I never use to go near traditional high street shops pre LL, bar a few like New Look that had a plus sized section, Dorothy Perkins that again went up to larger sizes and of course Evans.
Strangely enough I never found anything in Evans I ever liked (no offence to anyone that shopped or shops there) I just found a lot of the stuff frumpy. The prob I had with New Look was that a lot of their tops were short sleeved or sleeveless and the 16's too tight but the 18's used to look wrong. I once nipped into Dorothy Perkins after work because I needed a black neck jumper and picked up a size 18 just to err on the side of caution and it was too tight! - I had to return it and the size 20 I tried on was too tight, on the off chance I tried on a 16 and it was too big! - go figure.
I always found Marks & Spencers tops too short in the body - its like they would sit bang on the top part of your waist and every top made me look boxy - I am not tall only 5ft 5 and a bit
- although I am busty. Debenhams weren't too bad, but I very rarely found things I liked in there.
Recently I got into a size 12 Primark top (budget doesn't extend to normal high street at the mo :sigh
and am delighted to report that apart from squeezage at the boobs it fits perfectly and it's kinda meant to be worn unbuttoned.
My fantasy list of shops has always been high street staples like Top Shop, Zara, Miss Sixty Mango, French Connection and Warehouse oooh and River Island , not sure why but I have always associated those shops with being slim. I haven't ventured into them just yet, am too scared that I am still too big to fit into anything from there and don't want to start feeling negative about myself.
I have a pair of size 16 jeans from New Look's plus sized section that I still wear although I have to cinch in the belt so tight that I end up with this lovely bulge in the crotch and below the tummy
, they hang off me now, but I am too much of chicken to go and try on any other jeans in case it's all an illusion and besides the jeans are from the plus sized section of the store and I have absolutely no idea what size I am in "regular" sizes.
Wow, this was only supped to be a short post and I have waffled for ages. I just love, love talking about clothes and fashion.