My "New In" wishlist with Yours Clothing

Why can't my bank balance be unlimited and the storage space never ending?

It's probably best that neither of things come to fruition any time soon, I most definitely don't have the space for any more clothes (Self, set a reminder to set up a blog sale to make more space for new stuff!) and if my bank balance had a face I'm sure it would be throwing me some seriously evil glances every time I use my card!

What else is a girl to do when funds don't permit... WINDOW SHOPPING!  Well proverbially of course, cos I'm doing it online, but come with me and check out some of the bits I am "throwing" in my basket this week...

I have been quite partial to a bardot this summer and this Limited Collection stripe and multi floral print top from Yours Clothing has caught my eye.
Buy NOW
I envision wearing this with a pair of skinny jeans and some comfy wedges, cross body bag and a cute choker for a weekend look which could carry from day to night easily.
Bardot Top//Skinny Jeans//Espadrille Wedges//Cross Body Tan Bag//Choker
I'm a sucker for a pretty dress so this skater dress is deffo getting thrown in the basket.  As you know I'm not particularly a fan of a cold shoulder but this dress is super cute.

Buy NOW
I adore the floral print against the pale blue it's got a very spring/summer vibe and that's just what I am looking for to brighten these dreary summer days!
The last item that I am loving right now is this pair of distressed slashed joggers.  

I picked up the black pair earlier on in the year and they are sooo comfy for just lounging around the house or running errands of a weekend.  You could also rock these at the gym, for a trendy take on active wear.  You may even start a follow me trend like Regina in Mean Girls (if you do not get this reference then where have you been my friend?)


Yours have some lovely bits out now and coming soon - why not check out their New In section and do a little shop of your own??

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

xXx

Popping my Viva Voluptuous cherry

Viva Voluptuous had me hooked from their launch party fashion showcase in January.  They dared to inject sexy and stylish lingerie into the plus size scene.  
Images courtesy of Viva Voluptuous 

There are very few brands who provide supportive, well fitting lingerie in ranges that are beautiful to look at and make you feel like a goddess wearing them especially in the larger back and cup sizes.


So when Viva V boasted that they were the the "new plus size lingerie brand on everyone's lips" on their flyers I needed to try their items for myself and see if they really were as good as they proclaim.


The vibrant colours and prints of the swimwear were calling me... I chose the "Antonella" & "Daisy" print sets to pop my Viva V cherry.

I was in search of fabulous support with killer cleavage in gorgeous designs. These two sets did not disappoint.  I chose a 38G size wise in both the bikini and the tankini. Both sets checked all boxes and provided decent support.



I received so many compliments from other plus size ladies whilst on holiday (and at home since I have been back) People are loving the eye catching colours and how supportive it looks.  They aren't wrong, these sets are fabulous. 



I was hooked, I had to get my hands on other sets.

As I already had the bottoms of the "Daisy" print set from the tankini, I ordered the matching bikini top and the "Audrey" set which I had seen and adored on Stephanie of Nerd About Town.



Viva V currently have a sale on all of their 2017 Spring/Summer Swimwear lines to make way for the new lines which I am sure will be just as stunning if not better than this year's range.

They are offering 20% off the range using code SUMMER20

Head on over to their website to take advantage of the offer or you could check out their stand at The Curve Fashion Festival on September 9th in Liverpool - Grab your tickets here before they are sold out.


Rating:  Overall - 9/10


Potential improvements:  I would suggest extending the ranges further in back sizes and cup, there is most definitely an appetite for it. The briefs could benefit from being a little more generous, whilst the sizes are true to size, I would have preferred a slightly higher waist.

Would I recommend these?  Without a doubt, the range caters for up to a 48 back and even an H cup in some lines, so there is definitely options for us top heavy ladies. Prices are fair and well worth paying that little more for the quality. The garments wash well and have seen me through a couple of holidays so far and still look brand spanking new. As they are relatively new brand I am really excited to see how they grow. 

Make sure to tag me in your holiday snaps wearing Viva V. I hope you love them as much as I do...

Xx

Female Empowerment

I recently wrote a piece for the Yours Clothing blog talking about the need for women to be more supportive of each other.

As you may know I compete in pageants and I wanted to show that even in an situation where a group of women are physically competing against one another,  it is still possible for them to uplift and support each other at the same time.

In my opinion pageants have a bad rep for catty behaviour yet I have experienced such positivity and community from each one I have taken part in.

Head on over to the Yours blog to read the comments of a few of the contestants from the recent finals of Miss British Beauty Curve.

Read the Full Post here

Entries are open for 2018... Enter NOW!

xXx

Dressing for my shape - with Yours Clothing

I've never really been one to conform to rules, so when "they" say I should wear this and that to suit my body shape I very rarely listen.  This is mostly because, I feel that everyone's body shape differs as do people's tastes and styles.  Telling me to find clothing to "flatter" my figure (which usually means hide my curves) just doesn't work for me and I am a firm believer in wearing whatever the hell you want to if you like it.



