I have been overweight my whole life. Well, severely, obese, actually. At my biggest I was a size 28/30. Shopping was a painful necessity and I was always so relieved to find anything I could get into I would buy it and run away as quickly as possible.
That has changed. I have lost a ton of weight, and still losing, and now quietly confident that, this time, I am going all the way (lower carb real food and intermittent fasting, in case anyone wants to know)
in January I was wearing 24’s. Now I’m in 18’s, which opens up a huge number of places I can shop, and it’s a bit overwhelming. Given the rate of progress, I think it’s realistic to think of being in a size 14 by Christmas, and eventually a 12.
The thing is, I really have no sense of personal style. So how do I find one? Where do I even start? I have booked a personal stylist session at John Lewis for the beginning of September. But I thought it would be useful to look at some ideas beforehand, so looking for input about where to look.
I have (obviously) been hitting the shops recently. Balancing the need to actually have clothes that fit me with the desire not to go overboard too soon. I don’t want to spend big too soon, as I’m still expecting to shrink further. I am looking in charity shops regularly, so I can get stuff I need without breaking the bank. But also a few new items.
I’m very much a trouser wearer - not into skirts or dresses. For years, it’s been jeans in cool weather and loose linen or cotton trousers in warm weather. I’ve now expanded into chinos - but what other sort of trouser style should I think about? In terms of tops, I have about a million T shirts, but want to branch out a bit. I like bright colours, and also pastels. I don’t like frills and lace and fussy things. I am retired, so the need for smart clothes is only occasional. So I mainly want comfortable, relaxed stuff.
Point me in the direction of finding out who I am when it comes to clothes.