Scarlett & Jo AW15 (My Fave Picks)

aw15
If you read my last blog post you would know that S&J launched their AW collection via their very own website; Scarlettandjo.com yesterday. If you didn't read it...don't worry I have linked it for you here.

Today I will show you some of the items from the collection that I have fallen in  love with and I will also showcase the garments that I had the pleasure of modelling for S&J.

Cerise is modelling a beautiful; Mesh Layer Dress in size 16.  Cerise is quite a tall gal at 5ft 8 and the length of this skirt is perfect on her frame.  I adore the angel sleeves and spotty mesh overlay.  Navy is one of my fave winter colours so I this is definitely in my lust list. This retails at £60.

http://scarlettandjo.com/collections/all/products/mesh-layer-dress
Here we have Jessica & Georgina modelling this gorgeous Lace Circle Skirt. (£60)  I love how S&J have opted to showcase many of their items as a comparison. It allows me at a size 20 to look at Georgina and say "oh that's what it will look like on me!"


Cerise is wearing two items here. These separates can be worn together or apart and would still look fantastic.  Pussy Bow Jersey Top (£25) Net Skirt (£40)  The top comes in other colours too!

Here's another comparison shot, Claire size 20 & Jessica a size 16 wearing an S&J Classic in Red - Fishtail Lace Maxi Dress (£75)  I also wore this dress on the day and even though I am a few inches shorter than Claire we both still looked amazing the the size 20.


Hayley is a sensational vision in green velvet. With her red curly locks and the green dress she looks like a queen from the emerald isles.  Hayls let me try this dress on too, I will share the pic one day!  Velvet Maxi Dress - Atonement Green (£70)


So they were my fave picks from the collection. I have my eye on a number of items from the SS16 collection, but you will find no spoilers here....let's just say it's going to Be Simply amazing!

Now onto what you can see me wearing if you were to click here >>>> Scarlettandjo.com <<<

I feel honoured to wear one of three Lollidots dresses from the AW range. Lollidots was inspired by Laura of Lolly Likes Fatshion.  It's a shame Lolly couldn't be with us on the day to model her range but, Hayley, Tanya & I rocked Lollidots on her behalf,



The next two items were very simple kimonos which can be either dressed up or down.  I love the detailing on this Embellished Kimono - (£40)



Fringe Embroidered Kimono - (£40)
 I'm so excited to see the SS16 selection now.

Have you checked out the website?  Have you signed up to part of the S&J club?

What are your fave picks?

Xx

Vhopping is the way forward! Thank you Scarlett & Jo

diversity
So I popped in to HQ to see my Scarlett & Jo family after the hugely successful launch of the ScarlettandJo.com website yesterday.  Yesterday marked another milestone for the PS community as S&J unleashed their fantabulous AW15 collection to the world modelled by women of varying different sizes, shapes, ages, heights, skin tones and styles.  What's more the range is now available direct from the brand website rather than through another retailer as a concession.



Gifi finally agreed to create the direct sales website following an online petition signed by many of his clientèle. 

The website launched yesterday and is off to a fantastic start.


I am proud to have been involved in such a pivotal moment in history, a day filled with nothing but love for a brand that listens to the people. A day that threw two fingers up at societies ideals and incorporated true diversity and fair representation.  I was extremely lucky to have been featured in three different outfits for the AW collection and I will be featured early next year for the release of the SS16 collection too.


Gifi, Mayah, Hanna & the rest of the team were hard at work when I arrived, but I was also here on business. Gifi has very kindly agreed to dress me for the upcoming social highlight of the year; The British Plus Size Awards on 21st November. I have been nominated for "Best New Blog" and the event is to be covered by OK magazine so in the spirit of a glamorous red caret event, Gifi understood that I couldn't simply pick off the rail.

After trying on a few samples to find the cut, fabrics and colours we have finally decided how my custom gown is going to look. To say how excited I am would be an understatement, I am beside myself and I can't wait to see it!

After the formalities were done we sat down for a quick chat, after all Gifi is a very busy man.   He showed me some features & add on's to the website, one which really caught my attention; 
"Shop the Vhop"

What the hell is "Vhop" ?? I know right, I was confused too. So Vhopping is Virtual Shopping.

Go to S&J's channel on YouTube and go to Playlists. There you will find a fantastic way to browse the AW collection; Shop the Vhop. Each garment has a 15 second modelled catwalk video with the option to click the BUY button direct from the clip.


By clicking the "Buy Now" icon it will direct back to ScarlettandJo.com where within 2 simple clicks you can add the item to your basket! How damn simple is that!? Plus you get to see the garment modelled on women who look just like me and you!

I am really excited about this feature and I am confident that this will pave the way for more brands to follow suit as they begin to realise that they need to be 1) far more diverse and 2) that Vhopping is most definitely the way forward!

Xx

Boho Bridal Shoot with Chiara Aprea

#boho #bridal
I have raved before about +Chiara Aprea's impeccable talent, but I cannot shout enough about this gorgeous Bohemian themed Bridal Shoot we did on location.

