Have you met my bestie; Nathasha??
Here's our #BestFriendTag
I tag +Leah XL Channel & +Charlotte Flynn to do it too!!
XoXo
- 01:44
- 0 Comments
After reading Kathryn's blogpost about her #100DaysStyleChallenge idea I figured I could try and do it too and I must admit it's been tonnes of fun.
Day # 1;
Day # 2;
Cream & Black striped cardigan from +Primark in a size 20. I have had this for a number of years and I don't wear it often as it doesn't have buttons (which is generally a turn off for me)
+Primark Skinny jeans in a size 20.
Very very old nude dolly shoes from +Dorothy Perkins in a size 6.
I pinched Mya's snood which I believe is from +Primark.
Day # 3;
Mustard blouse from the Moda range from George at +Asda in a size 20. I love the colour of this top but its 100% viscose making it extremely hard to keep un-creased. The cut is quite flattering and it even has extra material under the arm to cover up any underarm bulges. I don't like the way it gathers on my tummy but that could just be my jeans cos it doesn't always happen.
Same jeans & shoes as day 2 :)
(I'm gonna try & switch up the shoes next week!)
What has the #100DaysStyleChallenge done for me so far...
- Made my mornings more stressful
- Pushed me to have a bit more forethought about my outfits!
- Proved to me that I have a lot of things I never wear.
- Gets me excited about getting to take a(nother) selfie!
Are you enjoying it?
- Hell yes! :)
How's the spending ban going??
- Now that is hard! It's so hard I'm actually considering leaving my cards at home!
Looking forward to the weekends' outfits & to a full week next week :)
Wanna join in? Just make sure you use the hashtag & tag me & +Kathryn Kaupa in your posts - we wanna see your outfits too :)
Basically the idea is to wear a different outfit each day for 100 days with no repeats. I have decided to add an exception of repeating my jeans as I don't have 100 different pairs. The logic behind this is to prove to ourselves the term "I have NOTHING to wear" is baloney. The added complication is the addition of the "Spending Ban" So for this I am challenging myself to not spend a penny on any of the following; clothing, shoes, bags, accessories and make up for 3 solid months. Not only will my bank balance be eternally grateful but it will give me the chance to play with all the stuff I have accumulated over the last year.
I started the challenge on Wednesday, so here are my first 3 outfits;
Day # 1;
Blue Jumper from +H&M bought last year. I love this jumper, its in a 2XL from their plus size range and I love the fact that it's hugely oversized and hangs off the shoulder.
+Primark jeans in a size 20 regular. I live in these jeans, they are extremely comfortable and despite their low price are really good quality (IMO). They fit true to size, waist/hip-wise, however my height makes it difficult to get the right length. I should really buy the shorter length, but I find that they come up too short and besides I prefer a little gather at the ankle so I opt for the regular.
Boots from +Primark in a size 6 These are lovely & warm, you can't see them well but they are fleece lined.
Day # 2;
Black vest from +H&M in size 16.
Cream & Black striped cardigan from +Primark in a size 20. I have had this for a number of years and I don't wear it often as it doesn't have buttons (which is generally a turn off for me)
+Primark Skinny jeans in a size 20.
Very very old nude dolly shoes from +Dorothy Perkins in a size 6.
I pinched Mya's snood which I believe is from +Primark.
Day # 3;
Mustard blouse from the Moda range from George at +Asda in a size 20. I love the colour of this top but its 100% viscose making it extremely hard to keep un-creased. The cut is quite flattering and it even has extra material under the arm to cover up any underarm bulges. I don't like the way it gathers on my tummy but that could just be my jeans cos it doesn't always happen.
Same jeans & shoes as day 2 :)
(I'm gonna try & switch up the shoes next week!)
What has the #100DaysStyleChallenge done for me so far...
- Made my mornings more stressful
- Pushed me to have a bit more forethought about my outfits!
- Proved to me that I have a lot of things I never wear.
- Gets me excited about getting to take a(nother) selfie!
Are you enjoying it?
- Hell yes! :)
How's the spending ban going??
- Now that is hard! It's so hard I'm actually considering leaving my cards at home!
Looking forward to the weekends' outfits & to a full week next week :)
Wanna join in? Just make sure you use the hashtag & tag me & +Kathryn Kaupa in your posts - we wanna see your outfits too :)
- 23:24
- 0 Comments
The countdown is on, there's only 28 more sleeps until the Grand Finale of...
Have you got your tickets yet?
You do not want to miss out on one of the UK's leading live competitions celebrating women with curves.
