All of my life I have been relatively slim with a small bust and hips but I have never had a defined waist or flat tummy so I’d say I’m a very much an up and down maybe rectangular shape. I was a size 8-10 for most of my adult life until recently.
I’m 53 now and since being in perimenopause and suffering from a lot of stress my waist has completely lost its definition. I am in perimenopause (which has been a rough ride), suffer from endometriosis and IBS and so I bloat a lot and I now have a bigger than before tummy and hate anything tight or constricting. I still have a small frame with small shoulders, a small bust, slim hips, arms and legs but I hate my body as I feel so out of proportion that I no longer know what to wear. Summer time makes me feel more body conscious as I cover my upper body with sweatshirts in the colder months.
I am 9 stone 4, around 5’ 5”, bust 36 inches, waist 32 inches and hips 36 inches (the chart I’ve attached says I’m all over the show with sizing).
I’ve just seen some nice trousers on the Halara website but no idea what size to order as they are 8/10 or 12/14 and so many companies seem to have this type of sizing now. I feel that I am in between sizes, more an 11 than 10 or 12 (Next used to do in between Jean sizes, I have an 11 and they are a perfect fit). If I opt for a 10 then my waist feels tight and I’m self conscious of it but if I opt for a 12 I will be more comfy on the waist but baggy on the shoulders and hip area and the clothes end up looking such a poor fit. I hate wearing dresses and am more of a trousers/leggins/jeans and top kind of person.
Does anyone else have a wide contrast in body/clothing sizes? What do you do, do you go up in size and how do you deal with clothing fitting in one area of your body well and not so much on other parts? I just don’t know how to dress myself anymore.