All that being said, I understand that people who struggle with finding clothes to fit them look to us bloggers for advice on how to find clothes that allow us plus size girls to accentuate and compliment all our jiggly bits whilst keeping on trend.  So, I'm gonna show you some of the struggles I encounter when shopping instead and tell you how I shop with these things in mind.

Firstly...

My height
I am 5ft 4 so finding trousers that aren't too long and don't end up needing me to take a trip to the tailors to make them wearable is real chore.  I am too tall by one inch to be classed as "petite" and regular is usually still that little bit too long to wear without alteration. This often results in me sticking with trousers like harem pants or tapered legs. As they are gathered at the ankle I don't need to have them taken up and even if they are on the generous side it matters not as I prefer these types of trousers to have a little slack in them (I like the baggy leg look)
Paisley Tapered Leg Trousers//Eyelet Detail Harem Pants

This usually extends to my choices for jeans too.  When I was younger, I often listened to what "they" had to say, followed trends in mags and on TV and opted for boot cut jeans. This only resulted in gross frayed and dirty edges to all my denim, I hadn't cottoned onto the wizardry of Wonderweb so all my jeans were ill fated. RIP bootcut jeans!
Nowadays - bootcut is a firm thumbs down for me. The wide bottom just does nothing for my short legs, just making them appear drowned in fabric and inches shorter than they actually are. When inches are so precious in the height department, I have none spare to give, so I have forged a firm alliance with the skinny jean and straight leg boyfriend jean.
Boot cut Jeans (if that's your thing) // Skinny Jeans

One trend that I adore but with my legs being so short I struggle to pull it off - Culottes.
This literally makes me soo sad! I love this jumpsuit and would love to rock it with some flat sandals or converse type pumps but alas, inches say no!  Shorties like me - fear not, there is a saviour.  You may not need to rule out these bad boys if you can just accessorise with a pair of killer heels or even a wedge heel!  The ONLY way I can gracefully pull of culottes is by offering the illusion of longer legs by adding heels. I usually opt for a bold colour heel to really make the outfit pop!

Culotte Jumpsuit // Tropical Print Heels
I like to accentuate my waist so I add waist belts to relatively simple tops to nip it all in.
My bestie Claire is wearing a Gypsy Style top// Waist Belt
Dress wise, I often opt for a bodycon. I refuse to be ashamed of my tummy, so I never shy away from a tight fitting dress.  I do like to create to smooth silhouette so I choose good supportive underwear and shapewear to accompany these dresses.  I love the way skater dresses taper in at the waist and often chose these too.

T-shirt style dress *Coming Soon* // Bodycon dress (ON SALE NOW) // AX Paris Lace Dress (ON SALE NOW)

I hope these picks will make you see that I very rarely stick to what the media says I should and should not wear.  I wear what I want and what I think looks good on me. The opinion of others about what I choose to wear doesn't phase me.  My Body My Rules!!

So do you know what that means for you?  You can do it too...when you shop, perhaps instead of looking for things to "flatter" your figure - why not decide if YOU like the item...if you do, into the basket it goes.  You will never know if you like something or not until you've tried it.  Just do it - if you don't love how it looks on, you can always return it.

Step out of your comfort zone - wear what makes YOU smile.

xXx

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

xXx

Could you buy an outfit for £25? With Yours Clothing

I never do very well when I'm given a set budget, that may be cos I have serious magpie tendencies when faced with shiny new products to choose from.

Alas, a spend of £25 was the goal. All I had to do gather an outfit for under that total. Simple, you say...well not for me I picked so many lovely items and when I totalled them up I just couldn't make up a full outfit including accessories and shoes for that price. That isn't to say it wasn't possible, of course it is but I had my heart set on this outfit and all the items I wanted to buy just came to more.
T-Shirt//Tulle Skirt
So I am gonna show you this top & skirt combo which I teamed with this plain pair of white plimsolls also from Yours Clothing.


Both the top & skirt are currently in the sale, Tee - £8.80 & Skirt - £10.40 - so together it came to £19.20 leaving me with only £5.80 to play with. *See, now you understand my predicament*
Gladiator Sandals//Backpack
I desperately wanted these items too but I'd capped out budget-wise, even though the sandals were only £8.99 and the backpack only £15.99.  Had I just gone with my gut and ordered these bits too, the whole outfit would have come to £44.18, which really is a bargain for outfit, shoes & a bag!


This outfit is super cute, perfect for weekend occasions. It's also versatile enough to be dressed up for a night out on the town.  The sale on at Yours has sooo many gorgeous items. You could even wear these as separates by perhaps teaming the tee with a pair of distressed jeans, a leather jacket and high heeled boots or throwing on a patterned bodice or lacy bralet with the tulle skirt for a completely alternative look to this.


Before I go I'm gonna just show you the back of this tee, it's a tie back! Which actually adjusts to cinch in! How cool is that?!


Okay, okay I'll stop waffling and let you get back to sale shopping... 

Stop by again and show me what you bought!!

Photos by PK Photography

Disclaimer
 The review above is based on my own opinions of the products.  Written in collaboration with Yours Clothing UK as part of #BETHEBLOGGER

xXx