Mid 40s - what do you wear? where do you shop?

[Rebecca75]

I'm in my mid 40s, size 10-12, 5'10. I need a restyle /jazz up my clothes. I've been a skint single parent for YEARS living off ebay. I wear whitestuff/ boden kind of stuff - jeans and tops / shirts. Everything is threadbare and worn.
Now have new man in my life and I actually leave the house and GO OUT... I Need to feel (and look) good.
Inspiration needed - where do you all find inspiration for outfits? I feel like I've been living in the dark ages for years... I want a few cool, functional to cross from day to night outfits. I live quite rurally but do go into town / cities now and again where Rocket dog trainers, skinny jeans and an old top aren't really giving off my 'true image'..
Any help,links much appreciated

Cos, arket, andotherstories, zara jeans are my go tos in the main. Like whistles, some jigsaw too. Only buy cotton, denim, silk, cashmere, wool

I’m 46

People like little spree and wearsmymoney on Instagram are good for our age and shopping high st

Reiss jeans are my new go to since losing weight
Ebay can be your friend... people sell stuff they can't fit into/ never worn

Maybe get a great jacket that's good for nightime? I bought a tuxedo one from Zara. Goes with pretty much everything.

Exciting - good like with your new man. I like Cos, Arket, John Lewis own brands - Kin & And/Or, some Wyse pieces, a few bits from H&M premium. I’m definitely in the camp of fewer but better quality bits these days.

Came on hear to say Cos and Arket but I see others got here first

Also like Toast (I tend to scour eBay for second hand as it can be a bit out of my price range otherwise)

Fab thanks for all the suggestions. I haven’t heard of some of these brands (confirms my feelings of being stuck in the dark ages for so long)!!
Hopefully I’ll bring myself into modern living!!

I would say if you are on a bit of a budget h&m is really reasonable , and a lot of it has a European vibe so looks more expensive than what it is. Xxx

Zara is your friend.

I (like a PP) wear natural fibres almost 100% of the time, and mostly buy high quality things that I couldn't afford new secondhand on sites like Vestiare Collective and Rebelle, as well as eBay and Depop.

Shops I do like are All Saints plus Uniqlo for basic stuff, and I also use Thread.com for recommendations - if you're a bit stuck for ideas I'd recommend it, as their stylists give you lots of suggestions based on your questionaire answers and the chance to buy the clothes if you want to, but don't send you boxes of random stuff. I started wearing jewellery more after picking out some nice bits on there and that helps me feel more 'put together' too .

Similar - Cos, Arket, Whistles, Monki, Other Stories, Levi’s for jeans

I buy a lot on Depop and have “searches” I run every few days - eg “other stories cardigan S” - which really pays off!

I buy the vast majority of my clothes in H&M with Zara and M&S. Gayle Rinkoff and the fashion lift on Instagram are my kind of style

If I were shopping for day to night outfits (I wish... sigh) then I’d try:

• a jumpsuit (although I find these easier to wear in summer than winter)
• a knitted dress
• silk blouse with straight leg jeans
• cashmere sweater over a silk/satin bias cut skirt

Enjoy!

What about trying good labels from places like Vinted? There is a lot of climate change damage done by the fashion industry. I am thinking of only getting preloved in future for this reason.

Facebook pages I get inspiration from are ‘style sisterhood’ and ‘style me happy’.

For trends, I subscribe to ‘who what wear ‘. They send regular emails about current trends, and include high street shops on their lists (although it’s obvious they their favourites).

I did a style analysis a few years ago. One of the biggest things I learnt is not to be limited to certain shops - buy clothes because you like them irregardless whether they’re Cos, Arket, M and S or Tesco. Also, buying clothes that suit your shape and colour season can make you feel rejuvenated and more fashionable.

also, buy clothes that suit your personality. I know I feel happiest when I wearing my Boden breton , or boho blouse, but would feel out of place in an elegant, cashmere jumper etc. Therefore, if you feel happiest in whitestuff and Boden, continue buying there. There’s nothing wrong with those shops.

I'd start with Pinterest and see what looks people with your body shape are wearing that you also like. Then look for similar items.
Make a list of half a dozen essentials to get you started - things which will go together. For me it would be dark jeans (to dress up or down), long tube skirt, boots or smart trainers and 3 tops (a shirt, smart t shirt in a silky material and a jumper). For you it might be something entirely different. Then next step would be jacket or coat and a bag. Then if I'd bought trainers earlier I'd then get boots or vice versa. From there you can add more tops/additional jeans possibly in more casual style. Then jewellery, if you need some.
But start with Pinterest looks.

I wear Cos, Reiss, Uniqlo, andotherstories, John Lewis, Jigsaw, me&em
Still buying Joseph trousers
I buy because it suits me and will last
I’m no longer swayed by hot/fast fashion and that frees me up

These brands are also on ebay if you want to dip your toes in
Sounds like a lovely exciting time

Look not only what you wear but how you wear it. It’s just as much about the way you tuck, whether you fold your jeans or not with certain outfits, whether the colours together do actually work. It’s also about the hair, bails, handbag. You can buy the best clothes in the world but they might not work together so really explore the looks and combinations or styles you admire.

So often you see people wearing styles from brands which they have spent a lot of money on and they just don’t look great because they’re not put together well

Zara, H&M, GAP, Uniqlo, Primark.

Having looked at this thread, I visited Toast and have fallen in love with a jumper. It’s beautiful, but the price is crazy! Does anyone have a voucher code they can share?

I wear a lot of Uniqlo and Gap for weekends and working from home (jeans, knitwear etc). Jigsaw, Whistles and Hobbs for smart work stuff. I actually can't remember when I last went on a date so I would have no idea what to wear but I guess I'd wear a Zara, H&M, or Mango dress or skirt. I should get out more!
Enjoy your dating OP.

Mostly charity shops, tbh, but I like Hush and Uniqlo for basics.

&OtherStories, Arket, Weekday, Monki, M&S.

Lots of charity shop browsing/ vintage fairs. Trinny's videos are great for inspiration. Ebay for second hand Toast and Brora. Hush is nice too. Also Oska but spendy A classy vintage bag and good shoes will get you far. Chunky soled shoes and boots with dresses/skirts. I'd take one great cashmere jumper over 10 cheap acrylics anytime. The quality always shows.

Can anyone recommend a few good brands for plus size women’s clothing? Most of the stuff out there is absolutely hideous, no shape / structure or care of how fabric hangs on the body differently.
It’s so hard to find clothes for a work setting and maintaining your own identity when all one can buy is either navy or black trousers and fabrics tend to be cheap quality.
Any brands like Jigsaw or similar catering for the plus-size market?
Any suggestions greatly appreciated!