I’m 55 and have been on a diet since the age of 14 as i was constantly body shamed by my parents. They say at the end of life we only regret the things we DIDN’T DO. With that in mind and not being at the end just yet, I’ve come to accept that my poor body image and disordered eating is part of who I am and rather than constantly punishing myself for these patterns, I’m learning to navigate the tougher periods and be kinder to myself. I always felt unworthy if I was bigger than a size 8/10 and wasted so many hours of my life looking for a way to fix myself. Funnily enough when I was at my lowest weight I was just as miserable as when I was at a higher weight……because I could hardly eat anything in order to maintain it! Great video, so helpful to many ❤
Urghhh we really have all been through it haven’t we. It makes me so sad. It’s our time now to accept our bodies as they are. In all of their ebbs and flows. I was similarly miserable at my lowest weight. We don’t need that in our lives anymore. There is so much more out there for us that we can enjoy and focus on that has nothing to do with our weight!
I just wanted to thank you for speaking so openly about your mental health struggles. I took advantage of the discount with Better help a few weeks ago and am finally facing my own struggles with the help of a lovely, compassionate therapist. Thank you for living out your values and sharing them so honestly.
Oh that's lovely! But also a really good idea, self esteem can be an issue at any age, but instilling this idea about self acceptance and love while their still kids, priceless!! 👏🏻👏🏻💚
I had a baby 10 months ago and the timing of this series is just what I needed. Thank you so much for speaking so openly about your own struggles, baring yourself in situations that feel uncomfortable like trying on clothes on camera, and just genuinely being such a wonderful, genuine person ♥️ Watching you really gave me the boost I needed to focus on and be proud of the body I have now (it grew a whole person after all) rather than be hell bent on getting back to a smaller size.
Remember, the clothes need to fit your body not your body needs to fit the clothes. You look FANTASTIC in the jewel tones! I loved the fir and color of the purple flower sweater on you. And you look great!
Loved this, Maddie! I would say return the Topshop coat and the black trousers that are a bit short on the leg for sure -- you deserve to have clothes that are more comfortable than those seem to be. Style doesn't have to come at the price of comfort, as your new jeans demonstrate so well! There's also always time for new clothes in the future -- no need to have a scarcity mindset that you might never find pieces like those again.
You’re the absolute best Maggie❣ you’re just gorgeous on the inside and out- glowing with honesty and acceptance and kindness- to yourself and others. If the clothing feels good to you, if you like how it feels and looks- it’s the right outfit for you. Loving what you’re wearing and how you feel in it is all that matters❣ thanks for just being you❣
Thank you so much for your honesty and talking about the struggle to accept ourselves when we are bigger. Shopping is a nightmare when you feel like you’re a failure because you’re not a certain size, thank you for taking us through your shopping experience. By the way, love the quilt on your bed, it goes perfectly 😊
Your hair is just glorious! These past few years I just cannot get a handle on my eating, or get motivated to exercise regularly. So I'm resigned to wearing the same outfits over and over again. As much as I love summer, I'm glad it's over as I find it so much easier dressing in other seasons. I hope I can find the motivation to get back into fitness and self care soon.
Cute clothes Maddie! Love the red and the suede navy blue coats!! The handmade dress is so lovely! And the blue vintage sweater with the flowers! And the quilt is divine! Great haul! 😍😍
I am 32, grew two sizes in the last three years. It's difficult to accept the change but I feel so much better now. I moved from Italy to the UK at the end of 2021 and didn't have a scale to constantly weigh myself, I just let my body do what it wanted. I have now moved back to Italy and despite the food quality in Italy being overall higher not eating in front of the computer at lunch anymore, my weight has just not changed. I feel like my body wants to be like this, whenever I weigh myself - probably once every two or three months - weight is always the same no matter what i eat or do. I feel great. Yet every time I try on clothes, I lose my mind and I feel massive. I tried for a long time to fit into my very tight jeans but honestly my intimate parts were not happy about it 😂, so I decided to accept that I just have to buy the right size and forget about it. Thank you for your videos! A big hug
Listen to your body. If you feel great then your body is happy!! The clothes are made to fit your body, not the other way around! Who cares about the number on the label!