Just look at what we have in store for you...
*Awesome Live Performances from UK artists; Che Lingo & AsiaLoveMusiq
*A shopping experience
*20 of the UK's finest ladies flaunting their curves, hoping for the chance to be crowned Ms Curvaceous UK 2015
* A panel of judges who are influential members of the Plus Size Fashion World - watch this space for the official line up of judges soon :)
For a LIMITED time only - MCUK are offering a 25% discount on all tickets - so get them while they're hot! * A panel of judges who are influential members of the Plus Size Fashion World - watch this space for the official line up of judges soon :)
- 11:17
- 0 Comments
2015 is hereby dubbed the "Yes" year for me so I'm gonna do something I have never actually done and that's write my bucket list;
Here goes...In no particular order...
*See the Northern Lights & capture the moment in a photo.
*Travel to see my family in Canada, South Africa & Mauritius.
*Drive Route 66 in a super fast convertible.
*Walk the Great Wall of China.
*Drive from Lands End to John O'Groats.
*Ride on a Sleigh pulled by Huskies.
*Meet Santa
*Raise a Northern Inuit from a puppy.
*Drive an Aston Martin DB9/Ferarri/Buggatti.
*Go horseriding again.
*Skinny Dip in a lagoon with a waterfall.
*Audition for The Voice or something similar.
*Choreograph & Organise a Dance/Talent show for local kids.
*Build my own house.
*Move to a different country but only if my Parents weren't around.
*Record my own album.
*Perform Live at a Festival.
*Become a Plus Size Model.
*Catwalk.
*Run my own Beauty Salon.
*Watch my Baby graduate.
*Get Married.
*Have another baby.
*Go to Bora Bora.
*Go back to Kurumba in the Maldives.
*Swim with Dolphins.
*Hear my first single played on Radio.
*Pack out the O2 arena and hear the crowd singing a song you wrote.
*Go on a *short* Cruise (scared of drowning)
*Shopping in NYC.
*Fly with Captain Gray over the Grand Canyon.
*See The World's most popular sights.
*See the 7 wonders of the World.
*Float in the Dead Sea.
*Go to Disneyworld.
*Be on the cover of a magazine.
*Do a World Tour.
*Meet at least one of the people who inspired me to start my Blog.
*Stay in a log cabin in Aspen or Whistler or somewhere of the like.
*Travel to see my family in Canada, South Africa & Mauritius.
*Drive Route 66 in a super fast convertible.
*Walk the Great Wall of China.
*Drive from Lands End to John O'Groats.
*Ride on a Sleigh pulled by Huskies.
*Meet Santa
*Raise a Northern Inuit from a puppy.
*Drive an Aston Martin DB9/Ferarri/Buggatti.
*Go horseriding again.
*Skinny Dip in a lagoon with a waterfall.
*Audition for The Voice or something similar.
*Choreograph & Organise a Dance/Talent show for local kids.
*Build my own house.
*Move to a different country but only if my Parents weren't around.
*Record my own album.
*Perform Live at a Festival.
*Become a Plus Size Model.
*Catwalk.
*Run my own Beauty Salon.
*Watch my Baby graduate.
*Get Married.
*Have another baby.
*Go to Bora Bora.
*Go back to Kurumba in the Maldives.
*Swim with Dolphins.
*Hear my first single played on Radio.
*Pack out the O2 arena and hear the crowd singing a song you wrote.
*Go on a *short* Cruise (scared of drowning)
*Shopping in NYC.
*Fly with Captain Gray over the Grand Canyon.
*See The World's most popular sights.
*See the 7 wonders of the World.
*Float in the Dead Sea.
*Go to Disneyworld.
*Be on the cover of a magazine.
*Do a World Tour.
*Meet at least one of the people who inspired me to start my Blog.
*Stay in a log cabin in Aspen or Whistler or somewhere of the like.
I know it's a bit long & I'm sure there's more too! By the time I'm old & wrinkly I want to have at least ticked off 75% of this list.
What's on your bucket list??
- 01:45
- 0 Comments
Firstly; This guy hit the nail on the head here;
"We" didn't do this to you, nor did "we" force you to do this...you took on this challenge of your own volition!
There is no escaping that the point that she is precariously trying to make has value; yes we are all aware that being sedentary and consuming more calories than the clinical guidelines state will contribute to people gaining weight.
What she may not be accounting for is the people who are overweight due to illness, disease or medication.
I think she is going to find it hard to shift the weight. Weightloss is not easy, there is no quick fix and it is a struggle that many people endure.
