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.

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! 

If you're a regular reader of my blog, you'll know that I am a complete sucker for partywear especially when it comes to Christmas!  Every year, my mum and I normally treat ourselves to a new Christmas Day dress/outfit.  This year, with the wedding fast approaching might be the first year in a while that I break the tradition but with so much temptation around... it's going to be difficult!

After experiencing Simply Be's party dresses previously including the Paper Dolls brand it was my first port of call when I decided to look online at the variety of dresses available this year.  There are some absolute beauties so here are my favourite picks...

Short Embellished Prom Dress, £160.00, Simply Be

I first spotted this gorgeous short embellished party dress in the Simply Be catalogue and I have been drooling over it ever since.  I'm not normally someone who wears white/ivory, but it looks so stunning and pure - I even contemplated changing out of my wedding dress into this one in the evening on my wedding.  The detail on the website is a little unclear.  I'm not sure if this dress has an elasticated back similar to my previous purchases or if it is completely fitted.  Either way, in the right size this dress would make you stand out from the crowd of black and red dresses that are in fashion this year.

The embellishments look very detailed and as shown in the photo above, this dress would look stunning with nude sparkly accessories or even silver to complement the beading on the dress.  This dress isn't cheap, and is currently £160.00 but even the frugal part of me is sorely tempted.  Available in a size 14 to 32, with some sizes selling out already grab it before it's gone... (now where's my bank card!)

Next up is something similar in shape but complete opposite in colour!  I have noticed that red and black are cropping up in this years winter party dresses so why not combine the two with this absolutely jaw dropping floral dress with lace sleeves!  

Rose printed dress with lace sleeves, Simply Be, £45

In my opinion, this dress looks a lot more exquisite than £45 so it makes it a perfect bargain for a plus size party dress for this year.  What I like about this dress is the lace detailed sleeves and the vibrant print.  I like how they have styled this dress with a bundle of necklaces in an almost punk feel.  I would probably combine this dress with either black or possibly bright red accessories depending on the mood I was in.

Another bonus about this beautiful dress is that every single size is still available on the Simply Be website from a UK 12 to 32.  From looking at the detailing, this dress isn't elasticated or stretchy so I would probably go for my normal size for fitted dresses.  I would love to know your thoughts on this dress as I fell in love with it as soon as I noticed it!

*PLEASE NOTE* This dress is currently on sale for £36... so I just ordered it myself!! :) 

The wedding planning is pretty much done which means I can get back to my passion of blogging!  I have missed it so much and felt like I have let my readers down....To get back into the swing of things, I have an amazing offer for my readers and it's all about Yours Clothing.  Let me explain how I found this awesome retailer...

I first heard of Yours Clothing from another plus size fashion blog (I think it may have been What Laura Loves).  and of course met with Charlotte at Plus North where I had a good nosey on their rail they had displaying their clothes.  After the event, I also popped into their store in the Arndale centre to have a look at a wider range of their offerings.  I was being very good in Manchester and trying not to spend too much money due to the cost of the hotel and travel so I came away empty handed.

Regularly, I look online at what new items are available across a wide number of online stores and Yours Clothing is no exception.  I guess it's similar to window shopping but if I see something that I really love and would hate for it to be sold out, i'll place an order.  In January hopefully my normal shopaholic self can return!  

What I really like about Yours Clothing is that the clothes on offer aren't all old fashioned - they have some really on trend pieces suitable for all age groups.  There is nothing worse than having an online plus size clothing brand that is set on covering you up from head to toe - or everything being extremely baggy and unflattering.  Yours Clothing does neither of these things yay!

Here are a few of the recent items that I have picked out to share with you...

Firstly, I'm not going to make a clothing post without including a dress!  With Winter on it's way, I think that there is more of a need for darker dresses so that they don't look out of place and this purple and black flock skater dress really suits the season.  It is a stretchy dress made with viscose and elastane and I don't know about you but in this weather I really like to eat warming, comforting foods like stew and pasta and meatballs so I always put on a few pounds!  This dress is available in a 16 to 26 (the 26 is currently out of stock) and is a really reasonable £30.  