Thank you so much, Maddie! I really appreciate you, your cookbook, and all that you share with us here. I absolutely love your new quilt in your bedroom. I think it's beautiful and fits in so well with your bedroom decor! I love your vintage/charity shop buys, too. Great finds!
I understand the concept of embracing your body at any size but from my experience i have felt better after losing weight, being a mom extra weight led to exhaustion, stress, insecurity and most importantly increased possible health problems. So everyone is different and in my experience less weight makes me happier, i have done it slowly and learned healthier eating habits that i know are realistic 😊
Amazing video!! Enjoyed so much going shopping with you . And I believe that you being this honest about embracing your size will help so many other women to do the same . I agree with you … the quilt is perfect. And the dress is “so you” looks beautiful on you!❤
You are an absolute beauty! Some amazing finds in this haul! The shearling, navy and red coats, the dress, the vintage jeans, the turtleneck with fringe, the navy with purple jumper, black & white jumper are beautiful on you and you lit up when wearing them. Stylish, flattering and comfortable is always a winner! You’ve inspired me to go rummage my local second hand shops! ❤
I love the colourful dress! I think the oversized-ness is amazing! It will be so comfy. On the black cord trousers and the brown suede jacket - I personally wouldn’t keep them if it were me. If things feel snug on me it makes me feel uncomfortable and comfort is important to me in my clothes! But if you feel good in them, you go Glen coco!
People are misunderstanding what the intention is when Madi makes these type of videos. I think she provides people with constant inspiration for food freedom and positive body image
I thought you looked great in the blue suede jacket, red pea coat, jeans and black & white jumper. All looked very flattering. Oh and LOVE the quilt too!
I saw an interesting video from a vintage expert/historian once that said the reason that vintage stores tend to stock smaller sizes is because people tend to keep special outfits/ clothes that they want to fit in again. Bigger sizes were probably gotten rid of as generally people keep clothes in the hope they’ll fit in them again/ or for special occasions when they tend to be smaller
I did let go of the size on the clothes lately, because i decided thanks to you to wear clothes that fit me and that are not leggings or sweat pants! so grateful for this video
That dress is literally the cutest dress I've ever seen. Done up, the frills are adorable. The small tan jacket is very slimming, more of a blazer, a keeper. Thanks for making videos like this, I'm trying to get used to my bigger body as well. Slowly realizing I don't feel as bad when I just buy something new that fits rather than trying to squeeze into my smaller jeans and hate myself❤❤
Maddie thank you very much for speaking in such an honest way about navigating your wardrobe after weight gain. This is something that very much spoke to me - everyone very much deserves a wardrobe that suits them as they are now. 💪💪
I am so happy you talk about your struggles with mental health and disordered eating. I started watching you way before I even knew you were struggling, I loved the cottage vibes of your channel and the vegan way of eating as I am trying to eat less meat. I have been struggling with my weight most of my life and have been fighting bulimia for 12 years now (I am 42). No matter how many toxic and dangerous diets I tried in order to be smaller, I was gradually becoming bigger and sicker. My health took a big hit because of it. I'm in therapy now, 2 months and 2 days free of purging and learning how to live with my body, to accept and love it. Watching your videos makes it a little bit easier, and I want to thank you for this. I hope we will all find peace with ourselves at some point in our lives. Just remember, you are all loved, you are valid and you matter no matter your size 💜
Love the quilt, pattern on pattern absolutely works when the colours are harmonious. Jewel tones suit you beautifully, the reds of your shirt and the new coat just sing against your skin. Same with the blue jumper, looks so cute on you, actually all the jumpers work! Oh, and you can spot clean shearling with a cloth dampened with water and a mild detergent, then go over thoroughly with a towel and hang dry. Also, a good way to get the charity shop smell off clothes that you cant wash, put water and 10 to 15 drops of tea tree oil in a spraybottle and spray on the clothes,and hang dry outside if you can, tea tree oil is also a natural disinfectant. Also the dress is sooo cute on you, wear it open collared.❤
Maddie! That dress is adorable!! You look amazing in it, suits you so well! And the colors complement your skin tone. I love it closed, but it also looks great and more relaxed when it is unbuttoned! Great purchase overall! ❤
I am 34 yo and size 14, often still wanting to be size 12 bottom and size 10 top like I used to be for many years. These videos are so supportive and I also feel so proud of you. The jeans and the dark blue jumper look amazing on you. Keep blue jumper (with the tassels), it looks lovely full length but you can also tuck it in and have it shorter. You should be so proud of yourself for making this video, very brave and so helpful. Lots of love!
