DH called me a frump......

[threenoisyboys]

........ and although i got angry with him he might be right.
i bought some (i thought) stylish knee length shorts and he came out with the immortal line:
" you used to look so good when we met, when did you become such a frump?"

i'm 30 5 ft 6and a size 12 with good legs but no waist.
pre children i liked topshop but now 90 % of my stuff is from sainsburys. clothes that i used to wear before now make me look fat ( ive gained around 2 stone since having children. Meanwhile I now wear jeans and fleeces or knee length skirts.
what can i buy to make myself look more lovely and fashionable.... (or should i just tell him to f**k off and keep wearing my comfy stuff?)
ta
lucy

Keep the clothes, ditch the shallow H...

Kick his Arse

Kick him inna nuts and wear whatever you want. But not fleeces .

Im same age and same size and wear same style of clothes if my OH called me a frump i`d kick him into next week

Anyone who dresses themselves in clothes from Sainsburys is going to look frumpy.

Your DH has jsut given you a pass to have a pending spree on clothes....off you go and get yourself some nice, fahionable, and comfortable summer outfits. Yes, outfits. not just clothes.

Agree with Lynette, go spend some money on clothes which make you feel great, and btw, size 12 & 5'6 sounds pretty bloody good to me!

Stop being so down on yourself, and go and buy an outfit which you feel amazing in..

AND then tell him to fxxk off when you look and feel divine!

Well, knee length shorts do smack of Brown Owl and camping (imo) but boy, your DH was tactless!
But, if you seriously want to raise your game style-wise, here's a few thoughts:
go through some magazines and rip out any outfits you like. Never mind if you don't think they'd all suit you. Just rip 'em out.
Check if you have a dept. store near you that offers personal shopping. I think John Lewis have them in some stores also Debenhams and House of Fraser.
Make an appointment,take in your pix, show them to the p/shopper, give them a budget, and see what they come up with.

If they are any good they should be able to guide you on styles and colours and help you build up some useful flexible outfits. Eg a good jacket, separates to mix and match, perhaps a few accessories.

Get your DH to pay!

Presumeably you're not planning on switching partners just yet. To be fair the baggy fleece look is not great on anyone of either sex. So if you want to spruce up your appearance why not go to Top Shop and ask the personal dresser for help, it's supposed to be a free service. If you're not based in a large city how about looking on ASOS.com for inspiration, the clothes on there can be very cheap and yet still stylish. Perhaps have a look at some women's mags like Grazia to get an idea. There are lots of loose shorter dresses around this summer to show off your legs. And luckily a lot of the styles are loose wasted tops, with short hemlines. Why not get some sexy short shorts Alexa Chung style with a smock top to hide the other bits. And choose colourful things, Sainsburies can be a bit dull colourwise. Who knows, if you get your legs out more you might attract a sexier and more appreciative guy
BTW I'd kill to have sexy legs.

I think the problem is he might be a little bit right... although i wont admit that to him.
if not sainsburys then where is good for the rounded of tummy 30 year old????

The world is your shopping oyster! I am similar size/height/age to you and my clothes are mostly topshop/new look/dorothy perkins/asos/bit of monsoon/wallis/debenhams.

You can still shop at TopShop in your 30s as long as you steer clear of the hotpants and lace bodysuits imo!

What is your best feature? Boobs? Legs? choose some clothes that highlight that and disguise your tummy et voila!

hmmmm i've had a look at asos..... but most of it i've discounted most of it as it is too young.

i may have been exaggerating if you got the impression i have sexy legs......
i've always shied away from personal shoppers as i tend to be steamrollered easily and i'm terrified that i would come away with stuff i wouldnt ever have the guts to wear.

I'll have another look on asos

Sorry missed the legs!! What about these dresses:
this or this with flat sandals or wedges? I can't advise on shorts because I hate them all but would suggest a denim mini for wearing with vest tops etc would be a sexier yet practical update if you don't already have one.

Good luck!

Get a personal shopper to put together a wardrobe for you, and then when you're feeling good about yourself, tell him he's fat and ugly and has shit clothes and smells.

I personally think you can't go wrong with Gap/Uniqlo if you like a more sporty vibe. lightweight cotton chinos rolled up above ankle, some sort of sandal/trainer/wedge then a nifty bright coloured t-shirt long enough to sort of ruck up over and past the waist or pretty shirt/tunic you can wear over the waist band. Chinos here tops here

Take it as an opportunity to make DH stay in with the kids one weekend while you go shop for a new wardrobe on his card - shop in places where you get better quality material and cuts than supermarkets and you'll look ten times better. Oasis, Topshop, Warehouse, River Island, Dorothy Perkins all worth a look.

Also, these dresses look grown up but not too serious iyswim here and here

ok... i like the green and white dp dress, i shall get that to try on.
what are uniqlo sizes like? are they true to size? are they quite generous in length so the belly remains covered??

Have you tried looking for dresses? They are very comfy, and always look put together because you don't have to worry about matching. Heels also help - even small ones. I shop on Asos a lot and am 37yo. Also in top shop.

I agree what your dh said is not very nice - suggesting that you go and spend some money on some trendy clothes would have been better. But it's also human not to want your wife to look frumpy.

How about going to a personal shopper with a strong-willed friend, instructed to make sure you don't spend rashly?

olderandwider, I like the website of Wrap, never heard of them before. Some nice classic stuff on there. Thanks very much- reaches for credit card

Hang on a minute you're 30 and a size 12. Why does everything have to be knee length? You say yourself, you have good legs.

And btw, I assume hubbie is 6'2", lean as a racing snake, with 30" waist and 42" chest and dresses head to toe in Ralph Lauren!

Leave the kids with him on Saturday, borrow his credit card and go visit Jigsaw, Hobbs, John Lewis and the best local boutiques you can find.

many thanks for all your help.... i have to go to school now but will look back later when children in bed.

30 is very young ! You could be wearing anything ! I am also 37 and don't consider myself too old for most things - I wore a playsuit on the weekend and got lots of compliments.
You say that you have gained weight since having children. Have you thought about trying to lose a little bit?

msdynamo - you're welcome.

3nb - uniqlo are fairly generous. The chinos I linked to sit below waist but aren't hipsters. I have 28" waist and 37" hip and the size 8 is fine on me.

don't worry i gave him a bollocking for being so mean!

You can't be fat (or look fat) surely if you're 5'12" and a size 12? And 30 is young.