Not only is Chiara a qualified make up artist, but she has a flair for hair too, not to mention her photography skills which are incomparable.

From the minute you sit in her chair you feel at ease, her personality is so warm & welcoming all anxiety you may have of modelling with her is gone.

I chose this fantastic maxi dress from +Simply Be and Chiara provided accessories to compliment the theme.














Make sure you book in with Chiara for a fab experience...you will not be disappointed.
Chiara Aprea Photography

What changed?? My Body Confidence story

#psbloggers
Up until September 2014 I had severe dental problems. Lots of missing teeth, broken teeth and decay. I was born with a calcium deficiency which meant I could eat something as soft as a banana and my teeth would break. I was suffering with a severe case of dental phobia after many dental visits ending badly, poor advice and bad experiences. I couldn't go to the dentist. I was ashamed of the way I looked and I was ridiculed for it.


Left to Right - Me age 15 - before pregnancy.  Me age 17 about 6 months after my daughter was born.

I was very depressed due to my teeth and my weight which I have battled with for years. I doubled in weight throughout pregnancy going from a size 12 to a 28 in 9 months. I was a dance student but I couldn't carry on dancing due to my weight gain and baby bump and being left by my boyfriend 7 months pregnant nearly broke me. 

It had taken me 14 yrs with various different methods like exercise, weight watchers, slimming world, diet pills and referral to a dietician to bring my weight down to roughly 18 stone and a size 22. I'd had enough I sought help from my GP as I had hit rock bottom and I was on the verge of a breakdown. 

It was only when one Doc finally listened & referred me for CBT, to the bariatric team at St Georges Hospital to seek advice about potential surgical intervention & to Kings College Hospital to undergo full dental reconstruction that I started to feel the fear ease.  I was ready to take back my life.

Having my teeth done was the catalyst to regain my confidence and build myself back up again. I found my smile. I was finally happy and the positive feedback from all you bloggers and family and friends help me learn to love my body.  I started setting myself little achievable goals and I started to realise that if I conquered my biggest phobia I was capable of anything. I started moving more, I downloaded a pedometer on my phone and committed myself to taking 10,000 steps per day. I hate walking, I would take a cab from my house to my car if I could. I didn't change what I ate I still enjoyed what I love and I bloody love food and cake and doughnuts and chocolate and sweets and all things in between, I just tried to moderate it, like maybe not eating a doughnut a day plus plus a Wispa and a big dinner. I am not a big portions gal so I just needed to curb my daytime snacking at work (I still struggle with this...I reckon I always will)

I found that by me moving more alone was changing my body shape, giving me more definition in my bum and waist and seeing the progress spurred me on to try harder.
Joining LouiseBunnyHop dance & fitness class has boosted my confidence tenfold. Being in a room of real women with varying body shapes and sizes gave me more enthusiasm. I wasn't going to be picked on because of my weight or size.  I was embraced and welcomed. At first I told myself just ease yourself back in, do one class and soon enough I was doing 3 a week as I love it so much.

Since I committed to moving more I have shed just under a stone but I have dropped 2 dress sizes sitting comfortably in an 18/20.

Having a solid support network is what has got me through, I have made friends with people in similar situations at every step of the way and having people who relate and do not judge has been the most helpful tool.

It's funny that my teeth were holding me back from achieving a dream that I had had since I was young. I always wanted to Model and be a MUA and now I am doing both of these things. I have more ambition more dreams. I want to complete Bunny training an become a Louise BunnyHop instructor, I love dancing and I want people to feel how I feel when I go to her classes; empowered, confident and full of a new found lease of life.

I am loving the definition of my curves which I never have seen on me before, it's giving me more confidence to step out of my comfort zone with regards to embracing fashion.

My most important fact is that I am happy and that is making me strive to continue on this journey towards being the healthiest version of myself possible.

I love my body and that makes me want to take care of it which I had not been doing for many many years.

I hope that gives you a bit of an insight to me, if you ever want someone to talk to about your journey I'm here...I'd love to hear your stories.
Xx

 Me before dental work & in the immediate weeks after surgery.

My new smile :)

Warrior Goddess Fantasy Beauty Shoot with Chiara Aprea

C.A Photography
Yesterday has gotta go down as one of the most memorable days in my life!

I had the pleasure of being made up & captured by Chiara Aprea of C.A Photography

I was petrified as this shoot was set to throw me head first outta my comfort zone and it really did do just that!

Chiara is fabulous, she exudes confidence and her artistry skills are fantastic.  I had been admiring her work for some time and I knew that she would be the perfect catalyst to explore a more unique side of me.

She instantly made me feel at ease with her warm personality, I wasn't afraid any more but just eager to see how her vision of what she wanted to achieve could be portrayed using little ole me!

The poses were tough but she gave impeccable direction and I felt like an utter muppet doing it but gee whizz did they photograph well.