Sewing your own clothes is such a tonic for sizing struggles too. Not just that you can make things that are just the right waistline, length etc, but that very quickly you need to accept that you just need to choose the size you sew based on your measurements. Plus, so much time and effort goes into it that you really want it to fit!
Great video Maddie ~ I can totally relate to everything you’re going through here, in my own way. Love the clothes! Especially the ‘mad’ dress! It’s gorgeous xx also the bedspread is perfection! ❤️
Absolutely lovely items you picked up Maddie! It was such a relatable talk through whilst you tried things on, I really appreciated that. not everything has to work, fit or suit us, but that doesn’t mean our bodies are the problem. It’s the reminder I needed. The handmade dress looks beautiful, great print. The quilt looks perfect on your bed ❤. Also I agree with you 💯 red is a STUNNING colour on you x
All the jumpers were fantastic!!! The jeans making you so happy and your beaming smile when you enjoyed the blue turtleneck made me so happy in turn! Enjoy wearing cozy things that make you truly joyous and NOT A SAUSAGE! Life is too short to have trouble breathing in your clothes.
"its almost like i knew myself better when i was a teenager - sometimes you get a bit lost along the way" - i totally get you! i dress slightly alternative - i have always been - but MUCH more when i was a teenager. Getting a bit more mature i seemed to try to "fit more in", and did also get kinda influenced easily... now i am back in my weird style again.. 36 now, feels great! I also got issues with body changes, but with time i feel better in myself.. you are beautiful Madeleine!
Love love love the dress. Colors are amazing on you and with a jumper in cold weather - perfect. Coats are great. Black pants too short. Jeans are a win!
I am 58 and over the last couple of years I have been able to accept myself. I wish I could have done this in my 30s. You're talking about this and helping others. I appreciate you.
Upon first look, I wasn't sure about the bright printed dress but you look so pretty in it. It's a happy, comfortable looking dress and it has pockets! You look gorgeous, rock that dress with pride.
I've been waiting for my favourite black jeans to fit me again but now i am going to go on depop and buy them in the size up. That colourful dress is amazing, I think it looks best with the buttons open :)
The quilt looks lovely on the bed, fits right in. And as for the clothes, I'd say return the brown blazer and maybe try the black flares with boots to see if it looks less short? If it still doesn't work, then at least you know they're definitely something to keep an eye out for in future because they go so well with your purple and jewel tone jumpers/shirts. I'd argue purple is actually your colour! That vintage jumper in particular looks beautiful on you and brings out the green in your eyes. Oh and I'd crop the turtleneck, the fringe is a bit distracting and the actual turteneck part should be the show.
I'm just as pale as Madeleine and I have black hair too, and you're so right rich purples and blues really work but red probably even more so. Yeah I wasn't sure about the fringe either but the rest of it was lovely, maybe I'd cut the fringe off? Because i wouldn't want to return it, but I'm not sure if that would work or just unravel the whole thing 😅
LOVE the dress. Looks fantastic on you. I love the colours and the frills. Looks great either done up or open, depending how you style it, could give two different vibes.
