Christmas Jumper Day with Bad Rhino & Yours Clothing

Next Friday the 15th is Christmas Jumper day and despite Christmas sneaking up on me like a stealthy ninja I feel in the mood to get all festive with you guys and show ya my pick of the feast of Christmas fuelled attire from Yours Clothing and Bad Rhino to tickle your taste buds.
BUY Reindeer Hoodie
I think if you are gonna do Christmas Jumper day justice you gotta go the whole hog, so why not just be everyone's fave reindeer for a day?  This Rudolph hoodie even has a bell collar, antlers and it's all fleecy and warm too...looks pretty special to me. Love the fact that it's a zip up hoodie too so you could wear a top underneath...why not keep it Xmas themed and go for a festive tee like this one...

BUY Christmas SElfie Tee
How cute is this #SelfieTime design? Y'all know I love a #selfie or ten so this t-shirt is right up my alley PLUS Yours have pledged to donate 10% of all sales of this item to their charity partners, Alzheimer’s Society & Alzheimer Scotland.  Such a deserving cause, I love to be able to give back in any way I can, so something like this is just a small way that you can do your bit to help.
BUY Reindeer Christmas Jumper
As much as Andy would NEVER agree to wearing an Xmas jumper, I could help but dream of us being reindeer twinsies with me in the Rudolph hoodie and him in this adorable sweater from Bad Rhino.  I love the colours in this sweater, you could totally wear this with denim, black or blue and it's actually not that over the top Christmas-wise so for the blokes who are more Scrooge than Santa this jumper is a decent pick.

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Winter Warmers - The Accessories Edit with Yours Clothing

When I think accessories, I think of jewellery and bags...apparently these things do not keep you warm in the winter (who knew!?) When I think of winter, I think of Christmas work do's and party time...so I am gonna show you my fave accessories for a work Christmas party.

First up - every good party outfit calls for a bag of some description. I love a clutch, simple, no faffing around with a big bag, just something small enough to carry the essentials, lippy, phone, money, keys and charger.
Buy: Clutch
This sparkly clutch is perfect, I am a silver girl as apposed to a golden girl and I find that you can add a silver clutch to practically any outfit.  
Buy: Earrings
Yours have stocked up on so many beautiful earrings this year. These drop earrings caught my eye instantly.  I love the blue tone of the stones.  Earrings bring a little pizzazz to any outfit and even if you don't have your ears pierced, Yours have got you covered with their array of clip on designs too.

BUY: Scarf
If I had to pick any winter specific accessory, I would say scarves are my thing.  I love the ease of throwing on a scarf for warmth or to add another layer to an outfit as you know I love to layer. 

This scarf was an impulse buy one day when I didn't have a coat and it served me well.  It also has been a staple in my winter wardrobe so far. Love the colour combination, it goes with everything!


As the days get colder there is a pressing need to pull out the gloves to keep those digits toasty warm. Loving the unique stud detailing on these gloves and I believe there is a matching hat...but I'm not really a hat kinda girl.
BUY: Gloves
Lastly I'm gonna show you this uber cute necklace and stud earring set which would be perfect for accessory gifting for Christmas and at such a steal of a price you cannot go wrong with this set.  It would be the ideal gift for a secret santa or even a teen family member.
BUY: Jewellery Set
Whatever your accessory needs, Yours Clothing have a beautiful array of options for you.
Head on over and snap up an accessory or two as gifts and while you're at it - why not treat yourself too!

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Get Comfy with Kat & Yours Clothing

As far from glam as this may sound, I spend most of my time in PJ's.  I currently work from home twice a week, so on those days I rarely even brush my hair let alone get dressed.  I love lounging and chilling out in uber comfy clothing. I don't want anything fancy or too restricting, I just love to be free.



Now I am very late to the onesie party, I bought my first onesie last year and it has been my item of choice ever since, but then...I happened across this magical creation. Yup that's right, a UNICORN ONESIE, be still my beating heart.  Now don't get me wrong yes, I appreciate it's ridiculously childish and impractical but I couldn't care one bit. This bundle of warmth and loveliness is perfect for snuggling up on the sofa and binge watching a Netflix boxset or two. I love that it's a unicorn, I love that I feel like a 5yr old wearing it, it makes me feel young and carefree! 


