Where HAVE I been?

I know...it's been bloody ages. Don't know what's  been up with me....(well I do...stressed out to fuck husband and insane children) but I've had all the creativity of a dead fruitfly. I haven't even been posting on Fbook (which has sent a lot of my friends into a panic wondering what's up). I've given up on my Photo A Day (mainly due to the upcoming death of the wonderful picnik.com as of April 19th which is what I use to edit photos) also due to a total lack of creativity and inspiration.....

So today, even though I've got a cracking headache....and my two boys have been the demonic antichrists all day....I'm attempting a brief catchup.

About 3 weeks ago (sorry Claire), the lovely Monkey Fatshionista did a re-Gok on me - another style session with some new items and some other stuff that had been in the wash when she came last time....

 I saw Kathryn review this Gok Dress from his new collection for Sainsburys and although she didn't like it, I loved the colour. It's a relatively new thing for me, colour - I used to live in black like a dutiful fat girl. Since joining the marvellous world of Fatshion, I've been inspired to get colourful.  I went to Sainsburys to buy it (checking with Twitter while walking around the shop with it in my trolley) and ended up buying it and asking Claire's opinion. She liked it! Hoorah! I would have kept it even if she didn't! She showed me two ways to dress it - with the brown New Look jacket she'd suggested I buy and ....

 With the blue cardigan she also suggested I buy (I think it was Dotty P's but I can't remember and can't be arsed to go up two flights of stairs to check)..... So it's a keeper - though everytime I look at the above photo I a) love that you can see Claire in the mirror, and b) wonder why I am always standing with my belly stuck out!

 Then we played with some other choices - love this purple top (M&S) and wanted to see if it worked with the long sleeved T and Claire thinks it does. I wore it once since and actually changed as I didn't feel comfortable. Need to get more confident with my layering....

 One of my main fears in dressing in clothes that are more fitted than I'm used to, is that I'll look pregnant. I can't count the times people have asked me AFTER I'd had both my children, how long till I'm due. So Claire showed me with this pic that it's in my head! I don't look pregnant - and my boobs, although diminished, are still bigger than my belly.

 Playing with ways to button a cardy. Claire suggested this but every time I've worn it since I've worn it with the top two buttons done up instead - my preferred choice (SEE! I'm not her #walkingtalkinglivingdoll and I do have an opinion of my own - I just like hers as well)

 This was an outfit Claire put together and I really like it! Roll on summer and I might wear it! I found I do have a Cami - after various chums suggested I wear it under dresses - and I thought it was too big but CleverMonkey found the straps were adjustable. I'd obviously substitute a white bra (note to self - need to bloody buy one)

This was a lovely dress that I bought on Claire's recommendation - styled in a different way and I still love it. Have worn this outfit a lot.

So daily I'm thinking more about what I'm wearing and I'm actually getting so many more compliments on my clothes. And I FEEL better. Huge debt of gratitude to Claire


And now for something completely different....

I went away this weekend to a 40th Birthday party adults only weekend at Butlins. It was utterly insane and utterly fun. The theme was Old Skool so the 11 other women I went with were going for the full on Britney/St Trinians schoolgirl look complete with mini skirts and stockings. NOT in my lifetime. So I decided I would be the headmistress......

First night we were there we all wore the obligatory (as nearly every other woman there was wearing) Tshirts with our names on and a photo of the birthday girl across our chests,  and pink tutus. I drew the line at legwarmers....

I also had a fab fake ponytail. I was worried that I'd feel too belly exposed but actually there are a heck of a lot of larger women out clubbing these days (it's been about 20 years since I set foot in a nightclub) and I didn't really feel fat shamed at all the whole weekend!

On the Saturday night it was school time....are you ready for this? Mistress Salacious the demon headmistress at your service....

