What on earth am I meant to wear?

[SeventhIdiot]

I've been shopping today on the high street and at an outlet village and for the first time come home with nothing. Nothing fits, the fabrics are nasty, the designs are awful. I'm looking across the price board from Primark to John Lewis and designer brands at the outlet village.

Please can someone direct me towards something nice and wearable for both home and work for a woman in her 40s. I'm tearing my hair out here.

For work I wear a lot of White Stuff and Seasalt dresses with smartnl cardigans and the Whistles fitted Jersey blazer which was recommended on S&B. I have three. I also wear black trousers and nice tops. A bit from Cos and Baukjen. I hear what a pp's dd says about White Stuff and Seasalt but I think it depends how you style it and what you chose. They also sell a range of colours. So much nice stuff in M&S at present but in thr wrong colours and far too much polyester.

Like the op I need jewel or summer colours and I find Kettlewell helpful for tops, scarves and knitwear.

Charity shops, George, TU. TK Maxx aswell but you have to rummage through a lot of shite to find the good stuff. I’m same size as you and am also large of boob so Zara/Mango etc are no good. I’ve just bought a sparkly dress from Roman Originals, which is lovely, loads of stretch and room for big boobs. Also an extra stretchy thick band over stomach area.

I bought this dress at Uniqlo in navy recently and I love it. It's quite a heavy fabric and hangs really nicely.

There are several cashmere jumpers/cardigans in jewel tones in J Lewis & M&S. I also fully recommend M&S wide leg trousers. Especially the £17 ones & the wide leg cords. I'm not sure about dresses as i haven't bought any recently. But surely it's easy to look at the dept stores online & look for the jewel coloured items?

M&S - I went into a large store recently and there was lots to choose from. I just kept going back and forth from the changing room with different things to try on and also tried things I wouldn't normally just to see whether they suited me.

I'm a live unlimited convert and house of colour wise I am a winter jewel - so I am guessing you mean this sort of colour?
Blue Satin Placket Front Shirt - Plus Size Clothing from Live Unlimited London

I’m even shorter, short waisted, busty and a bit round. They definitely won’t work on me. Probably a good job, as Hush quality certainly doesn’t justify that price.

White Stuff just depresses me. I hate the colours. Seasalt has the rare thing I like but mostly too long/droopy/blue/insipid for me.

How about Mint Velvet? They have some beautiful tops and jumpers, all of which would look great with slim-fitting black trousers, denim skirts, jeans, wide-legged trousers... It sounds like we're a similar shape, and I tend to get compliments when I wear shirt dresses (I often wear them with a contrasting vest top underneath for a flash of colour such as a shirt navy dress with a bright pink vest top, or a soft pale blue) as they're really simple to wear and can be really quite stylish.

Hush have some great pieces too - I really like some of their dresses and knitwear. Oliver Bonas too.

I really like these at the mo:
https://www.sosandar.com/indigo-blue-denim-fit-flare-belted-maxi-dress?glCountry=GB&glCurrency=GBP&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhfipBhCqARIsAH9msbkNHF3bdPSUnEbIq_4cBxhDWXsjyQUImpwreiAw_bXHbZJxE60INNoaAsilEALw_wcB#241=236&fo_c=2425&fo_k=141d924976ea3f930dbf597e0fe648c2&fo_s=gplauk

(Ignore the random modelling positions of the Me & Em dresses. It can be quite off-putting)

https://www.meandem.com/basket-weave-geo-print-midi-shirt-dress-belt-navy-black-soft-white

https://www.meandem.com/fluid-cord-gold-button-midi-shirt-dress-navy

https://www.meandem.com/digital-dot-print-deep-v-volant-midi-dress-khaki-black-pink

https://www.oliverbonas.com/fashion/abstract-pink-knitted-bomber-jacket-355870#selection.color=2005

https://www.oliverbonas.com/fashion/puff-sleeve-blue-knitted-cardigan-361715#selection.color=15

You mention jewel tones - have you had your colours done? I'm looking into this as I know this can be a game changer for so many and it gives you a great starting point when shopping.

Me and em dresses - always gorgeous

I absolutely don't need any more clothes but that first red Seasalt dress is calling me and that colour is my best colour. For the first time in my life I'm going to be sensible and I've diarised it for the end of next month and if I still love it...

(As regards buying Seasalt, I'm 60 so I'm allowed 😂)