I’m a size 12 and this is where I love to shop

A 12 is my ‘safe bet’ size: if I’m shopping online and operating on guess work, it’s the one that works 95% of the time. I hate to feel uncomfortable in clothes, so I steer towards a less-fitted silhouette and a 12 generally ticks that box for me.

Sizing on the high street is inconsistent, so I try not to be deterred by the labels - if I love something and it looks nicer in a 10, a 14 or larger, I’ll buy that one rather than pass up on the item altogether.

I’m 5ft 8, and mostly leg, with a shorter body in comparison. I’d much rather wear something shorter in length than have my arms out, and I’m more than happy to pass on a popular trend that doesn’t suit my shape or style.

That’s not to say I make it easy for myself style-wise, though. I love tailoring, which notoriously isn’t the easiest to come by if you have a sizeable bust and a bottom.

Being a shopping editor means I trial a lot of brands, and as I’ve been this size for the best part of a decade, I can safely say I have this dilemma sussed.

These are the labels I turn to that I find best cater to my size 12 figure and my taste...

Dresses

Puff-sleeved dress, £95, & Other Stories; Shirt dress, £119, Massimo Dutti

I steer towards neutral colourways and clean shapes, so I don’t own any floral or ruffled dresses, though my colleagues rave about Rixo and Kitri for these styles at all sizes.

A dress I wax lyrical about at any opportunity is this cream linen midi from & Other Stories that comes back each summer. It has three quarter length sleeves, a darted waist and buttons that are close together, so there’s no gaping across the bust. I loved it so much, I bought two a few years ago and dyed one black using Rit dye (£9.75, Amazon). This belted one is its most similar alternative this spring. Generally I find & Other Stories dresses factor in a bust, which sounds ridiculous but the consideration is not as common as it should be on the high street.

Shirt dresses are also great alternatives to the floral midi and tick the tailored box: Massimo Dutti has a good selection year round, as do Nanushka and Tibi, both of which I’ve only ever bought discounted from The Outnet.

READ MORE: I'm a size 14 and this is where I love to shop

Jeans

Barrel jeans, £95, Whistles

I’ve found a Mom style typically works best for my shape as the design is similar to my figure, so works with it and not against it. I’d recommend looking for a pair with 1-2% stretch or in a super soft cotton.

My most worn pairs are from Gap and Whistles. Gap’s Sky High Rise style is great, while Whistles’ barrel leg has room for hips. I recently bought a Mom pair from Weekday for the first time, and while the shape is perfect, I found the rigid denim too restrictive.

It’s also worth noting that as much as I’ve tried not to succumb to a pair that don’t fit perfectly, great jeans are a pain in the neck to find, so I’m now on first name terms with my local tailor who does a great job of taking them in at the waist.

Blazers

So much comes into play when shopping for blazers - arm length, shoulder width, bust size, waist - that I can always justify snapping a great one up when I come across it. I rarely button them up as I feel too stuffy, so I don’t even factor that in when I’m on the hunt.

If you’re after a fluid style, Joseph and Zara are my go-to’s, but for something more structured, I’ve found Sandro and Arket to be the best at affordable-ish styles that look considerably more expensive than they are.

This wool blazer is on my new season wishlist. £135, Arket

Gymwear

I personally can’t afford to spend three figures on sportswear as I don't wear it enough to justify the splurge. But that doesn't mean I don't seek out quality pieces. I won't wear any sweatpants or leggings that aren't high-waisted, as anything that isn't means it'll slide down as I'm running or squatting. A fully opaque and thick material is a must, too, as it'll stay in place.

I've found Instagram-favourite Gymshark to be very good at both, as is high street label, Oysho. I also have a three-piece set from new activewear brand L'Couture, which has sucked me in like nothing else. I'd recommend plumping for a sports bra from Pour Moi or Shock Absorber which come in bra sizes so offer the most support.

Swimwear

Shopping for swimwear is the reason I learned not to be precious about clothing size labels, as a standard size 12 bikini rarely fits both top and bottom. I like to buy them separately, and on the high street, H&M is my favourite for something equal parts trendy and supportive that can be bought as separates - I have this balconette style in both fuchsia and lemon. If I have more to spend, I’ll head to Solid & Striped for its bright underwired tops and tie-leg styles.

For one-pieces, I like a good amount of stretch as I can think of nothing worse than digging seams. Hunza G (which operates an innovative 'one size fits all from UK 6-14' formula, so has an amazing amount of stretch) is the only one I’ve found so far that’s up to the job.

I also like to swim, so for a properly practical option, I have Bravissimo’s Amalfi swimsuit which comes in cup sizes.

One thing I bought recently

I love a crisp shirt and had had my eye on this one by Olive for a while before taking the plunge. My shirts have been getting tons of wear while working-from-home, and this one will slot into my Zoom rotation nicely.

I'll wear it on the weekend with my chunky Dear Frances sandals and cream jeans.

Gingham shirt, £59, Olive

And where I would never shop...

I haven’t worn a floral dress since I was in primary school, so brands such that specialise in them aren’t on my personal shopping radar. It’s for that reason I haven’t ever shopped at Finery, which is synonymous with the printed midi.

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