Summer clothing

[Bloomin]

Been having a wardrobe clear out. Concerned about the imminent warmer weather. My stomach is very swollen. I know I have gained some weight, but my stomach has swollen and has a bulge to one side. Even my husband said it doesn't look right, it is not just middle age spread. Don't feel I can wear t-shirts as no matter what size, they are clinging to my awful shape. I might add I had curves with an hour glass shape, so to have this bizarre stomach shape is alien. I have bought a couple of smock type tops. Jeans are becoming uncomfortable, leggings have been great but I don't really do dresses. What are other ladies experiences of what works and is more comfortable. Feel I need Gok Wan and rather than how to look good naked how about how to look good dressed!

[BusyLizzie]

Hi Bloomin,

I am 45 and have just had to refresh my wardrobe. I am bloated with ascites and tumours and can not bear anything around my abdomen.

I like to run warm and can never wear short sleeves except on the hottest days, so I go for the layered look. Mainly long sleeve T-shirts _under_ a dress! You could use plain T-shirts if you prefer that. I find plain White is the most clean and versitile for layering but also picked up navy and fuschia from a Dorothy Perkins at the weekend in the sale.

I can not stand the thought of anything around my waist and have always used hold-ups. There are some lovely opaque hold ups on uktights, navy blue and light grey being my fave:-

uktights.com/product/1124/c...

I am not shaving legs at the mo cos of chemo but of course you don't have to have opaques if your legs are better than mine!

I am losing weight so have trouble making them stay up - easily solved. Husband bought 2cm wide black elastic for a few pence and made me garters which are just right and do not pinch due to the thick elastic. They sit perfectly over the wide upper part.

I have just found the Debenhams Mantaray collection of dresses and found these are wonderful as it is jersey material and are 'empire line' and skim the tummy.

These are 3 of the dresses I have bought.

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

Note there is 20% off today and if they do not have your size online it gives you a number to ring where they will find a store local to you which might stock it in the size you want.

I also loved this cardy:-

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

It looks great over the top of my long sleeved tees and dresses. Again empire line skims the sensitive area.

For a more sophisticated look I also bought this:-

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

Again used opaque hold-ups and my nice new cardy and long sleeve tee underneath. You can not see on the photo but it has elastic under the bust and is empire line for all intensive purposes.

I am also a knee length boot fan. I often wear with these boots;-

duoboots.com/products/boots...

So everyone knows what I am wearing today

Love Lizzie

X

[BusyLizzie]

I meant to say 'Short Sleeved Tshirts' if you prefer rather than 'plain'. Obviously plain looks better long or short as the dresses are patterned already.

Forgot to say, I also picked up 2 of these:-

debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/st...

As I can not even stand a waist slip around me anymore.

Love Lizzie

X

[Hidden in reply to BusyLizzie]

Hi Lizzie

How would you fancy becoming my personal shopper?¬!!!

Loved your choices

Love Suex

[BusyLizzie in reply to Hidden]

Hi Sue,

I fear it could be a disaster. I didn't realize until I had posted my diatribe that Bloomin said, "I don't really do dresses"!! Great personal shopper eh? Sorry Bloomin!

To complete my shopping spree, I also bought these shoes as they are flat and comfy (but in pink - I already have them in sensible navy blue!):-

vandalshoes.com/collections...

I also have treated myself to this necklace:-

swarovski.com/Web_GB/en/109...

(But with a 5% discount using another site).

It's been a few months since I had some retail therapy and it was fun!

Love Lizzie

X

[Hidden in reply to BusyLizzie]

Love all your choices and of course my real favourite is naturally the necklace.

Keep shopping!!

Love Suex

[Whippit in reply to BusyLizzie]

I absolutely love you for this. I also much admire your dress style - as do others. Who needs Gok Wan when we have you! Xx

[BusyLizzie in reply to Whippit]

Well I had fun, but I am not sure I helped Bloomin. LOL!

Love Lizzie

X

[Bloomin]

Thanks BusyLizzie. Have bought a number of light weight long cardigans, and see the fashion trend at present is for more puffed out tops around the waist so hide the alien! I bought my smock tops from mantaray, a slightly bigger size as they are pure cotton and I couldn't stand the thought of shrinkage and then too tight feeling. I am washing these at present to see how they then fit and if need be I will run an extra seam up the sides so that they don't look obviously too big. Sizing will then be in-between the great british uk size chart! I did see some nice dresses in debenhams so will consider perhaps these for work.

Love some of the bright colours at the moment, if Gok visited me he would certainly say I am not a dowdy downer in dress. The bright colours offer some cheer at this worrying time. Just need the sun and a bit of summer glow to finish off.

[BusyLizzie in reply to Bloomin]

Don't laugh, but I am really liking this....

cravematernity.co.uk/produc...

[Whippit in reply to BusyLizzie]

Shame about the designer name. Shall we let on to them they are missing a market opportunity?

[jurassic]

Hi Lizzie,

Garters sound great will your husband buy black satin with pink!!! rosebuds to cover up the elastic

Love Marilyn

[BusyLizzie in reply to jurassic]

LOL! I think that may be asking a little too much He is more of the practical kind and loves designing solutions rather than the aesthetic bits. I am actually on proto-type 1 which has lasted 4-5 weeks so far, so when we move to design number 2 (slightly better finish on the raw edge of the join of the elastic may be required as I had some freying to begin with) I may embelish!

