what sorts of clothes should I be buying?

[thesouthsbelle]

I have an 'hour glass shape' am a size 11 (also known as a 10 with a muffin top) however the diet is mostly going well.

anyhow, 8 years or so with XH and I was a bland t shirts & jeans sort of a girl, 2 years of seperation and I wore trendier stuff, however i'm now slipping back into the t shirts thing & am determined not to again.

have a voucher for next that needs using, i'm partical to surfer/grungy looks however also like to be trendy as well......

HELP! oh and also am a short ass at 5'2, but 28 today and I feel like i need to grow up a bit & find my style etc.

As summer is coming how about combat trousers that finish just below the knee and smock tops that have an empire line, so fitted around bust area, V neck line, then the empire, then the nice smocking, in pastel colours. So you are trendy but girly and the fitted parts clinging to your slim bits and the slight smock hiding your muffin. Until it gets warm, wear hipster cambat trousers, with the smock just ending at the start of your hipsters, same for the shorter combats in high summer. Because you are short buy those spongy flip flops with a raised wedge heel, so you will still look casual bit with a hint of tallness. I am size 11, but my prob is smaller waist/middle, big boobs and I put on a empire smock the other day, this was longer than the one I suggest for you, thinking the smock in my head was making me look mega fat and two people Ihadn't seen for ages said, "oh how do you keep slim like that", so do not think smocks make you look fat if you are slim everywhere else bar your muffin. You can get rid of that but you have to do mega sweating twice a week in a gym and eat Activa to aid a swelling tummy.

hi thanks for replying, what do you mean by smock tops?

I already do twice a week mega sweating at hte gym so am down with that bit (body combat) have big big boobs as well.

but you think activia is the way to rid yourself of the muffin top - I have a weakness for choc & bread which isn't helping things lol. the bunns are peachy but the 6 pack is more like bubble wrap lol.

Like this pretty one this is a smock top with an empire line

www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29867648

Activia is good every day it reduces bloating which makes the muffin top worse, but bread oh crikey very brave, I nev touch it, as it just looks like it keeps baking once it's in your tummy. I know it's lovely but if you cut the bread and pasta out it amassive difference, you can still eat the choc, I do occasionally. Mind you, I went on a protein diet for two weeks and although not good for you, I don't have a craving for choc any more it seems to have trained my tatse buds away from it.

Sorry link didn't work if you go to this site Banana Republic

bananarepublic.gap.eu/collection/

Press on women's collection and the 8th image is a empire smock top with similar combats.

Since you are petite I would suggest going for the leggings and tunic/dress combination. That way you are showing only the nicest part of your legs and not your bum, plus you can wear something empire line/tunic style on top to emphasise the small part of you and also flatter your boobs.

I would think something like this:

these come in grey or black and the highwaisted-ness is great for MT

this is very flattering to boobs but it is still loose to totally disguise any bumps.

You can always change the look by wearing leggings/tunic with biker boots, or soften the look with pumps, or go for an evening look with shoeboots or heels!

Of course, there are lots of different combinations for a host of shops of this look so start with decent leggings and then put them on, and have fun choosing tops!

I am a v similar size and shape to you by the sounds of it (but much older!). I wouldn't be seen dead in tunic tops, leggings or smock tops.

I look best in pencil skirts and fitted tops (but long enough to just skim over my belly) or wide legged trousers and fitted tops; or slightly flouncy skirts (just over the knee) with a fitted t-shirt plus a looser cardigan.

Great idea re the pencil skirt/fitted top - would look great on hour glass shapes! (I think I am that used to being a SAHM that any kind of structored/non toddler friendly daywear is just a distant corporate memory for me.....)

Also my friend is petite and likes the grungy stuff - she wears skinny jeans/leggings, longer style t-shirt or long length loosly-belted shirt (which really shows off her waist without showing off muffin top!) and then fitted jacket (hers is leather) but with a really cool scarf, or necklace etc.

fab Ideas thanks girls,.

I think re the fitted stuff as I work fitted shirts & trousers ever day for work i'm lothe to wear anything similar during the day, quite like the tunic tops thou, Think leggings for me are out- the bum is good but my thighs are well - it's not good lol.

jane when you say fitted tops what sorts do you mean?

aj - I do like that smock top actually.

main thing I think will get to loose the muffin top so I can wear fitting clothes nicely.

are accessories good to wear? (atm I jsut have the help the heros bracelet thing.)

The floaty thing on the Topshop would not be good on norks, if you have them!

By fitted I mean:
v neck jumpersthat just skim across my waistand sit just below the line of my belly;
wrap tops and cardigans - smae length as above;
3 quarter sleeve, scoop neck t-shirts - ditto to length (I usually buy these one size up, so no bulges!);
waist length cardigans with v necks, worn over a cami or over the 3 quarter sleeve t as above.

Do be careful of empire line/smock type tops - they can easily make you look pregnant.

Tunics are fine but they need to be fairly fitted.

Vest tops, cardigans and scarves/necklaces detract from tummy area without making you look pregnant.

Excuse me but I have boobs (30F) and that topshop 'floaty thing' looks great...but then I am blessed with being tall so maybe that's why

Good luck in your search OP and remember - try lots of things on, you never know what looks you'll actually like the look of, and buy a fashion magazine as often as you can so you can keep up to date on fashion and have a good advance look at what you are going to keeping an eye out for on the high street.

Ah yes - height can make a difference! I am a mere slip of a thing, other than the norks!

i'm 28, size 12 & 5,3. i like to think i'm pretty trendy i'm into skinny jeans these sort of boots xml.riverisland.com/flash/content.php & a check shirt or plain top or this sort of thing xml.riverisland.com/flash/content.php stripey tops are fab at the mo & look great with pretty much anything. also loving the leggings & tunic look.