule wardrobe sounds perfect for getting their advice. You tell them in advance your requirements, shape, size, preferences and they will choose lots ready for you to try on at the appointment. It's fun and an eye opener to try things you might not have picked out for yourself. The stylist will help you to pick clothes that work together. There's absolutely no pressure to buy.

Other stores also offer a personal shopper services, some bigger Zara's and M&S stores.

I think OP it might be worth looking at Instagram to find someone who has a similar lifestyle to you, and whose style appeals to you. I work somewhere quite conservative, with a strict no denim, jean-style trousers or t-shirts dress code. You may not, so Back of the Wardrobe's style might appeal and be suitable.

Come back and tell us how you’re getting on!

My last 5 outfits:

• black long vest top, black M & S crop lily jeans, midi H & M leopard shirt dress worn undone, stone trainers

• navy elasticated waist leopard midi pleat skirt Manamou, white v neck t shirt, navy faux leather waterfall jacket Roman, white trainers

• M & S lily jeans blue, cream v neck cami Wallis, khaki shacket New Look, tan wedge sandals (Mint Velvet dupe) New Look

• white RI skinny jeans (sized up), long (to thighs) white vest top, long denim shirt Janes Stall, camo sliders Office

• Black midi tiered dress with puff sleeves Manamou, black sporty sandals New Look

Some pics...

The MV dupes...

The shackets.... Zara (gorgeous pink) and H & M (cream) have some nice ones in too...

That's a nice idea, Rina.

Mine are:
Pub and a meal - black suede heeled boots (Clarks)
Mid-wash boot cut jeans (M&S)
Black silky top (White Company)
Khaki jacket (Hush)

Long walk and pub lunch:
Black t-shirt (M&S)
Black cropped dungarees (Fatface)
White trainers (Stan Smith)

Shopping trip:
Dark slim flare jeans (M&S)
Striped top (Seasalt) black and grey
Black and white leather Converse
Long grey linen cardigan (ancient M&S)

Walk and coffee:
Floral midi dress (Fatface)
Cropped denim jacket (Next)
Stan Smith trainers

Theatre trip:
Black short shirt dress (Hush)
Black heeled leather boots (Clarks)
Nude tights (M&S) or I might wear black sheer ones, haven't decided yet
Leather jacket (All Saints) or if it's too warm for leather, grey jersey biker jacket (ancient Primark)

The navy jacket and cream cami (this is very flattering!)

Thanks Remus, I just think it's easier to consider whole 'going out' outfits rather than individual items....love the sound of your floral midi dress with denim jacket

I like the idea of listing outfits too Rina

A couple of my favourites

M&s mom jeans in indigo
HM Blue and white stripe shirt
Silver belt
River Island navy oversized blazer
Ugg white trainers with silver detail

Hush black and cream print midi skirt
Mint velvet black slash neck silky t shirt
M&s cream blazer
Flat black sandals

M&s Navy wide leg trousers
Zara Pale blue satin blouse
Next camel wool mix blazer
Trainers or animal print flats

@Rina66 I love that leopard shirt dress. It would be trailing on the floor on me though 😂

www.zara.com/GB/en/z1975-baggy-paperbag-jeans-p05862168.html?v1=124501191&utm_campaign=productShare&utm_medium=mobile_sharing_Android&utm_source=red_social_movil I bought these from Zara, surprisingly flattering and so comfortable. Come up big though.

Iim.a pear shape and I've grown a belly during lockdown- it's such a pain, is t it? Everything that you think you know about dressing your shape is now not right.

This dress in black from Gap has been my most worn so far this summer. Lovely material and sits well. I wear with white canvas trainers and a straw cross body bag.

The jeans above I wore with a slightly cropped t-shirt, again with trainers

I love these outfit ideas! Will add mine later. I downloaded style book ages ago and haven't used it yet.

Eg tapered elasticsted jeans (next) black and white striped v neck t shirts (Matalan) tan palmieras, over size khaki coat (m &S outlet)

@KnobJockey i can’t see the pic of your black dress or the jeans, could you re-post please?

I love the idea of posting complete outfits as I am just rubbish at visualising how to put things together. This will help me so much so please keep them coming!

This morning I’m going through some clothes & trying hard to get ruthless. So anything that’s not quite right, worn out/tatty, or an impulse sale buy that doesn’t go with anything is going! I do find it hard though & probably wont have much left 😩

I'm trying to do the same, OP.

So far:
Pink paperbag trousers
Navy tapered trousers
M and s lily jeans

Silk shirt that goes with a the above

Shoes that go with all the above- navy trainers, pink flatform loafers, navy flats

Navy t shirt
White t shirt

I need a couple of jumpers as it's already getting chilly here.

H&M are very good for linen t shirts and vests for layering.

Mango better online - they have some decent sale jumpers (I'm always freezing and they are good for warm things even out of season). I stick to grey, black and beige/cream. I'll find some specific links for you.

I like 40 plusnotgivingupyet as she does a lot of high street. She's tall, unlike me, but very honest about lengths, sizing up or down etc.

I wouldn't bother with Hush these days - Matalan style at five times the price.