I know! I can't quite believe I went out in public like this (though you should have seen some of the other outfits). I was quite tipsy on vanilla vodka and AfterShok though! I did have a jolly time scaring the life out of various men who were dressed as school boys. I was asked to spank.....so after making them say please I did....

I was very much in character - no smiling, insisting they all said please mistress and thank you mistress. It was great fun. I love this corset - I have had it for a long time and it used to be too small - unfortunately it's actually a bit too big now - it was laced right up and still too loose around my (diminished) boobs....boo hoo! But I still got a heck of a lot of boob compliments (from other women) and I felt fantastic. The skirt is an underskirt from my 50's dress, the boots are from Evans and the fishnets from Torrid.

So there's an eyeful of a catch up for you! I'll try and blog more OOTD to replace my Photo A Day - my life just seems endless drudgery as hubbyhoo isn't contributing anything but grumpiness from behind a laptop, I'm dealing with all kinds of work stress myself and as I said, the boys are possessed. I've been watching American Tv on Sidereel.com to destress and totally neglecting everything else (but can highly recommend Smash and GCB as wonderful escapism)

Ok - words drying up so that's me out.....

Catching up - new stuff

After my fab experience with Claire, I got given a list of suggested additions to the wardrobe....Here are some pics - I like some but am returning some....

Dress: Asos Curve

I kind of love this but it's really just not ME - I wouldn't wear it - I can see why Claire suggested it but it's
going back.....

Dress; Dorothy Perkins

This however - I love! Never would have picked it myself but I really like it - especially the collar. 

Jacket: New Look

And teamed with the waterfall jacket which I also love - perfect combo....

Dress: Dorothy Perkins

Now I love the fabric and the fall of this dress - it's really lovely BUT - the top wrapover just doesn't work. I think it's cos my boobs are too bloody small - see below

I think it should sit like this over the boob but it slips down like this....

...to under boob which looks just wrong! So sadly this is going back too!

Dress M&S via Kirsty

Leggings: Primark

Saw these and couldn't resist them even though they're a bit garish! They go really well with my black dress and I love em.

So speaking of my wardrobe experience with Claire....she wrote it up brilliantly here  but has copped a lot of negativity on the comments. People seemed to think I was a mindless barbie doll being forced to wear someone else's taste and style. That the choices Claire made were hideous and hiding and that I was a poor little victim of bad taste. I couldn't DISAGREE more! Makes me mad that Claire was getting flack for doing something so fab for me. I asked her to help me because I like the way she dresses. As you can see from my reactions above to her suggestions, I DO NOT mindlessly accept her opinion - we don't agree on everything but I asked her advice and I appreciated it. She made me feel fab in some items of clothing that had sat in my wardrobe unused and unworn. She was working with my current clothes which aren't exactly all what she would have chosen. SO LAY OFF! I'm happy. We enjoyed it. I'm almost loathe to ask her back because I don't want her to feel it's a horrid thing to have done......I've had SO many compliments this week, wearing outfits she coordinated for me. So thank you Claire and I'm sorry you got shit for it....

I also bought this dress today - totally on my own without anyone else's opinion coming into it and I love it. I CAN make good choices on my own but that's mainly because I've been reading so many wonderful blogs - in fact this is almost directly inspired by Mhairi's Bettie Page dress! It's got a fab tutu skirt - it's a Hell Bunny dress - if you google them, lots of punky burlesque type shops seem to sell them and a lot of their styles go up to a size 22.....

So - got a lot of things to return but hopefully a lot of new things to come!

My Wardrobe Makeover.....courtesy of SuperMonkey!

Claire is an UTTER GENIUS....when she almost jokingly offered to come and do a "wardrobe cleanse" a few weeks ago, I never realised how wonderful she was! I mean, I love reading her blog, I love the way she dresses - but had no idea she could give Gok a run for his money!

