General Chat

Can I ask you a bit of a personal question, Kath? Has your body shape just changed recently due to the menopause, by any chance? I remember feeling like a fish out of water when my body transformed, but I managed to get over it and am happily finding things to wear again. It also helps if you can get your daughter /daughter-in-law to accompany you - if you have one. If I'm not 100% sure I often look at the assistants. If there's one about my age I call her over, show her what I've got on and ask for her HONEST answer. It helps. Even younger shop assistants have been helpful. Happy shopping!

Hi Gill - will speak to you soon love are you okay? Hi Marie - Can't say as I've noticed that shop in Stafford Street will have a look next time I'm up 'anley duck. See the new Primark store will be opening soon in the Potteries Centre. Will that be any good do you think? Kathx

THE BEST web site for tall and big men. http://www.bigozzy*com replace * with . Margaret

Hi Kath, you ok Duck, have just e-mailed you. Gill

There is a fantastic catalogue..........La redoute .......... my MIL in her 70's now looks fantastic , classy & trendy . She is small ( 5ft 3in) and a dress size 24 ........ another shop she uses is Ann Harvey ........ a wee bit pricey but worth it for a special eve/occasion.

I think I am tempted to argue the other way Christine - but I understand what you are saying. I,m tall and one of my lads is taller, and we find with shoes particularly, we can get fixed up. There isn,t that much around for over 6 footers, but when it does come in, there aren,t many in the market to purchase. My sympathy though, when I was younger, 32' leg in trousers were all that was available - not very good for a young long legged fellow who was out to impress the girls. Happy days

Hi Kath, go up Hanley now and then myself and get a bit fed up from time to time as to where to go, but the last time I went up there I found a great shop for all ages and sizes and the prices werent too bad either, but for the life of me I cant remember the name of it, but I know its on Stafford street a bit higher up from the social security offices, its quite a big shop and both me and my mum who is in her fifties got kitted out and she is a big lady so she was really chuffed. Hope this has been of help Duck! Marie: )

Don,t throw things at me, but for men, charity shops usually have something for every case. Don,t see why it shouldn,t be the same for ladies. Lots of clothes are new or as good as new. Some of the shops are very up-market. Hope I,ve not lowered the tone of the thread. Happy days

Ladies, As long as you are comfortable, wear what takes your fancy. Like June and Morfydd, I too take steroids, am over fifty and look like a ' blimp' regardless, of what I wear. Lindy ;-)))

Don't Autograph at M and S do larger sizes? I was in there recently and I am sure that is what the girl told me. I am very disappointed as our QS - one of my favourite stores - has closed in Norwich - I emailed the company and was told the company is in the hands of administrators and so some stores are closed down. I suppose in Norwich with all the shops we have in our new shopping mall and the one we already had, plus the high street stores, there is too much competition. Our nearest one now is Sheringham or Lowestoft. Was looking at a site called La Redoute last night and they had some larger size clothes there that were rather nice. I often find bargains especially linen or linen mix in charity shops and I use Bon Marche too. I just buy whatever I feel comfy in - I have a lot of cropped trousers for summer which are great, so long as they are waisthigh and not just up to my navel! Always feel as if I want to hitch things up if they are at that level.

Girls (and boys), have you had a look at home shopping direct?? they are a collection of catalogues stores (with web sites) that cater for just about everyone (inc sizes 10 - 38, and up to 52 / H [girls do you understand?]) http://homeshoppingdirectcom.drct2u*com

Like June, I take steriods, so in less than two years I have gone from size 8, which used to be slightly too big, to size 14 bottoms and size 16 tops. As I am 5ft 9 and have a 34 inch inside leg, I find Dorothy Perkins and Outfit great for almost everything, Dorothy Perkins do the regular and tall range. My problem is I am going through bra sizes very quickly and it is costing me a bomb, I hope I will reach a size and stay there soon. I haven't reached 50 year, not for a few years, but what the hell wear what you feel comfortable in. M.

I,m a 24!!! and find Evans TOOO frumpy & expensive. I,ve recently discovered BON MARCHE too & bought a couple of tunic style jumpers from them .They were really good value .something like £12.99 each & they are a lovely fit. Have had comments on how nice they are &&&& have you lost weight!!! love that. I,m 69 and still look better in trousers & tunic style tops. I look bigger in skirts. so my summer wear is still summer weight & colour trousers & tunic tops. Shirley

Kath, I am 56 and think you should branch out a bit and not look for clothes you think are suitable for your age range. You could be surprised at how good you look in some of the outfits you may dismiss as being only for younger women. Go for it girl!! Dee x

Have you got a Bon Marche near you? Some of their clothes are not bad.

Nudge Kath

I remember Richards well,,,i still have some of their clothes,,what a shame they closed down.

Claire, I wear clothes from the Per Una range and I cant wear black or white ( having a very pale complexion) I find that some stores are better than others on the Per Una range. Good luck with your search. June xx

Some of the clothes in the 'PER UNA' range are lovely but never in my size so I e-mailed M&S and asked why they dont make a bigger size in this range yet all the clothes offered in larger sizes (18+) are mostly in black white or a combination of both, Thier reply was the 'GEORGE' who designed the clothes for Per Una felt that his styles would not suit the older lady.. Can you believe that?!!!! I replied right back saying that many of my friends are 50+ and look great in the clothes whereas my younger firends who are bigger dont want the limited offering of just black or white,, Is this age-ism do you think?

I am a clothes Nutter and buy from M and S (per uno), and Monsoon (Sales only, or their factory outlets - I have a beaded evening dress which was priced at £300, reduced to £30 in the Sale cos it had a few beads missing under the arm and I cheekily asked for a further reduction and got it!). As I cannot bear cheap synthetic fabrics, I also haunt various Charity Shops in posh areas, selecting Linen and silk etc. I also (sh, whisper) buy what I call my play clothes from QS - cotton trousers from £5. And we have a lovely store called Natural Earth which sells a limited range of cotton/silk/linen clothes in classic-with-a-twist styles. Ethnic type shops often have unusual clothes in natural fabrics too. I am well on the wrong side of 50 but want to look smart and up to date, if not exactly fashionable - many of my clothes are classics, bought 20 or more years ago. I must admit to a sneaking admiration for a lady of my aquaintance - 80 if she is a day - with ink-black hair, makeup an inch thick, mini skirts, leopard skin coat, stillettos - she does not give a damn, and it cheers me up, for some reason! I do feel slightly jealous when I see my beautiful daughters in their tiny tops - in my day, it all had to be fairly modest, despite the mini-skirt. Olde Crone