One thing I think this dress offers is versatility.  Combine it with ankle boots and a leather jacket for an on trend daytime look or alternatively, a paid of killer heels with a gorgeous embellished or lace jacket/cardigan would suit evening wear for a meal out or party.
 

 

Purple and black short sleeve flock print skater Dress, Yours Clothing, £30

Second up, a warm jumper!  I must admit I am a little less creative with my outfits for Autumn/Winter purely because I don't really own much for this season! I am not really a fan of this new trend of Christmas jumpers so I'll stay safe and showcase a jumper that you would wear out in public!

This nude coloured "LOL" jumper is still a bit quirky but a little less offensive than dressing yourself up as a Christmas pudding or with a bunch of reindeer on your tummy.  I love the colour of this and I think that with a pair of blue jeans and some nude coloured heels, this look would still be quite glamorous rather than another boring jumper.  This jumper is available in sizes 16-26 and is £25.  What I particularly like about this jumper is that it looks warm and cozy and although I can't feel the fabric through a computer monitor, I'd hope that it was soft too.  

 

 Nude 'LOL' Slogan Knitted Jumper, Yours Clothing, £25

Needing a new coat this winter?  I already have a cream faux fur jacket, but I need a black one too ,right?  This black faux fur coat looks absolutely gorgeous and would be perfect for a cold night out or a "date night" meal.  It's available in a size 16 to 28 and is really good value at £60.  I imagine that it would be really comfortable to wear and stylish too, without being too garish.

Faux Fur Black Coat, Yours Clothing, £60

I hope you'll agree that I have been a bit more practical with my picks from Yours Clothing, yet all of the items I have chosen are also very trendy and beautiful.  You don't need to look frumpy when it's cold!  

Now onto my amazing offer.  Yours Clothing have given me a discount code for all new customers, on full priced items...  £10 off a £20 spend.  Simply use the discount code BLOGGER10 when you are checking out and this will be applied to your order...   How cool is that!?






 

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 was reading my daily dose of fashion blogs when I stumbled across Betty Pamper from Pamper and Curves most recent blog update - "Are you size wise".  I found this post very intriguing because it explained about a new tool that the brand Marisota had released to see the difference in what we think we are and what we really are.

I thought I would give this tool a go.  Before I started, I had to choose a body size that I thought best represented me.  Easy so far.   You aren't asked what "shape" you think you are, however for years I have assumed that I am an apple and at high risk of heart problems etc which if I'm honest has been worrying me...

Once I had clicked on the body size that I thought I was, the tool then asked me for my measurements.  I have these to hand as I have been measuring these for the last few months since I started spinning.  I don't mind sharing these with you - I am currently a 42, 37, 47.  My ass has actually come down from 50 inches since I started spinning.

Once the tool calculates your measurements, it then loads a screen which shows you what your actual size is compared to what you thought you were.  I over-estimated my size by 17.5%!!!  That is how warped my view of my own body is.... the one that I look at in the mirror daily.  Betty Pamper also over estimated the size she was too by over 22%.  I am prepared to bet that 85% of women would over estimate how big they think they are.  

This tool also told me that I am a pear shape.  I guess from looking at my measurements that does make sense but I have never considered myself as a pear.  I have chubby love handles and back fat and I've never really considered my ass to be that big before... up until now!

Why don't you have a go and see what you come up with by clicking here... I'd be interested to know your results!

As you all know, Plus North is approaching fast so I finally to step foot in a Simply Be store for the first time.  I am becoming a big fan of ordering clothes online however nothing beats the feeling of stepping into a changing room armed with loads of clothes and trying them on right there and then!  My plan for the weekend involves going to the exhibition and then head into the Simply Be store where I hope all of my favourite Autumn / Winter 2013 pieces will be.

