Summer Occasion Wear with Quiz Clothing

Summer is brimming with occasions which call for dressing up and my go-to for plus size occasion wear is without a doubt always Quiz Clothing.

Quiz offer everything from smart casual outfit options to full blown gowns not to mention their beautiful bridal range. Quiz have extended their range to offer a specific Curve collection which also offers beautiful statement pieces for some of us plus size folk.  They currently accommodate up to a size 26, shame that the range doesn't extend further but I am grateful that Quiz do offer extended sizes.

I want to show you three outfits all chosen with the mindset that any of these would make the perfect outfit for any summer occasion. None of these outfits are specifically from the Curve range however all three outfits fit my size 18/20 with a 38GG chest frame.

The first one is this beautiful crochet style dress.  This dress is unfortunately no longer available, but keep an eye out for sales because if you can grab this dress, you will not be disappointed.


This dress would be perfect for a summer formal occasion like a wedding or a day at the races. Just team it with a pair of heels, a clutch and maybe a fascinator for that extra little something


The dress was a size 18.  I currently range from a size 18/20 and this dress fit me with ease.  The dress has an empire line cut, so it draws in at the waist and flares out from the bust.  It skims my tum with no VBO (visible belly outline)



I have a size 38GG chest and this dress managed to cover my chest adequately and with the right kind of bra there is very little overspill.



The dress does up with a standard zipper at the back; no frills!  There are also two fully adjustable spaghetti style straps for additional comfort fitting.


I absolutely love the crochet overlay on this dress, it's just such a feminine design and really unleashes my girly side. It's flowy, lightweight and cool which is just so needed especially in this awesome heatwave we are having here in the UK at the minute!

I have had so many compliments on this dress, it really is quite the head-turner, I sincerely hope they restock it!

Next up is a simple and elegant gown which I ordered in a UK 20.
Shop Grey Chiffon Embroidered Bardot Maxi Dress
This grey embellished bardot cut gown is beautiful but in my opinion quite understated.  When I saw it online, I wasn't that enamoured but up close and personal it really came to life.  The dress in some of the images seem to have a purple hue to it but I can assure you the colour is a muted tone of grey.



The bardot cut covered my 38GG boobs and the arms fit comfortably around the widest part of my upper arm.

The detailing on the bust is made up of some pearl beading, other small gems and stitching.  I had left my decent strapless at home when taking the outdoor images and you can see it's not the best fit with an ill-fitting bra, so this is nowt to do with the dress itself.  I cannot stress enough the importance of great fitting underwear.  Invest in a decent strapless bra and it will change your life!


Even though this is only a size 20 the fit is quite generous and I think it could fit a size 22 with a smaller bust perhaps.  The back has a stretchy ruched back which gives a lot of wiggle room.  If you have particularly wide arms then you may struggle with the arms on this dress as the fabric isn't stretchy in that area.



This is floor length on my 5ft 4" frame, with 4.5" heels on it lightly touches the floor.  The dress is again cut on the empire line, avoiding any tummy hugging and the flowy chiffon overskirt is fully lined.


This dress for me would make a great pageant appearance dress or even a red carpet event, a formal dinner or even as a bridesmaid dress option. I styled it with a pair of heels and a simple sparkly clutch for judging a charity pageant event.

My last offering is more of a smart casual option and it certainly fuelled my #JumpsuitAddiction this summer.

Shop this Blue and Pink Floral Cullote Jumpsuit

The floral print on blue is such a stunner and really screams pure summer vibes.  The colour combination of pink and peach flowers with green stems makes for a really vivid and bright pattern.


I ordered this jumpsuit in the largest size they offer which is an 18. It's a little snug on the tummy but I rock my VBO with pride! I am wearing a pair of shaper undies with this just to smooth out the lines but it's not any firm control pants or form fitting shapewear, just a decent pair of full briefs with a light support.


Cos I'm a shortie (5ft4") you can barely tell this is meant to be a culotte jumpsuit!  On someone taller this would be much futher up the lower leg but on me it's a few inches above the ankle!  I love cullotes and I refuse to be told I cannot rock cullotes due to my height, so I whack a pair of heels on and wear them regardless!


The double layer on the bust is only for design, there's no function to it although it makes for a cute little flair to a simple jumpsuit. The underlayer is form fitting around the bust and the duo layer just flows over top.  The two spaghetti straps are fully adjustable for a more supportive fit and I wear this with a strapless bra.

I have picked a few of my fave options from their plus size range for you...

Buy This Pink Dip Hem Dress

Buy this Stripe Jumpsuit
Buy this Red Dip Hem Bardot Dress
Buy this floral print duo layer bodycon dress



Quiz currently have an awesome sale on and I strongly urge you to go and take a little look-see at their curve collection.  I hope you love their new summer range as much as I do.

Disclaimer
 The review above is based on my own opinions of the products.  These items were sent to me for review.
Photos by NineInc. Photography

xXx

"They" Can't Wear That!!

Debz of Wannabe Princess has had another brainwave to add further value to the #WeAreTheThey statement.
Today we are hitting back again but this time we are dispelling all the "THEY shouldn't wear that" rumours.

Well guess what... #WeAreTheThey and We will NOT be told what NOT to wear!

1. Tight Clothing/BodyCons
Up until late 2014 I had never dreamed of wearing a body con dress but with the right shapewear & a spoonful of self confidence I have embraced the Body Con with both arms!  