Be a Unicorn - Buy this NOW
I actually bought this onesie to take part in a social media campaign to raise awareness for Type 1 Diabetes.  All of my fellow BOOSTFit instructors did a whole fitness class in our onesies.  We sweated like pigs (well I didn't cos unicorns don't sweat they sparkle!) but we raised a load of money for Diabetes UK and JDRF and it was loads of fun to get to wear your PJ's to "work"




Another thing that I cannot live without is a pair of fluffy socks. I own far too many pairs to count and they are the first thing I put on whenever I get home from work. I hate having cold feet, cold feet are like the devil!


Fluffy Penguin Socks
Yours Clothing have a tonne of comfy loungewear in at the moment some of the PJ sets are Christmas related too which I love cos it's tradition in my family to buy a new PJ set for Christmas Eve.

Here's the one I plan to buy...
Buy this PJ set
I'm also a sucker for a fluffy dressing gown and slippers. When we went to Yours Clothing HQ for our blogger shoot we all were lent these gorgeous fluffy purple robes to wear between changes. 




I didn't want to take it off, it was lovely, cosy and roomy for sizing. 


Buy it too: Dressing Gown//Santa Slippers
Although those Santa slippers were a total colour clash - I couldn't help strutting around in them, exactly what you need when you have sore feet from wearing heels all day!

What do you lounge around in??

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Christmas Gift Guide - "Style My Family" with Bad Rhino and Yours Clothing


As much as I love shopping, Christmas shopping is a whole different kettle o' fish.  I used to find it theraputic but as time goes on and people get older, I have found that shopping for my nearest and dearest has become one of the most daunting experiences of the year. 

I mean every body already HAS everything!

...except...

CLOTHES
Everyone needs clothes!
(unless you are me...I don't need clothes...I have far too many clothes...*please don't buy me clothes*)

So I turned to Yours Clothing and Bad Rhino to help me find an outfit for my Mum, Dad, my other half and my daughter.

Shop Mum's Look: Top//Leggings//Boots
Mum has always been stylish and loves to dress up and look glam, but unfortunately due to her health she doesn't often get the chance to dress up.  Mum needs a comfortable outfit that still looks sassy, so I have chosen a pair of leggings, a comfy pair of boots and a gorgeous sparkly top (which comes with a free necklace!)  Mum likes to wear a longer top and she prefers flowy to fitted so I think this outfit is perfect for her.
Shop Andy's outfit: Jeans//Hoodie//T-Shirt//Plimsolls

Andy's personal style is very laid back and casual.  He spends all day in a suit so when he is at home his go-to look is jeans, hoodie and trainers. I didn't want to stray too far away from what I know he would feel comfortable wearing. Often he lets me loose when it comes to his clothes shopping, after all it's me that needs to look at him most ;)  So I would love to see him wearing this outfit.

Shop Dad's outfit: Jumper & Shirt Combo//Cord Trousers//Boat Shoes
Dad is pretty simple when it comes to clothing, he gets clothes pretty much every year and rarely bats an eyelid regardless of what we buy him. If I had to describe his style, I would say that he is quite casual on a day to day basis but when it comes to special occasions he will opt for a smart shirt and trousers. So I have chosen an outfit which I think is the best of both worlds.

Shop Mya's Outfit: Cold Shoulder Top//Coat//Black Jeans//Boots
Shopping for Mya is tough - I guess shopping for any teen isn't easy as they can be fickle.  Mya's style screams casual but when she glams up she goes all out.  I have chosen an outfit that I think Mya would happily rock of a weekend.  This outfit still has a young feel to it, but I actually love this outfit so much that I may buy it for myself too! We could be twinsies!!

Why don't you try and style your family...it's actually quite fun!!!

