Feeling Frumpy - money-saving new me advice

Savvy_Sue

Vashti wrote: »

Well.. you can only wear them the once then wash...but they do look fresh and lovely with brown legs

As for the hairy bits...yeeeuch, if there is one thing that makes me feel old and unattractive its hairy shins...it only takes a mo in the shower with a bic...or go treat yourself to a wax!!

I'll stick to full length, I think. If I shave, I end up cut and scratched. If I wax, I look like a plucked chicken until the hair starts growing again. And I've tried that Johnson gradual fake tan and STILL felt I was going orange rather than brown.

Besides, I don't ask anyone else to look at my legs! :rotfl:I get grief from one of my colleagues who doesn't believe you should wear sandals without nail varnish on your toes, and I can't be doing with that either ...

Yorkshirechick

Hi Vik.

I just wondered if I could get a bit of advice from you too?

My usual style is jeans, t-shirt and trainers, with maybe a hooded top. But I'm trying to look a bit more grown up. I'm 25 and still dress like i did when I was 15! I wear the same clothes for work too when I know I should be making more of an effort really as it's a smart office environment.
What would look a bit more grown up, or at least like I've made an effort? I'm 5ft 4, size 12 don't really have a waist although I do have hips , average sized boobs, and I look quite young too. Oh and my budget is quite limited

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Yorkshirechick

Vashti

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

I'll stick to full length, I think. If I shave, I end up cut and scratched. If I wax, I look like a plucked chicken until the hair starts growing again. And I've tried that Johnson gradual fake tan and STILL felt I was going orange rather than brown.

Besides, I don't ask anyone else to look at my legs! :rotfl:I get grief from one of my colleagues who doesn't believe you should wear sandals without nail varnish on your toes, and I can't be doing with that either ...

Hey, good for you for not conforming.

I just hate hairy legs. I would rather look like a plucked chicken than a gorilla on extra testosterone pills.....and the goosebumpy look only lasts an hour or two..then it's sexy smooth legs all the way for at least a month.

Savvy_Sue

Vashti wrote: »

and the goosebumpy look only lasts an hour or two..then it's sexy smooth legs all the way for at least a month.

Nope, not for me, the plucked chicken look lasts several days! By which time the hairs are growing again ...

It's weird, I have my underarms waxed regularly and although I'm sore afterwards they settle down quite quickly. And the regrowth does seem to be lighter. But I tried doing my legs regularly last year, and TBH the regrowth didn't seem any lighter, plus I still couldn't show them off because I'd either got the plucked chicken look or the hairy look! AND it took forever ...

vik6525

Yorkshirechick wrote: »

Hi Vik.

I just wondered if I could get a bit of advice from you too?

My usual style is jeans, t-shirt and trainers, with maybe a hooded top. But I'm trying to look a bit more grown up. I'm 25 and still dress like i did when I was 15! I wear the same clothes for work too when I know I should be making more of an effort really as it's a smart office environment.
What would look a bit more grown up, or at least like I've made an effort? I'm 5ft 4, size 12 don't really have a waist although I do have hips , average sized boobs, and I look quite young too. Oh and my budget is quite limited

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Yorkshirechick

Hiya!
Ok, my stupid questions to you are...
1) If you could look like anyone, who would it be?
and
2) Would you wear a skirt?

Jennifer_Jane

Just read the whole of this thread and wanted to say a special word to you, vik6525. What a wonder you are, giving so much advice. So thanks for everything said, very helpful to a lot of us even if we're just lurking.

I would also endorse the 'Colour me Beautiful' option. I won a 'House of Colour' colours day and that changed my life (not to mention my clothes and make-up). I then did their image day, and was surprised by so much she said. I now go on their Spring and Autumn open days to get loads more advice and current trends. I buy their make-up too. Is it 'Money-saving'? Well, yes, it makes shopping much quicker, easier, cheaper, as you go straight to the things that suit your colour, size, style, personality.

The consultant will also go through your wardrobe and advise, and go with you on shopping trips which is really excellent if you're looking for a special occasion.

I've been lucky to have been given lots of cast-off clothes by my boss (a woman!) and can go straight to the pile of clothes and say "this, this, and this"!

PS - I DO NOT work for this Company!! Just very grateful for the help given and being given.

Yorkshirechick

vik6525 wrote: »

Hiya!
Ok, my stupid questions to you are...
1) If you could look like anyone, who would it be?
and
2) Would you wear a skirt?

Erm really had to think about these!!

I'll answer the skirt one first, I do sometimes wear skirts, but they tend to be short denim ones with again the usual t-shirts and maybe some pumps. I don't really mind skirts, but am not sure how comfortable I'd feel wearing one for work, it's more to do with the shoes - I don't know what to wear on my feet with them!!

If I could look like anyone who would it be? - I like Kirsten Dunst, and Rachel Bilson I like the look of the layering and stuff, but I'm not sure if you have to be super skinny to wear that stuff. Other than that I don't really know, and I think that's my problem, I don't really know the look I want to achieve, so just end up throwing on whatever's in my wardrobe.

Sometimes when I go shopping I try on new stuff, but because I'm not used to it, I always think I don't suit it.

Not sure if that was the answer you were looking for ??

Yorkshirechick

vik6525

Have you got a god set of pins on ya? If you have, with your age, your size and your height, then the fashion world is your oyster my friend!!! If you dont mind wearing skirts and dresses, the maybe you should try an empire line dress that stops by the knee? They'll show off your boobs, but skim over your middle, thus hiding the fact that you're not sure about your waitst. You could wear it a bit 'dressy' with opaque tights and wedge heels, and maybe a cute little clutch bag, or dress it down with skinny jeans or leggings underneath, and some little ballerina pumps. If its nippy, you can stick a polo neck underneath, or a cardie (very this year!) on top...
If you're not sure of the look you're going for, then try buying accesories like necklaces, scarves etc, and seeing how you go with that. A pair of jeans and a plain black t shirt can be changed totally with a bit of jewellry. Primark in particular have got some fabby necklaces, really funky ones too, that are like a quid each or something!
As for what not to wear? As you're a little bit 'little'... (sorry!) DOnt wear long skirts cause theyll just drown you, and please please stay away from smock tops! You've got to be about 7ft tall, and have absolutly no boobs to carry them off, otherwise you just look pregnant!
Oh, and my other tip? And this goes for EVERYONE! If you're going to buy stuff from Primark, Peacocks, and any of the high st stores, buy plain colours! Not patterns! Theres some fab stuff about at the mo, with big flowers on and stuff, but if you buy it, EVERYONE who's even so much as been in that shop will know where you got it, and if you go out, you can betcha @ss you'll se about 5 other people with it on. If you buy plain, then it could be Dior or Dorothy Perkins, and no one would know!!!
Hope that helped a bit!
Viks xx

alyth

I'm so glad I started this thread, the advice that's been posted has just been amazing! Vik, your advice is just fantastic, I absolutely second your advice about buying plain colours, what I've been doing over the last week or so is trying to sort through my wardrobe, I've bought tons of fantastic stuff on ebay, I've stood and looked at myself extremely critically, done some research on the internet, and am starting to look a bit better now! I've never going to follow fashion trends, I'm always going to stick mainly to black, but I've bought scarves, shoes, I'm not a bag or belt person, I've been doing a bit of layering, and I'm feeling much better and not quite so old and frumpy now!

I just need to start wearing a bit more make-up and will have to pluck up the courage to hit those make-up girls!

vik6525

The make up girls are easy! Just remember they human like anyone else, and want to help!!