la redoute - sizing? also... need work style tips

[vezzie]

Hello - does anyone know whether la redoute sizes big, small, or standard? (where M&S is standard, Primark is big and Top Shop is small).

Thanks!

Also any tips on what should be worn by women aged 38 returning to work after maternity leave to a youngish media company would be very welcome.

I am a short (dumpy!) size 14, 12 on a good day.

I think I need some advice on tops: traditional shirts can make you look suity, but nice trendy knits are too hot for me (office always overheated) and summery (cotton, jersey, etc) trendy tops can look slutty in winter if you are busty and not in the first flush of youth. What do smart cool elegant mature women wear?

I think with my arse skirts and trousers are best kept simple, but although I would like to be as classic as possible don't think I should look like I work in a bank.

Thank you!

bump - anyone? [tragic billy no mates emoticon]

i quite like these sort of tops

la redoute generally comes up small

How about this? (In sale - bonus!)

I find that laredoute comes up standard with their sizing.

I'm liking their tunic/dress, leggings, boots and long cardy look, which I've done to death for the past 2 A/Ws.

Or slim-leg trews, pointy shoes, loose-ish tops and those drapy cardis with the longer fronts. H&M and DottyP have both got some lovely drapy knitwear in at the moment.

That's my uniform for work anyway.

Would love to wear the chunk woolly tunics/sweater dresses over long-sleeve tops but I haven't seen one person over a size 12 that doesn't look lumpy in them yet.

Thanks everyone.
I think my problem is I am just out of touch with fashion because I am struggling with thinking of these very drapey, smocky styles as things you can wear and be serious in a sharp work place - it has dawned on me that shirts look old fashioned but my subconscious can't catch up with the fact that smocky / waistless / not-very-structured does not have to equal hippy and ditzy. This is my stumbling block - I keep looking at what I know is "now" and thinking "but I will look like those girls at college who were always going on about organic unbleached tampons and smelled like patchouli".
Right. I am going back to the drawing board / interweb of shops.