Feeling Frumpy - money-saving new me advice

tanith

I have terrible trouble with buying things as my top half is much bigger than my hips so I end up buying 18 tops sometimes even these are too tight and a 14/16 depending on where I buy , for my bottom half... I look rediculous trying on dresses as they drown me from the waist downwards so always end up with a big baggy top and a nice slim pair of jeans or trousers or skirt it looks awful sometimes... I have a wedding to go to soon and really would love to wear a dress and nice little jacket.... any ideas ladies?

vik6525

Ladies (and gents who are having fashion crisis!)... Im a trained fashion stylist, so any qs, ill be happy to answer... Tanith, I hope you dont mind me asking but... You say you're 'big on top'? If im not being cheeky, are you round shaped, or have you just got big boobs?

alyth

I think it's maybe the style of fashion that's so depressing, I mean, smock tops, who on earth can wear them and get away with it! It's actually quite interesting though if you just wander about and look at people (discreetly!) as i did - everyone under the age of about 25 looks exactly the same, and I found that most people over probably 30 seemed to be wearing jeans, a t-shirt and a jacket, with perhaps a scarf round their necks. Fashions seem to go round in circles, I noticed that shift dresses seem to be in fashion again - I used to wear them years ago for work and sold them all! And as for wearing those 3/4 length sleeved jackets... I must be showing my age!

I think you have to try and be individual. Whilst I admire M&S clothes, no way would I walk into the shop and buy something I saw on one of their ads, and I certainly wouldn't pay their prices! I wonder how many people over the summer will be wearing the clothes Twiggy's wearing in the ads!

Tanith, try Planet clothes - get them on ebay! If you get a shift dress from there, you can maybe run the sides in a bit.

tanith

Vik I don't think its cheeky at all and yes its big boobs that are the problem 38E/F and my waist is quite big 36" but my hips are much smaller 14/16....

Alyth I have tried taking in the sides of dresses but it ends up looking awful it just pulls in all the wrong places.....

I will have a look at Planet thanks for that....

alyth

vik you will regret offering your advice! Tanith, it's just that I'm larger on the bottom that on top, and Planet do really nice dresses and jackets, and the material is sometimes a bit stretchier, and I found their clothes fitted me better than a lot of designers. And I didn't know about the altering of dresses and it making them go all funny, there's a lot to be said for me learning to use the sewing machine I've had for the last four years!

vik6525

Nah, I wont regret it! Tanith, instead of wearing big baggy tops to cover yourself up, try something a bit more fitted, like a fitted shirt which will give you some 'shape', and dont be afraid to show off a bit of cleavage either (god, what i wouldnt give for big knockers!). If you really want a dress, try a wrap one.. It'll flatter your shape, pull you in at the waist, and accentuate your boobs. A big necklace with that will draw the eye upwards too, so you'll be drawing attention to your best 'bits' ha ha!

iceicebaby

Those long shirt dresses that are about at the moment are a godsend. All the skinny ones where them over leggings but i wear mine over jeans and they cover a multitude of sins.

princess_jane_2

vik6525 wrote: »

Ladies (and gents who are having fashion crisis!)... Im a trained fashion stylist, so any qs, ill be happy to answer... Tanith, I hope you dont mind me asking but... You say you're 'big on top'? If im not being cheeky, are you round shaped, or have you just got big boobs?

Hey Vik,

I am a money saving 20-something just going for my first big interview for a daily newspaper (I am a journo BTW).

My usual style is quite trendy and funky - wide-legged black trousers, ballet pumps, layering of shirts and vest tops, !!!!!-cat bow shirts and statement jewellery.

I could do with some cheap tips so I look uber professional on the big day.

I'm tall-ish with a petite frame so big suits jackets look ridiculous on me.

Oh and my budget is about 12p LOL.

Any suggestions - anyone?

Jane

vik6525

princess_jane wrote: »

Hey Vik,

I am a money saving 20-something just going for my first big interview for a daily newspaper (I am a journo BTW).

My usual style is quite trendy and funky - wide-legged black trousers, ballet pumps, layering of shirts and vest tops, !!!!!-cat bow shirts and statement jewellery.

I could do with some cheap tips so I look uber professional on the big day.

I'm tall-ish with a petite frame so big suits jackets look ridiculous on me.

Oh and my budget is about 12p LOL.

Any suggestions - anyone?

Jane

This may sound like a stupid question, but what paper is it? Pm me if you dont want it flashed about on here....

Uniscots97

tanith wrote: »

Vik I don't think its cheeky at all and yes its big boobs that are the problem 38E/F and my waist is quite big 36" but my hips are much smaller 14/16....

Alyth I have tried taking in the sides of dresses but it ends up looking awful it just pulls in all the wrong places.....

I will have a look at Planet thanks for that....

Hi have you tried Bravissimo? They do clothing for big boobed women. The cut is so that it fits round your bust not drowns you. I'm same as you 34F/FF and size 12 bottom half. Bravissimo have a sale on at the moment.

http://www.bravissimo.com/bravissimo/

They tell you how to pick your clothing size and do dresses as well. I used to have to buy size 14 or 16 tops but with their range I can get a 12 (really/super curvy). Once you know your size you can look on ebay as some of their stuff springs up there too.