Category Archives: fashion

Late to the Game

01st September 2017

It’s probably not escaped anyone’s notice that off the shoulder has been a big trend over the last few months. As is standard with me it’s a fashion that I’m very slow on the uptake with, and it’s only now, thanks to a collaboration with online fashion retailer WearAll that I’m trying it out.

This post is the first of three in partnership with WearAll, a brand I also teamed up with last year. They’ve got some great on trend pieces in stock at the moment and everything is super affordable too.

Dress c/o WearAll (get it here) | Shoes c/o Lotus

This isn’t my usual style of dress at all, I’ve always dismissed it as being too young for me, or too dressy for the kind of life I lead. That and I assumed that the off the shoulder design would be irritating- it’s not in this case thanks to the addition of thin straps too. This is exactly why I love collaborating with brands though- a chance to try things I’d otherwise never get around to and discovering that actually, I can pull it off.

Teamed with these vibrant blue court shoes from Lotus this is the kind of outfit I’d wear for a date night with Bob. I can equally see myself dressing it down a bit with a pair of Converse or my pink puma trainers to make it more suitable for day wear. Either way I do really like this dress and it’s a welcome addition to my wardrobe. Long term readers will know I’m partial to a spot of floral and the colours in this dress make it ideal for the upcoming Autumn months.

Are there any styles you tend to avoid? If so, do you think you could be persuaded to give them a go? Let me know in the comments and stay tuned for the next of my WearAll outfit posts.

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Posted in brands I love, fashion, outfits, personal style

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Baring all with Quiz Clothing

25th August 2017

2017 has been the first year in a considerable while where I haven’t had a wedding or other special event to go to. I still love a cheeky browse of occasion dresses though, especially as one of my cousins got engaged at the weekend so there is definitely at least one wedding on the horizon.

I was recently contacted by Quiz Clothing who matched me with the dreamiest, most stunning dress- and whilst it might be a bit OTT for a wedding I’m very much hoping that I can find some cause to wear this other than prancing around the garden.

Dress c/o Quiz Clothing (here) | Shoes: Mary Portas at Clarks (old)

If I were shopping for a dress then nude wouldn’t be a colour I’d usually consider, I’d long ago dismissed it as a bit…naked looking if I’m honest and not something that would suit me.
Popping this sequin adorned maxi dress on though and I’m converted. For the time it took to get these photos I felt like a complete princess- I wish it was acceptable to dress like this every day!

The process of getting these photos did stir up a few conflicting feelings though. As I said, this dress really does make me feel like a princess but at the same time it clings, it sticks to curves I’m only just starting to see appear. It hammers home just how much my body has changed in the last few months and of course that is a bittersweet moment.

My main issue right now is that I’m only about 50 percent of the way through the weight gain process, but in my mind, thanks to the twisted grasp of an eating disorder I’m already there and beyond. Putting on an outfit like this can really play havoc with that mindset and it’s actually taken a huge amount of courage to post these photos due to how I see them vs. how I’m assured the rest of the world (well, my readers) will see them.

And still I persist. Onwards and onwards to a life where I don’t care that my arms aren’t stick like, that my stomach isn’t concave and my face is fuller. In the past I’ve always had in the back of my mind that if I don’t feel good at my target weight I can always go back- as warped as that sounds. This time I don’t have that. This time it’s final and I refuse to entertain ever going backwards again. It’s making this whole journey that much more difficult whilst I’m going through it- but the future? MY future? That excites me in ways I can’t even begin to explain.

Back in to the world of fashion & shopping now and I am absolutely loving some of the new arrivals on the Quiz Clothing website. I’ve always advocated them on the blog but right now there is literally SO much I want- if you’re looking for affordable and on trend wardrobe updates then do pop along and check them out…as you can see, they’re particularly good for a fancy dress or two.

