Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants; Meet Kimberley Franklin

Next up in the "Meet the Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants" series we have Ms Newcastle Curve 2016; Kimberley...
Name: Kimberley Franklin
Age: 30
Which area are you representing? Ms Newcastle Curve 2016

Single or Taken? 
Engaged; to be married to my best friend of 11 years on Christmas Eve this year


What made you want to enter MBBC? 
After seeing a show on TV a wanted to give it a go to see how far I would get, after years of being bullied and told I'm to fat or to short I wanted to test the water and see what others really thought.

Is MBBC your first pageant experience? 
This is my very first and although I am nervous I am extremely proud and excited to tell everyone what I am doing and inspire others.

Describe your character in 5 words..
Honest - loyal - funny - spontaneous - proactive

You can earn extra points from making public appearances, have you made any so far?  Do you have any in the pipeline?
I haven't currently done any yet, I do have a fundraising event to attend and have contacted the local press and radio to make the competition public knowledge up here in Newcastle. <Kimberley recently took part in the Scarlett & Jo Modelling Competition which was a record breaking event of the most plus size ladies in one photo shoot in Europe>


What does winning the crown mean to you? 
For me it's not about the crown but what it represents, every single person in this world has a right to feel beautiful and winning the crown would provide a platform where we can reach so many more people out there and inspire them to step into their own and shine.

Do you have any hidden talents? 
I am pretty flexible and can still do the splits

Who are your sponsors? 
Levoi Champagne Nail Bar Newcastle



If successful you would become one of our Sister Queens, what qualities can you bring to our family? 
I am a very determined focused person with a big heart. I have been homeless in the past and experienced violence and loss of loved ones so I feel I have a lot of compassion and reasoning skills that help and inspire overs. I can see the pageant has grown over the last four years with the help of each and every queen and I feel I could help bring yet a new audience and exposure again. I am proud to be a part of an ever growing community of proud confident women.

What inspires you most about the MBBC Queens? 
The confidence they shine with and the time and dedication they give to their time in the pageant and as a Queen.


How have you found the experience so far? 
Absolutely brilliant, everyone is so kind and friendly wanting you to do well and more importantly just enjoy every moment.

Are you looking forward to the 5th year anniversary event? Have you started shopping? 
Everything is so exciting, I have been and tried on a few bits but not purchased anything yet. Just like a wedding dress when I put the right stuff on I'll just know.  


What message do you have for women who are thinking of entering in the future? 

Do it! Just go for it, start believing you can and you will. As long as you have a heart that loves and cares and you are forgiving and kind, it doesn't matter what shape or height you are your beauty shine from within and that with confidence in what you do makes you unbelievably beautiful.



I wish you the very best of luck Kimberley
xXx
You can connect with Kimberley and be kept up to date with her journey;

Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants; Meet Nicole


Next up in the "Meet the Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants" series, meet Miss London Curve 2016; Nicole...

Name: Nicole Moses

Age: 26
Which area are you representing? London
Single or Taken? Taken



What made you want to enter MBBC?
Last year I was in a bad place. I had little body confidence and constantly wore baggy and unflattering clothing. I decided to attend a body confidence workshop  and audition  for Ms Curvaceous UK.  I didn’t get through but I took away so much.  The workshop changed my life my confidence,  my style and my motivation to encourage others like me. I then applied for Miss British Beauty Curve and got through to the finals. I felt capable of anything. From the women with no self esteem to a women of substance.

Is MBBC your first pageant experience? 
MBBC is my first pageant ever and hopefully it will not be my last. 
<Nicole has since been accepted to be a finalist of Miss Plus Size UK too>

Describe your character in 5 words...
Funny, Spontaneous,  Caring, Loyal and Curvaceous 

(C) Mekx Photography/Ms Curvaceous UK


You can earn extra points from making public appearances, have you made any so far?  Do you have any in the pipeline?
I have attended casting for the Curvy Convention which I will be attending.  I have attended a Model master class with at Ms Curvaceous. I have plans to make appearances at a Charity Fashion show in Kent , Regents park run, Curve it 2016, Ideal Curve Show and the Fashion Crazy Project 2.

