Androgynous | Plus size picks

Androgynous fashion has been around for a long time but what's interesting to see is that it's now a trend us plus size ladies can experiment with a lot more than we could previously. I love the balance of feminine and masculine traits and that you don't have to flatter your figure or show off your curves in order to be classed as attractive. I've put together three looks that I think depict this trend but allow you to delve into it as much or as little as you want to.

 *** Hover over any of the items shown below, click and you will be taken directly to the corresponding website.

Androgynous fashion has been around for a long time but what's interesting to see is that it's now a trend us plus size ladies can experiment with a lot more than we could previously. I love the balance of feminine and masculine traits and that you don't have to flatter your figure or show off your curves in order to be classed as attractive.

I've put together three looks that I think depict this trend but allow you to delve into it as much or as little as you want to.

*** Hover over any of the items shown below, click and you will be taken directly to the corresponding website.

Androgynous fashion in the plus size world                                                                                      *All images c/o ASOS

Outfit No. 1 - With this look I have incorporated a smart, tailored jacket with a more casual, sexy collection of pieces. Can we talk about the gorgeous wide fit heels please? They make all other wide fit heels look frumpy! The printed tee adds a bit of fun to this outfit and then the bold red lipstick and the fedora hat add a seriously sexy touch. If you wanted to, you could wear this outfit in the day with flats but then slip on those heels for a night out on the razz (as my Dad calls it)

Outfit No. 2 - This might not be a very ground breaking look and it might be something many of you wear regularly but I like the simplicity of it and it's not a look I tend to wear at all. I always shy away from jeans but I'm thinking of giving these boyfriend jeans a go. I love the basic raglan sleeve top, the white Vans and you can either wear the check shirt as it's intended to be worn or tied round your waist. I added a seriously chunky gold watch - keeping this look quite simple yet well put together.

Outfit No. 3 - For this final look I wanted to incorporate elements from the previous two outfits but add a quirky twist. To start off with, I wanted to find a crisp white shirt but didn't want your standard long sleeved jobby. This short sleeved one, with fancy hem details would look perfect worn with these grey ripped jeans. I would roll them up slightly, show a bit of that leg off and then let everyone see your rather excellent brogue style boots! To finish off the look I would add some sort of neck tie/ribbon, strap on some braces and slick back my hair into a low, sleek ponytail.


Is this a trend you could see yourself wearing, do you tend to wear stuff like this all the time or will you let others try it and continue wearing your uber feminine floral outfits? Let me know in the comments below!

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Barry M | AW14 Shadow & Blush palettes review

Barry M have recently launched some new palettes perfect for AW and I have been lucky enough to try two of them out.

First up is the Starry Eyed Shadow & Blush Palette (Limited Edition)* which is £6.49 and available via ASOS here. Barry M present their shadows and blushes' in cardboard cases and I quite like this presentation method as it means all the colours you need are in one place and you don't have to have a million separate pots cluttering up your makeup drawer. They can get a little battered if you cart them around in your bag however! This palette consists of six eye shadows, a blush for your cheeks and two eyeshadow applicators.

The six eyeshadow colours are divine! From left to right there is a warm tan matte shadow, a stunning midnight blue which is metallic, a rich terracotta matte reddy brown, a cool metallic golden shadow, a rich dark chocolate brown matte and the last shadow is a reddy brown shimmery shadow. At the end of the palette is a fab corally pink blush which is perfect for me as I am trying to move away from always wearing bright pink blushers. The pigmentation, as with most Barry M products is very good, it's well worth the £6.49 price tag and I will be experimenting with these colours over the next few weeks - watch this space for pictures in my future blog posts.

Barry M Starry Eyed Shadow and Blush swatches 

The next palette I want to talk you through is the Natural Glow 2 Shadow and Primer Palette* which is also £6.49 and available via ASOS here. This palette consists of three matte shadows, three shimmer eyeshadows and a yellowish toned eyeshadow primer. The shadows are very pigmented, but also very soft and this can result in a bit of product fall out. Be careful that you keep the shadows away from the primer as the soft cream primer will attract specs of the eyeshadows. From left to right there is a matte yellow cream shadow, a matte light grey shadow, a matte minky mauve coloured shadow, a golden shimmer shadow, a shimmery mauve shadow and a shimmery red/purple brown. At the end is the primer and the yellow tones in this will help even out your complexion if you suffer with a darker eye socket. This palette also comes with two eyeshadow applicators and is the sequel to Barry Ms Natural Glow palette. This is a fab palette if you want to give eyeshadows a go but you aren't into bold colours. The neutrals will be perfect for day time use and you can build on the look with the darker jewelled tones for a night time look.

Barry M Natural Glow 2 Shadow & Primer swatches

Well my friends I hope you found this post useful, let me know if you enjoy my beauty posts as much as my outfit posts - I want to try and do more of them as I adore beauty and skin care and I get quite a lot of questions about my routines so I thought I should try and share them with you all a bit more.

