Wish me luck - I'm clothes shopping tomorrow! UPDATE - I'm back!

I need to get some spring/summer clothes, so I have pencilled in a few hours tomorrow at my local shopping centre for some looking/trying/buying.

I don't like buying spring/summer clothes - I think I have some body hang ups (don't like my legs, don't like my upper arms - the usual) and having to bare some skin is traumatising to me!

So I don't have a melt down, I've been browsing online and have a plan of sorts. Hope you don't mind me setting it down here - I'm happy to hear any comments/suggestions.

1. I need a summer dress - about mid-knee length, sleeveless but not 'strappy', print or plain, I don't mind, I just have to like it (am considering trying this one http://www.wallis.co.uk/webapp.....ageSize=20 )

2. I want to try some coloured jeans - I am a bit wary of this trend on me (love it on others) but I think a cobalt or green pair could be fine. No idea how to style them, so if I buy some I like, you can be sure I will be posting for help!

3. A coloured blazer - I've seen these all over the place, so I'm pretty certain I'll find one. We don't have much 'high summer' here in the UK, so jackets/cardigans/toppers are vital!

4. Not an item, but to have fun trying different things on, even if I am not sure - I need to gag the inner me that tells me something won't look good before I even try it on!

Thanks for reading!

14 years ago

Anonymous

May the shopping gods be with you! Good luck !!!!

raclar

Active Member

good luck! sounds like a solid list! tell us how it goes!

Kirti

(website)

Veteran

All the best!

You can do it!!!! Have fun!!!!

Traci

Thumbs up from me on that dress. Very cute and versatile. May the shopping gods smile fondly upon you today.

Ana

Great plan!

That's a lovely dress! Just squint your eyes when you look in the mirror and pretend like you're advising one of us. It really helps with the objectivity if you tend to be tougher on yourself than others. Good luck!

Aida

Who needs luck, I'm sure you'll have fun Butterfly I like the dress you linked, definitely give it a try. Do you have other summery dresses? I think you should go for a printed dress, they're actually quite versatile and feel fun to wear AND prints are making such a statement this season. Colored denim isn't scary, cobalt or green sound lovely! Both pair well with any neutral you throw at it, look wonderfully crisp with white, and also look good with several colors. I totally agree with your thought to get a colored blazer; I would suggest a color that's not the same as the jeans you get so you can wear them together! Maybe orange, coral, or red?

Definitely try on as much as you can manage (I like to keep some snacks and water in the car!), because sometimes you'll find an unexpected gem in something you wouldn't have tried if you're too discerning when looking through the racks. Can't wait to see what you find!

Meredith1953

ButterflyLady,
You have some of the same body concerns I have! I don't particularly like baring my legs come summer. It looks like you have a solid shopping list. You have done some prep work and aren't trying to buy too much all at one time. I think you're going to be very successful and I can' wait to see what you purchase!

ButterflyLady

Well, ladies, it wasn't a particularly successful trip

The dress was lovely - unfortunately it was about 5 inches above my knee - too short for me to feel comfortable in it (it was in the petite range, and I am half an inch taller than a true petite, so I thought it might be ok). Unfortunately, they don't do it in the regular range. Of course, I fell in love with it (the top of it, anyway) - but the hunt for a summer dress goes on. Aida - I would like a print, they tend to look a bit more casual (I have a casual lifestyle), I'm not keen on flowers, but I do like the 'tribal' prints that are around.

My first stop was H&M - I bought a black tank, a replacement for one which is passed its best, and also a white/navy stripe tank, for layering. I saw (but didn't buy - doh) a loose knit shrug/cardigan in a lovely dark denim blue which would look good over it - I am going back for that (it was this one, but in blue http://www.wallis.co.uk/webapp.....~%5B209296|209293]&noOfRefinements=1)

Then I went on to several more stores, where I tried everything that caught my eye. I bought an oatmeal coloured cami (I seemed to have bought a lot of basics!) and an oatmeal/grey patterned sleeveless vest that goes over it. I also tried on some black jeans (I know, hardly summer-y) and thought they fit well, so I bought them. I may take those back, though, as they weren't what I went out to buy!

I drew a blank on a coloured blazer - I tried one, but it felt very restricting and I couldn't see myself wearing it casually. I am wondering if this http://www.east.co.uk/store/Mo.....RY/Purple/ might work? It's more of a jacket/cardigan.

I tried on many pairs of coloured bottoms - I have realised that skinnies that are not tucked into boots don't suit me and my curvy shape (I look a bit like a chicken drumstick lol). I need to find some straight legs, and didn't come across any.

For my first trip for this season, it wasn't too bad, I will be going again to see what else I can find - there were a couple of stores I didn't get to (my stomach was telling me it was proper lunch time, and I was tired - I'm such a lightweight!).

Hopefully, tomorrow I will post photos, and I'm going to review things I have already - which I probably should have done before I went shopping (although I think I know the answer to 'what do I already have?' is 'not much!').

jayne

A for effort though!

Sounds like you picked up a few good basics though! I have to put in a good word for the black skinnies, I wear mine year round; you can easily make them look more summery by including lots of white and brights! I also find gray jeans work well for spring/summer (though I wear those year round too).

Question on the dress, is it short enough to work as a tunic? I bet it would look cute over some walking shorts if it's short enough. On my few outings shopping this season so far I've seen quite a few cute printed dresses, so I am sure that with a little perseverance you'll find one (or two or three)!

If you're going back to pick up the dark denim blue cardigan, I think the dark knit jacket you linked might be a bit of a duplication (unless the purple is brighter than the online photo shows). In what way did the blazer feel restricting? As a devoted member of Team Blazer and Team Casual I must say I'm quite partial to wearing them casually, hehe! I would suggest a 3/4 sleeve knit in a brighter color than the purple you linked :}

I second the plea for black skinnies. I wear them way too often and they carry me through the seasons.

Aida - I think the dress might have been a tad too long to wear as a tunic - it was a very odd length (I tried on another petite dress which came to just above the knee, which was fine, except I didn't like that dress) - and walk shorts are very hard to find in the UK - BR have them, but they sell out online so quickly, the same with Gap. The rest of the shorts available are quite a lot shorter. I also really want a dress to wear on its own when we have hot weather (I run hot) as it's cooler. I haven't given up - I will keep looking for this elusive dress!

You're right about the purple and blue cardigans - I've not seen the purple one in real life, so I don't know what shade it is. I did love the blue one, though ... I'll be shopping again at the end of the week, so I will buy it. The blazer I tried on felt restrictive around my shoulders/chest - I am quite busty, so this does happen - I think I'd like a stretchy one, I might look again in H&M for their stretchy blazer, which I think Claire has.

The black jeans I bought are bootleg, not skinny. I can only wear the skinny silhouette tucked into boots (because that's flattering to my shape) and even then I have issues with the side seams of jeans rubbing against my legs, I find that really uncomfortable - I mostly wear jeggings/treggings (which don't have such bulky seams) tucked into boots. I know I will wear these bootlegs in the autumn/winter, with booties, but probably not in warmer, spring weather. I will try everything on later today and post photos for YLF comments!

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