In explanation - though I've probably touched on this before on the blog....I've NO fashion sense. For a myriad of reasons. I was a size 16 at 16 and kind of kept the age-dress size ratio going until I was 30. When I was in my late teens, early 20's there was NO choice really - Evans or nothing. So I lived in trackie bottoms, large tshirts and black black black. I lost weight in my early 30's to have my kids and then have kind of yo-yoed between a 24 and a 20/22 which is kind of where I am now (According to Claire I'm 20 on top and 22 below which makes sense). I never looked at fashion magazines, never thought fashion was relevant to my big body. Then as I've written before, I found the myriad of blogs to the right in the sidebar and realised I COULD wear things that I loved, that there were a huge range of online choices and even some high street choices that I never knew were out there as I was stuck in my Evans rut.....

So I'm still learning. The clothes swap was brilliant but I just grabbed lots of stuff that I didn't know how to wear and some of which didn't suit me....I read a lot of the blogs to get ideas but never really knew how to put outfits together. I had a lot of stuff in my wardrobe that I hadn't worn because I didn't know how to.

Enter the wonderful Claire.....she made me get everything out and put it in three piles - keeping, maybe and NO! I stepped out of my go-to comfort dress (which she hated by the way and I've promised never to wear in public again) and started trying on.  Prepare for the pics! (If I haven't mentioned where I got things, it's cos I can't remember)

Skirt and shirt - Marks & Spencer

Jacket - Torrid

 I bought this polkadot skirt last summer and have never worn it even though I loved it as I had no idea HOW to....Claire added a white shirt I'd bought for a weekend away and never taken out of the packet....and a jacket that I won from Lauren that I'd also never worn because I didn't know how to. This jacket now figures in the majority of the pictures and outfits and will become a staple! Love this combo - kind of a funky secretary look!

 

Top and jacket (again): Torrid

Jeans : Sainsburys

This top was another from the blog win from Lauren that again, I'd never worn cos I didn't know what to wear it with. Ta daa!

 This was a fashion swap vest that I loved cos it was all sequinned but I thought it was too tight...paired with  a shrug (also from the swap) and my black jeans - it looks fab!

Dress: Fatshion swap

Jeans: Lane Bryant

Cardie: Sainsburys

 I loved this dress but thought it was too big - and would never have put it with jeans but I love it - almost nautical as Claire said!

It also works with the shrug and the blue jeans from Torrid via Lauren!

Top, jeans and jacket (again!) Torrid

This top I've had for a while but never really knew what to wear it with....The jacket makes an appearance again! Love this combo

 This is a jumpsuit I bought on impulse from Evans. First time I wore it my mother told me I looked like Andy Pandy and I've never had the guts to wear it again. Styled with the ever wonderful jacket, I love it and will definitely wear it.

 Also works with the shrug! But I prefer it with the jacket.

 I can't remember where I got this skirt from but I love it and have never worn it - I'm not confident with skirts. Mainly, I've learnt today, because I keep wearing them on my hips and not my waist - pulled down too low making me belly concious. With a little styling help from my guru and a simple brown vest - I will now be wearing this a LOT this summer!

 Thought I couldn't wear this top because my boobs had shrunk post babies. However put the brown vest from the outfit above with it, it works perfectly. And looks great with my jeans.

 Not 100% sure on this but it looks better than anything I'd put together - a denim skirt from Ann Harvey with the brown vest and favourite jacket. I need to get a belt for the skirt (I borrowed Claire's!)

 Favourite polka dot skirt in another outfit combo! This time with a purple vest top I got at the fatshion swap but never knew what to do with....

 And if you add my new favourite jacket.....skims nicely over my bum and makes me feel less selfconcious.

 Top: Primark

Jeans: Torrid

This was the first top I bought from Primark but I wasn't brave enough to wear it that often and I used to team it with leggings. I love it with jeans!

Sequinned jacket: Yours

Top: Torrid via Lauren

Jeans: Sainsburys

 Another combo - using a sparkly jacket that I bought in the sale but never wore - and another way to wear that lovely top...