It was refreshing to see her acknowledge the similarity between her emotional connection to exercise/work and that of a person who connects food to emotion or love and accepting that it would not be simple for someone to say to her, stop loving her child, or stop working and sit down and her listen because she has that emotional connection to these things.
I am forever being told by medical professionals that my being overweight is not OK as it comes with health complications, some of which can be life threatening. Katie was deemed as being Underweight and this in itself could also cause health issues. All the while, I accept that my weight may cause me difficulties, but this is my choice, my life and I love who I am. I would like to minimise any potential health issues in later life, so I continue to strive to be the healthiest version of myself possible. Two very influential ladies gave me clarity on this point this evening, which has led me to make changes to my original post, I was so pumped after watching the show that I did not make myself clear which led to my original words being taken the wrong way. I apologise if my previous comment caused any offence - it was not my intention and I hope that you can see that by the nature of my post in it's entirety.
I believe we are all different and we all make our own choices as to how we live our lives. It is NOT acceptable to condemn someone for ANY reason.
But in life, who really IS perfect? Are we all not people, with real feelings?
To say someone is less capable of performing a job because of their body weight is unacceptable. It's fat shaming!
To criticise each other because of size, weight, race, gender, sexual orientation, dress sense, accent, height, hair colour, eye colour (OR ANY DIFFERENCE THAT WE MAY HAVE) is UNACCEPTABLE! ANY SHAMING IS UNACCEPTABLE!! It's discrimination!
We are human - we have flaws, why can't we accept each other at face value or merit?
I said I wouldn't but I caved & I tweeted @KTHopkins tonight;
In these times we should be trying to teach our children that #HateBreedsHate and #ComplimentsAreFree but how can we do that when these kind of statements are trending all over social media?
What about empowering our young ones? Teaching acceptance, confidence and self love? What about teaching them to have the courage to change the things in their lives that they can control?
Why is it OK for people to condemn and generalise all "fat" people.
Where does she get off saying things like "take that you fat bastards?" The statement was rude, obnoxious and totally unnecessary! There have got to be much more effective ways to help people lose weight, this way may not really have the desired outcome she was expecting!
I am glad I watched it, although I'm not sure why. It was a bonus, however to see some of our lovely #PSbloggers representing us; +Leah XL Channel in particular. Well done for speaking out, girl!
Thank you to +Debz A & Hannah Boal for the constructive criticism :)
What are your thoughts?
There is no escaping that the point that she is precariously trying to make has value; yes we are all aware that being sedentary and consuming more calories than the clinical guidelines state will contribute to people gaining weight.
What she may not be accounting for is the people who are overweight due to illness, disease or medication.
I think she is going to find it hard to shift the weight. Weightloss is not easy, there is no quick fix and it is a struggle that many people endure.
It was refreshing to see her acknowledge the similarity between her emotional connection to exercise/work and that of a person who connects food to emotion or love and accepting that it would not be simple for someone to say to her, stop loving her child, or stop working and sit down and her listen because she has that emotional connection to these things.
I am forever being told by medical professionals that my being overweight is not OK as it comes with health complications, some of which can be life threatening. Katie was deemed as being Underweight and this in itself could also cause health issues. All the while, I accept that my weight may cause me difficulties, but this is my choice, my life and I love who I am. I would like to minimise any potential health issues in later life, so I continue to strive to be the healthiest version of myself possible. Two very influential ladies gave me clarity on this point this evening, which has led me to make changes to my original post, I was so pumped after watching the show that I did not make myself clear which led to my original words being taken the wrong way. I apologise if my previous comment caused any offence - it was not my intention and I hope that you can see that by the nature of my post in it's entirety.
I believe we are all different and we all make our own choices as to how we live our lives. It is NOT acceptable to condemn someone for ANY reason.
But in life, who really IS perfect? Are we all not people, with real feelings?
To say someone is less capable of performing a job because of their body weight is unacceptable. It's fat shaming!
To criticise each other because of size, weight, race, gender, sexual orientation, dress sense, accent, height, hair colour, eye colour (OR ANY DIFFERENCE THAT WE MAY HAVE) is UNACCEPTABLE! ANY SHAMING IS UNACCEPTABLE!! It's discrimination!
We are human - we have flaws, why can't we accept each other at face value or merit?
I said I wouldn't but I caved & I tweeted @KTHopkins tonight;
"#askkatie does body size make us any less a woman or a human? Does ur lesser weight give you the right to criticise others?"Needless to say - I have had no response, nice to see that she took the time to respond to the more degrading tweets, but as this PR stunt was geared towards making her "brand" trend to hell & back, I figured I should expect nothing less!
