I've done some research and think this is probably my best bet for a visit over the weekend.

http://www.ghostbikes.com/

I've got images in my head of jumping round the shop and doing all sorts of yoga like moves to see how comfortable I feel.                                                                                                                                                                             

Try getting bike trousers longer than 34" inside leg measurement, they only make them for midgets ...lol                                                                                                                                                                              

I think I should add something on the OCD thread as the idea of using the bike school stuff that several sweaty young teenagers have had on just makes me go eewwww                                                                                                                                                                              

  Thats not OCD hon   That's personal hygene preference   But it's always preferable to have your own gear   That way you can wear it and get used to it before you have to ride in it   You might feel a fool sitting in the house in your bike gear   But trust me it's far better than feeling like a "trussed" turkey, on your first lesson                                                                                                                                                                               

pmsl im one of the midgets  and a lot of the stuff is tooo darn long on me arrrrgghhhh   lmfao at you cookie doin ya ninja moves around the shop hahahaha.. im sure ya wont be the first pmsl   and as for 66 and dustin ..... how did ya guess what i wear on my bike  pmsl ya nuttas... is it leather chaps for the boys then                                                                                                                                                                               

bottomless leather chaps . I wouldn't be seen dead wearing any thing else . Lol ,
although they're a bit uncomfortable riding through hail.
Dusty x                                                                                                                                                                              

Cookie, Ghostbikes sounds the best bet for somewhere fairly near where you are, but if you fancy a trip to J&S in Oakmere, put up a post and I'm sure there'll be some BM members ready to meet up and help you spend your money
It's out in the country and has a decent cafe attached, plus a huge selection.
I'd go along with most of what's been said. Remember what happened to Wenders - a low-speed drop on Jan 1 has turned into a nightmare for her, yet if she'd had armoured jeans it would probably have been bruises but no more. Even if you're wearing Kevlar-reinforced jeans (which she was) you still need the impact protection armour offers.

                                                                                                                                                                             

Honestly, if I were a gullible youngster I dread to think what my biking wardrobe would look like 

I've got all sorts of mental imagery going on and can't make up my mind whether it's good or bad                                                                                                                                                                              

Cookie , if you fall off , it hurts. Injuries tend to be slightly less if you're wearing good gear.
If you hit a car head on at thirty mph (closing speed sixty mph ) it doesn't matter what you are wearing.
Don't fall into the trap that so many riders do , thinking that a little bit of expensive plastic or leather is going to save your life in an accident. There isn't a bone in the human body that can take an 8mph direct blow from a solid object without breaking.
Does anyone seriously think that they could stand in the middle of the motorway in all their fancy bike gear and the cars are going to bounce off them ?
If you jump out of an aeroplane without a parachute you'll hit the ground at less than 120mph . Do you think a plastic helmet and a half inch of foam rubber 'armour' will keep you alive .
Bike gear will not stop you breaking your arm if you trip up and fall in the gutter , but it looks good !
Have fun x
Dusty x

For those of you who are still convinced that expensive bike gear will keep you safe .
If you jump off a 5 story building . You will achieve a terminal velocity of just over THIRTY EIGHT MPH .
What thickness of leather ,plastic an foam do you need to keep you safe at such a lowly speed of 38 mph ?

Putting a cushion up your jumper is no substitute for skill and experience.
Ride safe x
Dusty x

  Lots of good points and advice here but I am surprised no one has mentioned getting leathers that are a perfect fit.   Altho I prefer to wear something warm under my bike jacket/trousers, in winter, I was told by a professional to get leathers that are a perfect fit because if you come off and your leathers are too big you will get friction burns anyway. Also leather stretches after time and becomes looser so, if they were too big to start with, you could end up losing them completely.   Tight leathers can keep broken bones in place, lessening the damage.   When I got my first pair of biking trousers they were leather, and so tight I could barely breath, however, they stretched and I lost weight so they became baggy, I could put my arm down the back of the trousers while wearing them.    I don't wear leather anymore, for me it's too hot in summer and too cold in winter.   Frank Thomas motorcycle clothing products seem to be a better fit for women.   http://www.frank-thomas.co.uk/     Please remember tho that no matter what you wear you are not exempt from injury, protective clothing can minimise any damage but can't keep you from injury altogether.   Safe Journeys                                                                                                                                                                                   