I have to be relatively good though - with the wedding fast approaching, I must resist temptation to spend lots on clothes for the next few months but I will allow myself one item if I really love it as I don't know when I will next get the chance to visit the store.

So what are my favourite pieces of this upcoming season?  Let's take a look now...

First up, a houndstooth illusion dress with leather look trims. If I'm being honest with myself I don't think that this dress would suit me which really sucks due to my body shape. If it is in store I may try it on anyway.  I like this dress because it's perfect for business meetings, not too short and uses the current trend of illusion dresses with a bit of a twist. I guess in a way it almost looks like a top and a pencil skirt.

Houndstooth illusion dress with leather look trims, £65

This dress is available on the Simply Be website in sizes 14 to 32 and is £65.  

I know that I should really be varying my wardrobe a bit as all I seem to buy lately are dresses but I love the way they make you feel that bit more feminine.  I don't feel the same when I am wearing jeans.  My second pick is another dress, this time one that I would team with knee boots if I can ever find a pair that fits!

This lace trim folk dress is perfect for this season with colours that really work for Autumn yet it has that added elegance of the lace trim to make it look that bit sexier.  At only £40 it's a bit of a steal too and I can't wait to try it on.   It is on the Simply Be website in sizes 12 to 32 (although the 26 is out of stock at the moment).

Simply Be Lace Trim Folk Dress, £40

I was torn between my final pick - there are some gorgeous Lovedrobe dresses now available on the Simply Be website but after seeing Cass from Plump Parsnip in this final dress I really do think it is beautiful.  The Anna Scholz Print Peplum dress is a mix of colours in a blurred floral print and although I don't normally do peplum I'm keen to give it a try!  This dress is £75 so a bit more expensive however I have heard great things about Anna Scholz so I think that it would be worth the money. It is also available in sizes 14 to 32.

Anna Scholz Printed Peplum Dress, £75, Simply Be

What are your favourite pieces from the Autumn / Winter collection?

Whenever I think of ladies swimwear shopping there is immediate dread across my face because there's no way to hide any lumps and bumps that are on my body and I am quite conscious of my tummy and big arms.  

I do wear swimsuits when I am on holiday but I'm going to let you into a little secret of mine - I can't actually swim and never learned how to as a child.  I have always bought swimsuits that have secret hidden panels in to suck in my tummy and I have never worn a bikini EVER!

Sports Direct got in touch with me to see if I would like to review their swimwear range and at first I was a little hesitant due to having to post photos of me in the swimsuits then I decided that I would face my fear and have a go!  I must admit I'd never considered looking in sports direct for swimwear before...

The lovely people at Sports Direct let me choose a couple of items that I thought would suit me so I chose a polka dot swimdress (I've never worn one of these before) and a simple black halterneck swimsuit both by the brand Ocean Pacific (Op).  I was surprised by how much choice they had in their ladies swimwear range, but I wasn't brave enough to try a bikini!

First up, the polka dot swimdress.  I love the idea of these as they cover slightly more of my upper thigh than a normal swimming costume.    Their swimdress comes in two colours, plain black or navy blue polka dot.  I chose the blue as it reminds me of the retro look and I thought it would look really cute with a pair of kitten heels for walking around the pool in! I chose to wear this swimdress with a pair of white low wedges from Marks and Spencer (previous season).

 

Ocean Pacific (Op) Polka Dot Swimdress*: Sports Direct, £9.99,

Wedges: Marks and Spencer

I am wearing a size 16 in this swimdress which helps to hold my tummy in a little.  The material is very good quality and overall I think this swimdress has been well made.  It also has spaghetti straps and padded underwired bra cups.  The only downside to this swimdress was that even though the cups were padded and underwired I still felt like they didn't give me much lift or boost and that I was maybe a little flattened by it in the chest area. 
I mentioned this earlier, but I really love the length of this swimdress as it hides my upper thighs and I would be happy to wear this in / around the pool.  I don't even feel like I need to wear a kaftan to cover up in this swimdress.  I think that swimdresses are a style I will be definitely beinvestigating more in the future. This Ocean Pacific (Op) swimdress is available from Sports Direct at an extremely reasonable price of £9.99 and is available up to a size 18.   

