Reddit reviews French Women Don't Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure

I've worked gradually over time to build a nicer wardrobe. I also used to be a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.

I started by getting some plain fitted t-shirts that flattered my figure. Old Navy often has sales on these where you can get 2 for $10. I dunno if they have ON in the UK, but you can probably find a similar chain. I've since moved into pretty patterns and more dressy tops, these tend to cost more. I don't buy many things like this because I don't like empire waists, these still seem to be most of what's available. You could also go for blouses if you find some that fit you well - I've got fit problems with button-down shirts.

Next came pants. I presume you already have some jeans that you love and love you back, there's no reason to change that kind of combination. Get some nice belts to go with them. Look for slacks in the same brand, they will probably fit you in a similar way. Skirts that are a length you are comfortable with go nicely with a plain t-shirt.

Get some comfortable shoes that look nice. I like Naot for this. They are expensive, but my planar fasciitis went away when I started wearing them. If you have any foot pain and can find the right shoes, you'll find yourself walking much more than you do now.

Next comes accessories. I get a lot of compliments on my plain, long sleeved t-shirts and colorful scarves in the winter. I acquired the scarves one at a time over the course of a couple of years. I can often find nice silk ones on sale for around $10. I have a couple of cute hats as well, I burn easily in the summer, and live in Seattle, where it rains all winter. I found some beaded necklaces and earrings I liked at World Market. Once I started wearing this type of jewelry, people started giving more to me. I now have a nice little collection of 4-5 different colored necklaces, a couple of bracelets, and lots of earrings. If you're crafty, it might be fun to make this sort of thing. Big, chunky beads are flattering on a plus figure.

I happen to think this sort of style will work for any body type. The most important thing is fit, don't buy anything that is too tight, but try to find figure-flattering clothing.

You can do all of this gradually, there's no need to try to replace everything at once. I'm thinking my current style is actually kind of a halfway, but I'm not sure where it's going to end up leading. I do know that my taste in shoes has changed immensely since I found that good shoes makes my foot pain go away, and they can be found in really cute styles. Once I started dressing nicer, makeup followed as a kind of natural step. I never used to wear it, now I usually wear something on my eyes and lips when I go out.

I had an odd catalyst for all these changes, I started taking dance lessons and going out to social dances. While sitting and watching, I started noticing what women were wearing: what I felt worked and what I didn't like. I also lost a bit of weight from the exercise, which made me feel even more confident in my new style. I find myself paying more attention now to what the people around me are wearing. They usually shop wherever you happen to be, so it's easy to find the things you like.

Edit: I'm 32. Also, I got the t-shirt/scarf idea from French Women Don't get Fat.