I still haven't spent any Christmas money. I desperately need new clothes since my wardrobe consists mainly of t-shirts and jeans, and most of my t-shirts have tiny holes in them from the dogs rough housing with me.

I'm just petrified. I don't know how to dress my body. I went to Old Navy and Kohl's today, and just had to quit. Everything I tried on looked awful. Either too tight, too loose, or it just made me look frumpy and dumpy. And the SIZING. I know we've ranted about it on here before, but COME ON. When I can pull a size 8 off of me without buttoning them in one pant, but a size 14 is squeezing me to death in another, there's something definitely wrong.

I want some nice chords. I love the look of skinny pants, but I have NO idea how to pull them off. I need some nice clothes that I could, if needed, wear to job interviews. I tried on some button up shirts and nice pants and my daughter said I looked like a dude. (she's almost 3, btw, but it still stung!) I want some cute boots that I might be able to wear with the pants tucked in, but again, I'm afraid I'll look like a sausage.

I plan on getting my hair cut into something cute, since my hair right now is kind of... blah. It's nice and thick, but it's all one length to the bottom of my shoulder blades, dark blonde and blah. No bangs, nothing. It's always up in a pony tail.

****. I barely wear makeup anymore, I spend half the day in pj pants, and even when going out I wear sneakers. MAYBE I'll wear some flats. Overall I just feel like a schlub. I need Clinton Kelly.

I hear you so hard.

I also have only a schlumy wardrobe. Mostly clothes I bought in high school, so.... four years ago - mixed with "fat clothes" which were bought JUST because they fit and NOT because they were special, or looked good. I find the idea of treating yourself in cosmetics and accessories instead of junk and desserts soooo appealing - so thats what I'm aiming for now.

It's hard adjusting in to a feminine grown up without the help of someone who actually knows what they're doing. Blegh.

Hey, I so know what your talking about. Shopping is a lot harder than it seems. Im not sure what body type you have but anything that cinches in the waist or a top that cinches under the bust line is almost always flattering. You may not like this store, but try Maurices. Good Luck !

I have one of those schlumpy wardrobes too! Jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts. It's what I wear to work at the veterinary hospital. No make up, just get the hair out of the way.

I so seldom dress up, even a little bit, that it's like I've forgotten how. I've been trying to make an effort to do better, even if it's putting on a pair of kackies and a decent shirt, make up, fix the hair to go to the store on Saturday.

I think we just need to make ourselves do it.

As far as shopping, forget about the size tag, they vary so much it's not worth the worry. Get what fits.

Instead of looking at shopping as a chore, make it an adventure! Try on stuff out of your comfort zone. I found one really great, hot, top that way. Normally something I would never give a second look, but it looks great. I bought it 3 years ago and it's still a go to piece for me. And the leather jacket I tried on, on a whim, it's a great piece as well.

Even though, my general, daily wardrobe sucks, and I don't dress up often, I try to stay positive, that I can pull off an outfit, and I try to look at shopping as fun, if I don't find something, oh well, but it's great fun to try on all kinds of stuff, and like it, or laugh!

I did score a couple of cute sweaters at Old Navy the other day. A rare treat for me, we were in Loveland, CO for my DH's heart surgery, and I had a bit of time to go shopping in between everything else.

I would not have even bought them, but was rummaging through my closet a couple of weeks ago looking for something warm, but casual dress to go out and realized I did not own one single sweater. A ton of sweat shirts, but no sweater.

Now I have 2 v-neck sweaters, with matching tanks to go underneath, to toss on with my good Cruel Girl jeans to wear to my sons, (the coach) basketball games.

Ok, I know I'm rambling, but keep at it, you will find some things, and if we aren't used to dressing up, even a little bit, it does take practice. We just need to force ourselves out of our comfort zones.

The best thing that happened to me, style-wise, was when a friend I trusted dragged me into several stores and made me try on whatever she gave me. (I'm NOT a fan of shopping, so there was lots of whining and arm-twisting involved.)

Some of the stuff she choose was terrible. But a lot of it was good, and even the stuff that didn't work helped me understand my "new" body and shape better, and make good, informed choices as to what I was buying.

Also, she made me go to stores that I'd never even been in before - Ann Taylor, Loft, Eddie Bauer, Gap . . . I'd always previously thought of those as "thin people stores," but really there was quite a range of sizes and the salespeople were all nice. And I was 20-30 pounds heavier than I am now, and very self-conscious (still am, actually).

Do you have a friend who could be an impartial helper/observer on a shopping trip with you?

I'm the same way, so while I have no advice, I completely understand. I feel worse about looking for clothes now than I did at my heaviest!

On a semi-related note...I was ahead of a guy in line at a store the other day. He'd picked out a flannel overshirt type thing and for some reason, just then decided to try it on. It was too small, and he probably spent five minutes complaining about how stupid it was that it was his size, yet it didn't fit. I was laughing inside, thinking how finally a man gets to see how much of a pain it is for us women! Womens' sizing is nuts!