2. Leggings
Leggings are my go-to on the weekend and they can even be dressed up so why would we not want to wear them??


3. White
White can be a tricky one as sometimes it can make me look wider but it's one of my favourite colours so I'll be damned if anyone is gonna tell me to stop wearing it!


4. Bright colours
I have always worn bright colours - they really brighten up a day. I don't even understand they theory about not wearing them!?



5. Bold patterns
I personally think they distract attention away from my lovely lady lumps!


6. Horizontal stripes
Why ever not - I always wear stripes without a care in the world!


7. High heels & Skinny Jeans
I am short - so without heels I feel so small!  I will never stop wearing heels and as for skinny jeans - I live in them!


8. Bikinis
Daniella & Sian have amazing bodies and I think they look fantastic!!


9. Crop tops
 Here we have Sheivelle, Sian & Daniella proving that any size girl can rock a crop!



10. Short skirts
Most of my work dresses are verging on indecent! But hey, I think I look pretty damn good!!



11. Shorts

...BUT WHY NOT DAN LOOKS HOT!!!

12. Fishtail Dresses
This dress made me win the +Scarlett Jo Selfie Competition - It's a winner in my eyes!


13. Dresses with side splits
I personally love this dress - it's girly and makes me feel fantastic!


14. Make up
This is the silliest of all - cos what woman doesn't feel fantastic with a splash of lippy??



15. Pencil Skirts.
I do love a pencil skirt, me.. what exactly is wrong with a pencil skirt anyway?



All in all - I say, if you feel fab in it - where whatever the hell you want!

#WeAreTheThey and we EMBRACE fashion!!

Big love and thanks to Siân Yapp, Daniella Smith & Sheivelle Ofori for letting me share their pics xx

Forever Unique Greta Dress

I simply adore this dress, I love every single thing about it from the cut to the fabric to the way it goes "swoooooosh" to the way it makes me feel!


This infamous dress has sparked the biggest dilemma in my 32 years on this planet! #FirstWorldProblems

I bought the dress from +Simply Be store on Oxford Street in the hopes of wearing it for a recent photoshoot but it wasn't really in line with the vibe of the shoot so it was not worn :(  


This dress is a statement dress and as it retails for £195.00 it's not something that I could warrant as an impulse keep. 


The dress is impeccably made and there is no doubt in my mind that it is worth every penny!  The colour is a gorgeous shade of coral/peach and the fabric is quite light but it is well lined underneath so it's quite a heavy dress. 

The cut was what I loved the most, it really flattered the chest area although it called for the lowest plunge line of a bra possible.  It really made me feel like a princess, so much so that I want my future wedding dress to have similarities to the cut.


As I loved the dress so much I thought I would get Mya to take a few pics of me in it for memories sake...I posted the pics on facebook & insta and I was not prepared for the feedback I got.  It very quickly catapaulted to my most liked & commented on photo, people were really loving the dress offering so much praise that it only made my predicament worse!

I have until 7th May to decide whether I want to keep the dress for a special occasion, I have a ball in July and the British Plus Size Awards in November but as I plan to continue with my fitness levels and have just embarked on a "drop a dress size" challenge, it could end up being too big come those events.

Help me people - do I return it or keep it?? 

What would you do??

My Guest Post for Color U Bold

...just in case you missed it, I had the extreme honour of guest posting for Jasmine over the Valentine's day festivities.

She is a total babe and such an inspiration.  Her posts are colourful, unique and quirky and I will never tire of reading them. 

Here is the link back to her guest post on my blog;  


Romantic to Seductive by Jasmine from @ColourUBold


and for those of you who would like to see my offering...

>> here's the link to my guest post on Jasmine's blog;


If you are not following +Color U Bold make sure you change that....cos she is totally amazing!


The Perfect Occasion Maxi from Simply Be

I had been eyeing up this gorgeous number in the +Simply Be Catalogue for some time, but at the original price of £95.00 I just could not bring myself to press the "buy" button. 
Then the Christmas fairy sent me a gift... I got a voucher for money off and I managed to nab this number at a discounted price of £76.00 instead!


The colour is somewhere between royal blue and violet.  The top half is lace over a bodice and the skirt has a waterfall drop combined with a lovely embellishment at the middle to bring it all together.

The material is quite slinky, so I opted for shapewear underneath to hide any lumps/bumps.

I bought this in a size 20 although I would usually opt for a 22 for comfort and I am glad I didn't to be honest, the 22 would have been too big.  The arms fit nicely and no part feels too fitted,  

This dress makes me feel glam!

You can pick it up here; 
Joanna Hope - Lace Bodice Maxi Dress


It would be perfect for weddings or the more formal Christmas do's, but unfortunately mine is a casual affair this year and if I wore this I would be extremely overdressed! :(

Oh well...I will just have to organise an event to wear it to!
What do you think?


Finalists Announced for Ms Curvaceous UK

After many long hours of waiting Ms Curvaceous UK finally announced their top 20 finalists just before midnight last night.
 
I am so proud to say that 4 of my group of curvy beauties got through to the finals, which by ratio gives 1 of our ladies a damn good shot at winning.  CONGRATULATIONS to Pippa, Serena, Anastasia & Laurie x
 
I will be purchasing my ticket to go and support them on payday. I cannot wait!!
You can see the full list of finalists here;
 
Whilst I am of course disappointed that I didn't make it through I am so happy for the girls and I had a wonderful experience and made some amazing friends.  I wouldn't change a thing!!