Tag Archives: Plus Size Fashion

Aug 27 2015

Upping my game for Huggies with Wardrobe Coaches Alicia and Kay

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To celebrate the fact that my new co-ambassador for Huggies Wipes is none other than the stupidly cool Fearne Cotton, I’m upping my game. If I ever have to sit beside her at a photoshoot (or even appear in the same frame, in the background, blurry and several feet away), in contrast to her I’ll look every inch the dowdy housewife.

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Despite my best efforts with #OpBabyWeight (well… I weighed myself twice, switched chips for grapes for like a whole week) I’m still fluctuating between a size 14-16. I read somewhere that drinking plenty of good old H2O and getting 8 hours sleep per night is the true secret to losing weight - that’s me destined to languish in the fat-zone then as I only drink wine from 11am and average 2 hours shut-eye thanks to Heidi & Dexter’s nighttime shenanigans.

So I’ve enlisted the A-team and put my wardrobe woes to Wardrobe Coaches Alicia and Kay - I know, fancy right?! I’m thinking they must meet lazy, flabby and cellulite-ridden mums all the time. Maybe a tweak or two to my wardrobe will miraculously streamline my lumpy body - sort of like squeezing a Cumberland Sausage. It’s definitely preferable to donning Lycra and breaking a sweat in a gym.

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So I asked Alicia & Kay this…

How do I dress my mummy bod? I’ve jumped from a curvy size 12 to a size 16 and tend to wear shapeless outfits. I have no idea how to feel sexy and confident again

Alicia & Kay say…

What’s fab is that you have curves! Mother Nature kindly gave them to you, and hiding them is a complete no-no. Don’t try and hide your figure and instead make the most of it.

Firstly, start with a good base. A decent bra is so important especially after having children and if you are large on the breast area. You’ll be surprised at how a bra can change your outfit, making your clothes fit better and hang nicely so that in fact, your whole outfit looks like a better fit and a your clothes a higher quality.

For bras, we’d suggest a brand like Prima Donna and avoid brands like Fantasie and Freya which tend to make boobs look matronly! Prima Donna are expensive but well worth the investment, trust us. Once you’ve purchased great bras, take good care of them by only ever hand washing them.

I say… I know I’m blessed with curves. I still have a pretty impressive bust that stays more or less where it did in my teens, and my waist does kind of nip in (albeit only briefly in-between gut and bum). Fortunately I owe a lot to Kim Kardashian who has made it cool to own a bum that has to be wedged into a tub chair at Costa.

Prima Donna is also a new one on me. I have tons of Fantasie and Freya bras and had not, until now, considered them matronly. In fact, I think Craig bought me most of these as a treat (I assume a treat for him rather than me). I hadn’t heard of Prima Donna until now, but a quick glance at the website and I’m sold. I haven’t aired my cleavage for years and maybe I should.

Dress for your positives

Something we encourage is thinking of your positives. Choose three things about your body that you love. Whether it’s your wrists, arms, legs, neck or even your ears, to feel more confident, learn to dress for your positives. The key to always looking and feeling amazing is knowing your positives, like your waist and legs! Choose your clothes wisely to accentuate these positive parts of your body and encourage confidence

I say… Righto - I pick my boobs, my lower legs, and my bum

Sleeve lengths and tailoring

Another important tip is sleeve length, make sure all of your jackets and coats sleeves finish just below your wrist bone not across the widest part of your hand as this will make your arms look shorter and wider.

A shorter sleeve will make you look slimmer, it might sound strange, but we know it really works! You don’t need to buy new blazers or jackets, instead you can have items tailored at a dry cleaners for a small fee.

Tailoring is a great way to adapt clothes to make you feel amazing in them, plus it’s very cost effective. You can spend a few pounds adding darts to tops, changing jacket lengths or changing hem lines rather than blowing the budget on new items.

I say… Hmm, Bingo wings out then. I’ve just looked back through some holiday snaps and it seems a mix of alcohol and sun led to me doing exactly this a few months back. I remain unconvinced anyone should see my arms, anywhere, ever.

Tailoring though, now this I can get onboard with. I definitely suit a shift dress. With sculpting knickers and a fair bit of sucking in, I love this look.