What does winning the crown mean to you?
I want to win the crown to remind myself  that I am beautiful and that I am capable of anything. Winning the crown will give me that confidence and ability to go that extra mile to encourage women to celebrate there curves and to show the world that plus size comes in all shapes and sizes and that we are special.  I also want petite plus size women to recognise that we are beautiful too and that there are petite plus size models out there.

Do you have any hidden talents?
I am good at drawing portraits although it’s been a while. I enjoy writing poetry.  I also love singing and dancing. 


Who are your sponsors?
My sponsors are my friends and family at the moment.  I am hoping to  reach out to other sponsors such as boutiques same and nail and hair salons.

If successful you would become one of our Sister Queens, what qualities can you bring to our family?
I can bring adventure and love to the group. I believe I am a people’s person who enjoys a challenge and doing new things. I hope to bring happiness to others and that missing something.

What inspires you most about the MBBC Queens?
The Queens are beautiful and I am fortunate to have met three. The one thing that stands out from these women is their ambition and drive to be themselves. I love that they are outspoken and beautiful inside and out. The Queens are amazing as their journeys and experiences tend to relate to your own personal situations which then gives you the drive to be who you are. The Queens are all real women with a bundle of confidence. I love that because I am able to look up to them for who they are.

How have you found the experience so far?
I am loving the experience.  I feel privileged to be representing the curves of London. I never thought I would ever be part of a pageant but here I am; ready to take the stage and make my family and London proud. The other great thing it that l have met some amazing models who have been extremely supportive on my journey.


 
Are you looking forward to the 5th year anniversary event? Have you started shopping?
I am very excited about the anniversary event and I am proud to be a contestant at this time. I have started to prepare for the pageant and it is becoming a challenge.  I want my clothing to represent my character and also to fit my curves. I have some of the outfits and I am searching for my final round outfit. I want it to be special.

What message do you have for women who are thinking of entering in the future?
I believe you can do what you want and wear want you want as long as its best for you. Having this confidence enables you to do things that you probably couldn't do before. It is important to surround yourself with positive people and do things that make you happy. Finally it is being the best version of yourself both inside and out. If you have body confidence or feel you need to boost attend a body confidence workshop and apply for a pageant. If you do or don’t succeed you would be surrounded by a great curvaceous family to help you on your way.

I wish you the very best of luck Nicole
xXx

You can connect with Nicole and be kept up to date with her journey;

Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants; Meet Nadine

Next up in the "Meet the Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants" Series, we have Miss East Sussex Curve 2016; Nadine...


Name: Nadine Danielle
Age: I am 18 years old.
Which area are you representing? I am representing the East Sussex.
Single or Taken? I am very much single.
(C) Chiara Aprea Photography
What made you want to enter MBBC?
I’ve been kind of peeking through the window of everything plus size since I was 16, but near enough everything has an age limit of 18 so I’ve not been able to apply until now. After seeing last year’s, I knew that I had to enter the moment I could, and so I did! 

Is MBBC your first pageant experience?
Miss British Beauty Curve will be my first, proper pageant experience. I was a part of another last year, although it was for a very short amount of time and I didn’t get to the actual pageant, so I am really looking forward to MBBC and the whole experience.

Describe your character in 5 words...
Optimistic, Determined, Ambitious, Vibrant and Sincere.

(C) Chiara Aprea Photography.

You can earn extra points from making public appearances, have you made any so far?  Do you have any in the pipeline?:
So far, I have been in both my local news’ newspaper and website in two separate interviews. I am taking part in a photoshoot to help promote a plus size convention at the end of this month and I have also been chosen as one of the faces of another convention, Curve It. I have a few more in the pipeline and hope to be able to do, but these ones are the ones that have been confirmed for now.

