The second item that I was sent to review for new UK brand, Taking Shape was the "Bloom" tunic, which is available in a deep red or teal colour in limited availability.  Teal is one of my favourite colours so I was really excited about trying it on.

Tunics are something that I have never really worn before so I was a little nervous about how it would look on and I must say that I still am not 100% convinced by wearing something that doesn't have any shape.  It is a completely different experience to my usual fitted skirts, tight dresses and jeans.

The size I am wearing is a medium, and in hindsight, this tunic was slightly too big for me and I think I could have got away with a small or an extra-small which is the size shown on the model on the Taking Shape website.  I quite like the length of the tunic in the bigger size because it looks more like a dress and I'm sure that with a big belt under my bust, I would feel a lot more comfortable and be able to wear it on a day out shopping or a nice lunch with the girls.

For the purpose of this review, I decided not to wear it with a belt, to get myself out of my comfort zone and into something different.  Apart from the sizing being very generous (I have recently lost a bit of weight before my wedding which probably made a difference), this tunic is really well made. It has a gorgeous material, which has a slightly sheer property to it in certain parts.  Because of the sheer pattern, I wore a black slip underneath it and black tights.  The tunic is retailed at £50, which when you consider it is more like a dress isn't too expensive. At the moment it is on offer on the Taking Shape website and in stores for just £19. 

My first experiences of Taking Shape have overall been really positive and the damask print trousers have become a staple part of my wardrobe.  I am excited to see what the Spring/Summer 2014 collection brings and I'm not giving up on tunics, just yet! :) 

 

 

 

Bloom Tunic: £50, currently reduced to £19, Taking Shape - Medium,
Tights: Marks and Spencer, Shoes: George @ Asda.

You've probably seen a lot of press regarding Taking Shape on other plus size fashion blogs and that's with good reason. Taking Shape are relatively new to the UK. They originally formed in Australia and aspire to be a plus size fashion brand for sizes 14 to 26.  I'd never heard of them before I noticed blog posts popping up over the Internet and then as luck would have it, Sarah got in contact with me to see if I knew about the brand and after a few emails back and forth, she offered me some items to review.  

After looking at the Taking Shape website, I noticed that a lot of the products were bright, bold prints with some gorgeous tunics and dresses along with more work suited trousers.  One of my immediate favourites was the Sugar Plum Velvet Coat and I'm sure you'll agree with me when you see it - it's so unique and looks extremely luxurious! 
 

 Sugar Plum Velvet Coat, Taking Shape, £125 in sizes 14 to 24.

I found it quite difficult to choose items to review due to many of the products I liked being out of stock in my size and there are a number of products that don't exactly match my usual style that I am comfortable with.  After browsing their website, I stumbled across some absolutely gorgeous trousers - Brocade Ponti Trousers.  I am a massive fan of the "Damask" print, which appears on my duvet covers and around my house in numerous places so when I saw these trousers I thought why not expand my love of this print to my clothing!  

Sarah kindly sent me a UK size 18 along with a tunic to review too which I did try on with the trousers but it was too long to wear together (my review of the tunic will come soon).  When my package arrived it was wrapped in a really lovely gym bag which had leaflets and a little catalogue explaining more about the brand.  It was a lovely surprise to receive just before Christmas Day and I tried everything on immediately - Now I'm going to let the photos do the talking...

Brocade Ponti Trousers: Taking Shape, £60 currently reduced to £35,

Snowflake Jumper: H&M, £14.99, Ankle Boots: Tesco, Bracelets: New Look

These trousers are very well made and feel lovely on. They have a slight stretch to them too and feel true to size.  Although you can't see the print very well on my photos, they have this gorgeous Damask print on them and I decided that due to the time of year and it being quite cold that I would team these trousers with a snowflake jumper which was from H&M.  Although this is quite a casual look for me, I think that the trousers and sequins on the snowflake jumper make it look a bit more luxurious and it's a look I will definitely wear out. 

I have bookmarked the Taking Shape website and although I can't justify spending £125 on a new coat at the moment with my wedding coming up, I will certainly be keeping an eye on it over the next few months! My experience of Taking Shape clothing so far has been great and it's always good to see a new plus size fashion brand that provides high quality and well made products that will last!