Totally agree with you on not caring what size your clothes are as long as they fit. My weight fluctuated a lot. I have clothes in my wardrobe in S, M & L. I wear whatever I feel comfortable in. I love the patchwork quilt. It looks great on your bed. I would wear the beige jacket undone. It’s a good shape. The blue jeans are fabulous, and look great with all of the jumpers. The blue one looks particularly cosy for walks and just chilling out at home. I love the purple one, even though I’m not a massive fan of patterns, and the black and white one looks great on you too. The red coat looks perfect and I really love the oversized handmade dress (with the buttons done up to the top). I’m glad you laughed when you put on the brown shorts, because I felt guilty about laughing too. Sorry. You’ve cheered me up on a very miserable day 🙏🏼❤️
I am loving this series! It is so fun! You are a gorgeous woman, and I agree, if clothes don't fit, the clothes are wrong, not your body. Your body is perfect. It's the job of the clothes to fit your body nicely. It's not the job of your body to fit into the clothing. Those light colored jeans look amazing on you and so comfortable! What a find! And, those coats are gorgeous. Yes, red is definitely your color!
I LOVE antique and vintage clothing and the really interesting (and helpful) thing I’ve learned is that the dearth of larger sizes is absolutely not because everyone was smaller, but rather because of a survival bias pertaining to the garments themselves; more people were able to fit into or alter larger sized garments, so they got worn more and worn out more over the years, and often the smaller sizes (especially a lot of the reeeally tiny ones we see populating vintage shops today) lasted longer and were used less because they couldn’t be worn by as many bodies and had less fabric for potential alterations. Many of these garments were even for teens, who only wore them for shorter periods of time, as well!
Madeleine, that dress from the handmade shop is gorgeousssssss love it, and it fits you perfectly don't be afraid of the size because when we get sizes that are small for us they make us look big, on the contrary a bigger size makes us look smaller. It's so important and people forget that. Love the arty style, please go for that more, it fits you so good. The clothes you have questions on them I think you know already the answer, if you are questioning them now they will be forgotten in a drawer, so please take only the ones that you feel confortable in. That blue jumper with the tassels is a amazing color on you, it's your color, but not really sure for the tassels, if you can hide them inside the trousers it will be amazing. The last one black and white I think it washs you out completely, but the blue and purple flowers look great on you. The small camel suede jacket, the culottes, the black trousers are small and the trousers too short, but you know all that so stick to your first impression. Thar red jacket is amazing and so is the sheepskin one and the marine blue one gorgeous !The colorful dress made me think of Gudrun Sjoden (swedish brand that I love).
Honestly, gaining weight, maybe it just means you became an excellent cook?😊 and Alex excellent bread baker. It shows you have so much goodness to eat that is hard to resist. Something to be thankful for and the rest can be contained.
You are very brave and honest around what is obviously a difficult subject. I thought the whole point of the video was to buy clothes that you felt good in never mind the sizing but you still seem fixed on the sizing. It's only a number it's soul destroying to squeeze into things that are too small. Be kind to yourself. 😊
I noticed that when I was smaller, it was easier to shop for clothes. But as I got bigger, it became hard and frustrating to buy clothes. Even if it’s not a charity shop. So vintage shops must be much harder🥲
since shopping exclusively second hand I’ve completely lost any concept of which number is “my size” and never even look at the label. Stores are just making this sh*t up. Also, on the lower end of sizing there is literally a definitive shape that underpins what proportion the clothes need to have (i.e. the skeleton) but going up in volume the variables become so much more varied, which is why I think brands make it easy on themselves by just scaling up a small size in a linear way. Two larger people can technically have the same “size” but have their volume distributed entirely differently across their body. Why we ever thought we could project a 3D person on a linear set of numbers is a bit crazy to begin with, so no wonder we are all struggling.
