How does an overweight woman wear brogues?

[MindYourUsage]

How, HOW I ask you....

do I wear brogues as an overweight woman? And still look feminine? I carry all my weight on my thighs and hips if that makes any difference.

Please don't say "wear jumper dresses" - they cling in all the wrong bloody places and make me look like a sack of spuds, or they don't and make me look like an empty shapeless sack awaiting said spuds.

I've googled how to style these, and am just bamboozled with pictures of very pretty skinny 20 year olds in them, prancing about in skinny ankle tapered trousers. 🙃to be fair I used to look like them at that age too....

I have a cupboard full of lovely hamble oaks in all different colours... tan, black, cream/pink, dark green, navy patent....

Stats:
5 feet 10
size UK 16 (in M&S anyway)
weigh 190 lbs (13 stone 8lbs apparently)
carry my weight on my thighs and my hips
38 years old

Ha, I was going to recommend this very skirt which I wear with brogues!

Ah! Many thanks. I clearly need to step up my shoe game

@Missstified , they don't have to be lace-ups. They could be monk shoes (look online), ankle boots, etc. It's the punched out pattern that makes them brogues.

Without the pattern, lace-ups are usually derby, gibson or oxford shoes.
If you are a shoe nerd, it matters that the correct term is used.

I’m a similar size and shape to you with the same issue. I think the key is balancing your silhouette and not attempting to look like e.g. Alexa Chung. I wear wide legged trousers with a longer top that ideally reaches to upper thighs and create structure with a blazer that has a waist. I also find they look good with jeans and a smart coat but obviously the coat has to come off at some point!

@HetTup you don't look fat at all!

OP, have a look at Femkit on instagram. They do vintage-inspired clothes, lots of which would work with brogues brilliantly, and they show lots of their designs on both a size 10 and size 16 model. The full look may be more “period costume” than you want but it might be useful inspiration.

I wouldn't even try and feminise them. Id wear them with a jacket and trousers and maybe a nice blouse or jumper. I used to be large of bottom and thighs before losing 5 stone and found layering works best for my shape even now.

I’m not overweight but have chunkyish legs and thick ankles (cankles- where the calf thickness carries on right to the foot). I’ve worn brogues with tights and shortish dresses for years and loved them but now I think a brogue needs a slimmer ankle to look nice with tights or bare legs. I don’t mean a skinny person but an ankle where the shape goes in a bit at the ankle.

I have cankles so wear boots in the office

My mum bought me a lovely pair of brogues for Christmas and I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I wouldn’t wear them because I hate how they make my legs look. However, after much playing around with different outfits, I found the best way to wear them was with wide leg trousers and a fitted t-shirt, and a long trench/mac/wool coat. I prefer high waisted trousers and I size up so I can tighten them around my waist and let them skim past my hips and thighs.

Id go wide leg jeans or trousers

fitted top

or midi dress

I agree 100% with @MadameBethune

It’s all about skirt length. Anything on or around knee length will give the Miss Trumbull. Go shorter or longer.

Or wear with tailored trousers. Then you’ll be grand.

Hi op, I'm around your age, height and shape/weight. What's stopping you from wearing brogues in particular? Is it a silhouette thing, a width issue? I wear mine with cable knit tights but I'm starting to fret now that I'm not supposed to 😱 I love them...i have wide feet but find Clarks is fine

I like them now, but struggle to make them look good. 5 stone ago and it just didn’t work. Now I’m thin, pairing them with a skirt gives Olive Oyl vibes!

I agree that wide leg trousers and a fitted top is the best combo..

I share height and weight with you. Have an apple tummy and am M&S size 18. I think our height allows us to pull off wide leg trousers and the flappy material de-masculinises brogues. I practically live in wide leg trousers apart from for dog walking - they are very flattering on tall women.

Yes to wide legs
Or a chunky loafer brogue might balance better @MindYourUsage

Chunky roll neck, wide legs and a chunky loafers

What on earth is a loafer brogue?

I agree with PP's - wide leg trousers/jeans or ankle grazers, no socks visible. Then make sure your top gives off feminine vibes. I personally don't like them with dresses.

Loafer sole. Brogue top
I think the sole being chunkier balances a fuller figure better

https://embassylondon.co.uk/products/angelina-brown-mix

Your weight/ size has no bearing on what outfits you can wear with a particular pair of shoes, just make sure all the pieces work together to make a balanced shape / silhouette.
Mid thigh or just above the knee a-line skirt and thick tights and a rollneck sweater,
baggy turned up jeans and a sweatshirt
midi denim skirt with a high slit and tights or less of a split and cool cashmere or Pringle or otherwise ankle socks
smart tweedy trews with turn ups on the shoe or slightly shorter - ankle length and coordinating blazer and well fitted tshirt or thin jumper
annie hall style with a modern twist on the clothes’ shapes will work with brogues

all my clothes will go with brogues, I don’t think too hard about it, I want to be comfy and get loads of compliments for what my kids call ‘men’s shoes’

Wide or barrel trousers with a more fitted top! I'm pear shaped and that's how I wear brogues. I've never worn them with skirts as I don't think I have the right shape for it.

I wore brogues at your weight and 5'7" and solid of thigh, I never considered that it affected my footwear though I was certainly more likely to do myself a mischief in heels than in brogues.

I would wear them with classic straight cut chinos or cords that fit well. Not tapered, not slim fit. In fact several times I bought M&S men's trousers as they fitted better- going one size up from my waist measurement, and were better on length as sold by measurement, and at the time most of the M&S women's trousers were 29" inside leg and I needed 31". And were better quality for the price.

Even having lost weight and being a size 10/12 now if I were to buy a slim fit size 10 women's they look like leggings on me.

I still buy men's clothes from time to time. Yesterday I bought an XS men's gilet in Uniqlo as I preferred the cut and colour. Particularly more room around the armhole so I can have muscly arms and wear a jumper under without some gathering going on.

I wear them with wide legged trousers