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Winter Wardrobe must haves with Yours Clothing

Autumn is almost done and Winter is finally here guys, so it's time to rotate the wardrobe. Time for layers and boots and warm tones to make those chilly days a little warmer.

I always reach for rich vibrant colours to brighten up my outfits in the winter months. I hate being cold, so I prefer to layer items up.   Every winter wardrobe needs a few staples so I'm gonna show you three items which I am LIVING for from Yours Clothing.



The first one is this gorgeous fur trim coat, which is really versatile. I spend all my week at work so I need have a coat that is smart enough to wear to office as well as being able to wear it out on the town. This coat ticks all my boxes, plus it is SO warm! 

SHOP THIS COAT

There are four shades which sum up Autumn for me, wine, deep green, burnt orange and MUSTARD so you know that this jumper was never gonna pass me by. It's perfect and it fits like a dream. I love the fact that it's basically a bardot jumper but with these cutesy little bows which add a lil' summat extra!

SHOP THIS JUMPER
Finally I'm gonna talk about BOOTS....so those of you who know me well will have heard about #BOOTGATE.  If you are reading this and thinking WTF is #BOOTGATE?? Well I will sum up real quick for comedic value...

Kat went to All Star Lanes for a Hen do wearing a pair of size 6 wide fit boots.
Kat gave said bowling alley her boots in exchange for a pair of bowling shoes.
Kat returned an hour later and All Star Lanes had managed to give Kat's size 6 wide fit boots to someone else and left her with exactly the same boots but in a size 5 and not wide fit!

KAT WORE BOWLING SHOES HOME! #Bootgate - ladies and gentlemen!

I am so angry - I LOVED THOSE BOOTS! Surely you guys understand that the struggle is real when it comes to finding boots that werk, so needless to say I am on the hunt for a new pair of thigh high wide fit boots which are as comfy as my missing boots. 

SHOP THESE BOOTS
These babies are running a close second.  They don't fall down which is a huge winner for me and thigh highs are a must have in my winter wardrobe to team up with leggings, skinny jeans or even a cute little mini skirt (avec tights - cos... COLD!)

I have all these items lined up for an outfit for this weekend so you will get to see how I styled this outfit all together.

What are your winter wardrobe must haves?

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Save Vs Splurge with Yours Clothing

When you shop are you ever struck with that inner turmoil of whether you should save some money or splurge out on that gorgeous dress?  Yeah me too, like all the time, every time I turn on my laptop...or start scrolling on my phone!

So I am gonna show you two dresses which are perfect for an autumn occasion; one a saver option whereas the other is more of a splurge.

You can tell me which one you prefer...







Can you guess which one is which?

No? Okay okay...I'll tell ya!

Red Lace Dress//Black Floral Dress
The black number is Chi Chi dress - so this is a concession line that Yours Clothing sells.  I absolutely adore Chi Chi's designs they are always so eye catching and beautifully cut to really compliment your curves. This dress retails at £75.00 so this dress is the SPLURGE.  Did you get it right?

The red lace skater is one of those dresses that doesn't look very appealing in the stock photo, but when you put it on, it's a knock out number!  This dress retails at just £36.99 making this the SAVER.  

In my opinion as much as I love the design of the Chi Chi number I actually prefer the red skater. It makes me feel so girly. For the lower price it doesn't feel of a lesser quality.  They both fit equally well, they both are comfortable and eye-catching but when you can get such a gorgeous little dress for under half the price I would find it pretty hard to justify paying the extra for the Chi Chi.

Would you Save or Splurge??

xXx

Disclaimer

Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER
Photography by QR Photography

The One Item Challenge with Yours Clothing

The One Item Challenge with

Yours Clothing challenged me to take one statement item and style it three ways.

With party season round the corner I chose this pretty little lace shell top in the hope of showing you three ways to wear this for varying types of Christmas parties/gatherings/shindigs.

The Office Party look

Although this is technically a top, there's nothing stopping you rocking this a tunic style dress with a pair of thick black tights or even a pair of leggings. Team it with a pair of heeled bootees (alternative option here), a clutch of your choosing and some statement earrings too.

