How do you know what looks best?

Scentia - I think you look great in your jeans and jacket picture. The only thing I might change is to wear maybe an asymmetrical top under the jacket to get rid of the straight line across your waist. A shirt partially tucked in gives the same effect - allows more colour from your jeans to show up to the waist (so elongates your legs) but disrupts the straight line across your tummy. I also think you're very brave posting pics.

I like the colour and style is it a jersey stretch material I don't wear anything in this material I find it to clingy and shows all the lumps and bumps I find good supportive underwear helps

Maybe wear a long line cardi over the dress that is slightly longer? Lots of long lines help to elongate the shape. The small pattern on the dress also helps.

This is a bit of advice that was passed on to me a long time ago by a stylist, that may help somebody, somewhere. Hope I've explained it clearly.

- if you want to elongate your body don't cut it across the middle i.e. no straight lines going straight across the body
- wear shoes the same colour as your skirt/trousers so the colour carries on the length of the body
- wear the same colour at the top of your body as the bottom (can be just bits of the same colour)
- wear clothes that skim but don't hug
- distract the eye with layers in different lengths

I have similar problems - I put an. Lot of weight on round the tum area and then was found to have a lymphoma cancer there - it’s one of those that can remain dormant and then suddenly become active - at that stage I lost three stone - had chemo and cancer in remission - now the fat around tum has returned! I don’t eat loads indeed when I was in hospitali had half size meals and could hardly eat them - the French were eating the full Monty!
Can no longer wear the stilettos which would elongate me - 5’3 and a bit. I think I will try the bigger size tops a nd see if that helps me!

I worked with a woman who had been a model and her advice was never to wear anything that was too tight or too big, if it didn't fit put it back on the rail.

This web site seems to think there is a formula to dress lengths.

How to Find Your Ideal Skirt or Dress Hem Length

It may help but could have you tearing your hair out, good luck.

Lucca

May I say one more thing Scentia?
In today’s photo..I think a long shirt plus the short denim jacket would have been more flattering and would have given a variety of lengths to the outfit.

Blimey. That's my style - my long white shirts with a tee underneath cover my bum, hips and tum, with a short denim/leather jacket on top, and jeggings underneath. Exactly what I'm wearing right now.

(I'm not as young or as slim as her though )

Scentia

I am the one holding the baby not wearing the babygro?

I would go for a longer dress which flares from the waist.

I could make one suggestion. I have a different body shape to the OP but I do love to wear dresses. I never wear any dress or skirt without a slip. I have a selection of different lengths and also a couple of waist slips. I buy them in m and s. I really feel it makes a big improvement to the look.

please scentia, wear clothes that you are comfortable in, if that means jeans, a fancy top and some make up, then go for it, this is all about how you feel, it does not matter what anybody else thinks
I think that’s a very fair comment, Nexus63 (and by the way, sympathy for all your medical difficulties) - but if you know what suits you and you dress with a bit more effort, then others may well comment positively, which will make you feel good? But you should never dress so that you feel uncomfortable or awkward, or purely for someone else.

I think either a lower or v neck, longer dress, not so clingy would look better. With your jeans a shorter denim jacket and longer shirt or top underneath. With slim leg jeans you need hip skimming, preferably empire or shirt style top. Scarves help too.

i would love to wear a dress and that one looks lovely but i agree with some of the others, a better bra and maybe you would feel better in one size bigger if it feels tight or clingy. i have put on weight in the last 2 years, i was already a size 20, my problem is everthing is hanging down, i had to go to a doctor about my vulvar cancer and having all my lymph nodes removed from my groin, he said it would be difficult to heal as they are at the top of my legs and the fat hangs over...lol, i only ever wear straight leg jogging trousers because i have severe psoriasis and it cuts and breaks whenever i move, i always wear nice t-shirts and tops and always get a size bigger than i need. i have got a couple of those knicker type things hat pull everything in, just in case i need to wear a skirt and blouse for a funeral. please scentia, wear clothes that you are comfortable in, if that means jeans, a fancy top and some make up, then go for it, this is all about how you feel, it does not matter what anybody else thinks. when you buy something new and are not sure, take some pics and send them to your daughter for an honest answer..lol
ps. i am now a size 22/24 so i would be so envious of you in a size 16. xx

Sally12
Your link is exactly me: even the hair ? I’m 5’ size 12.
I never wear prints. The closest I come to a print is a spot or stripe.
A friend is under 5’ and just a bit smaller than Dawn French. She always looks stylish and like Dawn French, you never see her in a print.

This Canadian blogger thinks a lot about her clothes and how to style them
www.highheelsinthewilderness.com/2021/08/why-styling-matters.html

Scentia

I wonder, if I set up an Instagram or Facebook page to show off my —unlikely— progress into a style icon Boden and Toast would send me clothes to wear so my followers would buy them. I could be the next Stacey Solomon?? how do you go about getting 2.4m followers?!!!

Well, we’d all follow you, do that would be a start! It would be great actually to follow the progress of someone on such a ‘journey’, as we’d all pick up
tips on the way. I’ve always loved clothes, so used to follow quite a few bloggers - but none hit quite the right note for me

I agree with lemon that a ‘less is more’ approach to patterns often gives a more flattering look.

My daughter is similar build - a v- neck draws the eye down and makes you look taller - a round neck emphasises the chest. I agree a longer dress would be more flattering. In Europe a lot of mature ladies wear ‘lagenlook’ - literally layered look- check that out. Hope that helps.

I wonder, if I set up an Instagram or Facebook page to show off my —unlikely— progress into a style icon Boden and Toast would send me clothes to wear so my followers would buy them. I could be the next Stacey Solomon?? how do you go about getting 2.4m followers?!!!

May I say one more thing Scentia?
In today’s photo..I think a long shirt plus the short denim jacket would have been more flattering and would have given a variety of lengths to the outfit.

Trousers definitely suit you better than the dress, you really look good in them. They make you look taller and slimmer. As regards the dress I would agree just below the knees to elongate the body and longer sleeves, maybe plain rather than patterned with a long necklace also next size up so it doesn’t cling. Also, can I ask if it’s lined? A lining makes the world of difference. If unlined always wear a slip to stop clinging. I’m size 16 but generally buy 18 so a bit looser and comfier and am a trousers and top (or trouser suit if I have to be smart) person. Lost a lot of weight about three years ago and looked ok in a dress for a special occasion, wouldn’t look good now! Lack of exercise and too much comfort eating in lockdown!

V3ra
It is a Boden dress but very old maybe 7 years old!!

I like the dress in the first photo but agree that the length is too short, on or just below the knee is more flattering to most people.
I also think "interesting" shoes help make an outfit: I've got a pair of green leather ballet flats that I would wear with that dress. Plus some nice green earrings. Where is the dress from? ?

Funnily enough, ladies I have been told more than once that I look like dawn french. I think it’s my grin that does it?