The second item that I chose from the ladies swimwear range at Sports Direct was a black halterneck plunging neckline swimming costume again from Ocean Pacific (Op) at Sports Direct.  This swimsuit is plain black  but is also available in a black and white floral print.  I opted for the black because of it being a little more slimming.

 

 

 

Ocean Pacific Halterneck Swimming Costume*: Sports Direct, £7.00,
Wedges: George @ Asda, £7.00

I really love this swimming costume even though it doesn't hold my tummy in and would benefit from a slimming panel.  At £7.00 you can't really expect that though and I am impressed by how it looks on.  This swimming costume feels extremely flattering and the neckline is super sexy. Perfect for the honeymoon!  I am wearing a size 16 again in this swimming costume.  The halterneck can be adjusted to make it tighter or looser and this swimming costume also has underwires and added padding in the cups.

I think that I would probably wear a sarong around my waist while walking around the pool just to cover up the tops of my legs but the good thing about this costume is that it isn't particularly high cut in the legs.  There is perfect coverage for my rather big bottom and it isn't too low cut in the back.  This swimming costume is only £7.00 which is unheard of in my world!  For the slimming panel swimsuits I have previously bought I have paid up to £40.00 each which really is quite a rip off when Sports Direct are selling equally comfortable and beautiful swimming costumes for a fraction of that price.  I am very pleased with my choices for review and think that I will venture into a Sports Direct a bit more often than I used to as generally it was for Mr FH rather than myself!

Check out Sports Direct's full ladies swimwear range including tankinis, bikinis and swimming costumes.  Please note, I have not been paid for this review and all opinions are 100% my own as always! :)

Not long after I wrote an article about the new range of ASOS Curve jewellery that is due for release in August 2013 I got in touch with ASOS Curve and they were lovely, they sent me a few items to review.

I must admit I was very excited about this *insert squeal here* because although I have ordered accessories from ASOS before and one dress from their main range, I had never experienced ASOS Curve and I really love their fashion forward pieces.  For these reviews I decided to be a little more adventurous and instead of choosing things that I knew would suit me straight away I chose three items that were very different to my style even though there were three dresses I loved.  I have the opinion that if I always choose things that I am guaranteed to fall in love with it doesn't make very impartial reviews.

The first item I was sent to review is the ASOS Curve Quilted Jacket in Floral Print.  I was very unsure about the sizes since I've never tried any of their products before so I opted for a size 18.  I was delighted when it turned up - it fit perfectly, no gaping on the bust line due to my massive back.

This jacket is black with a multitude of different coloured flowers on it.  Pink, blue and orange are the other main colours that stand out on this jacket. It is very striking to look at and super comfy - made from polyester and a cotton lining it feels really smooth on your skin and although it isn't a lightweight jacket it doesn't pull you down with its weight and feels like it is a really high quality jacket.

When styling this jacket my first thoughts were to pair it with some skinny jeans and a black tank top however I noticed that this was how the model wore it on the website.  I took photos of this look anyway to show you all what it looks like on my frame/shape.  This jacket can be worn as both a casual jacket and a smart one though and is very versatile!  Try wearing it with a pencil skirt and the whole look changes completely just from changing one item of clothing (and shoes of course!).  

ASOS Curve Quilted Jacket in Floral Print *: ASOS Curve, currently £36.00,
Skinny Jeans: George @ Asda, £8, Tank Top: Select, £3, Cross Necklace: Select, £5.99, Ring: Unknown, Shoes: George @ Asda, £6. 