In these times we should be trying to teach our children that #HateBreedsHate and #ComplimentsAreFree but how can we do that when these kind of statements are trending all over social media?
What about empowering our young ones? Teaching acceptance, confidence and self love? What about teaching them to have the courage to change the things in their lives that they can control?
Why is it OK for people to condemn and generalise all "fat" people.
Where does she get off saying things like "take that you fat bastards?" The statement was rude, obnoxious and totally unnecessary! There have got to be much more effective ways to help people lose weight, this way may not really have the desired outcome she was expecting!
I am glad I watched it, although I'm not sure why. It was a bonus, however to see some of our lovely #PSbloggers representing us; +Leah XL Channel in particular. Well done for speaking out, girl!
Thank you to +Debz A & Hannah Boal for the constructive criticism :)
What are your thoughts?
- 23:08
- 0 Comments
I would like to take a minute to highlight & big up the immense amount of beauty, talent & kindness that I have encountered throughout 2014 in the form of inspiring women in social media.
Each one of these ladies have inspired my journey throughout last year (jeez that feels weird saying that!) and I would love to pay homage to each & every one of you individually but there simply isn't enough virtual space on the internet to hold the amount love I would need share! So, here are my top inspirational ladies, my muses of 2014...
In NO particular order;
Each one of these ladies have inspired my journey throughout last year (jeez that feels weird saying that!) and I would love to pay homage to each & every one of you individually but there simply isn't enough virtual space on the internet to hold the amount love I would need share! So, here are my top inspirational ladies, my muses of 2014...
In NO particular order;
- +Coley Reinvented - Coley gave me the courage to take that leap of faith regarding my teeth. Her "Denture Adventure" Vlogs on Youtube were the turning point for me to realise that it was socially acceptable to be young and gorgeous and wear dentures. Girl, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your support and kind words of encouragement, without you sharing your story I would not have had the balls to embark on my own journey.
- +PositifBeautee528
- +Cathy J Cross
- +Beach Chick
- +Her Reason 2 Smile
- +UglyFaceOfBeauty - Gracie was one of the first YouTubers that I found offering beauty tips online, when I noticed that she was on her own weightloss/body acceptance/confidence journey, I felt that I could instantly relate. I followed her progress and proudly watched her blossom into the beautifully inspiring young woman she is today. Gracie - we have never had the pleasure of speaking, but please know I am proud of you, I thank you for sharing your story with us and thank you for inspiring me to be better.
- +Sarah Rae Vargas - Sarah is a gorgeous, curvaceous mother of two gorgeous babies. Her blog & Vlogs were such an eye opener to me. She reinforced the fact that women of size can be drop dead gorgeous. Every outfit this woman has ever worn is sensational, her make up & hair is always flawless and she exudes confidence which I can only hope to achieve one day! Again, I have never had the pleasure of speaking to you, Sarah, but I would like to tell you how much you empower me as a curvy woman, you make me feel beautiful :)
- +Cody Wren - Now Cody is my ultimate #WCW - she is super hot and such a gorgeous lady inside & out. She has a heart of gold and her make up skills are flawless, she makes beauty look effortless. She always responds to her followers and every interaction with her has been an utter pleasure. Cody honey you totally rock girl, I got love for you, I've told you many times that you are my muse, thank you xx
- +makeupD0LL
- +Makeup Game On Point
- +Madeyewlook
- +Carli Bybel
- +Leah XL Channel - I had the immense pleasure of collaborating with Leah for my first swap. She is a gorgeous lady with such a big heart. It was such an honour to work with her, I cannot express my gratitude enough. Leah - you are amazing, gorgeous, funny and thoughtful, it's a blessing to have met you x
- +Mookie B - Mookie is such a stunning woman, with such a vivacious personality. When I met her and her friend Heidi at the South East Bloggers meet up in Reigate, I was so overwhelmed by how welcoming these ladies were. It was a total pleasure to spend my evening with them. Mookie - you are beautiful and it was lovely to meet you - thank you for inspiring me to love life and be happy in the skin I'm in xx
- +Natty Nikki - Nikki is an amazing blogger and her fashion posts are so current and quirky. Nikki - I love your style, you always rock those outfits, such an inspiration x
- +Natalie Craig - Natalie is a gorgeous, curvy lady who has a drop-dead gorgeous figure. Natalie - you are such a stunning lady, you inspire me to have the confidence to wear whatever the hell I like. Some of your outfits physically make me jealous - I find myself shopping with you in mind...(like, would Natalie wear this....) Thank you girl - you rock!
