I know it'll never happen but...

I am prepared to be a 'bum donor' and bust too, want any flabby arms? Just PM me.

I agree with Deedaa, especially with regard to M & S trousers. It would help M & S if they were to go back to what they are good at, i.e. good quality basics. I used to buy standard black trousers there but now they are all 'slim fit'. Although I am a size 14 my legs certainly aren't 'slim'. Speaking to my dil recently, she said she used to buy t-shirts with 3/4 length sleeves but can't get them now.

I'm size 10 and love leggings. Ordered a fanciable pair from Next AND COULD NOT GET MY FEET THROUGH THE HOLES!!! I have NEVER encountered a problem like that - waist not fitting etc etc yes, but I could SEE that they would have fitted everywhere else. Had to send them back - so frustrating. NB I have normal-sized feet and ankles.

Many tops for woman with some curves are just too straight. A slight A line from the waist makes such a difference.

Evans sometimes have some nice things although I tend to find they are too big all over with their smallest sizes.

I must be very shallow, because I prefer to see clothes modelled on, well, models, and yes, usually slim ones (not skinny). I like to have something to aspire to, even if it's an impossible dream. Some websites do feature "ordinary" shapes and sizes, and I'm put off by the thought that if they look so bad on a model shot by a professional photographer, just how horrendous are they going to be on me?

That's exactly what I was going to say MaggieMay!. When i click on say, Amazon, to look for clothes, they sometimes model them on relevant sizes, and that puts me off! A curvy size 18 in an outfit may be what I am, but I don't want the reality in a photograph. I am obviously deluded and shallow, but there we go

Hmm. I'm a 16 top and 14 bottom half and shop in M&S for limited items (too many frumpy cruise-clothes) and Primark plus Oasis and various other High St stores. I buy dozens of the cami tops with spaghetti straps and wear with separate pj bottoms or jeans. Skinny jeans and patterned leggings from Primark and jeggings from M&S plus many other High St shops. Some tops from Joules and John Lewis also Next, Primark and others. Primark stuff wears pretty well. I've never had buttons fall off or seams coming apart. I have lots of shoes...beautiful suede, ankle strap ones with 4" block heels in black, blush and merlot but also wear Sketchers and running shoes with my gym/yoga wear. I find that the right underwear is key to making clothes look good and I buy Bravissimo, Prima Donna and Fantasie lingerie for my 36GG boobs. The difference is amazing but Prima Donna is really expensive. My last 2 bras bought in Nov '16 cost £156 but worth every penny. Yes, good lingerie is key.

A few years ago i saw a lovely long dress on m & s online and ordered it for a posh do I was going to. The dress fitted and I was pleased with it but looking at the photos later was disappointed that I looked nothing like the slim young model in the picture. I look elderly and plump
I Said to DH - well what did you expect? he replied ! I think I have an unrealistic idea of what I look like.

I'm 5'4", big waist, no hips, narrow shoulders, 36DD bust. Take a size 14/16 - depending on the shop, the shape, the fabric etc. Find that stretch jersey dresses with cap or 3/4 sleeves suit me best. I never go longer than knee length, (too frumpy!) & often just above. I wear with a cardi, thick black tights and black suede ankle boots with a 1&1/2" heel in winter then fake tan my legs & wear with sandals in summer. Or I might wear black leggings with knee boots & a thigh length tunic dress in winter or Capri length leggings with sandals in summer. Sometimes a,fitted skirt just above the knee with thick tights, boots, coloured vest & fitted cardi. Anything with a,bit of stretch is good in my book! Have given up on the very casual items, including jeans, those awful cropped summer trousers and tshirt combos as they just make me look scruffy now I'm older! A nice patterned pashmina or scarf is always a good accessory if worn in the young style, but no frumpy granny knots lol. And I adore a long pendant necklace ?. People scoffed & Trinny &Susannah but I found their books really helpful. Plenty on charity shop shelves now!

Deedaa, I have to disagree. I have a larger waist with stick thin legs (by comparison). I always have to have a much tighter waist than I really want because otherwise my backside and legs are swimming in fabric. Mind you, just lately I find that the calf area is getting smaller and smaller so when I buy a reasonably compatible size for the waist and backside, now the bottom of a trouser may be too small! I don't think my calves are any bigger so I am assuming it is the design.