ASOS Curve Quilted Jacket in Floral Print *: ASOS Curve, currently £36.00,
Textured Pencil Skirt: Select, £8, Tank Top: Select, £3,
Ring: Unknown, Necklace: Star by Julien Macdonald @ Debenhams, Shoes: Morgan

This jacket is available over on the ASOS Curve section of the website in sizes 18 to 28 and is currently reduced from £45.00 to £36.00.  I would say that even at full price this jacket is worth every penny and will be a perfect addition to any Autumn wardrobe now the weather is cooling down substantially.

So far my experience of ASOS Curve is a very positive one and I actually went to place an order the day these review items arrived but unfortunately the dresses I had been drooling over previously were all out of my size so I am trying to decide what to order potentially to wear in the daytime at Plus North.

As a relatively new "wearer" of AX Paris, I am delighted that there is a new range of dresses available on the Simply Be website.  When I originally reviewed the AX Paris curve range on Simply Be I was extremely surprised by how lovely the clothes fitted and couldn't wait to make a purchase.  If you look back over my archives I ordered a leopard print high-low dress from an alternative online shop and again, the dress was simply divine.

When I noticed that Simply Be had a new range of dresses available for high Summer/Autumn I was eager to take a look into the new range, colours and styles available and here are some of my favourites that are on my wishlist...

First up there is a maxi dress and a short dress which is a very similar (if not the same) floral pattern.  I absolutely love both and can't choose which I like the best but based on the item I reviewed being a shorter dress,  I think I would stick with the shorter one as I know that it would suit me.

1) AX Paris Navy Floral Skater Dress, Simply Be, £32 in sizes 12 to 32.
2) AX Paris Navy Floral Maxi Dress, Simply Be, £38 in sizes 12 to 32.

The skater dress looks very similar in style to the light green floral dress I reviewed that you can see here.  If this is the case, I am extremely tempted by this dress - the print and colours are gorgeous and more suited for this time of year and it would work through Autumn.  

Next up are two lace dresses that have also caught my eye.  I'm a little less excited about these because one, I don't think peplum would suit my shape as much as I'd love to be able to pull off that look and secondly I'm nervous about the lace not being as bold and vibrant as the floral dresses.  My style is quite colourful so these two dresses are slightly less bold for my tastes, although they are very pretty...

3) AX Paris Lace Skater Dress, Simply Be, £40 in sizes 12 to 32. (26 is low stock)
4) AX Paris Lace Peplum Dress, Simply Be, £40 in sizes 12 to 32. (16, 18 and 20

If you've never tried the AX Paris brand at Simply Be, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The sizing was fantastic on the dresses I've tried so far and feels wonderful on.  Check out the whole collection here!


 

I'm posting this notice a little early as I am away this weekend without the Internet.  *Gasp* - I am a bit of an Internet addict and usually check my emails every day at least (even Christmas day!).  I am only away for one night but I just wanted to remind anyone who is taking part in the "Style It My Way Challenge" with me that it starts on Sunday 11th August :)

Week 1 is maxi dresses.  How would you style your maxi dress? What maxi dress would you choose for your style?  If anyone wants to join in with me and a few other ladies in a weekly fashion challenge we'd love to have you on board! 

Check back next week for my take on the Maxi Dress "Style It My Way Challenge".

For those of you who don't know who Gemma Collins is, where have you been!?  Gemma Collins is a plus sized star from the structured reality television show "The Only Way is Essex" or TOWIE for short.  I am going to be completely honest now and admit that I have never watched an episode but many of my friends do.  Even though I don't watch it, I know who Gemma Collins is.  I've seen her own official website, on the covers of magazines and more recently in a clothing line designed in collaboration with Simply Be.  

When I first saw the Gemma Collins' original collection on Simply Be, I felt that the dresses were either a little too figure hugging or too flouncy for my kind of style so I was very pleased when Simply Be announced they had released a new collection and this time it is much more suited in my opinion to curvier ladies like myself.  I really think that Simply Be and Gemma Collins have really got it right with a collection that includes maxi dresses and of course Gemma's signature bodycon style too. Let's take a look at a couple of the pieces now.

