Try-On

Winter Sales Try-On

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There’s a running joke in my family that my dad has never paid full-price for anything. His haggling is legendary and he can smell a sale a mile away. I think I inherited a little of my bargain-hunting ability from him, along with my height.

Today I’m giving you a run down of all the items I bought on Black Friday – most of which are now in the winter sales. This year I shopped Dorothy Perkins (Tall), Coast and H&M. Here’s what I got (and what I sent back):

First up: Dorothy Perkins Tall.

These trousers looked super comfy but they were enormous on me. I bought a UK 12 so they would fit my hips but it felt like I was wearing a size 14/16. If you’re in the 6 foot and up club they might work better on you, but the waist was super high and the leg length was more suited to a 36-38″ length really. They also had a ribbed texture, which was comfy but not as loose and flowy as I had envisaged. (Available in Tall only).

However, this black top with sheer overlay is a winner. The length was spot on, it fit true to size and it’s a total bargain!

This pleated skirt was also a real winner. It looks shiny/satin-like online but is a jersey material in reality. Similarly the picture online shows an asymmetric hemline, but it’s definitely A-line. Feels super-festive and elegant to wear though so no complaints from me! Fits true to size.

Finally, the most chic and cheap winter coat. Double breasted with a snuggly faux-fur collar this coat is just perfect. I could also imagine Cameron Diaz wearing something like it in The Holiday – so it gets extra glam points for that.

All in all (and despite my personal feelings about their CEO) I’ll be sad to see this brand go now that the parent Arcadia Group is in administration – the DP tall line has some real gems.

Next up: Coast

I’m always a bit disappointed that Coast is less size-inclusive than other high-street brands, but you can’t argue with the quality of their garments for the price. I tried just two items and sadly neither was a perfect fit but they both had some major plus-points.

This body-con dress is a Size M and almost fit my body shape perfectly – albeit that the arms were a tad short and gathered at the elbows. I also took issue with the belt which was much too large and sat very high (even for a person of average height). It’s available in 3 colours with limited availability.

I was gutted that this lace detail top was so small on me. The intricacy and detail of the design made it feel really special (for a high street item). Available in two colours.

Finally, I went a bit overboard with H&M while they had 20 percent off the site over Black Friday. Using their size guide I ordered most items in Medium and they were much too large. Everything in a UK10 fit perfectly but if you’re picking a generic size, go one lower!

This black top with twist-back detail felt thick and warm but as you can see – was much too big for me. As was the v-neck/back cream jumper (no longer available online) which was also too short on the body & sleeves for me.

I’ve always been a bit wary of dresses like this Belted Dress as I’m quite broad shouldered and feel this sort of neckline can have the unfortunate effect of accentuating that… but I got over that pretty quickly as the fit and design of this dress were just lovely. I wish my work didn’t have a strict navy-and-white dress code for officewear as this would be the perfect pretty dress for the office. I’m wearing a size 10 and it fits true to size.

I’m rounding off this try-on with another pretty dress. Sadly too large but I would go back for the next size down as this was a really unique take on the shirt-dress. With concealed buttons, pleat detail and a pretty print, it’s really rather lovely. Size down.

Nasty Gal Try-On

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I’ve never shopped with Nasty Gal before. Mainly because they don’t carry a tall line and that’s my go-to when it comes to finding the perfect fit for me. That being said, I’ve had lots of pleasant surprises from non-tall sections of other retailers over the years, and if you don’t try, you’ll never know. So I tried a lot of their clothes for you!

The Nasty Gal sizing was a bit hit and miss for me. (For reference I am a UK size 10 on my torso but a UK size 12 at my hips.) I used the sizing guide on the Nasty Gal website to select my sizes. However, I found that everything offered in a UK Size 10 came up too small and for other items I should have got a small instead of a medium. At least now I know what to order in the future and hopefully this will prove useful for you too!

Up first are these thigh-high boots. I’ve wanted a pair of over-the-knee boots for ages but haven’t been able to find a flat pair that hit the right height. Of all the items in my order, I thought for sure I would be sending these back but the height was spot-on. If you have narrow feet, I would recommend sizing up as the pointed toe makes for a snug fit. Not suitable for those with a wide fit but perfect for those with long legs!

This square neck top features split sides below the waist – which I guess are there to make it easier to tuck in but that’s not the real issue. The wide neck might be sexy but it leaves no room for bra straps to remain hidden. That wouldn’t necessarily be an issue but (although you can’t see it in the picture above) the top has an open weave to the knit across the chest – so a bra really isn’t optional here. You could go strapless – but either way your bra will be on show. I bought the size 10 and found it a snug fit.

It struck me recently that “girl in the pretty dress” hasn’t featured any girly dresses for a while, this dress was my attempt to rectify that and it wasn’t too bad on. Sleeve length was good and so was the hem length – it’s described as a midi and fit that way. It’s definitely more of a summer dress though as the material is very light and floaty. For me the waist sat too high and the consequence was that the wrap-over was also a little higher than felt safe. Fits true to size.

I ordered a size 10 of this polka dot top but it definitely runs small. The neckline is lovely but the sleeves were 3/4 length on me and the whole thing just felt much too snug and almost corset like. Perfect for petite sizes, but if you’re regular I would size up and tall ladies – avoid!

It turns out this fluffy cardigan isn’t Nasty Gal brand but is actually by Brave Soul – one of my all time favourite brands. They do also have a tall line (available on ASOS). So no wonder I loved it! The material (also available in black) is so soft and snuggly. I ordered a medium which felt really comfy on, but I think I could probably get away with a small. The button detail is lovely and it’s super cosy – the perfect winter cardigan!

I’m usually someone who likes a close-fit when it comes to tops, but I figured that since I was trying a new brand, I should also try some new styles. It turns out the saying “if it aint broke, don’t fix it” goes for personal style too. This statement-sleeve jumper was a disaster on me. Firstly, it runs big, so you’ll want to size down if you’re tempted to try this. Secondly, the colour is a little different in person (the cream is a little more mustard toned). And lastly it’s not tall-friendly. The sleeves just looked baggy on me, rather than stylishly oversized.

Ok, I loved this knitted hoodie. It runs quite big so again I would need to size down but as chic and cosy loungewear goes – it’s pretty great. I’m tempted to buy the set in fact. Again, the colour is a little different in person – it has a slightly more oatmeal tone – but that’s not really an issue. 10/10 would recommend for lockdown.

This ruffle detail jumper was just not for me. The sleeves were ok, but the body was so short it looked cropped and the ruffles did me no favours. I don’t know how this model is pulling them off so well – all credit to her because it’s not easy to make such an oddly proportioned piece look that good! Runs big – size down.

I got this button-down midi dress in a Size 10, which would have been ok, were it not for the gaps in between the buttons. Moving in this dress was a risky business and would be for anyone with curves. It was also knee-length on me rather than midi – but in spite of the sizing flaws I did find it very comfortable.

Lastly I tried this bodycon dress on and I was loving it right up until I noticed the seam across the chest – which sits neither above nor below the breasts and which I just couldn’t get used to. It’s a real shame as it fits true to size and was both comfy and sexy on.