please help me with my fashion crisis

[FrameyMcFrame]

hi, I just spent a couple of hundred quid on clothes online. now I have got them and tried them all on I look awful in each and every one.
I then spent the afternoon on the high street trying stuff on and came away with nothing again, got home and burst into tears. I am starting to panic in the mornings as I have nothing to wear and I would rather stay in the house in my pjs and baggy t shirts but I have to do the school run.

I am 35, a size 14ish post baby, but some 14s are too big and make me look drowned as I have a small frame. Big chest, muffin top and my arse has gone strangely flat since this baby... not a good look
I am still feeding DS so I need acess to feed, another problem.

None of my clothes fit, either too small or too big (maternity)

I have a family party and a friends leaving do to dress for this weekend and I can see myself staying at home due to sartorial issues.
I also have to go back to work next week (2 days per week).
The sort of things I have been looking at are, floral shift dresses, jumper dresses, black dresses for work, boyfriend blazers, jeans. As you can see I am confused and I don't know what suits me anymore.

thanks for listening to my moaning! any help much appriciated!

I'm guessing you are buying the wrong things for you ( new) body shape. I know everyone scoffs at trinny and susannah but i have found their advice on body shapes very helpful.

can you look at their stiff online and what they suggest?

what are the best bits of your body ? ( apart from the lovely bf norks ). do you have good legs? do you prefer skirts or trousers ? do you have good arms? short or long neck?

do not worry about access for bf - its not a problem if you go for seperates not dresses

Size 14 is not big at all , British average i think, and 35 is YOUNG so there will be lots out there on the high street to suit you. you have lost your confidence i think.

some proper fashionsitas will hopefully be along soon with good advice

thanks Kristina, good idea.

I have quite good legs, arms and chest not too good. I always used to wear dresses. Jeans don't suit me really as my legs are quite short but they are quite thin.
I used to have a shapely hourglsass type figure but I guess i am more apple now.

it sounds like what you were trying on did not suit your shape. If I were you I would slow down, don't try and get a whole wardrobe together in one go. Take your time, find a couple of pieces (I love using that word) that really flatter your shape and use them as a template for future purchases.

I know for example that bias cut stuff does not suit me so no matter what the colour/shape/pattern, I cannot wear it. But fitted shirt dresses do, so that's a shape I look for.

You need to get someone to help you - try a personal shopper - if you have a couple of hundred quid, you could have a great time.. call Debenhams.. maybe you have not got used to your new shape yet and need an onbjective view - could suggest you look at a trinny book as I now dress loads better since using their rules.. or maybe a friend?

I would say if you have good legs but are not so happy about tummy, how about a swing dress with some great boots.. or strappy shoes..

yes Cybil, I was trying to get everything at once and ended up with nothing at all!
Still have the problem of what to wear on Saturday to my family party then out for a drink with my friend. It will be my first time out since DS was born 5 months ago.

thanks ZZ, what is a swing dress though? I don't really have time to have a personal shopper before saturday although that is something I could do after.

A massive thing for me when bfing was underwear. I was a 32H and all my bras made me look very chunky. As soon as I started wearing proper bras again I looked (and felt) like I'd lost a dress size.

I would invest in some good control pants, a nice unlifting bra first and go from there. You can convert any bra into a bfing bra or just whap them out over the top.

thanks Happily, thats a good point.