- +www.justmeleah.co.uk - Leah is gorgeous - trouble is I don't think she realises just how much! I love her blog, I will never tire of reading it. Leah - you ARE beautiful, a kind heart, keep taking those selfies girly, that post really made me relate. Much love xx
- +Lucia UCantWearThat! - Lucia is beautiful and her blog is truly inspiring. She makes fashion look effortless. Her outfits are amazing, she embodies the word "Fierce" Lucia, I know you are going through a tough patch girl, but please know we all have you in our prayers. Thank you for inspiring me this year, I hope 2015 brings you solace & comfort, much love xx
- +Georgina Grogan - Georgina is a stunner, her blog is riveting and I always look forward to reading her posts. Her make up & hair is flawless too and I always love her clothing reviews. Georgina, you totally deserve that award girl, keep up the amazing work. I hope I get the honour of meeting you this year xx
- +LoeyLane - Loey is a gorgeous, plus size beauty, her outfits rock and her hair & make up always looks sensational. Loey you are such an inspiration, your beauty vlogs & lookbooks are always a joy to watch, thank you xx
- +Ms Curvaceous UK - Now this is a bit of a cheat, because it's a brand rather than a specific person. To you I owe you so much, you give me the confidence to strive hard for the dreams & aspirations I want to achieve. You have opened doors for me, you have equipped me with skills and confidence, you have empowered me to grow and develop and I cannot thank you enough. I hope we have a fruitful 2015 together :)
- +G GooDei - Teschia is a personal friend, extended family. This woman is a gorgeous, curvy woman who is not afraid to embrace her size and flaunt it. Tesch, you taught me to love myself, you inspire me to sing and develop my vocal skills and you are such a beautiful, kind soul. You were a blessing sent to me from above, an angel - I thank you.
- +Color U Bold - Jasmine is a new friend, I have only recently found her blog but WOW! Her beauty skills are amazing and she has a real creative flair that I admire. Jas - I cannot wait to unleash our Valentine's Day collaboration, it's a pleasure to meet you - here's to 2015 :)
I have a few other special mentions to make for ladies which have made an impact on me in 2014. Each of these lovely beauties are gorgeous and I love their work;
Special mention to my old school friend +Geraldine Miller who's blog is amazing. Geraldine - I am proud of you lady, keep up the amazing work.
I would also like to do a massive shout out to all the inspirational woman in my family, my besties (Kirstie, Moya, Nathasha, Vicky, Sonia, Serena, Sarah, Hannah, Louise, Natalie, Leanne, Kay & Bianca) & my wider social circle. You ladies keep me sane, you inspire me on a day to day basis, without your love, support and putting up with my madness, I wouldn't be the person I am today.
I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the group of lovely ladies I met through +Ms Curvaceous UK - fast friends, truly inspiring, gorgeous & curvaceous women, I feel honoured to have met each one of them :)
All this would not be possible without 3 inspirational ladies; my baby girl, who inspires me daily to be a better person, to be a better woman, a better mother. I love you Boobus, my Mother in Law, Carol who is the most kind hearted lady I have ever met, she raised the man I love with all my heart and for that I cannot thank her enough.
..And last but by no means least; My Mama. You are my ROCK, to you I owe everything, my heart, my life and without you - I would literally be NOTHING! I love you xxx
I love each one of you ladies and I am honoured & blessed to have shared 2014 with each of you....wishing you all love, health, happiness & prosperity for 2015.
Xx
- 01:02
- 4 Comments
I truly believe that Music is like chicken soup for the soul. When I am down and in the need of some words of encouragement or positivity, I turn on this playlist, scream the lyrics at the top of my lungs & dance around like no one is watching and I guarantee you by the end of it I am feeling a 100 times better.
I have chosen each song personally to create a vibe. Some of these songs are empowering, some hold strong positive messages, some can be counted as big female anthems and others are just feel good tunes.
So take a listen and tell me you don't feel empowered after this....
*Please note - there are quite a few songs on this playlist so feel free to browse*
I have chosen each song personally to create a vibe. Some of these songs are empowering, some hold strong positive messages, some can be counted as big female anthems and others are just feel good tunes.
So take a listen and tell me you don't feel empowered after this....
*Please note - there are quite a few songs on this playlist so feel free to browse*
- 21:45
- 0 Comments
