The weather here in the UK has been pretty random over the last month with plenty of rain, flooding and dark grey skies.  This morning when I woke up, the sunshine was blaring through my window which was an extremely welcome sight.  I decided to wear something that was made of thinner fabric as it looked really warm outside.

Today's outfit of the day mainly consists of New Look.  I am a fan of their bodycon dresses because they are so reasonably priced.  This floral print bodycon dress is a beautiful colour - mainly based on a darker background with peach, pink and grey flowers. It's bang on trend for Spring and I absolutely love this colour combo!   At a price tag of £9.99 you really can't go wrong can you!

With my bodycon dress, I am wearing a pink mohair jacket. This too is from New Look and when I saw it the first time I absolutely fell in love.  I think it works really well with these types of dresses because it can keep you slightly warmer until it really warms up this summer.  This jacket also comes in two other colours, a mint green which I also adore and a cream/beige colour.  The pink is very feminine and I love wearing it.  The shoes I am wearing are slightly off colour compared to the jacket, but they pick out the peach colour in the dress. 

Accessories wise, this outfit doesn't need many.  There's no point in bracelets unless you plan to take off the jacket so I kept it simple.  This gorgeous statement necklace is actually going to be part of my new jewellery boutique online!  Stay posted for further details but it is something I have been working on for a while and let's just say I am extremely excited about it.  Within my boutique I will have pieces that I have sourced but also handmade jewellery made by myself.  

 

Floral Bodycon Dress: New Look, £9.99, Size 16, Pink Mohair Textured Coat: New Look, £54.99, Size 16 (slightly too small), Heels: Select, Necklace: My new boutique COMING SOON!

Just after Christmas, a week before our wedding we took part in an engagement (pre wedding) photoshoot so that our wedding photographer, Charlie could get used to poses and the way which we work together in photos. 

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing and even Mr FH enjoyed himself too!  We spent an afternoon in a relaxed sculpture garden and I spent ages planning what I was going to wear! I wanted something quite colourful to stand out against the dreary January weather so I decided to choose my Rose Lace Print dress from Simply Be.  I ordered this just before Christmas because I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it on the website.  It has gorgeous sheer black lace arms and a beautiful red, cream and black rose pattern across the dress.  I ordered a size 18, however on reflection although the dress isn't stretchy I think a 16 would have been better because it's a little roomy and the lace arms aren't tight against my skin. On the day of the photoshoot, the sunshine glistened and we were very lucky to get some beautiful pictures.

The quality of the dress is outstanding and the length is a little more modest than some of my other dresses which made it a perfect choice for our engagement shoot.  This rose print dress is currently on offer on the Simply Be website for £31.50 which is very reasonable for such a stunning dress, however only limited sizes are left.  I am even tempted to order the size 16 and keep both!

I wore my dress with gorgeous red heels from New Look and a red coat which was also from New Look many years ago.  The coat is a little too small for me, but it looked lovely on even if I couldn't do it up!  My bracelets were also from New Look, and came in a set of 3. Anyway, let the pictures do the talking (and if anyone needs a wedding photographer, Charlie covers nationwide and also destination weddings, so if you need her details just ask me!)

 

Dress: Rose Lace Print Dress, Simply Be, Size 18, Currently £31.50.
Red Heels & Bracelets: New Look, Red Coat: New Look (size 12 - far too small!)

I would go as far as saying this is now my favourite dress. It makes you feel absolutely gorgeous and I hope you like a sneak peek of our engagement photos (wedding ones coming very soon!) Two thumbs up for Simply Be again! x

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! 

I'm late... I know... I'm very late with these challenges and all I can say is that I'm putting it down to real hectic life, the weather and my cold that has knocked me for six.  I decided today that although I still have my cold that I was going to get myself all dressed up to make myself feel better and to make myself look more human.  There's only so long you can lounge about in fleece pyjamas right!? (Major perk of working from home though!).

Today's Style It My Way Challenge is from week 4 - Bodycon. I still have week 5 and this week to style and will aim to do that asap so that I am back on schedule.  The outfit I have chosen for the bodycon challenge is the same outfit that I wore to Plus North 2013 for the day event, minus a belt.

I am completely new to bodycon and if someone had suggested to me 5 years ago to wear it I would have told them where to go.  I always thought that bodycon actually meant "Body Conscious" and was corrected at Plus North that it means Body Confidence by a group of lovely bloggers and I felt like such an idiot! 

I am a lot more comfortable with my body and the way I look these days so when I saw this mini dress in New Look, I immediately loved the print and thought "What the heck!" and tried it on and here is the result...