  And another way to wear it! - with a leopard print vest (also from Torrid via Lauren)

 This top I've had in my wardrobe for ages and thought it didn't look right - but it does when Claire puts it together....

 Top: Marisota

Again I wasn't sure if this top worked but with Claire's reassurance, it's back on my "wear" list"

 Dress and jacket (again) : Torrid

I bought this dress in a Torrid sale about 7 years ago just because it was reduced from $70 to $8. And I never wore it cos it was too small then. And then because I didn't know how to....now I do!

And finally - this is what I'm wearing now - a top my mother bought me which I thought was too short but teamed with my waterfall cardy (which needs mending) and blue jeans, it looks great.

I will be selling a lot of stuff on Ebay - will post a link to it all here when I've sorted it. I'll be wearing a lot of things I haven't worn before in ways I'd never have dreamt of. I'll be looking a HELL of a lot better too!

I can't thank Claire enough. Really grateful! And really inspired. So if any of you need her services - snap her up now while you can still trade her expertise for sushi! Before she starts charging by the hour! Thank you thank you thank you Claire!!!

Valentines OOTD (slightly late!)

It's half term - that's my excuse - kids 24/7 so I have had no moment to myself! So a slight flashback to Valentines Day this week. My lovely hubby isn't usually the best at romance. He works at the Royal Observatory who, every year, hold a special Valentine evening with the stars where you get a planetarium show, roses, wine, stargazing.....perfect no? But every year he won't even consider taking ME cos it's work.

However....this year there were no other astronomers available so he had to run the Planetarium and therefore I got to go along to watch.....it was wonderful. He delivered a fantastic show, showing everyone the stars in our solar system. Then surprised me by reading our wedding sonnet (Let me not to the marriage of true minds...). And then we had a lovely GBK dinner (we ain't fancy) and I got chocolates to eat in the bath for my present. (I love candle-lit bubble baths accompanied by chocolate).

So here's what I wore. I won a £500 shopping spree earlier last year courtesy of Clairol and had an hour with a personal shopper. She chose this dress but I'd never worn it - it was actually a bit too tight. But now it fits

Dress: Marks & Spencer Summer 2011

Shrug - Clothes swap

Leggings: Primark

I actually really like it now. Kind of inspired by the dress that I bought off Kirsy (see last post) - that's an M&S one and so is this, it's a similar shape - and I didn't want to be TOO dressy as Rob had his work clothes on. And I wanted to be warm to be outside on the Prime Meridian looking in a telescope!

I also wore my Swarovski crystal heart - a present from Rob a long time ago.....

Lovely night - best Valentines I can remember for a long time......Hope you all had a good day doing whatever you felt, romantic or not. I quite liked the idea of Palentines - hanging with your BFFs!

Plus London Professional photos!

Diana from Fashionlovesphotos.com had a pop up booth at Plus London and took some amazing snaps! These were the ones of me...

And I LOVE this one of me and Claire!

The spoils of Kirsty's Sale!

I do love it when other bloggers flog their clothes - cos you've seen THEM wear it, you have an idea of how it will look on you...and often things you covet are now available at bargain prices! I bought two things off Kirsty from Fatty Unbound - 

-

 Lovely shirt dress from M&S that actually makes me look like I have a waist!

Ultra sparkly cardy - I cannot resist sequins! Made me feel very happy!

So thank you Kirsty! They will be very loved.....

Plus London 2 - Part 2

And so....after our amazing Anna Scholz sesh, a gang of us headed off to Fulham for our modelling fitting with One Stop Plus. I'm not actually going to write about, or share photos of that - it was not a pleasant experience and that had nothing to do with the wonderful Claire or Gina who had done the organising. It was solely negative because of OSP and if you want to know more about how we ALL felt about the experience read this . I can't put into words how grateful I am to Claire for summing up exactly how we all felt.

