Dress me please! I need help!

[thedendrochronologist]

I'll post a picture of me and my size 18 frame

But basically I need to buy clothes that look nice and do not make me look frumpy for the winter

Shoes
Coat
Dress

Jeans
Nice Top

I have thick stumpy legs and big stomach

I want to look cool and fun but not zany or kooky

I have £250 for the lot

Help!

start with an oversized shirt and straight leg jeans. Concentrate on a v neckline and no fussy puffed sleeves.

I'm finding the winter wardrobe very difficult, too. Spring/summer is so much easier. I think I'm just going to coast on through to spring, now 😬

Good news is I have stepped away from the coat

I have some nice new plain black scoop neck tops and other long sleeves

A plain black cashmere and a longer oversize 1/4 zip jumper.

I have a leopard mini that is nice with ubiquitous long sleeves t shirt

I suppose is want a chuck on coat

How about adding a skirt, maybe?
Edit: just saw you have a mini. But maybe a longer skirt, too?

Try Sainsbury for jeans. I think they’re excellent and good value. You can get a pair for £24 or so.

A v necked short cardigan would be good to put over l/s tops and suddenly you’ve made lots of outfits.

I have these OP - would be a chunk of your budget but v versatile for skirts and trews. Also v comfy, I often have a squidged toes issue. Like you, knee length boots are not for me! Nor would be the shapeless sacks at Cos, so I don’t think you’re missing much there.

www.camper.com/en_GB/women/shoes/katie/camper-katie-K400664-001?_gl=181cu2n_upMQ.._gs*MQ..&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxYO1j-mJigMVxZhQBh01kjj0EAAYASAAEgJVTfD_BwE&gbraid=0AAAAADmwPQ_Gx4vwGYsbl3OQeZFdYLckV

Mollie Campsie might be worth looking at on Instagram too, she's a size 18 and always looks lovely, lots of jeans and wide leg trouser looks

www.instagram.com/molliecampsie?igsh=MTltaW04bDlzY240cw==

Size 18 ?
You look smaller size and a nice shape .
Uniqlo is good price wise and I reckon you’d get away with a pair of soft wide leg trousers and a nice neat top / jumper with long sleeves for winter .
They also have really decent coats there for a good price .
I always wait for Fatface sales and buy Simone dresses on repeat when they’re between £20 - £30 .
I wear them with warm cardigans, tights and knee boots .
However I am quite short at 5’2” .
i don’t have a “ good “ coat as my winter ❄️ coats are an older random brand quilted hooded coat and another for dog walking.
I did however find a decent looking teddy coat in Tu Sainsburys 😄 petite size so I grabbed that one to look nice if I’m “ out out “ 😆

TU is a really weird mix of 80% unflattering, synthetic rubbish and then the odd gem that you have to pounce on before it sells out and it lasts years and everyone asks where you got it from 😂

Absolutely this, nice things in Sainsburys TU, George at Asda, Tesco, Matalan, Primark, its just about putting the right shapes together

What do you want from these outfits? What look do you want?
A lot of the current fashion offerings are moving away from 'flattering' (trying to look slim), which is great in concept, but it reality I find it a hard habit to break. Barrel jeans for example, yes they look great, but the clue is in the name- they are not slimming in the slightest. Absolutely fantastic if that doesn't bother you!

Things that I am wearing or would look for right now:
A pair of wide leg jeans or cords- m&s have a pair in that looks promising for £39.50
A wool jumper- I would be all over Vinted for this. I got an & other stories one the other day that's lovely quality
A long satin skirt. I prefer a line on my shape, but if you are belly conscious more than hips, bias cut may suit better. You can get these from the supermarket/ new look/ H&M. Trainers for daytime, boots or heels to dress up.
If you do want boots, try simply be for wider calves.
A couple of long sleeve tops, stripe, plain, slogan, whatever floats your boat. Oversized if you want fashionable, more fitted if you want flattering.
A pair of trainers, and a pair of Chelsea boots would cover most outfits.

One more thing, are you actually a dendrochronologist @thedendrochronologist ? And fwiw I agree you look good in your initial pic (get clumpier shoes) and I’d also say you look like more like a size 14, not 18 surely?

