Please tell me your clothing habits!

[RGPargy]

I'm not sure if this is a bit of an odd request, but i want to know your clothing habits please!

Basically, i never buy new clothes unless i NEED them, and i mean really NEED them (i.e. there are holes in stuff that just cant be repaired etc).

I work in a London office and compared to everyone else, i think i look scruffy/frumpy etc.

When i went back to work after being on Mat Leave, i bought two new work tops and a pair of trousers. That was in July. Since then i have bought two more work tops (but i cant wear them as they have shrunk in the wash) and one pair of casual trousers.

My "new" stuff is now starting to look scruffy as i wear it so often, even out of work and my wardrobe in general is looking absolutely pitiful. I have nothing smart or dressy. Everything is either stained, has holes or generally just worn out.

So how often do you buy new clothes? Do you buy them as when you see something in a shop or do you buy them to replace pathetically overworn garments?

DP and I dont have a lot of money to spare each month but with the Xmas season looming and me having absolutely zero to wear to any party whatsoever, it's made me realise that i dont think i can go on like this!

Do you have clothing allowances etc?? I always feel guilty when i say to DP that my clothes are like rags because he always replies "so are mine, i haven't bought anything new for months and months" (which is true).

Sorry, for the ranty-type post, am sounding off a little too i think!

Ebay/car boot your old junk and then have a splurge in Primark?

I think it will give you a boost, which will help witht eh weight loss and fitness.

I tend to buy only in the sales these days, also round up a few items to sell on ebay and then buy something newer/better with the proceeds. I've realised (even in these lean times) that it doesn't pay to buy cheap tat as I don't seem to enjoy owning/ wearing it and it ends up being a waste of money.

Since stopping work I've been wearing the same stuff for ages and it's all wearing out at once so I will need a splurge soon (waiting for Boden sale)...

I usually buy lots of things together. Summer wardrobe, winter wardrobe that sort of thing. I don't like shopping and I never window shop. I look for what I need and buy it. Of course if essentials wear out, I buy them.

H&M are fantastic for the odd wardrobe refresher. They do have a lot of teen tat but there are gems in there, particularly for the office. I was in there the other afternoon (for the CDG stuff, which had sold out in seconds) and noticed some really chic wide-legged wool pinstripe trousers in grey with a purple stripe. They looked MUCH more expensive than they were.

I have found that the antidote to nothing-to-wear syndrome is ruthlessly clearing out the stuff you don't love or don't fit. Even if this exercise brings you down to two tops and one skirt, it's a better starting point for the rest of your sartorial life than a wardrobe that reminds you of all your mistakes every time you open the door.

i am not fashion expert but agree you need to spend more on work clothes if you work in lawyers office. or anywhere in fact

i also like H&M and i am older than you

you are similar colouring to me and i try to avoid black, esp on top half. and its a bit boring anyway. i woudl go for the grey trouser suggested below and purple top. is that too much colour for your office??

do not think that big girls cant be stylish - look at this thread

forgot to say that i DONT think you should cancel gym membership. its not just about weight its about health and the social benefit of doing something without the kids. will make you feel much better

in the new year your gym will probably have new membership offers so you coudl try to get a better rate then. esp if they think you are going to cancel. its a credit crunch - haggle

I agree that black can be very ageing around the face.

If you can stretch (by pooling Christmas money or any other way you can), good shoes are essential. I won a voucher for Ecco and got these today in black, and they are fantastic. They're as comfortable as flats and look like they'll last for years.

I can recommend a good book Colour me Confident, which tells you how to work out what suits you and also has capsule wardrobe ideas in ti for formal/informal.

If you work in an office, I'd say you needed 3 x pairs smart trousers, /trouser suit ( think NEXT here)or 2 trousers and one skirt or dress- and 3-4 tops at least- tops can be smart cardis, fitted sweaters, shirts etc.

Shoes and boots- at least two pairs, otherwise they will look tatty soon, and shoes should "breathe" in between wears- meaning don't wear the same pair every day.

Out side of work, I'd say you would need the same as a minimum- a pair of smartish trousers, a pair of jeans, cords etc and a selection of jumpers, T shirts, cardigans and a jacket and a warm coat.

If you are overweight, then deal with it- it's not THAT hard to cut back and start doing some exercise, if you really want to- there is no excuse really.
Even ig you don't have many clothes, you should NEVER wear things that are hole, stained or just plain shabby- it looks as if you have no self-respect and people may treat you accordingly.

Shops-have you have a look in Next, Kew-online.com, Dorothy Ps, Boden,New Look- even M&S?

I can recommend a good book Colour me Confident, which tells you how to work out what suits you and also has capsule wardrobe ideas in ti for formal/informal.

If you work in an office, I'd say you needed 3 x pairs smart trousers, /trouser suit ( think NEXT here)or 2 trousers and one skirt or dress- and 3-4 tops at least- tops can be smart cardis, fitted sweaters, shirts etc.