Hi Cookie   If you can get up to J&S in Nortwich I recommend it.  They have everything and you can try on and there is also a cafe as well.  The staff are extremely helpful and knowledgeable.     Ghost riders is great (but go via cash back site, it all helps).   I got most of my gear over internet, via Get Geared, Ebay and Ghost Riders.   The thing I've found is that you may be a size whatever but you may go up a size with the padding/protection/inner liner.  When its very cold, I can squeeze a jumper under my jacket (as well as thermals)   Arm length and leg length vary in brands too.   Being one of those "short arses" I really do struggle to find trousers that fit properly and generally my knee protectors cover my shins!    And the length of sleeves in jackets is a bit on the silly side sometimes.   I had my full face Shoei fitted at J&S in Northwich.  They were absolutely brilliant and let me try on so many helmets, and they have a good range of sizes too in each.   To be honest I feel extremely claustrapobhic in the Shoei and have a Schubert J1 which is classed as full face but feels like a flip as the viser is a lot bigger and has, for me, made my riding more enjoyable.    Try on gloves as well, as different brands have a different feel.   I have extra small in one brand and small in another.     Whether you choose leather or textile is a personal choice, but as Sandi says, if you choose leather make sure it fits.   I wear textile but I commute so I prefer to be as waterproofed as is possible (waterproofing being a complete misnomer...you will get wet whatever you are wearing).   Either a good allin one or set will help with this.   Although I find I feel like I am a in a walking sauna when I've kitted up for rain!    RB                                                                                                                                                                               

wow i guess all teh above goes to prove what a personal thing it is..... pmsl at Rowanblossom im the same with any armour on me shin ... bt i dont bother wth it in me leathers now....   and so it should be.... brussels are trying their darn best to make sure it aint a personal thing currently ... and we are fighting for what freedom we can...   this freedom includes what you wear  - fair point there Dusty   and enjoy shoppin cookie - ive been to the j&s at northwich i think... the choice of lids is brill bt i dont reckon much to the clothing personally (~obvioulsy just my opinion~)   i think you are better off going to smaller independent biker shops for leather gear etc ... the gloves at bikers gearbox are cheap and fab but at other stores they are too keen on labels and names than quality i find...bt just get some stuff to get you started at J&S or wherever you want to go or go a few diff places....dont spend loads... at least you can get out there then                                                                                                                                                                              

I had a sniff round the Hein Gericke store in Manchester last week - obviously one of the ones that's stayed open.
TBH, not worth making a special journey to. 
Suzi, you'd remember the J&S if you'd been there! The Northwich store closed back in about April and now they're in Oakmere, out in the countryside. Ginormous place, and reasonably priced.                                                                                                                                                                             

  yeah it was in middle of nowhere!! - and you ride in and park behind and cafe is kinda back across bit you ride in?? who knows which one it was northwich or oakmere i aint sure  bt was good to see all teh brands of lid as most shops cant sell two big "opposing" brands .......   and it was very big  then again i went bout year ago so may have been northwich one   ok........ back to the househell i mean housework                                                                                                                                                                               

Been shopping 

Took a trip to J&S.  Lovely staff who were very gentle with me.

Got a lid, jacket and gloves.

Seem to have the opposite problem to the ladies on here in that my limbs are too long.  After much trying on only one jacket had long enough arms, ended up with mens gloves and they didn't have any long length trousers for women in that didn't look like I was wearing some form of bin bag so came away without trousers.

Will live to fight another day on the trousers and boots front.

                                                                                                                                                                             

@xSuzix, Hello xSuzix, you were at the Oakmere one. Good point about opposing brands.

@Cookie1708, All comments above have their merits (even the pervy ones I would normally have submitted myself had I not been beaten to it.  Yes, I have seen it in Daytona) and are given with the voice of experience so the only thing I can add is that IMHO when you try on helmets just ignore the brand names for the time being as shops must not sell you a helmet for road use that hasn't passed a minimum safety test and been accredited with a BS kitemark (open to updates and correction here). Be sure that you buy one that suits the shape of your head with an even pressure all over (i.e. wherever the lining touches) You don't want "pressure points". I have found Arai to be good for me, although a little noisy at speed. I try to buy them a little tight if possible as they do tend to "deform" to become more comfortable  with regular use.

 Try to buy the very best you can. You cannot put a price on your injuries.

As with all protective/safety gear, take care of it as the manufacturer recommends for optimum service. 

Re Ghost bikes in Preston
One of my family members had an unfortunate experience with one of their motorcycle boot products/faceless managers refusal to exchange under warranty. Hence we have withdrawn from buying anything from them in the future. 

In fairness, we had already bought approx £550.00 of assorted gear from Ghost bikes before that and are still pleased with our purchases. I did find out that the panniers (Oxford Lifetime) I bought were old stock, but still brand new. Don't be put off by the negative comment, just keep it in mind.

We did find that Preston Honda were very helpful and we even bought better/more comfortable leathers cheaper than Ghost bikes. Shorrocks in Preston are also very helpful. Both these shops are nearer to you, but cannot compare in size and choice of J&S Accessories.

Hope this helps.

NHM                                                                                                                                                                             

Cookie, glad the trip to J&S proved worthwhile

For what its worth, a lot of the women riders round my neck of the wood speak highly of Woods in Abergele as being a female-friendly dealer. Bit of a trek from you, I know, but worth bearing in mind.                                                                                                                                                                             

Nice one  Cookie,

Doh!
Looks like you were shopping when I was walking the dog halfway through my composition.

                                                                                                                                                                             

I got my dog walking in early so I could go shopping.

I have so much to learn....

Was messing about trying my helmet on when I got home and couldn't undo the chin strap for a good couple of minutes.  God help us when I'm in charge of a machine!