Help Needed I'll have around £200 to spend but.....

[eandh]

I am fed up of buying stuff because its cheap/it'll do etc and I all I seem to wear is frayed jeans with faded patches on the knees (from playing with dd's) and tshirts that dont flatter.

Its my birthday in 2 weeks normally I get around £200 from family etc, I need some casual clothes for everyday wear (thankfully work have now provided uniforms for the 2 days I work) I am a size 18 but only 5"1 and large norks (which I try and hide as I hate them) DH buying me some wedges for my birthday (when I find some I like) can you help me with jeans/trousers/tops and maybe cardi or something for days where its cold but you dont need a coat

i went into gap yesterday and they have marked things down further, trousers £9.99, tops £2.99 and £4.44, i bought loads for summer. there was loads of shirts which would look smart, £9.99.

Do you have an outlet centre near you? You can often get really good things at them.

hi i am about the same dress size/height as you (but without the boobs)

i find m&s are quite good for jeans and trousers i have a couple of pairs of their quite basic dark denim with slight bootcut (£19.50) they fit better than any other jeans ive tried and keep their shape well.

dorothy perkins usually have quite a good range of reasonably priced tops/jumpers and they always have sales on.

What are this seasons 'key' things to buy, I hate my legs so never wear skirts/cropped trousers, so will get some new jeans and not sure what other type of trousers. Also do you think shirt style tops ot tshirts?

Hi nancy - sorry posted and hasd missed your post - I never think to go into M&S so will def pop in there and try jeans on, I find to get them to fit over my saggy 2 csections overhang jellybelly tummy and hips I end up with huge gap at back, I need a personal shopper to tell me what to buy dont I???

eandh, look for on the waist rather than hipster, if you are anything like me the low waist days are over!
being short we need to stick to either straight (not skinny) leg of a small boot cut. Wide leg trousers are nice for summer, but not too wide, as again you can drown in then if you are short!

i see from your profile you live in maidstone so i would go to bluewater(without kids!) and just try on loads of things.

i got in to a rut of wearing same stuff all the time and realised i was making myself look much bigger than i am so now i try on lots of different styles and am usually surprised by what looks best!

this cardi/blazer would be useful.It is £££ but you may beable to find similar cheaper somewhere else.

Thanks keep them coming - cardi looks great will have a look for cheaper but similar. You know what I hate bluewater it has so many 'thin people' shops I normally go to Lakeside or in MAidstone (loads of shops in town as new new shopping centre plus old shopping centre and high st)

Def going to go into M&S tomorrow (its almost opposite my work and because it'll be in my lunch hour it means I will be childless!)

Now tops - would a shirt dress over jeans work with my size/height (lapin I am also blessed with a bigge rthan average derrierre (sp)

Just popping off in a mo to get dd1 from preschhol (and sob because she is now on holiday till the 21st april)

nancy75 - yes my days of anything 'low waisted' are well and truly over

shirt dress over jeans is good, as long as the dress isnt too long and is abit fitted.
lots of shops have nice little fitted shirts at the moment, they can be really flattering, but you might need to go up a size so you dont get that gapping button thing over the boobs (remember nobody can see the size label when youre wearing it!)

i know what you mean about bluewater - but ignore the thin shops, the stores there tend to have a larger range and a better selection of sizes (even the shops that go up to a 18 never have the larger sizes in stock in smaller shopping areas)

How about John Lewis at Bluewater. They do personal shopping I went to my local one. The lady told me they did all sizes. They are also changing their mannequins to a size 14.

Maidstone M&S is officially rubbish though, so if you'd have any success there, don't be downhearted!

Maidstone M&S is officially rubbish though, so if you don't have any success there, don't be downhearted!

Do you have a Debenhams? They do a great free personal shopping service with a wide range of prices and lots of there clothes are geared towards non-skinny, non-teenage non- fashion victims. And having somebody choose clothes that go together, and go off to get different sizes/colours for you is brilliant.

There is a debenhams in lakeside and quite a good size M&S and dorothy perkins so may head over there for a day (dh can have the dd's!!) may phone them to see if they do personal shopping and book an appt. I was in John Lewis bluewater last thursday buying trunki suitcases for the dd's for holiday and 30mins in there with both dd's and I came home

gipfeli - do you live near maidstone, can't believe we have 2 reasonable sized M&S and neither have much in stock

I agree ... its soooo easy to get into a rut with jeans and t shirts when you've got little ones around. Have you thought about wrap dresses ? They are my new best friends

A personal shopper (or a friend) is an excellent idea, get them to pick out things you would never normally try on and in colours you dont normally go for... you could be pleasantly surprised.

Enjoy your spending !

eandh i have a feeling lakeside actually do a free personal shopper service as well - quite good if you can get one from the centre rather than just one shop, they are not just trying to get you to buy and you get a selection from all the stores.

No, we live in Switzerland but my parents live in Maidstone. I come back for visits, looking forward to a trip to M&S and am always, without fail, massively disappointed. Should really have lowered my expectations by now.

I don't understand how they can be quite so bad there.

i get disappointed by quality £3 for a coloured shirt, but it's see-through : ( and your bra pattern shows : (

not great for a boobalious mother-of-three!

i'm size 18 too, and i have restricted the colours that i buy and try to keep more stuff that actually matches!!

i go to charity shops in more wealthy areas (and away from student towns) and you can get really good clothes, for not much money. however, shoes i can spend a good £80 to £120 on really nice shoes. oooh, and a good bra can do woners, sperating boobs from belly!!

lol!

Lol casbie I bought a £32 bra last Friday and it looks crappy overspill etc so taking it back tomorrow - I agree though I normally buy 2 good quality hammocks bras every few months as they need the support also need to get some new knickers as they are all looking dodgy at the mo

Gipfeli - I know Maidstone M&S is shite isnt it especially when you compare to the shops around it (have you been back since Fremlin Walk opened that has improved MAidstone alot)

I have just realised after years of looking ok but 'ill fitting' that what I need is a few good quality/fitting capusle pieces rather than loads of tat that streches etc. So far I have jeans/trousers/cardi/shirt dress/maybe a nice shirt/wedges

Yes I think Fremlin Walk is a big improvement. DH and I spent a lot of money in the shops there in November (which we justified since shopping for clothes here is a nightmare unless you are 16 or 60).

I have the same problem but not so much money!! I got a nice pair of wedges in Peacocks -comfy and only £12 - have a look at their website...

Thanks fab w ehave a peacocks in maidstone so can have a look in there, I have fallen in love with some sketcher wedges and DH buying those when I have decided what fabric I want.

I like this

maybe these for school run?

also these

quite like these