Which blog for a fifty-something, size 10/12 short arse?

[SirChenjins]

That’s it really. I need inspiration but so many are for taller, slimmer women and as any short stop knows, clothes look very different on you if you’re five foot one and more than a size 6/8.

Blogs aren’t really my kind of thing - but this offends me less than most …

thatsnotmyage.com

Alyson Welsh is pretty good. Her style is consistent with her age, and she looks 50-something. She looks stylish and many of her looks would look fine on a 25-yr old, 45-yr old, 65-yr old or 85-yr old. She's in good shape, which helps.

I don't follow any blogs, but that's one I dip into.

I'm slightly taller than you, but generally I concentrate on what suits my body shape and colouring. I don't have any midi floral dresses, frills, or wide cropped trousers. I'm an inverted triangle.

Look for celebrities who are about your height:
Reese Witherspoon
Kylie
Lady Gaga
Shakira
Hilary Duff
Anna Kendrick
Avril Lavigne
Carrie Fisher
Stevie Nicks
Kourtney Kardashian
Christina Ricci
Maisie Williams
Ariana Grande
Doll y Parton
Judi Dench
Dawn French

I’ve just had a look for the Alyson Welsh blog but couldn’t see it - does it go by a different name?

I do look at Kylie (she’s quite a bit slimmer than me though and doesn’t have the 10 on top, 12 on the bottom) and while I love Dolly I wouldn’t dress like her. I’ve done Stevie in my teens back in the 80s, so looking for something a bit less ethereal/witchy. I’ll take at look at a couple of the others on your list.

Just had a look at TNMA and it seems to be Alyson Welsh? Different body shape and she looks taller, but I’ll see what I can glean from her.

@SirChenjins Alyson Walsh writes the blog I linked in my post above.

Just following, being a 53 year old 5'3 9 stone, 34D size 10-12. Having a no buy couple of years but interested to read. And perhaps see what different outfits I can put together with everything I have.

She's not short, but she's very funny. Kat Farmer on Insta.
She recommends crisps as well which is baaaaaaad but good. 🤣

Interested…

@SirChenjins - I have always fancied myself a bit Stevie, but have now sadly realised that head to toe black on someone my age is just sinister

Sounds like our body shapes are almost identical @Netcam I find it really difficult to get the proportions right - too tight emphasises my norks and generous backside, too loose/baggy can swamp me.

TheSilverCat is little & a very cool dresser. I'm 5ft 3 too and follow loads of different accounts. Of all different sizes. I only unfollow them when they're on numerous free holidays 💚

Walsh not Welsh, sorry.
Lisa Armstrong , Telegraph fashion editor, is often good and I don't think she is tall, but she is a different body shape to me.

Exactly! I pulled off the Stevie look brilliantly in my late teens/early twenties (that followed the worker’s revolutionary party look of my mid teens ) but now it just looks like the wearer collects toads for the cauldron. Still love Stevie though - even if her black boots are more of the ortho variety these days, rather than the platform heels of yesterday.

Kat Farmer is bloody brilliant! I follow her already but she’s 5 foot 10 and a few sizes smaller than me sadly.

Yes, we should share ideas! What are your favourite clothes? I just had a look through the blog and found pictures of a 3 things I got this winter, interesting! They were the Jigsaw orange fairisle jumper DH got me for Xmas, a Jigsaw lilac cloud cashmere roll neck and a Boden v-neck cashmere cardigan, both of which I got massively reduced in the January sales. My favourite and most flattering trousers are my black Icebreaker crush pants in S and I've not found any that work better in the 7 years I've been wearing them, I'm on my 2nd pair and have 2 spares in the back of the wardrobe bought 1/2 price in the sales.

Love The Silver Kat! Thanks for that suggestion @Cantonet

You need instagram , loads of 'normal' women on there with ideas !

Other accounts worth following are clubforty.claire. She's a size 12 & a bit taller ( & 50 I think) but she gives such good intelligent advice on dressing for your shape. Without being in any way patronising. I think it's the current instagram account I'm most impressed by.
Also backofthewardrobe is 50's & a little taller as well.

@Netcam Sadly I’m lacking in inspiration so tend to live in skinny jeans, knee length boots and big jumpers in the winter - you definitely wouldn’t take style advice from me! I also feel the cold and living in Edinburgh I pile on the layers.

Favourite jumper this year is a fair isle one from Eribe - cheers me up no end when I wear it. I have a pair of chunky black boots, matt shine leggings, big grey roll neck and a leather jacket I wear with my favourite red scarf - that’s my go-to outfit at the moment. I sometimes wear the same outfit with a pair of v high ankle boots but only if I don’t have to walk far! Those Icebreaker trousers look good - I’ll keep my eyes open for the sale. I have a couple of pairs of stretchy ankle grazers I wear to work with loafers and a jumper from Hobbs with a Jackie Kennedy neckline (can’t think of any other way to describe it) and that outfit seems to balance my proportions.

The thing is with Instagram is that it is ideas and I need a “you can buy this from X company” .

I had a mild flirtation with the Scandi ceramicist look but boy, does it not work for a pale short person. I looked like Sandi Toksvig in a long wig.

And ROFL at list of celebrities upthread. If I end up looking like Judi Dench crossed with Dolly Parton I think the game’s up…

I love Caroline’s Style Hacks. She is size 8 but a bit taller than you. She’s made me feel more comfortable in wearing the trainers I love and more colour now I am in my 50s. Seems a very nice lady too.

www.carolinesstylehacks.com

😂🤣

You sound quite stylish to me! Not sure how I'd cope in Edinburgh, I live down south and wear wool leggings and thermal tops under everything all winter. But leggings and long jumpers are definitely winter staples for me too, or a shorter jumper with a short stretchy skirt over the leggings. Chunky boots sound lovely, I am very restricted when it comes to shoes having suffered from plantar fasciitis in the past. So I am really careful with footwear and have to prioritise function over form, but have found enough shoes that work for various situations to not need any more. A leather jacket always looks cool too. I only WFH at the moment and so really I can wear what I like all the time and have little need for much that is smart. But I'm trying to incorporate more colour and bought lots of colourful jumpers this year, having stuck to a lot of grey and black in the past. That's for me really, wanting to brighten up my look, since my hair is only going to go in the direction of grey, luckily still only slightly at this point.

Exactly this!

I need to see a picture of someone with my build and rough age wearing the clothes and a link next to them saying ‘buy me here’. I have neither the time nor the inclination to trawl through site after site of stuff that might suit me (and usually doesn’t).

I often find I veer into Susie Myerson territory (a fantastic character but not someone you’d take style advice from). Being v short with curves (for curves read too many cakes over too many sittings) can be a minefield style-wise.

@Netcam Honestly, I’m not - what I listed there is pretty much the extent of my stylish outfits! I went out to walk the dog today in a bobble hat, filthy coat (no point in washing it, it just gets jumped on), old skinny (baggy) jeans and muddy Muck boots. DH looked me up and down and said ‘I don’t really have to worry about you running off with anyone, do I, Chen?!’. Cheeky sod.

Thermals here too for about 6 months of the year, and I discovered I can buy merino wool jumpers for a few quid in a smaller size than I’d normally wear on eBay and wear them underneath my good jumpers to keep warm.

I really do need help.

Midlife chic is a great blog, she’s also on Instagram, away on safari at the moment but sends a weekly update normally.