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Make the most of your assets

You talk about wearing shapeless outfits, you should be making the most of your waist! If you wear tops and blazers that nip in at the waist, you’ll feel sexier.
Also look at the length of tops you wear, there can be a temptation to wear longer tops to ‘hide’ parts of your body but wearing longer tops can make your legs look shorter. Instead, shorter tops that sit at the top of your jeans can accentuate your legs. Show off your assets, don’t hide them!

I say…. Alicia & Kay are right - the temptation is most definitely there to wear longer tops. In fact, I don’t think I’ve worn a top that doesn’t skim my thighs in some 5 years!

In need of some inspiration I headed to SimplyBe and picked out the tops below. Teamed with a pencil skirt these could work. Popping them with leggings, jeans or leather-look trousers, not so much (I can picture the camel toe now). I don’t mind tucking things in to high-waisted skirts - so long as they’re well structured and don’t roll down when I sit. Maybe this is the way forward for me…

So that’s it. Professional style advice for body conscious plus sized women! Enjoy guys!

 

May 27 2015

3 high fashion looks for ladies with curves

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Curvy ladies are finally being celebrated, in the media and even in high end modelling agencies; with Tess Munster leading the way when it comes to body acceptance and learning to love yourself. Her #effyourbeautystandards campaign is helping women all over the world come together to celebrate diversity in body shapes and to support each other, instead of shaming other women.

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The fashion world has also recently embraced this mantra, with high street stores offering something for everyone, including the curvier ladies who are looking for clothes that fit but are also on trend. Ignore ignorant people like Jamelia when they say that plus size clothes shouldn’t be allowed on the high street, just because you’re curvier doesn’t mean you shouldn’t look and feel good every single day.

Here are three high fashion looks for you to try out:

Embrace the crop top

Crop tops are a trend that isn’t going to disappear any time soon, so instead of shying away from them because you think you can’t pull one off because you’re curvy – just look how blogger gabifresh pulls it off.

Pair a high neck crop top with a tulle skater skirt for that cute Carrie Bradshaw look and finish off with strappy heels and a leather jacket draped around your shoulders. We can’t get enough of the skirt selection at BV (Blue Vanilla) for a high end, fairy tale look.

Knee high, thigh high, sky high

It doesn’t matter whether you are a size 6, 16 or 26, knee and thigh highs look amazing on everyone and don’t need to just be worn in boot form.

Pick up some knee high socks and pair them your favourite trainers and a loose t-shirt dress for sportswear chic, or alternatively get your hands on some tights featuring sheer thighs and suspender patterns. These look incredible with heels and a little black dress, the suspender elongates the leg and adds a sexy twist to a classic look. Red lipstick to finish the look off is a must.

Dare to double denim

Hear us out, because no matter how much we try to avoid it, double denim is here to stay and it’s a look the celebs like to play with too. Okay, it is probably best to avoid the Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake ensemble circa 2001, but double denim is definitely a look you can rock and one that designers, such as Gucci, embraced for the catwalk this year.

Curvy blogger Chante B. gets it right with this outfit, which combines a timeless pair of jeans, a denim shirt and a bright denim jacket thrown over the shoulders – see, not a denim cowboy hat in sight! Finish off with heels and a chunky necklace for everyday wear or even when heading to the bar on a Friday night after work.

Whatever your size or shape, it’s important that you wear what you feel comfortable in and just remember you can never go wrong with a cute fit and flare dress!

May 8 2015

Summer Holiday Styling: Kaleidoscope Holiday Shop SS15

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Holidays. Palm trees, clear seas, sandy beaches…. there’s very few things I don’t like. But dressing casually in the heat as a size 16 is definitely a royal pain in the bum. Maxi dresses are rammed down our throats as the ideal solution for the fuller figured woman who wants to air her legs, and I have to agree. Not only do they skim over your bumpy bits, they also allow you to wear knicker shorts to protect those thighs from chaffing. With so many simple shrugs and boleros on the highstreet at the moment, you can also get away with sleeveless dresses like these from Kaleidoscope.