I'm just going to say this - I met some AMAZING women that day - and the ones who modelled with me were fantastic - what should have been a confidence boosting and fun activity turned into a very stressy one; but the camaraderie and support and brilliant humour of that gang of gals helped me through it. And whatever I was wearing - I loved strutting down that pink catwalk and feeling the love in the room from all the fat and fabulous women who were cheering us on - so thank you everyone for that.

I was quite exhausted after the model fiasco and also getting a bit worried about the snow

So I had a quick look around the rest of the fantastic exhibitors before heading back home to south east London.

Simply Be were one of the main sponsors - thank you! And had a rail of gorgeous clothes - wish I'd been modelling them! They also gave us a fantastic goody bag and were so kind and lovely - I know they helped Claire out a lot - even clearing up! Wonderful brand for plus size fashion.


ASOS Curve also had a rail - and it took me back to my teen years - 80's neon and crazy prints - loved it! Really stylish - as usual. Brilliant. ASOS had also dressed Claire for the night - she looked stunning in a sequinned dress (see below) that, if it hadn't sold out already, would be in my shopping basket now! You can see it more of it here

I was dressed by Lauren (looking gorgeous above in her Domino Dollhouse frock) in that I was wearing a dress I'd bought off her blog a while ago. It was a bit small when I bought it, but it fits now and I LOVE it!

Dress: Primark via PocketRocket

Shrug: Primark

Tights: Yours Clothing (wasn't sure if they'd work but I fell in love with the colour)

Sparkly shoes: Payless Shoesource in Detroit

Elomi Lingerie had a HUGE queue - they were doing bra fitting and it was very popular. I didn't get a chance to have mine done and since I am so lacking in the boob department post-children, I think I'm actually a bit too small in the cup to be able to take advantage of their stunning designs. However if you are lucky enough to have a pair of Phenomenockers from DD upwards, I HIGHLY recommend you check out their range - especially the swimwear. I loved everything in their catalogue - stunning sexy and beautiful.

Now for something I didn't expect - PLUS size vintage. I know from the wonderful Kirsty that it is out there but I'd never seen any. However the wonderful Red Bows Boutique had two whole rail fulls! Gorgeous vintage frocks, furs, tops, skirts. I tried to have a good rummage while waiting for the catwalk but again, didn't really have time to browse properly. Wish I had! Definitely a place to go in the future.

Talking of Kirsty - here she is rocking the vintage plus look - LOVED this outfit

And finally - another highlight - now I know why Wendy's nickname and email is Wendycakes!

How amazing are they? And they tasted as good as they looked! An utter treat.

So all that remains is for me to thank Claire for organising such a phenomenal event - my first proper Bloggers event and hopefully not my last. It was truly an honour to be welcomed into this community - I remember reading all the posts from last year's event and wishing I'd been part of it. I do feel a bit older than your average Fatshion Blogger but I'm in awe of the support, the styling tips, the humour, the wisdom, just the general all round fabulousness on display last Saturday in London. I'm going to endeavour to blog more about my growing interest in fashion. I love that I have loads more people to read, that I got to meet in person some of the people that I really admire -( I wish I'd had more time to talk to Em! I didn't realise she was the writer of "Oh The Places You'll Go" - one of the first plus size blogs I read and one of my utter favourites. I should have realised cos I've seen her umpteen times on her blog but it was just all overwhelming in a way so apologies Em! I'd just have gushed over you if I'd realised!) I've got a whole new load of Twitter friends and I loved meeting everyone.

I know Claire has been feeling guilty over the whole OSP fiasco but please - I can't say it enough - Claire you were amazing, you organised a fantastic event, you remained cool calm and collected (and looked amazing), you've continued to champion our cause post OSP fallout and I'm utterly proud to know you. I hope you feel proud of what you acheived. And thank you again to Lauren for introducing me to this world by doing such great work with Yours Clothing!

 Clare and Lauren

A happy me outside the Gallery!