*PR samples

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70s

I thought todays outfit had a little bit of a 70s vibe about it, what do you think? I love the dusty pink, maroon and blue and it's not normally a combination I find myself wearing. I felt really quite feminine in this outfit and I think thats due to the longer skirt hemline and the pointed boots.

I picked this rather excellent coat up whilst I was in Primark, it was on sale and available in a variety of colours and I was torn between the lilac one and this one - I chose the pink in the end as I feel it'll go with more of my other clothes. I sized down as it comes up quite big and I could actually do with the sleeves being a little shorter. I tend to always struggle with that, always hoinking them up to my elbows as I tend to feel swamped by jackets if the sleeves are too long. The skirt is magical. I bought it a while back from the Look Magazine collaboration with Simply Be and it was the brush stroke print and combination of colours that pulled me in. I bought my standard size and I'm happy with the fit. I thought the fabric would be a bit thicker than it is, it feels a little flimsy but I like the length and the fact it has pockets for you to stash your hands away in. My booties, although new haven't been off my feet since I got them! They aren't wide fit just in case you struggle with the fit of shoes. Jewellery wise, I kept it simple with my art deco inspired necklace from my fave brand Galibardy. I have such a weakness for allllll of their pieces and they are at the top of my hit list when I am after a statement necklace - you must check them out guys! You can't really see from my photos but I'm wearing maroon coloured tights from M&S which are old but I think they still sell similar ones now.

Heres a little head shot to show you my makeup. I'm really digging this new peachy blusher I've been wearing a lot recently (Warm Soul by MAC) and I am also wearing a new lippy. This one is no.49 Rouge Pur Couture by YSL and it is mega bright, a lot brighter in real life. I love it and it's nice to have a different pink in my collection as I was always wearing my Chanel one.

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Black, red & leopard print... these are a few of my favourite things

I love to be experimental when it comes to my outfit posts but every now and then I just like to wear a combination of colours, prints and fabrics that I know will work and I know I will feel good in.

I've been going out a lot recently and struggling to find appropriate outfits to wear... seems strange considering I have a million and one items of clothing right? Well I was having a hunt around in my wardrobe and stashed away at the back was this *PU dress from Simply Be. I was gifted this dress back in the summer and I remember picking it and thinking how happy I would be to pull it out when the weather turned. I was right as I was very happy indeed to find it! I sized up a few sizes as I thought it would be a bit snug and I love the fit of it. I like that it doesn't cling and it'll be one of those dresses that I know I can wear when I want to look fancy but I don't want to put it all on show!

The jacket is so Pat Butcher - she's definitely one of my style and jewellery icons. I bought it from New Look last year, from their main range and I didn't really get a chance to wear it so I'm so happy that it's cold enough to wear it now. The Vivienne Westwood bag is a beautiful gift from my parents and I'm always so paranoid I loose it on a night out, after having too many shandies. I tend to only take it out when I know it'll be a nice classy affair! I bought these little booties last weekend with my Mum and they are mega comfy. They are the same shape as my beloved black and gold studded boots and I have worn them to death so I imagine these will get a lot of wear!

 As I mentioned in my previous post, I am trying to be a bit more adventurous with my makeup and leave my bright pink blusher in the makeup drawer. I'm wearing 'Warm Soul' by MAC on my cheeks and a new lippy from diego dalla palma which is available in Marks and Spencers. It is from their matte range, it's no. 149 and I have wanted a red like this for ages. It's such a rich colour, really pigmented, stays on for ages and it doesn't bleed outside the lip line. Bingo, the perfect red for this time of year.

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Less sporty, more spice

The Sports Luxe trend is still going strong and most retailers have a few items in stock that allow you to  give it a try. I saw fellow blogger babe Fahi looking amazing in this *varsity top so when Yours Clothing contacted me and asked if I wanted to review some pieces; I knew I had to give this top a go.

I sized up and I'm happy I did. I wanted it to be oversized and longer than how it's shown online but if I were to order it again, I think I would go even bigger with the size actually. Now, I sound like a granny here, but it's made of 100% cotton and for me this is a bonus. I somehow get drawn to polyester-tastic dresses and I always end up getting hot and a bit clammy *too much information?* with this longline top I didn't feel hot in it which is surprising as it's quite a thick fabric. I wore it over some disco pants from Primark which I bought last year, my mega old H&M lace up heels and my white rucksack I bought from Topshop this summer.

I am so happy my hair is growing because I can now bung it up in a top knot without half of it falling out the back. A messy top knot is my go to hair style when I want to get my hair up off my face but still look relatively well put together. There is no skill to how I do it, I just grab it and twist it up and hope for the best. Why is it that when you are sat in your joggers at home and you tie your hair up in a top knot; it's the best top knot you've ever done but then when you go to do it for blog pics... you have to do it five times to get the perfect knot?!

I didn't manage to take a close up snap of my makeup today but I'm wearing my Taupe lippy from Kiko and my new Warm Soul Mineralize blush from MAC. I have recently become a little lazy with my makeup and always reach for my bright pink lippy and mega bright blusher - so I've decided to try out a few new looks. I love this warm peachy blusher, such a different look for me.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        *denotes a gifted item

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Tartan + Knitwear

I've not worn a white shirt/jumper combo since last year but boy does it feel good to be reunited. Such a good pairing. I reckon I look quite officey today and I quite like it!

The kind folk at New Look got in touch recently and asked if there was anything from their Inspire range that I'd like to review. I was sent some fabulous things and thought I'd show you some of them today. Starting with this *tartan skirt - an autumn winter staple I say. It's a thick jersey material but watch out as it doesn't have heaps of stretch so bare that in mind if you decide to buy one. I chose my normal size though and it fits really well. I also chose this *long sleeved shirt, I sized up a size as shirts tend to gape open because of my ample bosom and I like the fit across my chest and the length but the arms are slightly too long for me. I've combated this problem by rolling them up which I actually naturally do to most long sleeve items I wear.

The jumper is a mega old New Look one but I've posted some others below so you can replicate this look if you so wish! The silver heels are also from New Look and are those wide fit ones I've been harping on about in literally all of my recent outfit posts - they are mega comfy, I promise you. The bag is from H&M last year but my *necklace is from Topshop and was kindly gifted to me by Impulse Loves PR.

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*denotes a gifted item 

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It's getting nippy out | Winter coats

Autumn is hereeeeeeee! Woopieeeeeeee. I LOVE this time of year. It's crisp and chilly when you go out but it isn't so cold that you freeze ya nips off.

I am a big fan of outerwear and I love that the shops are already stocking some absolute belters. There is a warm, snuggly coat out there for everyone and after having a hunt; I've put together some of my faves to help inspire you... no matter what size you are.

I now want them all...sucks to be broke. Please buy one and show me so I can live vicariously through you!

Simply click on the pink box next to the coat you like and it'll take you directly to the correct shop.

                                                                                                                                                                                             plus size outerwear - photos c/o each brand

What do you think? Reckon you'll treat yourself to any of these winter warmers?

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Totally Tropical | FD Avenue - Tropical Floral Dress Review

Every now and then a brand pops up that I've not heard of before and I see an item of clothing that catches my eye. It's even better when I find out they stock my size and they carry a plus size range.

FD Avenue tweeted a picture of this Tropical Floral Print dress and boy did the print jump out at me! It was love at first sight. You must have noticed along the way that I have a thing for printed body cons right?

When FD Avenue got in touch with me and offered me the chance to review an item,  I was more than happy to say yes and chose this dress. I wasn't sure of their sizing so I sized up considerably and went for the 24-26 although I normally wear a 20; I wanted to make sure it fit. I am happy I did size up as for me, the fit is perfect. It is tight and follows my curves but it isn't too clingy on my belly. (Please note I am not wearing any shape wear in these pictures but in future I will when I wear this dress.

I adore the fit of this dress, the subtle sweetheart neckline, the length, the print and the brilliant white base colour of the dress. The one thing that lets this dress down in my opinion is the straps. I like that they are adjustable and that they are neon pink but they are far too thin and flimsy and they feel like a bit of an after thought. The dress is very well priced at £18.99, they regularly do offers and you can also get this dress in a variety of different prints. Check out the rest of their 'Curvy' range here.

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Brand spotlight | New Look Wide Fit Shoes

You might have noticed that this summer I have been obsessed with two pairs of New Look wide fit heels. I bought this black pair and couldn't believe how comfortable they were so I bought this blue pair and I'm not gunna lie, I just bought them in silver as well. I'm obsessssssed.

Seeing as I am now a total New Look shoe convert, I thought I'd put together a selection of some of my favourites that you can buy online now.

What are your thoughts on New Look wide fit shoes?

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Grayscale

Ever since that size S dreamy, pink neoprene jacket made it's way into my wardrobe I now check Boohoo's main range for jackets as it just goes to show you; you shouldn't always take notice of what the label says. Whilst I was perusing the online "rails" I spotted this grey neoprene biker jacket and I thought I'd give it a go in a size L and low and behold it fits. I like how the style is a nod to the standard biker jacket that many of us live in during the winter months but the material and colour make it just that little bit different. The material is stiff and thick *sniggers* and is going to be perfect when it gets even colder. I also like that the sleeves are 3/4 length as when I wear jackets I tend to roll the sleeves up anyway.

The grey floral dress is a little cutie don't you think? It's from Alice and You available from ASOS and I think it's the fourth or fifth Alice and You item I own. They constantly bring out cute items as well as more trend led ones, that baby blue pvc skirt I have is made by them... I love that bad boy! I sized up in this dress by one size and I'm happy I did as sometimes shift styles can be a little clingy on my belly. It's made out of scuba fabric so my outfit today would be perfect if I wanted to fling myself around as I'd just bounce of everything and not feel a thing... oh man I feel like I'm chatting utter nonsense today!

I fully committed myself to the all grey theme today but thought I'd add a pop of colour so I accessorised with a chartreuse coloured bag (old H&M) and these two colours are one of my fave combos. The boots are wide fit New Look jobbies (no longer available) and I'm wearing tights from M&S.

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