 

 

Bodycon Mini Dress: New Look, £14.99 - Size 18,
Faux Leather Jacket, New Look, £39.99 - Size 18, Statement Necklace: New Look, £12.99, Ankle Boots: Tesco, £19.50 - Size 4

I'm like a walking advert for New Look! In all honesty I was panicking about what to wear to Plus North so found everything I needed in one go.  I love putting outfits together in a shop - it's so much fun!   Both the dress and the jacket are available up to a size 18 and the dress comes in either a mini style or midi if you'd like it that little bit longer.  I'd say that a size 20 would easily fit into the dress, but the jacket is kind of snug - I can just about do it up.

At Plus North, my necklace was commented on a lot which made me feel really great about myself and although I don't think I would wear a bodycon dress without some sort of jacket over the top just yet, I have since ordered 2 more bodycon dresses that will be arriving in the next few days.  They are sure to make an appearance on the blog soon!

I'm a little late with this one although technically the new challenge doesn't start until today...  This weeks challenge involved styling an outfit suitable for a wedding guest and I have to admit I have really struggled with my wardrobe to get anything suitable. 

We all agreed not to buy anything specific to complete these challenges and I have stuck to that and have come up with an outfit which used pieces from my wardrobe and budget ones at that!

 

Dress: Primark, £14, Statement Necklace: New Look, £12.99, Hairband: unknown,
Charm Bracelet: Vintage Blush*, Heels: Select

I think that if I was invited to a wedding in the near future I would probably go out and buy something new as I feel this dress is a little short for a wedding and definitely wouldn't work for an Autumn/Winter wedding...  Check back next week for the "Denim" Style It My Way Challenge and I can't wait to see how everyone else styles it!

It's time for my second review of ASOS Curve and this time it is something completely out of my comfort zone.... BODYCON!   Apart from an unworn black lace bodycon dress that I bought last Christmas that disguises all my lumps and bumps I haven't really experimented with this style before because I am quite conscious of my tummy area and wobbly bits! I decided to steer away from my safe choices and review some clothing that I wouldn't normally choose to wear.  This makes for impartial reviews rather than everything being perfect all of the time.

 

 

Bodycon dress in mirror floral print: ASOS Curve, currently reduced to £31.50,
Necklace: Unknown, Bracelets: New Look & Unknown, Heels: Next

What I particularly liked about this bodycon dress, apart from the print which is absolutely gorgeous and unique, was the length.  A lot of the bodycon dresses are cut very short and I think that the extra length gives it a bit more class.  I think that I would need a lot more confidence to wear this dress out in public without some sort of jacket semi-covering myself up.  I am wearing shapewear underneath the dress from Marks and Spencer (£29.50) to smooth out my lumpy bits.  

The reason I decided not to wear a jacket or cardigan for this review is so that you can get a full view of the print of the dress.  I am wearing a size 18 which fits perfectly and is quite tight (this also helps with smoothing out any love handles!).  The dress is made very well in a soft, stretchy jersey fabric and is available on the ASOS website in the sale currently reduced from £45.00 down to £31.50, however only a size 20 and size 28 are left in stock. 

 I think that this dress is worth the price tag as it is well made and beautiful but I think I need a bit more experience in bodycon and confidence to be able to rock it as well as the model on the ASOS Curve website (Mr FH doesn't agree with that statement and he absolutely loves it!).  I have one more item to review for ASOS Curve but I am very impressed with the quality of their items and I aim to make them a regular on the site :) If you haven't already checked out their ever changing range of clothing made especially for a size 18 to 26/28, you won't regret it... it's awesome!

If I had to choose another item of clothing that I couldn't live without apart from dresses, I would have to choose pencil skirts.  I love pencil skirts as they skim over my hips but aren't too revealing since they generally come just to or below the knee - they look classy and can be smart or dressed down slightly for a more casual occasion.

Tonight's Outfit of the Evening features a new pencil skirt that I picked up from Primark.  I can't remember the exact price but I think it was around £8 - absolute bargain.  I have seen other bloggers posting similar skirts with a cartoon / comic strip print on but I could not resist the "Stained Glass Window" effect so opted for that instead.

 

 

 Pencil Skirt: Primark (£8 I think!) - size 18, Spaghetti Vest: Select, £3, size 14 (I like them tight!), Sheer Black Blouse & Bracelets: New Look - size 18, Boots & Belt: Unknown, Necklace: Alchemy Gothic, approximately £25.