Some hold-ups have very ornate band sections anyway, and so the black actually looks amazing with the frilly bits gathered around it. I am afraid I have flashed my garters at many nurses to show them my weight loss solutions, I am so pleased with them.

Love Lizzie

X

[Esther]

Hi - regarding jeans, I also could not wear any, found it just too uncomfortable, but then I bought a brand called Not Your Daughters Jeans (NYDJ) and they are amazing - so comfortable, high waist but flattering cut, slightly stretchy so hold everything in. They are really expensive but mine have lasted over a year without losing any shape. I notice they do a range of summer 3/4 length now as well. What's more, you need to buy a size down from your normal size which is always nice!

Esther x

[Whippit]

There are also some pretty smock dresses and cardigans at White Stuff and you can get skinny legged jeans from NYDJ to go under them if you're not too confident about wearing dresses and showing a leg. John Lewis, btw, are absolutely wondful about helping you to shop and stock both makes. I went in a couple of weeks after my surgery last year. They sat me down in a very comfortable changing room and collected any number of garments until I'd chosen everything I needed.

Shop on ladies! The thought is cheering me up no end on rather a dreary day. Xx Annie

[BusyLizzie in reply to Whippit]

I have just had a flyer through the door from White Stuff and if you quote the voucher code 'speed' when you checkout before the 31st May 2012, you get 15% off with free delivery and returns.

Love Lizzie

X

[Whippit in reply to BusyLizzie]

That's really thoughtful of you to post that up for us. We could do with a little extra spending capacity. Have just had a spending spree on expenses from work for an insurance claim - a replacement laptop - and chose a lovely shiny new MacBook Air. Reminds me why I like working!

[Helen1]

Hi,

Loose shirts & leggings are great.

Some dress's make me look very pregnant-have to definitely try before I buy!

My stomach is swollen and my belly button is off centre due to a large abdominal hernia which appeared after my surgery-my scan report also confirms this.

Could yours be a hernia as well ? Ask you doctor.

[BusyLizzie]

Talking of the Summer, I hope we are all going to be wearing our Rule-Britania Tights at the beginning of June?

uktights.com/product/2930/h...

Errrr, no me neither

Love Lizzie

X

[TinaWright]

Busy Lizzie what an inspiration you are, I love your dress choice abso fabulous.

Ny biggest problem at the moment is feeling hot and sticky the whole time. Layers just make me too hot and I do find I need something under those dresses other wise my boobs are popping out, not a good look for anyone in their 50`s I have to say.

I also love the long cardi because I have a big bum and hips and these are so flattering.

Biggest prob for me will be the warmer weather when its too hot to wear the long cardi, my legs are too awful to go bare and long dresses just make me look like a frump. Any ideas appreciated?

I do own crop jeans but they are so hot and not very comfy.

I tend to buy assesories these days to take the eye away from everything else, LOL!!!!!

My belly is also lob sided, the side where the tumour was is now flat but the other side bulges, it`s so ugly.

Keep inspirring us love from T XX

[BusyLizzie in reply to TinaWright]

Hi Tina,

This is why I go knee length dress with empire line and opaque hold ups. It skims my lumps and bumps, not too long to look frumpy and opaque's hide all leg sins and look trendy. The 'getting hot' is an issue - I can only suggest a short sleeved white T-shirt for layering because I have the same issue as you - I'd be arrested if I didn't wear a T-shirt underneath. This is because I now need a larger side because of my abdomen but my knockers are only little (as my twin Sarah1963 will tell you - she has the big knockers).

Let us know the look you go for.

Love Lizzie

X

[Whippit in reply to TinaWright]

Dear Tina - Lizzie's just posted up the code to get 15% off White Stuff. It's a brilliant make for flimsy t-shirts, layers and long hide-everything cards - so you might like to take a look at their website.

Annie xx

[FlorenceW]

How funny....I need a Gok Wan too....have put on 2 stone....and have just had a liberating wardrobe clear out....feel uncomfortable with things around my waist...and used to wear jeans all the time...but not really comfy now.....so...gok wan where are you???????Might actually write to him......

[Whippit in reply to FlorenceW]

ooooh yes please do. Some fashion looks for us ladies and ideas for our heads when we're on paclitaxol. I really do think you should do it!

[BusyLizzie in reply to Whippit]

Just call him 'girlfriend' and he's yours!

[Bloomin]

Just wanted to let you all know that despite my feeling 6 mths preg, I have found the perfect dress and now feel confident to party for my beautiful niece's first birthday celebration. See link, I bought this dress in a size bigger than I am as I am going to run a false seam and take it in a little bit, just it is jersey and you know how it clings. Dress has a rushed waist and hides everything. Can be dressed up or dressed down for a more casual look. and great price.

Hope you can access link.

dorothyperkins.com/webapp/w...

[BusyLizzie in reply to Bloomin]

Gorgeous. I love navy and the pattern is stunning. I could access the link no problems. Glad you found your outfit.

Love Lizzie

X

[Whippit in reply to Bloomin]

Love the dress! Enjoy the party. x Annie