Rubbish wardrobe, money to spend - what should I buy?

[shoppingblah]

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice!

I have about £400 to spend and I think I should improve my wardrobe. It is very basic, functional, made up of low quality supermarket/Amazon/multi pack stuff. I have decent trainers, handbag and some nice formal dresses and that's about it for the decent quality stuff.

But I don't know what to get? I am a rubbish and impatient shopper 🤣 I need to order online I think as I have young children so getting time to shop is tricky. I don't want to buy anything that needs delicate care - it needs to be machine washable.

I am 5'8", size 10-12. I like high waisted jeans/trousers and tucked in tops, classic shapes and silhouettes. I don't like high necks, assymmetric hems, or holes in weird places!

Does anyone have any advice please, or could suggest anything? Thanks in advance!

In real life, plenty of people wear black and make it work for them, whatever the ‘rules’ might say. I look really pale in everything, so I might as well wear black because I like it. Other colours might suit me, but they don’t make me look any less pale. Real life is about making choices that work for your real life and your tastes, not about slavishly following colour guides. I know that you weren’t recommending that btw.

Not sure what you were trying to say here given your last sentence 😅.

OP talks about “capsule wardrobe” and plans to make a big investment compared to her previous clothing budget. Spending a lot of money on clothes that don’t work just because someone says that a capsule wardrobe should be in basic colours is not the best idea.

It’s not my particular style, but I do love the thought of someone maybe starting a new wardrobe with, say, half a dozen dresses from:

https://palava.co/collections/re-release

or

https://uk.realisationpar.com/shop/dresses/

or

https://kemitelford.com/collections/dresses

Just because we don’t all have to do everyday smart casual in exactly the same way …

Don't worry I look wonderful in black 🤣

Really really worth doing your colours even if you only do it on a free online site since black is not a great colour for the vast majority of people( and certainly not close to your face). If you are a winter then fine but I suspect you're not since most people in the UK aren't.

But the point is that you'd probably look more wonderful in a different base colour whether thats Navy as an autumn or grey as a summer

What I was trying to say is that, ‘Black doesn’t suit many people in real life’ is a very silly sentence, since real life is the only one most of us have, if we’re not filtering ourselves on instagram. 😂

And I’m sure OP is capable of deciding if she wants black or not - in her own real life.

So I’m not sure what you didn’t understand or why you felt the need to 😂.

Ok apparently I am a cool winter. Am I allowed my black pants now

I think I’m a winter too, although not sure which one.

The point I was’trying’ to make is that our skin tone is our skin tone- it doesn’t change when we change our clothes. So even in navy or grey, I still always look pale and a bit ill. Make up can change that, but not clothes.

So, I say enjoy wearing black if you like it, whatever your skin tone!

That’s great to hear, you’re on the right track then with your capsule.

I’d go for:-

denim jacket
blazer
jeans
dark trousers
white shirt
v neck jumper

You can then add other items here and there like accessories and maybe more trend driven items like a patterned skirt.

I personally love print dresses and wear them a lot but that’s my thing.

I also like nice boots, got a dark brown with white detailing western boots from ASOS £40ish which I wear a lot and get lots of compliments on, they’re on trend but also comfy (and wide fit). You don’t need to play safe all the time is what I mean. I’d go mad if I just had a capsule wardrobe.

The colour thing is difficult because I am apparently a Soft Summer but a) it's hard to find clothes in the styles I like in those particular shades and b) even if I could I dont feel comfy in eg lilac or teal regardless of how flattering they might be.

Basically I'll still be slightly fat and slightly wrinkly whatever colour I wear so I may as well wear things that I feel like me in.

Exactly! Solidarity.

https://www.meandem.com/ultimate-rib-shirt-midi-dress-charcoal-melange

I just got this dress. Its great quality and may be a way to get the pencil skirt /button down dress as a combo :) ...think me and em will work for your height and size. Have a look in their sale. Trousers there are generally good quality.

OK if you're a cool winter with cool toned pale and pinkish skin and light eyes then I will let you wear black.
Edit (but navy would still probably look nicer on you )

Thanks 🤣 I know there is no reason for you to believe me but... that is exactly what I look like ha ha.

I can't do navy in anything more than tiny doses. Don't like navy pants/jackets at all!

You don’t have to like navy!

I envy you as a winter because you suit black, white and jewel colours.

Lovely jewel colours are so difficult to find though. ☹️