The H&M Carrie (sort of..) skirt

I saw this skirt glowing in a tired corner of an H&M store in Knightsbridge and immediately the Sex and the City opening credits flashed through my mind. Ok so it’s not a tutu like Carrie’s but it’s the closest I’ve seen the high street come to producing such a skirt. So obvs I bought it (I am a HUGE Carrie B fan).

Only problemo is the pinchy elasticated waistband. By pinchy I mean that unless you have the washboard abs of Kelly Holmes you will undoubtedly get severe love handles. (I have tried to stretch the elastic by pulling it several times, but to no avail – anyone got tips on how to help elastic lose its elasticity??)

I have come up with quite a good solution though – thick scarf round waist acts as a corset and minimises lumps and bumps.

Green tank and black top, both Primark // Skirt, H&M // Shoes, New Look // Brooch, vintage // Scarf worn as belt, vintage // Pineapple necklace, Accessorize // Envelope necklace, Urban Outfitters

Maxis for Pears

The end of Christmas and New Year needn’t be depressing when you remember that all the clothes you’ve lusted after over the last year are halved in price come January! Ahhh the January sales, the only sales where you can be sure that genuinely popular items have been genuinely reduced in price. Because the number of times I’ve been attracted by the word ‘sale’ at any other time of the year, only to find that mysteriously, I’ve never seen any of these ugly sale items before, yet they’ve been generously reduced from £60 to a fiver! Only a fiver!… Well then… maybe I should just…. I mean, perhaps a purple tie dye long sleeved synthetic top is just what I need….

NO.

Continuing with the maxi obsession, I have been scouring the sales for the best of reduced maxi marvels. However the problem I always come up against with winter maxi hunting is trying to look good in the dreaded tight, show-all-the-lumps-and-bumps, synthetic fabric that so many WMs are made of. For pear-shaped ladies like myself, this kind of hip and bottom hugging fabric is an absolute disaster. So us big bottomed girls might have to steer clear of basic (cheaper) maxis,  but all this means is that we can easily justify a little indulgence in chiffon/velvet/linen numbers with beautiful embellishments, like a dramatic flared skirt or cascading layers.

So, here are some of the best maxi sale items I’ve found, best for pear-shapes (think: fall from hips, not cling to hips).

ASOS

Left to right…

1) Side Puddle Maxi Skirt £31 (was £70)

2) Waterfall Chiffon Skirt £30 (was £60)

3) Black velvet skirt £16 (£32)

 

TOPSHOP

1) Kate Moss Lurex Winter Maxi £20 (was 60)

2) Kate Moss Ruche Waist Maxi £30 (was £80)

3) Knitted Kimono Maxi Cardigan £10 (was £46)

 

URBAN OUTFITTERS

1) Sparkle and Fade Maxi Skirt £22 (£48)

2) Reformed Alyson Leopard Maxi £20 (was £65)

3) O&O Sheer Paisley Maxi Dress £20 (was £48)

 

RIVER ISLAND

1) Gold pleated maxi skirt £20 (was £44.99)

2) Chelsea Girl Print maxi dress £25 (was £50)

3) Black Mesh Maxi Skirt £7 (was £29.99)