One dress, three ways

The team at TK Maxx recently got in touch to see if I’d like to take part in their bloggers challenge. It sounded like fun, so I threw my hat in the ring. For the challenge, I had to create three outfits around the same item, each outfit matching a scenario picked for me.

I find these kind of styling challenges quite difficult, but I’m always up for having a go! I have no problem putting an outfit together at home, but faced with every accessory on the internet I get incredibly matchy-matchy. Still, it was great fun to try creating different looks around the same dress, though I could have spent another three days looking for just the right things!

The dress TK Maxx picked was a bright coral dress with frilled trim – quite a statement frock which is totally my style. I’ve worked on the assumption that these outfits are for me, so though I’ve picked from mainstream stores rather than plus size this time around, I’ve gone for items that’ll look good on a curvier woman, so hopefully these outfits might provide some inspiration even if you don’t like the finished looks…

Get 25% off at edressme.com by using the code edressme25 until April 5th.

Six sweet lingerie sets for Spring

The DD+ lingerie market is something of a minefield. While more and more retailers are branching out into bigger sizes as they realise just how many women wear (or should be wearing) a D cup or larger, a lot of them are just resizing their main range – and I don’t know many E cup ladies who want two inches of padding and spaghetti thin straps on their bras! Bigger breasts need more support and more attention to cut and detail. I’ve hunted down some pretty but practical sets for Spring that cater well for bigger busts without completely sacrificing style. These are light, floral and fresh – not a black lace overlay or ‘sexy’ red satin number in sight…

More cheap lingerie! La Senza have loads of bras on offer for £10, some are available up to an F, G or GG cup.

Buy now, wear later: five new things for Spring

The nights are getting lighter and it’s pouring with rain outside, which can mean only one thing, Spring has sprung! We’re finally through (the worst of) the freezing cold days of duffle coats and ugg boots, and we can start planning our warm weather wardrobes. Problem is, most shops have had their Spring stock in for weeks already, and if you want to invest in key pieces, you need to move fast.

To help you decide on what you’ll need to revamp your look (or just as a treat) I’ve picked a few key trends that can be adapted no matter what dress size you wear. Just one of these key items will jazz up all those old faithfuls a treat – but don’t wait around for too long. Before you know it the shops will have nothing but gladiator flats, vest tops and bikinis on the rails!

My-Wardrobe.com are offering free UK shipping until the end of March with the code MYEASTER. There’s no minimum spend, either.

Laura Lees wants you to wear a well-fitting bra!

If you missed the chance to get your mitts on affordable Laura Lees designs when she was creating stuff for Topshop and ASOS, fear not! The quirky designer has teamed up with lingerie brand Freya for a special collaboration to mark the launch of the ‘Holy Fit’ campaign.

The campaign is dedicated to making sure more women are wearing the right size bra. We all know the stats by now – 80% of British women are wearing the wrong size and 60% of those currently wearing a C cup should be wearing a D cup or higher. So there’s a pretty big chance you might be in the wrong bra even if you were measured fairly recently.

Get 20% off all new in items at Dorothy Perkins with the code DPNEWIN20A. Click here to shop.

Things to get excited about: Red or Dead swimwear

Friends and longterm followers will know I’m a huge fan of pin-up inspired style (in fact, I love just about any look from the 30s to the early 60s). Retro swimwear, in particular, is something of a speciality of mine. I’m so excited that after years of nothing but skimpy triangle bikinis and badly-fitting styles, brands are slowly branching out into vintage-inspired pieces. Swimsuits are no longer the frumpy option which is great news for those who prefer a bit of extra coverage.

In fact, 40s-inspired cossies with ruched detail, concealed panels and pull-down skirted styles are becoming a really stylish alternative to the modern bikini, and the best news is this style looks much better on a curvier woman than it does on someone with no hips! Think Marilyn Monroe on a beach in her white swimsuit – this is all about voluptuous glamour…

Size ain’t nothin’ but a label

I was overwhelmed by the amazing response to my recent guest curator post on Etsy. Before listing my picks from the site, the team very kindly let me wax lyrical about Big Girls Browse and why I started it, and it was lovely to see some of the reactions from the Etsy community.

One comment in particular really stood out to me. Niftyknits said “I’ve been trying to pretend I’m still a UK14, not 16…but this gives me the courage to say heck – I’m a 16!!!”

I was so touched when I read that, because it sums up the exact reason I started this site. We live in a world where there’s so much stigma attached to a stupid number printed on a clothes label, and there shouldn’t be! Your dress size does not define who you are.