Gemma Collins Blue Printed Maxi Dress, Simply Be, £55

I have to say this is my favourite piece from the new collection.  I think the colours and print are absolutely stunning and it is perfect for these humid evenings we have been getting here in the UK.  At £55, the price of this dress may put some people off but when you consider that some of the maxi dresses in Gemma's physical store are £75 (yes £75!) the price of this dress doesn't seem that bad.  This dress is currently available in sizes 12 to 32, however many of the sizes are selling out fast so if you do love this dress it probably won't last long enough to end up in the sale.  

Gemma Collins Printed Panel Dress, £40, Simply Be
 

There couldn't be a Gemma Collins collection without bodycon in there somewhere.  I am a little nervous when it comes to bodycon because I am blessed with lovely love handles that I am trying to tame by taking up spinning!  (Scary!)  Gemma on the other hand rocks this new dress and what I love most about this dress is the illusion effect that is very flattering and the awesome tropical print panel to the front.  I can imagine being somewhere abroad and wearing this dress to dinner (providing my confidence kept up!).

If you are a little nervous about body con like I am, there is a saviour - shapewear.  Pop a basque under this dress and it will smooth out any bumps which is what I will do when I finally take the plunge and order a bodycon dress.

Gemma Collins said about the new collection: “I love the new pieces in my high summer collection and I can’t wait to see all the curvy girls working my summer bright designs! I can’t wait to wear all the pieces over the summer!”

See the full collection now over at Simply Be - which is your favourite? :)

My "Outfit of the Day" today is a really pretty look.  I must admit I haven't accessorised this outfit with any jewellery because i'm in a bit of a chill out mood.  This outfit features a gorgeous dress from Simply Be which is my opinion looks so much prettier in real life than in the photos on their website.  I imagined this dress to be quite dull in colour but it is vibrant and really pops out.  I absolutely love it.  It has an elasticated waist which makes it really comfy and I am wearing the size 20.  On the Simply Be website, this "Enchanted Print Dress" is still available but in very limited sizes, only size 12 and size 24 but it is an absolute bargain at £14!

Since the weather is starting to cool down a bit, I am wearing my dress with a light coloured denim jacket from Primark.  I have been looking for a denim jacket for a while now but I haven't found one that I really liked until now.  This jacket was only £16 and I am wearing the size 16.  It's a little tight but I quite like that look as I wouldn't wear it done up anyway.  I am also starting spinning every day so I may lose a few pounds and the smaller size seemed a better idea.  The dress has quite wide shoulder panels so I would happily wear it without a jacket.

As I mentioned earlier, other than my engagement ring I'm not wearing any jewellery.  I think I would probably wear a bunch of bracelets or pretty rings with this dress so that when I took the jacket off they were showing.  It definitely doesn't need any necklaces because the print is so bold and pretty.

Dress: Simply Be (Currently limited sizes £14), Denim Jacket: Primark, £16
(Please excuse the squinty eyes - hayfever is terrible at the moment!)

Considering I didn't own any Simply Be products before I reviewed them, I am getting quite a nice collection now!  Their autumn range has been released last week too!

I have been a fan of ASOS for a while now and have ordered items from their main brand jewellery, accessories and one of their bodycon dresses before (although I haven't worn it properly yet!) so imagine my excitement when I received an e-mail from ASOS Curve inviting me to view their up and coming collection of ASOS Curve Jewellery ready for Christmas!

Their new collection includes a lot of statement pieces and plenty of gold coloured pieces too.  I think that gold looks so much more luxurious than silver these days so I am pleased they have stuck with this colour scheme.  ASOS Curve jewellery has been designed for ladies like myself who are plus size so everything is made for a comfortable fit.  How many times have you tried on bracelets or rings in high street stores to find they simply won't fit?  Now this worry is gone with a specially designed jewellery range for curvier girls.