Have a look at the curve range in Apricot they also have larger sizing in the other areas. This dress looks very much like a Jaeger dress I bought that has been really useful and gets compliments
Knitted Wrap Midi Dress | Apricot Clothing

you would suit a wrap as you have a nice hourglass shape.
Their leather chelsea ankle boots are also nice and good value at £37

Not wild on their coats unless you fancy faux fur. Saw some nice once in TKmaxx though

If you have nice cashmere jumpers what about a satin maxi skirt - I know you did not ask for that though!

One thing is have you looked at how yo dress for your body shape? Once you get it right it doesn't matter where you shop, because you will automatically buy the best clothes for your shape. I love Melissa Murrell on Instagram /You Tube as she has lots of free videos on how to dress for your body shape for all ages. I also follow Invest in style on Instagram as she has an athletic shape like me ( but much taller & slimmer). But a lot of the clothes she picks suit me too, albeit I'm more apple than her.

Secondly it sounds as though you've got the beginnings of a capsule wardrobe already there. You need to decide on a coat/boots that will go with the items you've got already. Consciously decide what type of coat you want first before just buying the first random thing that catches your eye.

I've listed all my clothes on the Whering App so I remember what I've got as I used to buy the same things over & over again. But I also have an inspiration board on it where I can pin pictures of items I like or see online. It really helps me refine what I really want, when I go shopping.

I think you look great a defo not a size 18! Sorry no advice to give, I have all on dressing myself 😬

Thanks all really helpful I'm
Definitely a size 18 my size 16 jeans are too tight to wear although size 18 are generous.

I'm not bothered about looking thin just stylish and not scruffy and frumpy.

I'm not a dendrochronologist but I'd love to be!! I follow mollie campsite and Emily and both are over 6ft and Mollie is a model.

I had a 'mini analysis' but I'm not really a typical shape. I came out as a pear but have wide shoulder

I have very heavy legs and suspect lipodema.

I wear midi skirts and tops each day at work as they are practical or trousers I have a slim pair and a sort of tapered pair.

I like the idea of a satin slip skirt bitten fear is satin is not the most forgiving bias look awful but A line is great.

So I'm sat in my house wearing extremely non stylish Lidl Christmas leggings and a regatta fleece!

These M & S trousers are great and come in various colours and lengths.

https://www.marksandspencer.com/crepe-elasticated-waist-wide-leg-trousers/p/clp60634388?intid=mobileappppdpshare

I also have the trainers below which were £45 (cream with flash of burgundy) and the New Look burgundy satin skirt £28 - I wear a cream jumper with the black wide legs or skirt and the trainers.

These....I also have the knitted dress from Apache that I wear with leggings and ankle boos or trainers

I’m tired of seeing advice like this on here. You don’t need to spend a fortune or wear pre-owned to wear decent stylish clothes, and we shouldn’t be making those on normal incomes feel that way. As others have said, supermarket brands, new look, Matalan etc, perfectly nice and reasonably priced. Just because it’s more expensive, it doesn’t mean it’s better. From what I can see from following recommendations on many of these types of threads, a lot of the time the dearer stuff you are paying for a brand or a label, the design can be poor and really bland looking.

I'd have a look at Uniqlo. Their collabs with designers often mean you can get nice stuff for lower prices. And they have good sales.

I have a sz 18 bust, and generally I find cross over tops that form into a lowish V, flatter a larger figure.
I agree that some of the larger shops like M&S, Sainsburys, even Asda, can have some good staples like jumpers, pants, coats in a wide size range.
Don't buy a boxy jacket, a longer line is better...and btw, your pic looks great. x

I got a really nice classic dark grey wool (mix) coat from LaRedoute recently for a great price. They always seem to have discounts on. Might be worth a look? It goes with just about everything and instantly makes me feel a bit more put together!

Patronizing or what??🙄

@thedendrochronologist

I’m a 16-18 on my bottom half and a 14-16 on the top half and carry most of the weight on my stomach and thighs.

My favourite look is bias cut midi skirts worn with a long sleeved top or jumper, and find these are the most flattering items for me to wear. I don’t wear ones which are made from overly shiny satin however, and all of mine are patterned as I feel the pattern helps to disguise and detract from areas I’m very uncomfortable with.

Mine are from John Lewis Anyday, Freemans, Asda and Next.