I have teamed my pencil skirt with a black spaghetti strapped top and a sheer blouse over the top.  This blouse is really cool because I can roll up the arms and fasten them with buttons, or wear it as a long sleeved blouse.  I have gone a bit gothic with this look as I have also included black boots and a gorgeous oversized cross necklace from Alchemy Gothic and bracelets from New Look.

I really love this look and it's a bit different to my normal girly style.  I hope you like it too - seriously, go get the pencil skirt it is stretchy, comfy and a bargain! :)

I'm so excited that this challenge is finally here!  Week one of the "Style It My Way" challenge is to present a maxi dress or skirt in your own style!  For my challenge I played it safe with one of my favourite ways to wear a maxi dress.  Team it with a cardigan and some gorgeous jewellery and away we go! 

 

 Halter Neck Dress: Imported (Going to be selling them if anyone is interested
please get in touch), size XXL, Cardigan: New Look, Size 18, Bracelets: Unknown,
Shoes: George @ Asda, £6

I absolutely love this halterneck maxi dress. The colours are really vibrant and I also love the added halterneck straps which feature a big wooden circle and beads.  There really is no need to wear a necklace with this style of dress. I am going to be importing a bunch of them (unfortunately they only come in XXL which fits a UK size 18 to 20, possibly a 22 with a small bust) as I think they would be really popular and they also come in a number of colours too.

I can't wait to see how everyone else has styled their maxi dress/skirt! :) Here's to the start of a really fun and interesting challenge.  If you'd like to take part, get in touch! 

I really love my "Outfit of the Day" today.  Past seasons collide in this outfit with an AX Paris floral dress that is a black base colour with beautiful floral print in reds, purples and yellows.  I have matched it with a red polka dot cardigan which I think actually works, especially with my red heels.  It's a mix of prints and patterns but it's a lovely vibrant look that suits a day such as today when it isn't as sunny and will also work in Autumn.

I managed to get my AX Paris dress on ebay.  I missed out when it was originally for sale, so to pick this dress up for £8 was an absolute bargain.  This dress doesn't need any necklaces due to its gorgeous print however I am wearing a selection of bracelets that are mostly from New Look.  I would love to get some red bracelets splashed in there too when I find some I like.

My cardigan is from the previous "Bay Trading Company" so it must be pretty old as they are no longer in business.  Overall, I feel really lovely in this outfit, possibly a little overdressed to be going to the doctors but hey ho! That's me! 

Dress: AX Paris (size 20), Cardigan: Bay Trading Company (Size 16),
Bracelets: New Look, Heels: New Look

Today's outfit of the day is my birthday present from my mum from Simply Be.  This paisley print split leg maxi dress is the one that I saw on a review by MrsBeBe and I loved how she wore it with a denim jacket.  When I saw it in the sale, I knew that it would be a great buy for just £20 - and would also save my mum some money too for my birthday.

This dress is still available on the Simply Be website, however I don't think it is in the sale at the moment.  I haven't got a denim jacket or gilet as I haven't found one that suits me yet, plus I can't really copy someone elses outfit of the day (as tempting as it is!) so I have combined my maxi dress with a peach floaty cardigan and bracelet from New Look, a delicate peach necklace from Primark and some comfy low wedges which are quite old and I haven't a clue where they were from.

 

Split Leg Paisley Print Maxi Dress, Simply Be, Currently £40.00, Cardigan and
Bracelet: New Look, Necklace: Primark, £1 - bargain! Shoes: Unknown

What I particularly like about this dress is the print.  It does look a bit different to the website photos, but I think that it is very fashionable and perfect for the festival season.  It would work for daytime or evening wear, however I think that it looks better as a day dress. I have bought a new brown belt to wear over the elasticated waist with a different cardigan or jacket too for a completely different look.

Simply Be have a 60% sale on at the moment, which includes a similar paisley print dress, however it is higher necked and doesn't have the split leg, but it does look very pretty.  At only £18.50, you could achieve a similar look - I am tempted but I don't want to be in trouble with Mr FH for all my recent purchases when we have a wedding to save for! :) 

What glorious weather!  It has been absolutely gorgeous the last few days here in this part of the UK which is fantastic because it means I can keep wearing dresses and skirts.  Today's outfit is a dress that I have had for a year or two however I noticed my local Select have been a bit naughty and brought it back out for this summer on the sale rail!

This black and cream dress is made from a slinky stretchy fabric but has an almost floaty feel about it.  It has a variable hem line and a line of black lace near the bottom.  With quite a plunging neckline it works for both day or night.

