Help me grow up!

[Naetha]

I'm 28 with 2 kids, but I still wear the same sort of clothes I wore when I was 19.

Basically I live in jeans, hoodies, vaguely fitted t-shirts and Vans. I've just lost loads of weight, and am a size 12-14 now, so can actually look good in clothes, rather than just wear them. I haven't worn a skirt since the last day of 5th form, but could potentially consider wearing one, although wouldn't have a clue what shoes to wear it with etc!

Can anyone help me with ideas for clothes and shoes to wear? I'm pretty much an hour glass figure, although I do have fairly broad shoulders.

I'd love to move gently into wearing different clothes (rather than coming out one day in a skirt, wedges and flowery top) but to be honest I don't know where to start!

i don't usually post on here - just looking for tips - but when i was really stuck in a rut, i visited one of my favourite shops and asked the shop assistant to help. it was great - she scooted round the shop finding me loads of stuff i would never even have considered. she was quite truthful and told me when things looked crap - though to be honest i could tell. other things i've found useful are to understand my physical strengths and weaknesses and how to hide them - watching some of the tv progs - and about colour and what suits/doesn't. its the starting bit thats the worst

i don't usually post either,bit of a lurker!I would say same as dreamingofsun,why don't you call John Lewis and Debenhams personal shopper,no obligation to buy but hopefully some nice ideas! (from me who lives in jeans!)have used the personal shoppers before for wedding outfits and were great!

Ooh that's a really good idea - I might just try that

I'll have to get a DC free day (i.e. rope in DH) and go when it's nice and quiet.

What's the best way of doing it? Provide them with a budget and an idea of the look you want to achieve?

naetha

i went to monsoon on a quiet day and just went up to one of the shop assistants that i thought looked nicely dressed, approachable and about my age. i think you can book them in some shops. i needed skirts and dresses for a holiday - so told her that - and that as it was a camping holiday i didn't want anything too formal. i guess i would just tell them what you've said in your note above and if you have a specific budget. be prepared to try lots of things on. my lady was really truthful - she'd have been no good otherwise

I had a session with Colour Me Beautiful that was fantastic, they covered everything from which colours to use to what sort of clothes to use according to my lifestyle and body.

It was a bit expensive but I'm sure it has been worth it, now shopping takes no time, I know exactly what will work and what not and EVERYTHING I buy, I use. So just for that I think I have saved a lot of money.

However, you can get similar tips from Trinny and Susannah's books, granted, the fashion is a bit out of date already in many of them, but the principles are the same. I think this one resumes the ideas very well What not to wear

I have to say, I made an appointment with a John Lewis personal shopper and she suggested a whole load of stuff which just made me look fat and frumpy. I am a size 16, so no skinny minny, but she put me in voluminous tops and wide leg trousers which just made me look even bigger! So don't always listen to these people...