Something strange happens to our bodies in our 40’s. Whether or not you’ve had the babies and (maybe) recovered from being run over by the ‘where did my body shape go’ bus, one day you wake up and realise that you’ve lost your waist. Everything seems to have got thicker, from our legs to our arms and everything in between. Nothing seems to fit properly anymore. Plus, you get hot and I mean hot, like you’re burning from the inside. Welcome to Perimenopause!

Perimenopausal style: How to look and feel great in a changing body

For many women, they’re left feeling like they’re in a style waist land (see what I did there?!).

So, how do you navigate this new and unwanted landscape when you, A) Have a job and need to leave the house, B) Socialise and want to feel confident and C) want to feel comfortable out of active wear.

Let me tell you what you don’t do and that is beat yourself up about it. None of us asked for this!

I style women and men for a living and menopause or manopause (when the guys thicken up but get to avoid the crazy hormones and flushes) is my bread and butter. 90% of my clients would express some level of frustration about the body they now find themselves living in.

What you DO do is:

• Make peace with the body you are in and learn how to style it.

• Declutter your wardrobe and remove or rehouse the clothes that remind you about your old body (I’m talking to you hipster skinny leg jeans). If you think you can get back to your preperimenopause shape, pop them out of sight and revisit in 12 months.

• Find stores where you get great service, and where the sales people know how to dress different body shapes. I look for sales assistants that understand my client’s age and stage. Trenery and Commonry know their demographic and offer excellent service.

This is, of course, all great in theory, but what does this look like when you’re making wardrobe choices and what should you be looking for when you’re shopping? Here’s my top tips.

Five menopause wardrobe essentials

1. A jacket that is flattering. Why? Because it instantly slims your shape AND pulls your whole look together.

2. Jeans that suit your body shape. A straight leg jean, usually mid to high rise, helps to balance out any thickening waist in a way a skinny leg jean can’t.

3. Black pants that flatter — this is an investment item. They need to be well cut and a great quality fabric. I find a tapered pant suits most shapes, whereas a wide leg can mean you lose too much definition in the shapely areas, like a lot of women’s calves

4. A dress that is your ‘go to’ when you have a social event — it doesn’t have to be black, but does have to be one you love yourself in.

5. Accessories. You need one hero item — think shoes, bags, and jewellery that make you feel confident and draws the eye usually upward. Something that lift your outfits from the ordinary and make you feel styled and special.

Some people will say they can only do natural fabrics like cotton or linen. For me, this isn’t an issue, but if it is for you, then build that into your list.

Start with the above, then see how you can make your existing wardrobe work with your 5 key style staples.

Stay tuned for more blogs on topics like – Dressing when your waist has left the building and how not to let your emotions ruin your style.

(Note: Brands suggested in this Blog are based on my personal experience. For full transparency, I am not paid to mention them. Any discounts I receive are passed straight back to my clients when shopping).