http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog Bridging the size gap with a woman who's in between. Shopping & style for women with curves Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:40:59 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/buy-less-wear-more-frugal-february-2012-is-here/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/buy-less-wear-more-frugal-february-2012-is-here/#comments Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:52:06 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2436 For the second year running, I will be cutting out all necessary spending in February as I challenge myself to save as much money as I possibly can. I have so much stuff that I don't need any more, and I also have plenty of reasons to save this year. So for one month only, I'm on a spending ban. No clothes, no accessories, no undies, no magazines, no makeup or beauty products, no DVDs, books or music, no pricey bottles of wine or boxes of chocolates, and definitely no shoes. The only things I'll be spending on are food and drink, travel, and the occasional bit of socialising. If you have trouble saving money, Frugal February is the perfect way to kick-start your saving. This goes for absolutely everyone regardless of what you tend to spend your money on, but because I'm a fashion writer there's obviously a fashion spin on my challenge. For me, it's time to stop shopping and start wearing! ]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/buy-less-wear-more-frugal-february-2012-is-here/feed/ 5 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/dressember-shoe-saves-a-little-late/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/dressember-shoe-saves-a-little-late/#comments Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:01:49 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2379 I'm massively behind with Amber's Shoeper Challenge, and having to face the fact that I'll be waving goodbye to fair number of my shoes in mid-February. That said, I've saved most of my must haves by now, so anything else is a bonus, and I knew I needed to cut down my shoe collection by quite a dramatic amount, so I don't regret taking part in the challenge in the first place. If I haven't worn these shoes in the last 12 months, the chance I'll wear them in the next is very slight. And thought I may end up granting immunity to two or three pairs of occasion shoes or Summer sandals that I didn't wear because I didn't go on holiday last year, I am going to try as hard as I can to stick to the rules and get rid of everything I possibly can when the challenge ends on Valentines Day. In the meantime, I have worn a good few pairs of shoes in the last month or so. And here they are...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/dressember-shoe-saves-a-little-late/feed/ 1 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/soon-to-be-in-my-wardrobe-what-i-bought-in-the-sales/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/soon-to-be-in-my-wardrobe-what-i-bought-in-the-sales/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:50:04 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2365 2012 is going to be quite a frugal year for me financially (I'm saving for more important things than shoes for once!) so spending my Christmas money in the January sales is basically my last hurrah. After these purchases, I'm battening down the hatches and sticking to an 'only what's necessary' approach to spending. I'm not saying I won't buy anything this year, but I'll definitely be reviving Frugal February and after that I'll be sticking to those good habits at least 80% of the time, putting as much as I possibly can in the bank at the end of each month. Even with the sales I've tried to stear clear of the shops and only buy a few things online. Of those, I'm sure at least one or two will get returned. But while I wait for them all to arrive...here's a look at what I bought!]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2012/01/soon-to-be-in-my-wardrobe-what-i-bought-in-the-sales/feed/ 7 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/12/a-clutch-of-shoeper-saves-and-a-dressember-update/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/12/a-clutch-of-shoeper-saves-and-a-dressember-update/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:06:37 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2285 Shoeper Challenge recently. I've been wearing shoes but struggling to snap them, and I'm running out of time to save them now, as I need to work my way through my whole collection by Valentine's Day. It may sound easy but I have Summer sandals unworn, and it's December! Amber actually changed the rules a while ago to allow us to just snap the shoes rather than the whole outfits in order to record a 'save', so I'll be doing that occasionally when I save a pair of shoes but don't manage to get a decent pic. You're going to have to trust me that I won't just pretend I wore a pair of shoes; the whole point of this challenge was to cut down on my collection so I have no reason to lie about what I have and haven't worn. I'm just struggling in this weather because my camera doesn't like artificial light, and there are only so many times I can nick the work DSLR! But speaking of nicking the work DSLR, here are some outfits I did manage to photograph, and a few more pairs of shoes crossed off the list...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/12/a-clutch-of-shoeper-saves-and-a-dressember-update/feed/ 0 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/not-a-gift-guide-10-recent-shopping-discoveries/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/not-a-gift-guide-10-recent-shopping-discoveries/#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2011 00:28:11 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2281 It's that time of year when everyone starts filling their publications with festive gift guides, but I've decided I'm not going to do that here. Mostly because I'm doing loads for work, but also because I think, most of the time, a gift guide on a blog is really just the blogger's wishlist. So instead of telling you what I want for Christmas and pretending I'm trying to help you, I'm going to do something a bit different and show you all ten things I've bought or used recently that I think would make a good gift or stocking filler, or would be useful for Christmas parties (or the aftermath). There's only one item in this list that I don't own myself, and yes, that item is on my wishlist...