I know it'll never happen but...

Thanks for your suggestion Carol58 but my autonomic system is shot to pieces owing to a stressful job, where for years I lived on adrenaline and consequently I have no temperature regulation so am red- hot all the time. Stretchy synthetic camisoles would have the sweat dripping off my hair, I would be puce with overheating.

Jaxie How about wearing a stretchy cami under things with too low a neckline? It's what I've done for years under my wrap dresses etc. due to scars from surgery. Primark ones are great, lots of colours, adjustable straps and stay looking good for a surprisingly long time!

I looked at a pair of M&S trousers online then saw in small print that the model was a size 8 and 5ft 11ins! FGS...

But I AM a size 16 with no waist, but skinny hips and thighs. Most size 16 trousers have a "jodhpur" thigh cut. Jigsaw are the best for me, but expensive. My upper arms are too ghastly to be seen: wrinkled and loose - but where are the dresses with sleeves cut wide enough? Ok, I could wear stretchy wrap dresses, but I have no bust, and the necklines tend to be too low. My son has a mantra for older ladies showing their cleavage: " Put it away missus" with which I agree. Older women trying to do sexy makes me cringe.

My husband's cousin is a designer who specialises in the larger woman. Charles and Patricia Lester are based in Abergavenny, and their clothes have been worn by Elizabeth Taylor, and Whoopi Goldberg, amongst others. Designer prices, yes, but clothes for real women!

Never been interested in fashion but choose clothes that I like and think suit me, and are comfortable. Never throw anything out unless it is worn out or I decide I no longer like it. Sizes vary greatly according to how they 'sit' on me. Lost some weight recently and am wearing some clothes that I wore over 40 years ago. Always preferred classic type styles rather than trendy. My daughter approves of what I wear so I must be doing something right!!

Being tall

That is the answer!!
I used to make my own clothes but was never any good at alterations, or, if truth be known, didn't like doing them.

A bit of dressmaking know-how goes along way with today's clothes. Skirts can be shortened, waists let out or taken in. Sleeves can be shortened and new buttons sewn on coats.
I learned at dressmaking classes that the main point where garments should fit is the back of the neck and for skirts, the waist.
Then the rest should at least hang properly.

Being tall I always looked good in clothes when younger and its been hard to see what it all looks like now., my bumps all in the wrong place. One hip is no longer is its normal place but is sligltly to the side. Very often this is criticised by physiotherapists as if I had done it on purpose! I make my own trousers but buy jeans too large and take them in or try to to buy those for a really female bottom.

My mother who bought clothes at C&A n Sheffield always managed to buy a costume or a two piece with the jacket a differnt size to the skirt and in those days she got away with it. it would not be possible now even if we still had C&A.
On the other hand todays young women have such large feet. The DGDs look awful in their boots and trainers.

.....or we could just put our dressing gowns on and tie the belt, we could all look like Meghan! Or at least, like her Grandma.

Nothing suits me really.
[sigh]

Wear what suits you personally and not what is dictated by models in the glossies. If we oldies try and impersonate the glossies thats when it ends up frumpy!

Some good hints here, thank you, ladies! I've just discovered MandCo t-shirts, if anyone is interested. They are all-cotton (hurray!) and come in long, short and 3/4 sleeve lengths. They have a half price sale on at the mo - see their website.

haporthrosie

Grandtante, I have the same problem with synthetics. It's really a pity as natural fibres look better anyway, I think.

Jalima, I completely agree with your DH. Quite ordinary High Street clothes used to be made with the basics of tailoring in mind and it made all the difference.

The way clothes are cut today is bizarre. I know it sounds grumpy but I look round and I see about 90% of people in clothes that don't fit! It seemed to start when manufacture went over-seas. (Pretend I didn't say that as I know this wasn't meant to get political! Sorry.)

M&S really do need to pull their socks up. As for the models, there seem to be two sorts: miserable 15-year-old starvelings who need suet puddings fed to them daily, or women who are overweight (supposedly more 'true to life') but do at least have the advantage of being adults. The 'curvy' models today don't look like actual people I know. My normal-size friends look just that - normal. And healthy. Not fat. Don't feel bad when you see the Amazon pics, etc. as you probably don't look like them at all.

Varian, that's quite a good idea for finding models. I see people on the street every day who are far better looking, and much more stylish, than the ones earning fortunes.

As for my own body, my bum apparently got very sad about something a few years ago. Just silently sank down to the tops of my thighs and refuses to be cheered up!

I wonder whether fashion models, instead of being size zero, 6ft tall teenagers, should be chosen at random from the general population!

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.

MORGANA

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

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

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!

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

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

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.

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.

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

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