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Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, life, life stuff, outfits, personal style, recovery, shopping

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Ruffle Up

22nd August 2017
New season styles are hitting the shops and on my recent foray in to town, despite being reluctant to buy anything from the Autumn/Winter collections because it’s supposedly still Summer I couldn’t resist the lure of some quite trans-seasonal pieces from Zara. I have a love-hate relationship with Zara, it’s one of those shops where I go in sometimes and find absolutely nothing, and then I go in perhaps a few weeks later and love everything I see.
My last visit to the Cabot Circus store saw me fall in love with just about every item (including these rather fabulous trousers which I’d never wear, but if I was rich I’d buy them just to look at!). This blue dress with it’s sporty aesthetic and ruffle detail front isn’t the sort of thing I’d ever consider but the bright colour jumped out and me and I figured I had nothing to lose by trying it on.

Sometimes it pays to step out of your comfort zone. I love the relaxed fit of this dress and it’s bold colour combination. I couldn’t resist jazzing it up further with my pink Puma trainers- the perfect way to liven up those dull and dreary days that seem to be coming ever more frequent.

This was one of two pieces I picked up from Zara, the other I will eventually get round to posting when I ever get some spare time. Life is very busy right now, hence the sudden decline in the amount of posts I’ve been putting up. It’s not going to get any better for the next few weeks- a new venture at work and then a week away in Scotland with my boyfriend are both going to get in the way. But I wouldn’t change it for the world- I spent 2016 quite literally on hold with my life and now things are picking up it feels full on, but also that I’m making up for lost time.

Hopefully by mid-September things will be calming down and I might even be feeling more inspired when it comes to content for the blog. If you have any suggestions of what you’d like to see then do feel free to leave them in the comments, I’m all for out-sourcing my ideas.

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Posted in fashion, life stuff, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Cosmic Vibes

17th August 2017

The other week, fuelled by good news for us both from work Mum and I popped on the bus and headed in to Cabot Circus for a long overdue girly shopping trip. It had been forever since we last managed to do this and it was so nice to spend some time browsing the new season arrivals, having a lazy lunch and generally catching up.

Of course one of our first stops was Monki, as ever they have some amazing pieces in right now- my wish list is huge. Sadly my budget is not huge so I had to limit myself to just a couple of bits this time round but I’m setting aside some money for another treat in the not too distant future.

Dress: Monki (here) | Boots: River Island

I absolutely love this print, it reminds me of outer space and the entire range of items with it on have made their way on to my wish list (how awesome are these trousers?)

I’ve said before how much I love Monki and their over-sized dress style, perfect for someone who’s still on the weight restoration journey and generally ideal for chilling out and relaxing in whilst still looking cool. I paired the dress with my rose gold ankle boots for a girly dinner date with my best friends but I’ve also worn it with my standard Converse/Pink Puma trainers for more casual vibes.

Do excuse the state of my hair right now. It is LONG overdue a cut and colour, the 29th of August cannot come soon enough! I decided to try and stretch it out for four months rather than three and the regret is hitting hard!

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Posted in brands I love, cabot circus, fashion, outfits, personal style, shopping

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Christina Jewellery at watchshop.com

07th August 2017
Despite their name it’s not only watches available to buy at watchshop.com, nope- not only do they sell a huge range of watches from well loved brands they also sell a really decent selection of jewellery including popular designers such as Thomas Sabo and Links of London right through to new (to me) brands such as Christina Jewellery

Bracelet c/o watchshop.com

It goes without saying that I absolutely love this “Marguerite” charm bracelet with it’s delicate daisy design. It’s a really pretty, dainty piece that can easily be built upon with a wide selection of charms available. The clasp on this has a magnetic action making it really easy to open and close (something I struggle with when I wear my Pandora bracelet) and it comes in a wide range of sizes so there is bound to be something to fit every wrist. I believe mine is the 18cm model which is actually a little big and the range covers from 17cm up to 21cm.

The additional charms are both super pretty and intricate as well as really affordable. I wouldn’t usually consider mixing metals but I do like this silver and gold combination and when I get a chance to add to my bracelet I’d happily pick and mix between the two.

This is the first time I’ve come across Christina Jewellery and I’m really impressed, it’s definitely a brand I’ll be keeping an eye on and one I’d 100% recommend.

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Posted in accessories, fashion, jewellery, review

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