What does winning the crown mean to you?
Winning would mean a lot to me. I want to be cliché and say that it would mean the world to me, because it genuinely would. Although I’m only 18, I’ve had a very horrible relationship with my body up until I turned 16/17 and wondered why I was so focused on what everyone else, and the media, thought of my body more than my own opinion. I’m the biggest I’ve ever been at the moment, but I’m also the happiest. That’s something I never thought would be possible.I want to be able to show people, especially teenagers, that there is nothing wrong with them or their bodies. That’s a part of the reason I entered MBBC too, as that’s something that is genuinely very important to me. I get messages from women that tell me they’ve never liked themselves and that I’m helping to inspire them, which I find overwhelming and I need to continue it. Winning the crown would allow me to do that, and it’s something I’m working hard for. It would just be amazing and a huge step on my journey to acceptance and self-love. 


Do you have any hidden talents?
I can ride horses, I own two at the moment. Other than that? Not really. I can touch my nose with my tongue, but I’m not sure if that’s really a talent.

Who are your sponsors?
At the moment, I don’t currently have any sponsors but I am in touch with a few different companies. I’m working on it!

If successful you would become one of our Sister Queens, what qualities can you bring to our family?
I would like to say that I would bring my personality and my positivity to the family of Queens. I’m a very ‘team-friendly’ person, and I love to help encourage others around me as well as myself. 

What inspires you most about the MBBC Queens?
What I find inspiring about the MBBC Queens is how passionate they are about what they’re doing. They are genuinely happy and confident with themselves and that’s the message they’re trying to show to everyone else too. 


How have you found the experience so far?
A little overwhelming, but it’s been mostly positive. With everything, there will be people out there that don’t agree with what you’re doing and I’ve read comments that are very detailed in why they don’t. I’ve had people I’ve known for years, but not considered myself close to, tell me that they find me inspiring and it’s something I’m still trying to get my head around. All the girls have been absolutely lovely too, which makes it even better.

Are you looking forward to the 5th year anniversary event? Have you started shopping?
I am! Five years is an amazing goal and I’m ecstatic to be a part of it now. I’ve started shopping, but I’m not finished yet. I’m somewhat of a perfectionist and I have to make sure that I get the exact right dress for me.

What message do you have for women who are thinking of entering in the future?
Do it. Don’t hesitate, just do it. It is such an amazing experience and you won’t regret entering. I was so nervous that I didn’t actually tell anyone that I entered until I found out that I got in, but the response afterwards from the other contestants and people I know has been incredible.


I wish you the very best of luck Nadine
xXx

You can connect with Nadine and be kept up to date with her journey;


Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants; Meet Sian

Next up in the "Meet the Miss British Beauty Curve 2016 Contestants" series we have Miss Cotswolds Curve 2016; Sian.

Name: Sian Yapp
Age:  27
Which area are you representing?  The Cotswolds
Single or Taken?  Single 

(C) Chiara Aprea Photography


What made you want to enter MBBC
Having had friends who have previously entered the pageant, I have heard nothing but Amazing things. It is lovely to enter a Pageant where the females involved are so supportive of each other. There is a real camaraderie amongst these females, this includes past finalists, winners and new. 


Is MBBC your first pageant experience?  
MBBC is my third pageant. It's very clear that I caught the pageant bug from competing in Miss Plus size international 2013, I then went on to compete in ModelXL 2015 which I went on to win.

Describe your character in 5 words...
Passionate, professional, friendly, hard-working and determined.

You can earn extra points from making public appearances, have you made any so far?  Do you have any in the pipeline? 
I have recently represented The Cotswolds in a Valentines day Catwalk event hosted in Poole By Sam Muzo. 
I also have a number of Charity events I will be taking part in and also supporting.

What does winning the crown mean to you? 
Winning MBBC would mean the world to me. It means that you do not have to be the ideal size, whether that is the standard straight size or the "Ideal" Plus size, size to achieve the goals you set out for yourself. 
That Being yourself, accepting your "Imperfections" and still loving every inch of your body, is OK!