To complement my dress, I have added a short black cardigan which is great for any colder evenings.  Jewellery wise I have chosen a gold coloured statement necklace from Wallis and black and gold feather earrings from New Look.  Finally, the outfit is completed with my extremely high heels from Next.

 

Dress: Select, size 18, Statement Necklace: Wallis, Earrings & Cardigan: New Look, Heels:  Next

For part 2 of my plus size summer 2013 dress picks I decided to head over to the New Look website and see what they had to offer in their Inspire range.  Normally I am not very impressed with this range and I generally try and squeeze my bum into their main range which doesn't always work out as intended.  This time, however I have been genuinely shocked by the amount of dresses that I like the look of on the New Look website which is possibly lethal!

First up, this absolutely gorgeous "Sienna Black and Pink Floral Maxi Dress".  After such success with the Scarf Print Maxi Dress that Simply Be sent me to review, I have an even bigger love for maxi dresses and this New Look one has a gorgeous bold print with pink and purple flowers and a splash of yellow.  It is available in sizes 16 to 26 and has little spaghetti straps.  It doesn't have a shirred back or front, however I imagine that it is stretchy due to the material it is made from.  I have a feeling that this dress would be a bit more clingy than my Simply Be maxi dress so I would possibly order a size up.  This dress is one of New Look's online exclusives meaning that it is not available in stores.

Sienna Black and Pink Floral Maxi Dress - New Look, £30.00

The second dress that caught my eye on the New Look website was the "Inspire Cream and Pink Floral Crochet Neck Sleeveless Dress" which is a really feminine and girly looking dress.  I'm not sure if the colours would be a little too pale on me, however if it is in store when I next go shopping I am definately going to try it on to see if it suits me.  At the moment I am really into pale peach, cream and mint and this dress has a beautiful cream base with peach and beige flowers with a splash of blue.  It has a gorgeous crocheted neck line and a tie back - with an elasticated waist as far as I can tell from the photos.

This dress has other variants available in different fabrics and colours - including a plain navy chiffon version and a darker beige/peach plain version too however I think that the one I have chosen to showcase is the cutest out of the bunch.  It is available in a UK size 18 to 28 and is sleeveless so if you're anything like me with a wobbly upper arms, this would look super cute with a pale blue or peach cardigan.  I'd even be tempted to try it with a denim gilet - even though it would have no sleeves! At £22, this dress is extremely reasonable.

 Inspire Cream and Pink Floral Crochet Neck Sleeveless Dress - New Look, £22.99

Finally, the last summer dress that really caught my eye on the New Look website is another maxi dress - "Inspire Black V Neck Paisley Maxi Dress" - I think this dress would be a lot more flattering than the first maxi dress I have featured due to it's colour, print and also cut.  This dress is primarily black with a beautiful grey and white paisley print detail across the bust and again at the bottom of the dress.  It has a V-neck neckline which would be flattering for fuller busts and the best part about it is the price and the wear you would get out of a dress like this.  You could team it with wedges for a simple day look, or killer heels and some statement earrings for a more sophisticated day look.

It is showing up as low in stock and only available in a size 18 or 20 UK so if you love it... order it now! :)  

Inspire Black V Neck Paisley Maxi Dress - New Look, £26.99

Due to the amount of dresses that I could have listed, I am going to do another post for New Look specifically for plus size evening/prom dresses for 2013.  It's been many years since I went to my school prom but there are some delicious dresses available with much more choice than when I was a teenager!

Okay I maybe cheating slightly as this is actually yesterday's outfit but it has been so cold, rainy and windy here today that I have lounged about in jeggings and a peach V-neck jumper - so not stylish! :)  This outfit includes my brand new bargain dress from Select.   I tried it on a few weeks ago in our local store but I sadly put it back on the hanger as I was being good for a change.  

Last week I ventured back in as it's always good to browse - (but never a good sign when the shop assistants start to recognise you and ask how you are lol!) and the dress was still there.  This time, I wasn't so virtuous and it somehow magically jumped onto the till.  Saying that, I thought £12 for a summer dress was a complete bargain and it is a dress that I will practically live in all summer if the weather holds out.

Floral Dress (Size 18 UK):  Select, Pink Cardigan (Size 16 UK): New Look, Pink Heels (Size 4 UK): New Look, Bracelet: Borrowed from Mum (Notice a theme here!?)

I decided to brighten up my new dress a bit with a bright pink cardigan which was originally from New Look and my fabulous pink heels, also from New Look a few summers ago.