Clutch//Earrings
Drinks out on the town

This outfit is a little more "club" than sophisticated shindig and I like to show a little thigh.  I'm not a big tights kinda girl so I love a mini, but this one is a little on the short side.  Yours have a fab alternative (which is longer) here.  I was desperate to show you my gorgeous new boots in this season's fave autumnal colour; burgundy.
Burgundy stretch heeled boots
Just look at them, they are so comfy. These are available in a "EEE" fit so extra wide.  I have a slightly wide foot so these are lovely a roomy. The heels are thick so they give good support, comfy enough to dance the night away!

Team Meal

For that more casual occasion, teaming this top with a pair of black skinnies and a pair of sparkly heels (alternative here) makes for a perfect outfit.  Not too cas, just enough sass to still be occasion-worthy.

I'm sure there are many other outfits that could be created using this statement top.  I would love to see how you would wear this, why don't you post it on Instagram and tag me in it...

xXx

Disclaimer
Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

Yours Shapewear - my honest review


I am a self confessed shapewear fan - for some folk it's not their thing and I do admit that it's a little like marmite to be honest.  Finding shapewear that isn't so restrictive that breathing becomes an issue is quite hard to come by and whilst good shapewear comes with advantages they unfortunately get their share of disadvantages too.

Today I'm gonna show you a slip dress from Yours Clothing.

 
I'm a fan of shapewear that allows you to wear your own bra as ones with a built in bra often don't fit well enough to provide the desired support.  This piece fits just underneath your own bra, so any size any style any colour of bra it doesn't matter as this piece just fits around it.


Size wise I opted to size down to an 18 in attempt to pull everything in.  In my opinion, I wear shapewear to create a smooth silhouette around my hips and waist and to smooth the line of any visible dip created by my undies.  I don't necessarily wear shapewear to hide or remove my VBO (visible belly outline) I accept that I have "Mya" (Yes - I named my pouch after Small Child) so it's futile trying to eradicate it, it's part of who I am and it's not likely to go anywhere.   This is advertised as "firm control" which honestly could be a lot firmer.  I would probably class this as more of a medium control, it's not restrictive in any way but does smooth out the lines enough to create a somewhat smooth silhouette.  
SHOP THIS SHAPEWEAR
Lengthwise this comes to about mid way down my thigh (about 3/4 inches above the knee) 
I am 5ft 4"  so for anyone taller than me they may struggle with the length of this.  The bottom of the slip doesn't have any silicone lining to help stop it rolling up, so unfortunately it does creep up throughout the day.  The slip has fully adjustable straps and the straps are thin enough and the back low enough to wear with a cami style top.

Rating:  Overall - 7/10

Potential improvements:  I would suggest either adding a silicone lining to the base of the slip to prevent the roll up situation or even create little hot pants/shorts with poppers (for easy toilet access) which would completely prevent the roll. I would also consider making the support of the fabric stronger as it is "firm" control.

Would I recommend these?  Yes, totally. It's not perfect, but it is functional.  It holds me in enough to wear under a body con dress.  They retail up to a size 28 and you can size down comfortably. 

xXx

Disclaimer
Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

xXx

That time I was practically naked on Oxford Street...

Last weekend I took part in the NuNude campaign #PerfectlyYou. A group of women of different skin tones, sizes, heights and other unique features all took to the streets of London to campaign for diversity, positivity and acceptance of all women. We were all wearing swimwear provided by NuNude.  NuNude have created a line of "nude" swimwear and lingerie in varying skin shades, creating more realistic nude shades than are widely available.


The concept of this campaign was to empower others to be comfortable in the skin they're in, we all had signs, which we held as we walked the streets together in solidarity.  Our signs represented negative comments that each of us had been called at some point in our lives. For example, mine said "You see fat...I see perfect"  Now let me just say here that in my opinion the word "FAT" is not a negative comment in itself.  It's a descriptive word, an adjective, one that simply describes me further. However many people throughout my life have flung this word at me in an attempt to belittle, hurt or offend me, so I bared reference to it in my sign.