(C) Nicki Komorowski Photography for The Rubenesque Effect


Do you have any hidden talents? 
I am a keen singer and have been lucky enough to record some of my favourites in Kat's other halves Studio. I also sketch/draw as a Hobby but also for commission work.

Who are your sponsors? 
I have a number of Sponsors in the pipeline, but I also have my family sponsoring me which I thank them so much for.

If successful you would become one of our Sister Queens, what qualities can you bring to our family? 
Hard work, loyalty, friendship, humour (at least I make myself laugh) honesty and lots of fun.

What inspires you most about the MBBC Queens? 
How unique they all are. From different walks of life, different appearances and yet their bond is strong and their goal is the same.

How have you found the experience so far? 
I am really enjoying it so far. The girls are so lovely and it's inspiring to hear their stories and learning that we're not alone with our struggles, Past and present.

Are you looking forward to the 5th year anniversary event? Have you started shopping? 
I'm very excited to a part of the 5th Anniversary event and have been planning ensembles, themes and discussing with potential sponsors for the final look. The shopping has yet to begin.

What message do you have for women who are thinking of entering in the future? 
Do it. If you have a little voice in you saying you can't, ignore it. We are all capable of Amazing things and sharing it with a group of women who you can connect with, share the experience and learn from is a truly empowering feeling for a woman. You will not regret it, regardless if you win or not.



I wish you the very best of luck Sian
xXx

You can connect with Sian and be kept up to date with her journey;

Why struggle with chafing when you could be....Chaffree??

I must admit, I wasn't holding out much hope for any miracles when I agreed to review +Chaffree 's Womens Knickerboxers. 

The pitch: "Chaffree underwear is designed to offer relief from sweating and chafing."

I was dubious, I have tried other shorts such as Sloggis and the like and even Primark's shapewear and nothing managed to achieve what Chaffree were promising. Could they really keep me sweat-free?  Could these shorts see me through a whole Bunny Hop Fitness class without the usual uncomfortable feeling of my undies sticking to my skin?

My first trial of the shorties was for the Regent's Park 10k Charity run/walk for the British Heart Foundation.  Now walking that distance for anyone who's thighs touch could be a real concern, no one wants to experience that unneccesary sensitivity between their thighs.  Sometimes walking can be extremely uncomfortable, especially when it's warm or when your sweating.



I teamed the Chaffree Knickerboxers with a +PanacheLingerie Sports bra in pink that was very kindly provided for me for the walk too!

Together this pair made my walk a breeze!  The walk took me 2 hours and although I was sweating everywhere else my nether regions were super dry!  I was in shock!  I was so wrong! What is this wizardry? How is it possible?

Chafree's products are made of a seamless and lightweight performance wicking material called COOLMAX®, which is designed to keep skin cool and dry.  They are also latex free and they have built in anti-bacterial properties giving relief from sweating and chafing.

OK so they stood the test of walking...how would they cope with an exercise class? 

Well...I was again floored by how dry I felt. Sweaty all over...except...there!! 

Simply put people I cannot rave about these enough. Gone are my days of chafing, gone are those sweaty uncomfortable journeys home after an exercise class. You just have to try them...

They come up large so upon the advice of Chaffree themselves I sized down.  I'm between a size 18/20 and I was sent a size M/L and they fit like a glove, almost like a second skin (you can barely tell you're wearing undies!!

I think for exercise the longer leg lengths would be a good shout to tackle the inevitable odd roll up situation. But even saying that...I readjusted once during the whole hours class when wearing regular undies I'd spend a good 40% of my time "de-wedgying" myself and this class is a wiggle-fest! 

Check out the website for styles and sizes but these are for both Men & Women and they are thoroughly worth every penny!!


...now excuse me I'm off to order my lifetime supply....

Xx


Hair & MUA: Kat Henry
Photographer: PK Photography
Disclaimer
These products were sent to me for review purposes. The review above is based on my own opinion of the product and I own all creative content of this post.