Your pants are the perfect length, Nicole! Love a boot cut style on you. Very flattering. They look superb from the front, but a tad baggy on the botty area. This could be altered. (Back to Mum you go).
I really like you in rose colours. Very nice against your complexion. The cardi is about 4 inches too long and I prefer it unbuttoned at the bottom. This accentuates your waistline. Really like the V that you created at the top. Nice!
The problem that Shiny encounters with going down a size and having to deal with “a tighter waist band and a bit of muffin top” is VERY common. 70% of my clients deal with the same thing. Wearing wovens instead of knits is the easiest solution. So is a higher rise, layering, and finding tops that float away from the tummy area. The easiest solution is to wear a tailored woven jacket, but not everyone is into this, especially if it’s hot. Problem feet and those little extras around the middle are clothing challenges that are among the most common in women. But it can be solved!
Quite right, Shiny. Whether you gain or lose weight, your body type tends to stay the same.