The new collection will be available from the ASOS website (Curve section) and prices start at only £6 so now fashionable jewellery is affordable too.  Let's take a look at some of the more unusual and exquisite pieces in this new range.

Gem Clasp Chain Necklace (Available from August 2013: £30)

This necklace is a statement necklace and a half!  I love the colours used and the amount of chainmaille/ring work too.  I think this necklace will be absolutely stunning combined with a party dress.

Lion Bear Bangles (Available from August 2013: £12)

I really like the simplicity of these bangles and at £12 for 2 of them, I think it will be a bargain.  You can wear these bracelets separately or together for a more impact look.  One of the things I love about these bracelets is that they both have a different texture, one looks smooth and the other has a diamond imprint on it.

Cameo Disc Earrings (Available from August 2013: £18)

These earrings are so unusual I had to give them a mention.  I do have pierced ears however I very rarely wear earrings because if they aren't made of real gold my earlobes swell up and go very red.  I have some sort of allergy (that I'm told is really common) to metals which means I'm pretty restricted when earrings are concerned.  That doesn't stop me though and for a special occasion I will wear a pair of earrings and put up with the pain the day after!  These earrings would look fantastic with a little black dress.  Gorgeous! 

Don't forget these items aren't for sale until August 2013 but there are plenty more in the new range that I know you'll fall in love with like I have.  Exciting times for a plus size girl!

After the dilemma of what to order the other week, I finally decided to take the plunge and buy the "Lovedrobe Blue Peacock Print Dress".  I ordered from an online store called Desire Clothing as they had it in their sale at only £16, whereas at the time of buying, the Lovedrobe website had it at full price (it is now reduced to £28 on their site too).

My first experience with Desire Clothing was a positive one.  I decided to pay for next day delivery because it was only £1 more expensive than standard and I am impatient.  After placing the order on a thursday evening and not receiving any e-mail dispatch notes on friday I started to panic.  I checked their website terms and conditions and it stated that next day delivery only applies on orders from Monday to Thursday at 3pm so I thought I'd made a bit of a dumb blonde mistake.  I was wrong - the dress arrived on Saturday while I was at the beach.  So far so good for Desire Clothing.

I opened it up and it looked stunning. The colours are really vibrant and the peacock print is very quirky.  I even think the neckline is quite unusual too - Mr FH said it was very "me".  From looking at the dress it wasn't stretchy and looked quite small.  I had ordered a size 20 just in case however in hindsight I wish I had gone up a size again!  

While I was trying the dress on, I noticed that the zip was very temperamental.  It kept getting stuck on the blue banding stripe around the dress.  The dress isn't as well made as some of the brands I own however for £16 I would say that it was of a reasonable standard.  I would quite like to try some more of the lovedrobe products to see if the sizing does come up small and to test out the quality.  

This dress has a long zip up the back and also has a blue underskirt lining.  The underlining makes the dress feel quite luxurious.  I was right though - it came up very small.  I own a number of size 20 fitted dresses and this one highlights my stomach area quite a bit.  I didn't really want to waste money by sending it back and getting a bigger one so I decided to keep it (the spinner bike will be here soon and I'm hoping to lose a few pounds).   The only other point I'd like to point out is that I think this dress would crease quite easily as you will see from the photos.

Peacock Print Dress: Lovedrobe @ Desire Clothing, £16. Wedges: Internacionale

I decided to wear my Lovedrobe peacock print dress with some strappy wedges from Internationale.  I have no other shoes / accessories at the moment that will match this dress so my mum is currently on a mission to find some bracelets in new look (bless her!)

Overall, I am pleased with the dress itself.  I don't think I would have paid full price for it but for the sale price of either £16 or £28 I think it's worth it.  I am disappointed with the sizing and am hoping that my tummy area is just really bloated from this heatwave *fingers crossed*.