Help - weight & shape changed

[Moopster]

I've always been a size 10 top, size 12 bottom pear shape. Over the last year or so I have put on about 1.5 stone in weight, mainly due to an underactive thyroid and a couple of other medications with the side effect of weight gain. On top of this, I've developed a menopause belly that has changed me from a pear to an apple shape.

I went shopping yesterday for some jeans having resigned myself to the fact that I will need to go up a size in bottoms. i had been resisting this and had hoped that joining a gym and going at least 3 times a week would help but it hasn't.

I tried on 4 different style pairs of jeans in M&S yesterday and burst into tears. 2 of them I could not get done up. The other 2 only just fit. The biggest problem was the way they made me look. I'm 5'1" and they made me look as wide as I am tall.

I need help - what the hell can I wear in the winter?? I've been wearing flattering dresses over the summer but was hoping to go for a casual jeans and sweater look for the winter but not sure I will ever wear jeans again. Any ideas?

Just wanted to bump this for you. I feel exactly the same!

Try the Next Lift and Shape jeans. They are great for apple shapes, although not the skinny cut. Go for the slim fit.

Jeans are notoriously hard to find so don’t beat yourself up. I also couldn’t get some jeans up on a shopping trip yesterday, I blamed the jeans 😂.

Given the wide variety of jeans out there now, you’ll need to try a whole lot more on. Maybe try ordering a load from Next or John Lewis.

A wide silhouette is actually very in at the moment.

Buying jeans in-store is a recipe for tears! If you can use a credit card I would buy a load from eg ASOS and try them on at home, then send back what you don’t like.

I would also get a tape measure and (take a deep breath!) find out what your waist actually is. My best jeans are all Levi’s which are sized by waist like men’s eg 28, 29 rather than 10, 12, 14 etc.

I used to live in jeans but since my menopause tummy arrived I just can't!
If they fit round the waist then they don't fit anywhere else, it's rubbish OP, I share your pain!