Womens sizing sucks...end of story lol.
Anyways, I've found that a pair of calf-high boots can do wonders for a wardrobe if you want to wear straight leg jeans or leggings!

I have friends who dress soooo well. One is a plus-sized girl who is almost a foot taller than me and I'm so friggin jealous of how well put together and feminine she looks. It's like she doesn't even have to try. She just has style. The other is one of the edgy dressers. She's into all the new styles, and while she isn't teeny tiny, she makes it look awesome. She's also the one that's going to cut my hair for me. Maybe I should ask if they wanna go shopping soon. Though the first girl's hubby just deployed today, so I'm not going to be jumping on her first thing to take me out and show me how to dress.

They don't have a Maurice's around here. They used to, but that was 3 or 4 years ago.

And yep. I have clothes I still wear from high school. In fact, the other day I picked my son up from school and went grocery shopping in a sweatshirt from my FRESHMAN year of high school. In case you're wondering, that was 13 years ago. !!!!!

I'm hoping my feelings will get better when I get a new hairstyle. I'm going through a lot with life right now, so right now is the perfect time to change things up.
ETA: Where can I find calf boots that don't chop my calves off?? The only ones I've ever found were sooooo tight around my calf that i could barely stuff pants into them.

I have recently started going to stores I wouldn't normally go in. I am trying to dress out of my "norm". I usually take a girlfriend or two with me, and I have been to know to wander out of a dressing room and ask a complete stranger her opinion. everyone I have asked has always been able to give me an honest (maybe not flattering, lol) opinion.
I've discovered I love wearing cute/embellished tees/tank tops with cute cardigans. I like the layered look, and I can wear the cute tops by themselves when I'm not teaching at school. I get most of my cardigans/wraps from Ross/marshalls. I've actually gotten complements at work on the new way I'm dressing, and my hubby noticed that I'm
dressing cuter. (His words)
I guess what I'm trying to say is, just have fun and try new things. If you're unsure about a look, take a pic of yourself in the dressing room, go home and look at it the next day to see if you or your friends like it.
Have fun!

If you go to some of the stores like Ann T. and GAP and Eddie Bauer...the sales girls there will be happy to help you pick out things to try on. And usually they are pretty aware of styles and trends etc. I bet you can find someone who works there who will be delighted to help fid a great look for you.

Me, I'm an old lady and I wear jeans, sweatshirts and t-shirts and I mostly don't care cause I'm self employed and I can wear what I want. I hate shopping for clothes and always did even when I was young and thinner!

Barb

I can totally relate! This is why I REFUSE to go shopping for myself until I reach goal. Absolutely REFUSE!!! I feel your pain though. That happened to me once and it ruined my entire day...made we wish I never went and just made me feel lousy.

Take pride in that you are making great progress and will very soon be the size you wanna be. I would not recommend shopping until you are as it can be depressing (in all honesty)...but do whatever makes you feel good!

I also have large calves (about 15" last I checked, but could be bigger since I run now). Anyhoot...I wear my very old, but barely used boots from 9 West. They actually have stretch band and are quite fashionable. I would imagine they still make a similar cut boot. 9West has always been the ticket for me though....happy shopping!

I went shopping again today. I bought NOTHING. My friend was supposed to go with me, but she got sick. Hubby didn't want me going by myself, so he and the kids went along. Stupid me, I thought, "Yay. Some family time."

Fast forward, I'm ready to scream my head off because the kids are fussing, my husband is wanting to spend $$ right and left and EVERYTHING looks straight out of the freaking 80's. If I see another bedazzled sweater or stirrup pants, I'll PUKE!!!! GRRRRR!!!!!!

I've resigned to a life spent in jeans. To **** with this "trying to be stylish" stuff, I'll stick to tees, tanks, hoodies and jeans.

I'm another who believes in stores like Ann Taylor. I like the styles at Banana Republic, too, but the stores in my area don't have a Petites section, and honestly I find that a lot of their clothes fall apart pretty quickly.

I also like to shop at Dillard's and Nordstrom Rack. The Dillard's Petites section is a travesty, but they do alterations for free there so I shop the regular sizes and usually manage to find something that will fit with a little help. At Nordstrom Rack you do have to look around, as you do at any discount store, but I always find great bargains there. At both of these stores I do most of my shopping largely off the clearance racks. That way, I get quality clothing but it doesn't cost me much at all. There are always clearance racks.

I don't think anyone has an easy time shopping. I think to really accomplish "stylish" you have to work at it. You have to be willing to try on a lot in order to find what really works for your body.

Yes, but once you know, you know.

For example, I know that any deep vee neck will be obscene on me, shirts that button down the front will not come close to buttoning over my breasts if they fit the rest of me, and raglan sleeves or saddle shoulders will take my shoulders from straight and square to way too big. OTOH, I'm an easy fit from the waist down and I can choose by style. While how these body-shape considerations play out will change over time as fashion changes, my basic build and proportions, in relation to how misses' size clothing is cut and fitted, are not going to change.