Fat dumpy heading towards middle aged woman desperately seeks some style advice

[wrinklytum]

Help.

I have recently gained weight and am now a size 14.I need a new wardrobe and am clueless.

I am 5ft 3,pear shaped,small boobs,big arse and thighs and tum.dark hair,pale complexion.

Can anyone give me ideas for a flattering new wardrobe (A few "Essentials").I am on a budget.

Thanks for reading.Any ideas gladly received!

Surely there is somebody out there who can help me with my dilemma [dessperate emoticon]

Bugger,Desperate

how old are you? Do you need the wardrobe for work or home. How old are your children?

I have a list of don'ts:

Don't go to White stuff
Don't go to M&S
Don't go to Next

These are all very middle aged [apparently]

sorry this isn't much help.

I can't remember what Trinny and Susannah say about pear shapes, but maybe other pears will come and talk to you about it.

Thanks,Pollyanna.I am 37.

sorry that sounds a bit miserable. Have had a few glasses of wine and am also feeling very middle aged and frumpy style wise. But am not pear shaped. more a thick kind of column with short legs.

I like Gap. [and white stuff sadly]

Wardrobe for home.Wear uniform for work.

I am thinking...

here
googled trinny n suze!
how about dorothy perkins, wallis, warehouse, new look and peacocks for a start?

yes according to Trinny and Suze you need long wide legged trousers, a long a line skirt and fitted boat kneck tops (dh very kindly bought me the book for xmas

They do have wide legged trousers in Gap atm, and there is a sale which started yesterday I think. They also have fitted blouses in there which I think would be nice if you are smaller chested (although not sanctioned by T&S so who knows???).

Thank you ladies.Having done the T and S shape thingummy am now wondering if I am an apple shape.Gah.I hate this stuff.Very clueless.Aaargh.

Trinny and Suze have a thing on the Littlewoods site where you can find out what shape you are - did you try that?

according to the Book, apples should wear tailored trousers and flairy skirts with fitted shirts and tops. and wedges.
I would look in new Look and Oasis. And Gap too (as I went there today and they seemed to have the fitted shirts/wide trousers combos).

I saw the thread title and thought I had written it!

I was reading the thread yesterday about 'how not to be mumsy' and all the don'ts just about described my wardrobe.

Wrinklytum - I'm very similar to you, 5'4", size 14 and pear shaped.

I know the suggestions to dress for a pear shape - these include wide legged trousers, bootcut trousers/jeans, long a-line skirts and fitted tops (although I don't do the high neck that they say as I have a bit of a bust and look better with a v or scoop neck, and also wear tunic tops over trousers as have a bit of a tummy as well).

My problem is that all of these styles are what was described as frumpy. I'm in my 40's - so would hate to look like 'mutton dressed as lamb' - but on the other hand I don't really want to be a total frump either.

Anybody else any suggestions/ideas please?

wrinklytum, can I make a suggestion? Think back to when you felt happiest and most confident. What did you wear then? How did it make you feel? Find a photo where you look great. Then when you look at clothes in the shops think 'is this what Fabulous Wrinklytum wears?' And if it's from White stuff, Fat Face, M&S or Next, it probably isn't - but it's your choice and after all, style (who cares about fashion) is about the unexpected thing that happens to work!