Grrr just looked at the Ted Baker site - also blighted with smocks.

Sienna Miller has a lot to answer for!

If you're a fat person, these smock things hide a multitude of sins (hence why they're so popular in our McDonalds-eating generation). If you're not fat, why hide your figure? It is still possible to buy clothes that don't make you look like a walking tent; Next has some nice stuff.

^^ so much for today's political correctness.

I would say the opposite: a smock looks great on anyone sized 10 or below, but for anyone bigger it gives the distinct maternity look.

Shame on you! - Jane Austen would not approve of your smockist attitudes! I love to float around like a crazy Darcy obsessed lady of the austen era - really don't want 'waists' to come back into fashion as will have to hold tummy in all the time - or go down the gym (god forbid!)

I don't think that the smocky look with its empire waist line--is that a waist line--whose waist goes up to their neck??---looks well on people with a curvy build, whether by nature or by McDonalds. Unless you are pencil thin and not curvy, it adds a sort of billowy look to a person, that at least in my opinion, seems to mimic pregnancy.

And, as with all fashion trends, there is no variety. There is little to choose from besides a smocky look, and that is a bit limiting! whether you love smocks or not. If a certain look is in, it is ALL that is in, apparently. That clone mindset in fashion is sooo boring. And as a friend of mine says, just cause you can get into it does not mean you should wear it. Some things, just cause the zip went up, do not flatter the wearer. Better to have a choice of fashion and design, casual looks are great for those occassions, but when you need something more serious, there should also be a choice for that. A smock with a suit...hmm...would not do I do not think!

If you want smart clothes, whether suit or just smart dress/skirt principles and zara are the places I tend to rely on that offer decent enough quality without breaking the bank. If you're feeling flush then I'd go for Linea at House of Fraser, Joseph, Jigsaw and Hobbs. But that's investment pieces only!
I guess its also harder when you're a bit older than most (Olivia you are a 'mature' student if I remember rightly) and want smart clothes that don't just make you look older.

Since this thread has degenerated into a revivalism of Jane Austen, may I be Mr Darcy?

Thanks for the tips, Sleepyhead. You have a great memory, indeed, I am a "mature" student ( in America I would be called a "non-traditional" student, and come to think of it, I like that ring a lot better! Henceforth, I am not mature, only non-traditional! )

Yes, its frustrating to shop for smart/etc clothing when there is not much on offer for THAT sort of wear. I suppose that teenagers have lots of pocket money to spend, and so they are a worthwhile market, whilst more non-traditional shoppers are traditionally tied down with mortgages, car payments, and pocket money for their teenagers, having thus less disposable income. Perhaps I should set up my own shop...Olivia's--Non-traditional Clothes for Non-traditional People!

Yes, please do be Mr Darcy. Empire waist lines would be more tolerable if they came with a few Mr Darcy's scattered about the High Streets of the UK.

On another Jane Austen note, I saw the cutest film this summer, its a couple of years old I think, called "Bride and Prejudice". Its ( obviously) a take on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but its a Bollywood version set in the modern day, and its really funny. You don't have to know anything about the book to like the film. I also saw the Jane Austen Bookclub film, also very enjoyable.

Does the UK have any Jane Austen bookclubs? How would one go about setting one up?

ooh love jane austen would definately like to be in a book club! Wonder if Jane austen had as much trouble writing her books as I do with my current chapter?

Well, then, let's have our own Jane Austen Bookclub!!!! We can figure out how to do it online, perhaps this forum would let us do it on the off topic part of the forum, where we can pick a Jane Austen book and read it and discuss it just like the film! =) It would make a nice diversion from the PhD work! and Empire clothing optional...errm...that doesn't sound right. You know what I mean!

whoo, thought id forgotten my password there!

try oasis and H&M for decent 'normal' clothes, and i think vero moda is pretty dead on too. i cant be bothered dressing up for the office so i pretty much LIVE in jeans and tops so they have some decent things there, and u can get some funky tshirts and nice shirts for variation! lol!
as for the jane austen thing, i think that sounds likea a hell of a good idea! although for total release from phd dtress and to give ur imaginaation a wonderful time, try reading the His Dark Materials trilogy from Philip pullman, legendary fantastic brillaint books! dont let the horrific golden compass movie put you off, the books are great! :D hope everyone has a nice day, my experiments are going good for a change! yea!

Yup the empire-smocks are not popular with me either - I have entirely the wrong kind of knockers. Makes me look like a seaside postcard.

I also recommend His Dark Materials - excellent read.

I read on Wikipedia that the empire waistline is NOT meant for people with curves! HAH! I knew it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waistline_(clothing)

This same website says that people with curves do better in the Basque or Antebellum waist line ( the site calls it a V shaped waistline, but the other names sound more romantic, the better to compete with the name of Empire).

This is the only image I could find of such a waistline, its in a wedding dress, but you get the picture ( no pun intended!). I should like to start a movement to bring back this waistline into fashion!

http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.miraclesetc.com/gown_styles/gown_styles_clip_image002.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.miraclesetc.com/gown_styles/gown_styles.htm&h=123&w=100&sz=12&hl=en&start=19&um=1&tbnid=-ndNFaU70xbATM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=72&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dantebellum%2Bwaistline%26start%3D18%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN