Project No Jeans #1

With Spring finally upon us, and temperatures slowly creeping up, it is with immense gratitude that we're all putting away those thick jumpers and thermal underwear, and bringing out the lighter clothes. Unfortunately, when the weather gets really warm, there is one staple part of the wardrobe that just doesn't cut it in summer: The Jeans.

The problem with jeans is that they are never in or out of fashion, so we all know that we're safe wearing them. However, unless they're cropped, when the sun gets at its hottest, jeans are probably not the best clothing to be wearing, because boy do they get hot. This is why I have decided to launch Project No Jeans: The project that throws aside the jeans, and replaces them with...well, whatever takes your fancy really.

Being a bigger girl, I always find it hard to find my own style, so this is going to be a real challenge for me, on a personal level, but here is my first outfit "attempt" at throwing away those jeans!

What do you think?

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These Boots are made for Walking

It's official. I have finally found a good thing about the current fashion trend for wearing your boots OVER your jeans! Not that I have anything against the fashion, but it's one that does not fit with my chunky legs.

What is that good thing, you ask? Well, the wideness of the boots (in order to accommodate said jeans), means that I have managed to find myself a nice pair of boots, in ASDA, of all places that fit my chunky calfs!

Image by Kitty

I know that a lot of plus-size retailers sell wider fitting boots, but in my experience they always seem to be expensive or I just don't like them. But these ones were exactly what I'd been looking for, and it was so lovely to be able to try some boots on (in my actual shoe size) and to be able to zip them up without any problems, or tightness.

Image by Kitty

I was also impressed that they're not tight, even when I tie the laces up. I've seen a lot of girls wearing boots like this with the laces undone, but since I'm not intending that part of the boot to be on show, I don't see the point.

For me, the higher boot was more for warmth now that it's getting chilly than fashion, as such.

Image by Kitty

It amuses me, that when I wear them, I sort of feel like I'm heading off for a days hard graft down the local mine ;)

But, the boots are really comfy, fairly warm (although we'll wait and see how that goes, once the really cold weather hits!) and I've had no problems with them.

Brand: George at ASDA
Price: £20
Heel: Small
Fastening: Side Zip and Laces
Comfort: 9/10 (marked down because they rub a little on my small toe, on my right foot!)

What do you think? What boots will you be sporting this Autumn/winter?

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Being Big, But Smart

Hey Guys,

I know that this is a little bit (okay, a big bit) late, but Happy New Year to all of you. I hope that everyone had a great Christmas in the midsts of the snow, and that you all entered the New Year as well and healthy as possible! 

To kickstart this year, I've decided to focus a little on fashion for the larger lady. I don't focus on fashion very often, so I really wanted to share this look with you all.

For me, the biggest problem about being "bigger", is that it becomes increasingly difficult to look smart, without wearing a suit. Suits are just not something I wear. It feels too much like a School Uniform, and I just don't feel comfortable wearing them anymore. Plus, when you don't have the perfect figure, looking smart is an issue anyway.

So, I attended a Family Christening over the weekend, and I have to admit that deciding what to wear was an absolute nightmare! Let's just say, I changed my mind several times over the space of a few weeks, and then again just the day before, but here is what I wore:

Long Sleeved Two-Piece Top. Ah, the old cliche about black being slimming, but in this case, the cliche is actually true. The fact that it has long black sleeves helps, but I think the way that it pulls in at the hips is incredibly flattering, alongside the contrast against the cream top underneath.

The long sleeves helps to hide "bingo wings", whilst the cardigan hides any lumps and bumps around the middle.

From: George @ Asda
Price: £12.90
Sizes: 8 - 24

Black Bootcut Cords. I loved wearing cord trousers when I was at Uni, mainly because they were so comfortable. But, a lot of you probably associate cord trousers with casual wear, as did I. But, these are a little smarter than the cords that you'd normally buy, perhaps because they're  made from thinner and softer material. I'm not sure.

If, like myself, you are large around the bum and tummy area, wearing bootcut shaped trousers helps to "shape" your legs, in a way that draws attention away from your bum and tummy, and makes it look a little slimmer.

From: George @ Asda. I actually bought these over a year ago, so I don't know if Asda still stock them.


Accessories:

Since I'm not really a heels-type of girl, I finished this look with a pair of smart, black flat pumps, but it would also look great with a pair of black boots if you prefer. The pumps that I wore cost £2.50 from a Charity Shop, so it really does pay to check out your local shops for some good bargains.

With the weather still being quite chilly, I also wore a black pashmina around my neck that kept me warm, but was a really nice finishing touch to the look. I borrowed the scraf from my mum!

And finally, I picked up a gorgeous pair of earrings, from the George @ Asda Sale, for just £2! Yet another bargain, if I do say so myself!

So come on girls, just because you're bigger, doesn't mean you can't look and feel great!

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Product Haul

 I went to Louth with my mum and boyfriend today, and quite unexpectedly I came home with another mini haul, this time of clothes rather than beauty products.

Anyone who has been reading my blog will know that I don't do heels, so I am an enormous fan of pumps/flats. I love the one that are entirely fabris across the upper part of the shoe, however last year and the year before that, I had a gorgeous pair from George at Asda, that had rubber toes and soles, which I loved because the sole's are higher quality than the fabric ones, and for me they're just comfier. So, you can imagine how gutted I was when a hole appeared in the sole after wearing them for two summers. And despite searching for a decent pair, I settled for another pair of fabric based ones from Ebay (originally Next) for this summer.


Now imagine the type of place that you might imagine getting a pair of pumps from...I sure as hell don't think you'd comeup withthe camping specialist "Millets" would you?  Well, I wouldn't anyway. So, imagine my disbelief at finding a pair of Peter Storm (yes, Peter Storm...I never would have guessed it) pumps in the sale in Millets...costing? Get this, £5!! Absolute bargain. I didn't even know that Peter Storm did pumps, my winter walking boots are Peter Storm, so very surprised by that!! Anyway, you can see them (kind of) in the really teeny picture, but they're purple, blue and white with really thick, comfortable soles. They look like they'll last longer than my George ones...well, youd hope so from a good brand of walking products!!


I know that summer is almost over (on the 17th of August that sounds so depressing), but I couldn't resist these denim shorts from New Look. Perfect for my holiday in a couple of weeks (whoop!) The only issue I have with them, is the fact that the button is this enormous flower that is too big and weird shaped to fit easily through the hole...yeeeeah, because that's not going to get annoying what-so-ever!!!!


But, for £6 can I really complain? Not really, but I still will anyway. And other than that they're really comfy and perfect because although I have cropped trousers, I don't actually have any shorts.

Whilst I was in New Look (I am so loving my recent discovery of New Look's Inspire range for us larger, but fashion-conscious ladies...so much nicer on me and my pocket than the overpriced, frumpy CRAP that Evans try and sell me!!!) I ogled a skirt that I tried on when I bought the dress that I wore last Friday night. It's so lovely, and I know that it would love really great with my new leggings (which actually were from Evans...wow!!)





 It's kinda strange though, because I'm not really a skirt person, especially not short ones. But, it is such arelief to be out of wearing jeans all the time...I guess that's just what I get for being Freelance and not having to wear office clothes every day!!



In other news, my Betty Hula samples arrived yesterday, which I'm really exciting about blogging about! I got a Shea Butter Moisturising Cream and Anti-Ageing Oil (my mum got quite excited about that!!) so, expect a blog reviewing those tomorrow!!

So, I'll be back tomorrow with that review, andhopefully another Tag Challenge (can't remember what tomorrow is though...oooops!!)

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