I will totally be booking up with her again and exploring as many looks as I can cram in before she makes it big and becomes completely outta my price range! (with her talent this is inevitable!!)

If you are interested in stepping away from the norm and trying something fabulously creative then give her a call - she will NOT disappoint!






You can sample some more of Chira's amazing work on Instagram; https://instagram.com/ca_muartistry

#LondonFashionWeek & #LondonFashionWeekend

#curvemodel
Repping Curvy Ladies all over the world at #LondonFashionWeek & #LondonFashionWeekend with my +Ms Curvaceous UK girlies was such an honour.  Fashion week is usually stacked full of smaller framed fashionistas so we really shook up the vibe by injecting a "plus-size" dose of extra Curve to the mix.

I had the pleasure of interviewing some amazing fashionistas and photographers alongside Patreece, from Doller Crem'e.



All my girls looked fantastic & totally on trend - take a look-see at this little flipagram of some of the outfits we wore on Day 2!!





Day 1 (right); 
My entire outfit came from +Simply Be

Inner top - no longer available

 Day 2 (left); 
I sourced the majority of the items I wore for day two from local charity shops.

I lucked out with this gorgeous faux fur trim swing coat for a mere £20.00, the wool hat was £4.00 and the boots were £3.99.

It was an amazing opportunity to get out there & network.  It was so interesting asking straight size models and fashionistas whether they believe that the Plus-size ladies had a place at London Fashion Week.  I expected people to be hesitant or be caught unawares by such a question, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how welcome we were, everyone I interviewed was very PRO-Curve which in my opinion is a huge stepping stone for the plus size community.

I was proud to be involved and it was so much fun to be snapped all over the place.

I had an amazing time on both days xx 






Models of Diversity casting for the Ideal Home Show

#curvemodel
This was an amazing experience, it was my first proper casting, so the feedback & advice that was given by the panel of judges was priceless.  Such a learning curve!  I made some new friends & contacts & also got the chance to spend some time with my #MCUK family, what more could you ask for?!

All in all, this was definitely a highlight of my year so far :)


New Project/Collaboration for 2015 with Ms Curvaceous UK

#MCUK
I was approached today by Theo of Streamline Empire, the brains behind +Ms Curvaceous UK to become an Ambassador of the MCUK Brand.  I am positively brimming with excitement at the prospect of such a huge opportunity.

 It is a real chance for me to promote a movement that is very close to my heart.  The MCUK brand represents real women, offering them a chance to shine regardless of their size.  Modelling has always been something that I have wanted to aspire to do, but because of my weight, body shape and dental issues I never had the confidence to take that step.  MCUK changed that in 1 day!  It altered my perspective on what is possible, it brought me one step closer to a dream that I never thought possible.

When I happened across a tweet about the chance to attend a FREE Plus Size Modelling workshop in London hosted by MCUK, I was beside myself.  I instantly signed up thinking #YOLO and what the hell did I have to lose.  At the same time I signed up to audition for the MCUK competition.  Now at that time I knew that with NO experience as a model, just a distinct love for a #selfie I had virtually no chance of making it through the audition, what I was sure of was the experience I would have would be a lasting memory and chance to prove to myself that I am capable of achieving anything in this lifetime.

 What I did not bargain for, was the friends I made, the opportunities it gave me and the fun I had.

 I walked into that room with no expectations, a blank canvas ready to see what MCUK had to offer. Based on the common misconception many people have about modelling, I expected to be greeted with a group of women with a frosty, up-tight attitude. I was wrong!

 I met a group of gorgeous, kind-hearted and inspiring women who to this day I remain friends with. Each one of those woman had a story to tell and I feel blessed and honoured to have met each one of them.

The day was empowering, the stories shared made me feel at ease and proud to be a part of such a movement.

 Now I am not entirely sure what being an Ambassador of the brand involves, but I have the opportunity to get involved with the Ms Curvaceous UK 2015 Grand Finale, write for the "Why Not Plus" blog and many other opportunities.

 From my understanding of the MCUK brand, they want to inspire and encourage women of all shapes and sizes to embrace their naturally curvaceous bodies. To change the media's mindset towards REAL women, to provide plus size models with a recognisable avenue within the industry to become noticed and not for the wrong reasons. To show that all women are beautiful regardless of size.

 Promoting self-empowerment, body confidence, self-love and acceptance is something that drives me.  I want to inspire people to love the skin they're in.  If these people want to change their lifestyles along the way to become healthier, happier and more confident people then that is a bonus and I am all for that.  However I am a firm believer that confidence starts from within; accepting your flaws and loving yourself has gotta start with number one (you) Each one of us has a journey to embark on and I want to help people achieve their dreams, by empowering them to be the best versions of themselves possible.

 I am on journey too and I hope that the support that I have gained from MCUK will continue to help me grow into the woman I want to be.

 I am extremely excited about the opportunity laid in front of me and I can feel that 2015 is going to be a very eventful year.

Finalists Announced for Ms Curvaceous UK

audition
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!!