I totally agree re sizing in shops, I wanted a new warm smart coat and went into the Barbour outlet store . I’m normally a 16 I tried on a size 16 padded coat and it swamped me , I asked the manager are they meant to be oversized . She then handed me another padded coat in a beautiful not in your face pink it fitted perfectly it’s a size 12 I probably could have got into a 10 . I’m not a 10 and I’m not a 12 , I did purchase the size 12 coat and it looks fabulous. I did go into another store and tried on a jacket/coat size 16 it wouldn’t even go over my arms I felt like I was in a straight jacket , how they work out sizing I have no idea
Thank you for sharing about this, I resonate a lot with what you say about the body image struggles involved with clothes shopping. You've obviously come so far in working through this, so well done! 👏 I think the colourful dress looks gorgeous on you, the colours really suit you and it's a floaty dress so fine to be oversized. All the jumpers look great on you as well! I think the blue is lovely as it is, but if you wanted to crop and hem it you totally can do that - just leave enough length to be able to fold back twice for the hem, so that the chopped edge is folded under and won't unravel, if that makes sense. And I'm very envious of your red coat, just stunning, especially with your colouring 😍
Great video! It would be lovely to see how you deal with meeting people you haven't seen in a while, since before gaining weight. For me it's the thing is struggle with the most ❤ thank you!!
Love this video! Black trousers definitely look too short for you. Love the blue/purple floral jumper - would look great with the blue jeans and some DM boots! Also loooove the red coat on you. The suede Topshop coat looked too small too but others looked great. You’re such a role model Maddie ❤
Turned on tv this morning for a RU-vid watch and you posted 5 mins ago from turning it on 👍 so see your video 😍 this really resonates with what I’ve been through these last few years like you are going through now 🫂
Hi, that was fabulous and you bought some lovely clothes. In regards to the sizing in shops non of it works because the more expensive shops do vanity to sizing to appeal to people so they are bigger then the cheaper shops are saving on fabric so everything is smaller! I am a dressmaker and no one is a set size, some are bigger up top on the bust, some people have tiny waists or larger waists. The whole system needs reworking so that clothes just state bust, waist and hip measurement and that needs to be consistant across the industry, also measuring tapes should be available in changing rooms. Then eveyone can purchase what they need and not be 'a size' because none of us are just that. You are doing a wonderful job of sharing that message. ☺
I am 77 years old and I have always been on some sort of diet my weight is more than I want,I have all kinds of clothes but nothing that I feel good about ,and I can’t afford to go buy things to fit because I have all these clothes that I hate to get rid off,so I think that I might not be here for that many years to go and buy a new wardrobe but I really hate to go anywhere,why can’t I just except what I look like,and my body is hard to find things that fit me right because I am narrow in my shoulders and have bigger hips if I was better proportions I might be able to find something that would fit me, love watching your videos you make a lot of sense
Loved the blue jumper, red coat, blue jeans, and all 3 suede jackets!!! Keep the fitted suede on undone! Loved the black and white jumper too. The various block colours where honestly gorgeous on you!!!
Absolutely love the dress, open or closed collar depending on your mood. The quilt is gorgeous and perfect for fall-winter season, I wouldn't put it on the bed for summer to keep the feel of the room a bit lighter. Love the red coat with everything!!!!! The royal blue top and the pale blue jeans are perfect ... trust your instinct 😍
Love the handmade dress, that floaty style is so very wearable! Love the blue suede coat and the red coat and the jeans are great! Take back anything you’re not sure about. If you don’t love it it’s a no! A very fun shop and your honesty is refreshing! I adore the quilt and love the grandma vibes…but then I am one! 😎
My Comfort RU-vidr As Always Madeleine and you always always ready to make my weekend special with your new vlogs and sending you lots of love and blessings🥹🥹♥️♥️💫
W❤W to your clothing haul! From the vintage jackets to your perfectly fitting jeans, it's a resounding YES! Love the blue jumper w/the frills, and that incredible red jacket! That quilt is a definite keeper, hands down! Ever since I've started thrift shopping, there is no going back to retail. I live in Texas, and my local shop has 50 cent Tuesdays, so it's a happy moment for me. Keep 'em coming Maddie!