Just like the rest of the thoroughly brave women who walked beside me, I felt empowered by the fabulous response we got from the public on the streets.  People were receptive to the fact that we were making such bold statements and sticking two proverbial fingers up at anyone who thinks that these things are attributes to things to be ashamed of.

I struggle with the word "perfect" personally.  I don't think that anything in this world is "perfect" as everyone's perception of what they deem as perfect is different, it's subjective. By me adding the words "I see perfect" I do not mean that being "fat" should be everyone's idea of perfect, I simply feel that I am perfectly fine with the way I am and I am happy and utterly confident in the skin I am in.
In today's society so many people deem that being overweight is unhealthy and undesirable and should be something that people should not wish to be, therefore anyone who is confident in a fat body is therefore glorifying obesity. *insert eye rolls*



So when NuNude posted a shot of me and Kay on their Instagram page, I was totally happy with sharing the image of myself.  The image was shared several times and has amassed over 70,000 likes so far. So what if you could see my tummy and chunky thighs, I was grinning like the Cheshire Cat, I was as happy as Larry (who's Larry? anyone know??) BUT...it seems that my fat ass seemed to offend a LOT of people too!

Some of the 1,700+ comments were lovely and supportive of the campaign and supported the message we were trying to convey, others took it upon themselves to be judge, jury and executioner over the pressing case of my health.

The only problem with that is...YOU CANNOT JUDGE A PERSON'S HEALTH BY LOOKING AT A PHOTO!



So many people assumed that I am unhealthy, likely to die of diabetes or a heart condition or that I am "two mouthfuls away from a gastric bypass" (their comments not mine!)  Many people even resorted to name calling, I was called a "Fat ass n***a", a "Fat c**t", a whale and many other colourful words...some even told me I should just kill myself, (nice eh?)  Many of the worst comments were deleted by the brand in an attempt to reduce offending me.


I am not naive, I understand that being overweight may exacerbate health problems but you cannot assume that because I am overweight that I suffer with these things.  You cannot assume I am lazy or that I "spend all day shoving cake in my fat gob" (how do they know my secret!) I don't need these people to worry for my health, I don't need them to assume that I do not exercise or that I am unfit. I certainly don't wanna hear about the fact that they are so repulsed by me that I should take my own life!  I would love to know if these keyboard warriors would be so brazen if they were stood in front of me?  If they knew me or actually had enough of a brain to do a little research on the person they were slating, would they still think the same?  What is so criminal about being overweight and more importantly, who the hell gave them the right to pass judgement on me or my health?  To be perfectly honest if fat is the worst that these guys can do, then I will take it all day long, cos I would much rather be known as a fat girl than a complete ass-hat!


Many people reached out to me personally, asking if I was okay after reading some of the comments. I am grateful for the look out, but really keyboard warriors do not phase me in the slightest. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and I understand that I will not be everyone's cuppa. I do not need their concern over my health.  I responded, I said my piece, I had no desire to retaliate to any of the comments personally or individually.  


I consider myself extremely lucky that I have the mental tools to allow me to treat that negativity like water off a duck's back.  Many people unfortunately aren't at this stage of acceptance and could have found the comments devastating.  A few years ago, I would have not been so strong, my mental health would have taken a severe beating.  Imagine if I had not had such thick skin and I had been so hurt by their opinions that I resorted to taking my own life.  I'm not gonna lie, this is really my first real taste of trolling and it does hurt to hear the comments, but I do not dwell on their toxic negativity and I certainly do not let the words penetrate me. They are JUST WORDS and they are JUST trolls and they cannot hurt me.


If you can take one thing away from my experience, take this...
Trolls are ass-hats! If you ever are faced with this kind of experience, know that you are all kinds of awesome and the negative opinions of others do not define you in any way.  You do not need the validation of anyone else to make you whole.  If you are truly happy within yourself then no ones' negativity can penetrate your skin. Don't retaliate - it fuels their fire. Don't let them win - silence is way louder, ignore the ignorant...and keep fucking smiling!


xXx