Skirt/ jumper look. Am I too big for it? Or doing it wrong

[pontipinemum]

Honestly, I like how this looks on other people but I am not sure if I am doing it right.

Pics are bad, we only have 1 proper mirror pushed into the spare room at the min. That's just the dress, jumper tucked and jumper untucked. Then in the wild.

I'm just not sure I pull it off.

You can be warm and look nice.

So, OP, that's another thing you've chosen with a lot of fabric on the bottom half. Which will make anything warm and cosy you add to your top half look bulky.
If you want to wear a warm jumper, get one that covers your bum, and wear warm leggings or jeggings or those lovely jeans you've got with it. Or get a hoody that's longer length that skims your body.

OP are you anywhere near a John Lewis? You could get yourself a session with a personal shopper. It used to be free, they'll bring a load of stuff to the changing room for you to try.
You won't like a lot of it, but try everything on anyway, go with an open mind, and you will be pleasantly surprised. Also try on things they suggest that you can't afford, just to get an idea of what colours and styles suit you and go together. Take lots of selfies that you can look back on for reference.

I think these leggings look SO much better on you than the dresses. The dresses just aren’t great. They are too long and just a bit “meh.” If you’re so keen for dresses, would you consider more of a midi style than ankle length? And perhaps with a pattern instead of the block colour?
Going back to the leggings though, I think you should stick with them, and get some really nice big, cosy chunky knit jumpers and a nice pair of boots.

Brown tights - a big no from me.

Not leggings. Get a couple of casual mini dresses or skirts and some black tights. Your legs are great - show them off!

Did these pics already post?

It doesnt have to be dresses. I just used to like dresses/ shirts before kids because it hid my bum and the fact I don't have a thigh gap.

I suppose dresses seem very easy to wear when I usually have minutes to dress myself. If know what to wear i can get it done quickly. Or with an audience of "helpers"

DH is a farmer so there is a lot of solo parenting.

No John Lewis near me. I am in ROI but I checked NI and they don't have any

Sorry but I don't think the checked dress/cardigan works at all.

Maybe try the dress with black tights and a black jumper over it???

That dress looks nice on the model, but it's polyester and doesn't look well made. The model is probably very slender with a small bust, small waist and small hips.
It looks quite dated and summery.
It looks like somethng my mum would havewanted me to wear in the 1980s.

It will not look nice with brown opaque tights.

I like the bias cut skirt on you op, and really like the cable knit cardigan. It s a fine knit so the cable isn't bulking it, but adds nice texture.

ETA could you add a very soft, fluid blouse? That way you could leave the cardigan open to stop the effect of a "horizontal line across your middle."

You could even have the blouse left out over the waist if it is nice and thin and fluid - maybe in a cream/ivory silky fabric or similar. I think you are wanting to soften lines and add fluidity without adding bulk. The bias skirt achieves this really well I think and is a well chosen item.

The cardigan is nice.
They are not nice together .
The dress looks like it doesn't fit you, and the diagonal check distorts your figure. It needs to go into the charity shop donation bag.

That cable cardigan (and a fluid blouse) would also go well over wide-leg trousers - which don't need to be in a bulky denim, but could be a fabric similar to your bias skirt.

Everything you have tried seems to be high necked, I would try something a bit lower

Agree that the checked dress doesn't look like it fits very well. It might 'just' work with a plain jumper on top, perhaps.

@pontipinemum I honestly think that paring things back to some decent jeans and plain jumpers should be your first port of call. You seem to be being attracted to colour, patterns and texture but it's all a bit of a miss mash and you don't really seem to know your style or what you might like/what fits well or flatters. None of that is a problem if you're happy being a bit of a magpie and wearing what the fuck you want, but this thread seems to suggest that's not the case. It's also not a great tie of year to be shopping because the shops are all full of Christmas party tat in vile fabrics.

2 pairs of jeans, 3 jumpers, a coat and some boots - wear them for a month or two whilst you start to do some research.

Also pregnant or breastfeeding since 2020 here - the style pain is real!! I love the dress and agree with everyone about the jumper just not being the right match.

With your figure, v neck would be amazing. The stripey cardigan had a good shape with that.

I would also second getting a good bra fitting before anything else! Start building a wardrobe at the bottom - good knickers, bras, a nice pair of mum runners, and a pair of huggy earrings.

Levi comfort fit stretch mom jeans are amazing if you're looking for good mum jeans. Levis wear really well with small kids, and pull everything in.

I'd also recommend figuring out your colours, and then sticking to a capsule of colours. Makes it easier to mix and match. E.g. I went burgundy, chocolate and cream. Bit boring, but everything matches and I don't have to worry in the morning about pulling an outfit together.

& Last tip is make sure your jeans aren't too long or they make us look instantly dowdy. Hitting at the ankle, just above, or just below.

I disagree op. I think the bias skirt was well-chosen and I really like the texture on the thin cable cardigan. Cabling is quite a fashionable look right now the cable, but still quite classic.

I can see you are trying to move your wardrobe up a notch from a two pairs of jeans wardrobe - which in all honesty is quite limiting once the jeans start getting worn/ no longer tidy.

You really do have nice legs. They have a lovely shape.

Leggings are good on you. Get a long sleek plain top over them, and you'll look put together.

I've already said that the bias cut skirt was well chosen. I just don't think anything else was.

And yes, of course jeans and a jumper will get boring. I'm not suggesting she wears them for life - I'm just suggesting she gets a couple of nice jeans and a jumper outfits whilst she does some research on what else she might want. Buying lots of cheap things that don't go together won't help.

Not keen on the checked dress sorry op. I liked the bias cut skirt on you. Maybe do what pp suggests and get some decent jeans and a few nice tops/jumpers to start you off. I feel like a lot of the stuff you have chosen is odd and mismatched whereas you need a few whole outfits.

I did a Pinterest board with styles I liked and then made a list of what I needed eg blue jumper, wide leg trousers, pointed shoes, white blouse/shirt, cropped jacket, tan/brown boots, big tote bag, dark red top. Or look at whole outfits on John Lewis or Next websites for different brands. I used to do that with Boden (too expensive for me these days) and order the whole lot but it’s great if you find it hard to put things together.

Also agree with a decent coat and a pair of boots that you can wear with everything.

The dress is okay but not with the cardigan. Get some nice wooly tights and boots with that dress and it would be fine, but the cardigans and chunky jumpers aren’t working with skirts/dresses for you!

The dress does nothing for your frame and would probably suit a younger person with a longer torso.

Things I did in your situation:

Got an online colour analysis done
Got rid of everything that didn't fit or was the wrong colour
Kept a wardrobe of only dresses that are flattering on my shape (midi, easy to wear with young kids, easy to breastfeed in, some forgiveness and floatiness in case of bloat/pregnancy
Kept a small collection of 4-5 knits that are cropped/good colours that work with my dresses
Everything works with either flats or boots, tights or no tights

I now have very little clothing but getting dressed is really easy and takes 10 seconds

Maybe something more fitted at the waist then flaring would be more flattering? And plain fine knit cardigan? Joanie type look

As the PP suggests I think an online style and colour analysis would be a good idea OP. The pattern and colour combinations you’ve posted just look messy and uncoordinated. Agree that the bias skirt is nice and has potential if styled with the right boots and jumper.
I would spend some time ‘people watching’ and maybe browsing pinterest or instagram for a style you like and noticing how people are putting outfits together.

There are very few people now who can find their wardrobe needs on the high street or in their local m and s. Shopping just doesn't work like that anymore. Stores don't carry stock in the same way they used to. I order from eg M and S , collect and take straight into their changing room and try on.