Kaleidoscope are a UK based women’s fashion store - available both online and via catalogue. Whilst they’re garnered a fierce reputation with the over 40s (I’m heading there myself), they actually have a wide range of bold prints and fashion forward styles for the younger woman. There’s also a holiday shop that’s crammed full of stylish solutions for women of every shape and age for the summer months. With this in mind, they approached this baby-faced blogger and gave her a suitcase full of holiday clothes help her feel a little more fabulous lugging around the few stone of baby weight that she’s been too lazy to shift.

MAXI DRESSES

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This Firework Print Beach-to-Bar Dress is just £37 and is exactly what I needed for evenings out or strolling along the beachfront. It perfectly skims my ankles (I’m 5ft 4) making it ideal for pairing with wedges and flats, and the colour pops beautifully against an early tan. I really love the copper bead detailing and empire line which draws the attention away from my hips and tummy. The print also does a fab job of drawing eyes around my frame rather than focusing on my worst bits.

I chose to wear a vest top underneath the dress as the keyhole detail on the bust is low, but the neck straps are adjustable if you’re feeling brave but need a little uplift. The back is elasticated for comfort and has a similar keyhole design (so you won’t want to wear a bra with it, but a halterneck bikini would work for a fresh-from-the-beach look).

The best bit is the lightweight polyester & elastane crinkle effect fabric. This means you can literally sling it in your suitcase and whip it on when you step off the plane - no ironing, no creases. For a busy mum this is just a godsend. It feels soft and cool against the skin and there’s tons of movement when you walk - all in all it’s a real statement dress and simply more unique than highstreet alternatives.

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I was also sent this Ethnic Print Beach-to-Bar Dress priced at an equally fab £35. This is the easiest to wear dress I’ve ever owned. As the keyhole is not as low as the firework dress you can easily wear a bra or swimsuit underneath and it’s super generous around the bust to accommodate the bustier woman.

In figure flattering and cool to touch jersey, it feels like silk against bare skin. Although the print loops horizontally around the body, the Pucci-esque patterns mean the eye won’t linger where you don’t want it to. Again it’s the perfect length on me at 5ft 4, but I do like long floor-length dresses - it wouldn’t be as easy as the other dress to take up due to the print.

My only negative, and this is me being totally picky, is that its a little awkward to tie up behind the neck - if you’re not a contortionist, you will need to enlist your other half. Once you have it tied up as you like it, I’d recommend simply whipping it over your head for washing. (don’t keep undoing the tie each time).

SUMMER EVENINGS

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Next up I was sent a Multi Colour Sweater for cooler evenings. The colours are actually really subtle but they’re definitely in there with pink, yellow and blue threading though a white open knit. The effect is great and it looks fabulous flung atop a vest top and worn against skinny jeans. This isn’t an obvious choice for me as I usually stay away from tops that finish above the waist, but this actually looks more flattering than I initially gave it credit for. This is perhaps perhaps owing to the fact it doesn’t have much shape to it so can’t cling to my tummy.

At £39, it is expensive for a casual sweater, and it does lose a little bounce when washed, but it’s an easy one to sling in the suitcase for occasional wear.

ACCESSORIES

To accessorise, I was also sent an oversized Wooden Necklace Set (£19) that coordinates beautifully with the ethnic dress above. The best way to describe it is that the blue stone looks like cracked pool tiles which is really pretty against the dark wood. The bangle does look a little awkward against my wrist, but I love the necklace which sits neatly on top of my bust bringing some overdue attention to my boobs! It works for tons of outfits, whether against a simple white shirt, a swimsuit or evening dress.

Scarf

Finally, my Bird Print Scarf (£15) has been absolutely worn to death, although not literally, obviously. I simply LOVE it.

To sum up, the Kaleidoscope experience has been excellent. I’m really impressed with the choice, wearability and sizing of their clothes and I’ll definitely add it to my list of online shops to visit every month. There’s so much I have my eye on in the Kaleidoscope Holiday Shop SS15 that would suit my chunky frame - it’s great to see a retailer cater for us fuller figured ladies.

Check them out for yourself at www.kaleidoscope.co.uk, or follow on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram for style tips, sale news and look books.

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