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/not-a-gift-guide-10-recent-shopping-discoveries/feed/ 0 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/tried-tested-curvy-kate-tease-me-lingerie-review/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/tried-tested-curvy-kate-tease-me-lingerie-review/#comments Sat, 05 Nov 2011 22:43:31 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2255 I was very excited to recently be invited by one of my absolute favourite online retailers, BraStop, to be part of their Fuller Focus group. I've shopped at BraStop for ages and I love their dedication to finding great brands for bigger busts, and the fact they hunt for new reader models every month, letting their customers show off the different sets brilliantly and never airbrushing their pictures. Being part of their reviews team is a great honour, but before I began my official duties, I was sent a special set from one of their key brands - Curvy Kate - to review for this site. They obviously did their research into the styles I love, as the set I got was their very best retro-inspired favourite, the 'Tease Me'...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/11/tried-tested-curvy-kate-tease-me-lingerie-review/feed/ 1 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/where-have-i-been-all-your-life/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/where-have-i-been-all-your-life/#comments Sat, 29 Oct 2011 16:28:01 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2238 Things have been a bit quiet around here the last few weeks - this is because we're relaunching all our sites at work in the next two weeks, and it's all hands on deck to get things sorted out in time for the launch. I've been working late almost every night and crashing out once I get home. I'll hopefully get back on top of things in November, but for now I just wanted to say I hadn't forgotten this site and I will still be updating when I get the chance. In the meantime, here's a small edition of 'in my wardrobe' for you, a few pics of what I've been up to, and a very lame Halloween half-costume...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/where-have-i-been-all-your-life/feed/ 3 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/i-dont-know-wine-i-love-you/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/i-dont-know-wine-i-love-you/#comments Mon, 10 Oct 2011 19:35:54 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2231 ...but I do! Excuse the short post, but I'm still settling into my new job and there's not much time for blogging when I get home from...um, blogging. But I'm absolutely in love with the current trend for rich jewel tones and wanted to share a few of my finds. I remember having a burgundy / wine coloured maxi dress when I was about 10 (I was a fashion-forward if slightly precocious 10 year old!) which obviously began my love affair with the colour. It looks great with blonde hair but is a bit easier to wear than full-on pillarbox red. So far this season I've aquired a pair of cropped, Audrey Hepburn-esque slim trousers in the colour, and I'm on the lookout for the perfect blouse to team with them for some serious colour-blocking (teamed with tan accessories). I think this Peacocks one might be a winner...for £16 who can say no?]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/i-dont-know-wine-i-love-you/feed/ 4 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/shabby-chic-sleepwear-from-charlotte-co/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/shabby-chic-sleepwear-from-charlotte-co/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:32:41 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2215 I'm clearly not very good at getting my reviews scheduled for the right time of year. Just as I'd put a bikini review on the back burner because I thought it would entirely irrelevant now we're into October, the Sun came out, the beaches were packed and I contemplated pushing back the review I had been planning; focussing on some particularly warm and toasty sleepwear! But the pics have been taken, the products worn and thoroughly tested, so despite the fact the last few days have been 30-something degrees and I've slept in virtually nothing, you'll have to trust me that in the days running up to this, I was happily snuggled up in my new Charlotte and Co. pyjamas...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/10/shabby-chic-sleepwear-from-charlotte-co/feed/ 0 http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/09/what-i-wore-to-london-fashion-week/ http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/09/what-i-wore-to-london-fashion-week/#comments Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:39:06 +0000 Gemma http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/?p=2186 Apologies if you've already seen this over at Catwalk Queen, but I thought it was worth a re-post for those who didn't know I've returned to the team over there. My London Fashion Week outfit plan is pretty simple. Keep it simple, blend in. Obviously it's important I don't turn up in tracky bottoms, but I have no desire to be snapped by every street style photographer going, nor do I want to be the one everyone stares at. I tend to adopt a wardrobe of mostly black items, topped with blazers and handbags big enough to hold all my fashion week junk. The problem is, by day 3 or 4 I get bored and attempt to be a bit 'creative', having seen other people trying out silly trends and OTT pieces. This is when I end up doing stupid things - like putting on silly hats and ending up looking like I'm in bad 1920s fancy dress. But, life's too short to take fashion seriously, and you learn from your mistakes. You'll see what I mean on day three...]]> http://www.biggirlsbrowse.com/blog/2011/09/what-i-wore-to-london-fashion-week/feed/ 5