And while we are on the subject: why are so many clothes only made in synthetic fibres? Pure cotton costs the earth these days, if you can find anything in it.

I am allergic to synthetic fibres and have a dreadful time trying to find clothes that I can have on for more than a minute at a time.

I'm a size 6/8 and find it a nightmare buying clothes to fit, mainly as I am also short. I don't like to buy children's clothes as the styles don't suit me so I have to just buy clothes online most of the time as although a number of shops do offer 'petite' sizes, not many have a huge stock of them instore. Try going into M&S for anything smaller than a 10, I never see anything. Same goes for most of the High Street shops. If only I could be about 8" taller I would be okay

Dresses/blouses I start with size 14 and then double check fit. Jeans depending on cut - used to buy TJ Hughes boot cut and varied between 10/12. Now use Very and last time tried 10/12/14. Eventually bought size 14. Now back to my old pair of Bootcuts size 10, but they keep falling down. Wish I could find suitable pair which actually fit. Admittedly I've dropped from approx 8 st 9 to 7 st 9 over the last year, so that could be something to do with it. Sometime must get together with a tape measure and see exactly what my measurements are. My biggest issue, though, is at around 5', I love wearing longer-line maxi dresses and skirts, but find everything everywhere is made for ladies of 6'+. I like to look feminine and still see myself as relatively chic - don't want to be forced into what we in the 60s saw as "old-lady clothes" - Eastex crimplene saggy skirts and jackets and the like. At home live in leggings and t-shirt or tunic, jeans etc, Anyone know anywhere which still caters for petite young GNs?

Skweek1 have you tried Wallis? They do a petite range.

I agree with Monica. Wearing clothes well is more about style than size. I had a successful clothes shop and stocked clothes in the ratio of 1 small , 2 medium and I large size. The most disadvantaged customer was the very petite lady. The large customers had a huge range of clothes as many of the loose sizes worked well on large ladies but swamped the small ones. What made these larger ladies look fabulous was the WAY they wore the clothes, added accessories and had confidence. The models we used to display or at fashion shows were generally medium sized but any clothes concious person can translate whether that outfit would work for them. Colour, drape of fabric and accessories are all very important.
Nowadays there is such an eclectic range of fashion looks which is why mixing high street with vintage, cheap with expensive is so successful.

I just wish they sold trousers in different leg lengths. If they can do it for men, why not for us?

Morgana All these places plus many others do various lengths both in store & online - Debenhams, M&S , Wallis, Dorothy Perkins.

I'm 63 years old and 5'7'', like modern clothes, but don't want to be mutton dressed as lamb or wear a mini skirt, and aware that some styles are in appropriate! Why is it that shops e.g. M & S don't do dresses and skirts in different lengths. A lot of the really nice colours and styles are way too short. As stated we are the ones with more disposable income, but not always catered for.

For GNs who don't want to be limited to their local high street there's a great range of clothes on QVC Style live online at 4pm every day. The size range is often from S up to XXXL and you can return anything in up to 30 days so you can try it out with your own shoes and accessories at home. Worth a look.

Try H and M. Lots of their stuff is suitable for older person but not frumpy.

Try H and M. Lots of their stuff suitable for older person but not frumpy.

I look at models in pictures and know that the clothes are never going to look as good on me. It upset me for a while but then I got over it. I know what suits me ( a very short, small person with no bust) and try things on. If they don’t make me look worse than what I was wearing they are on the ‘maybe’ list. I never judge by how nice clothes look on the hangar but on how they look on me. As for models, well, good luck to them!

Oops! Last 2 bras bought in Nov 2017, not 2016.

MORGANA

Many shops DO sell trousers and jeans in a variety of lengths. Short, Regular and Long.
M&S certainly do.

I am now only 4ft 8 (used to be 4ft 10) and have great difficulty finding anything that fits at all. Even 25" inside leg trousers are too long. Add to that the fact that I am a bit rounder than I used to be, and the result is that I look ridiculous in most things. And now it's so difficult to find size 3 shoes which are wide enough to be comfortable. I just have a laugh when I see all the sticklike zero size giants modelling clothes as i try to imagine what i would look like wearing the same things. Not that i could afford them anyway. Hey ho, such is life.