Shoes and boots- at least two pairs, otherwise they will look tatty soon, and shoes should "breathe" in between wears- meaning don't wear the same pair every day.

Out side of work, I'd say you would need the same as a minimum- a pair of smartish trousers, a pair of jeans, cords etc and a selection of jumpers, T shirts, cardigans and a jacket and a warm coat.

If you are overweight, then deal with it- it's not THAT hard to cut back and start doing some exercise, if you really want to- there is no excuse really.
Even ig you don't have many clothes, you should NEVER wear things that are hole, stained or just plain shabby- it looks as if you have no self-respect and people may treat you accordingly.

Shops-have you have a look in Next, Kew-online.com, Dorothy Ps, Boden,New Look- even M&S?

RGP - dont wate your breathe moaning to your DH/DP about how you feel fat and frumpy. Ho won't understand - he's a man .They dont get the stuff about how age/pregnancy/breastfeeding etc affects your body and self image. And men are judged less by their clothes and body than women - its not such a big deal to them

Mmoan to your female friends or come onto MN

Podrick - done all that a few months ago. haven't got anything surplus to sell now. I might have to dig deep into my boxes of crap and really REALLY see if i can get rid of it or not.

Ruby - I might have to take a trip into maidstone as it's obviously got more shops than Chatham (God help me). My undies are rubbish lol. I have one bra that fits well (IMO), one that's so old it's grey and has lost it's support, one black bra with an underwire that pokes me in the armpit/side of boob, and my other black bra has underwires that come out between my boobs. They'll end up poking me in the eye one day! Oh and my knickers have holes in at the top haha! god, i sound pitiful dont i?!!

ninedragons - do H&M do larger sizes? I will have to see if there's one local to me. I only know of one in Oxford Street! nice shoes btw. They look like they will go well with trousers!

KatieMorag - i never knew that black was aging around the face! I will avoid it at all costs from now on (on the top half, anyway!). I have looked at the other thread with great interest - thanx for pointing it out! You are right that DP doesn't truly understand my feelings etc. he doesn't see me as i see me so how could he possibly know what it's like to be in my skin?

honestfriend - you are right about cutting back on food etc. But it IS difficult to find time to exercise. Thankfully tho joining the gym near work is my lifeline for this because i go in my lunchbreak. I have told DP today that on a Saturday or Sunday morning i want to go to the gym so he'll have to look after after DD. Think i'll start doing that from next week.

next stuff is a little skimpy in sizing i think. I have bought a pair of cords from there the other day but they only fit me because they are stretch lol. If they weren't stretch i wouldn't be sat here in them now. I'll have to wait til maybe after Xmas before i have lost enough wait to fit in them, i reckon.

I'm a bit worried about trying to wear skirts again tbh. When i was a size 12/14 i looked great in a skirt or dress. However now that i'm a size 22/24 i reckon i'll look just like a sack of spuds or a badly fitting sausage lol. I want to avoid as much as possible those elasticated waist skirts that are loose and come to the ankle area. I have a friend who wears these and i think they are totally unflattering and would make anyone wearing them look bigger than they are. That's probably why i've not worn a skirt for the past 8 years. Also, i'm worried about chaffing haha!!

If you can get that book I mentioned (Ebay maybe?) it gives lots of ideas for your shape. Maybe trousers with a tunic-type top?

Keep up the dieting! You need 30 mins of intensive aerobic exercise 3x a week and if you do weights you will build muscle that will burn up more calories.

p.s FGS get yourself some new undies- even M&S ordinary ones £% for 5-6 pairs of cotton briefs- will make you feel better- and a couple of decent bras that fit.
what if you got run over, lol?

Should be £5 for 5-6pairs!

Thanx honestfriend - will check out Ebay for that book and M&S for knick-knocks!

Am loving that Classic Confidence website - so much stuff on there that is actually NICE as well as being in larger sizes too!!

Ruby - it doesn't sound tooooo stalkerish and i would actually LOVE to go shopping with someone that would help me a la Trinny & Susannah lol. I might take you up on that offer! As for the ebay items, they are totally not me or my style. They are way too frumpy for my taste.

Not sure what my "look" is. I think modern and young is the desired look but with alot of larger clothes you end up looking fat, old and frumpy lol.

Excluding things? Do you mean like "i dont like x, y and z so therefore they are excluded"??

yes, deffo need a trendy big girl shop!

Do you seriously like shopping for other people??!

If you are serious about losing weight, maybe you should only buy a few capsule clothes to tide you over until you lose the weight- a couple of pairs of trousers, smart- and a few tops.

I buy a lot from Kew- they are the cheaper sister of Jigsaw- if you get the catalogue it has plenty of pics of outfits.

If you live in the south there are plenty of Kew shops.

This year they have loads of plain basics- though have to be honest and say they may not be available in your size.

I think it would be a waste of money to buy loads of tings if you are losing weight- just amke sure what you do wear is clean, hole-free, ironed and smart.