August obsessions: fascinators, fragrance & frocks

With the sales finally coming to a close, I should be getting excited about new season shopping, but to be honest with you, I’m a bit scared by all the shearling gilets and harem pants, so my mind is still on Summer. With a foreign holiday in less than a week (yay!) I’m still indulging my swimwear obsession and hunting down things to buy in Duty Free, and also looking for some quirky last-minute finishing touches to a number of late Summer wedding outfits. Here’s what’s on my mind at the moment…

Ruby Belle at Evans tried on for size!

The long-awaited vintage-inspired Ruby Belle dresses have finally arrived at Evans, and I couldn’t wait to snap one up. I’ve been a fan of Fever Designs for a while, so I’m really glad they’ve teamed up with Evans to offer this range in larger sizes. Ruby Belle normally only goes up to a UK size 14 and while the size guide suggests that should fit me, my experiences trying on other Fever items suggests otherwise!

So I was waiting very impatiently for the dresses to be recut to Evans’ slightly more generous sizes – and given that it has a stretch top and full skirt, I bought the sailboat dress in a 14. And I love it!

Vintage reproduction clothing (Pin-up, burlesque & rockabilly) – The ultimate shopping list!

It’s not hard to see why so many curvaceous women turn to fashions from the 40s and 50s when it comes to making the most of their bodies. The era’s pin-up girls, ‘cheesecake’ models and Vargas girls all had waspish waists and sexy curves. Actresses had hourglass figures that their clothes could barely contain (think Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Monroe, Diana Dors) and all women wore girdles that sculpted their bodies to perfection and bullet bras that gave the appearance of a Joan Holloway-esque bosom on even a petite woman.

I know from reading comments and looking at search terms that many of us wish we could eschew badly-designed, poorly-fitting modern pieces for something more flattering from the past. But finding true vintage pieces from that era for a larger figure can be difficult. Most good pieces are expensive, and many come in very small sizes, especially on the waist.

So three cheers for the many great brands and retailers who’ve allowed us to get a bit of that old-fashioned glamour in modern sizing. Some of the labels below stock plus size, some don’t, but I’ve chosen to include them all for reference…

Top Ten: even more ‘buy now, wear later’

There’s no real link between these ten products except the fact I love them and I will be investing in some of them ready for when the Sun finally shows its face! This Summer, I’ll be eschewing the more off-the-wall catwalk trends (jogging pants? Leather shorts? I think not…) for something a bit more flattering.

On the relaxed, bohemian side there’ll be an update on last Summer’s gladiator sandals, pretty maxi dresses, nude wedge sandals, 50s sundresses and vintage-inspired doctors bags. For something a bit more dramatic, I’m thinking chandelier earrings, waterfall frills, graphic print dresses and military inspiration. All these items are available now, so get shopping before they sell out…

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…

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!

Top Ten: The New Blue

Wearing denim doesn’t have to mean wearing jeans, and this season there are loads of alternatives to the plethora of skinnies, jeggings and boyfriend jeans that are still filling the rails everywhere from M&S to Mango. I know lots of you – like me – have trouble finding jeans that fit, so save yourself the nightmare shopping trip! Shirts, jackets, dresses, skirts – this Spring, the alternatives are endless.

So I’ve put together some suggestions of jean-free ways to wear the fabric. If you’re really brave, you could tackle the double denim trend (yes it’s back!) and team a jacket or shirt with your favourite jeans or jeggings. I prefer to play it safe, though…

ASOS to launch plus size range – ASOS Curve

The wonderful girls from ASOS broke the brilliant news on Twitter today that ASOS – the folks responsible for the fab (non plus-size) items above) will soon be branching out into the plus size market with new called ASOS Curve. It’ll cater for sizes 20 – 26 and they’re currently looking for fit models, so if you’re a Big Girl who fits the criteria, you could be one step away from ensuring an almost custom-made collection…

Great winter coats for Big Girls

As winter rears its ugly, frosty and freezing cold head, it’s time to wrap up warm with a gorgeous winter coat. To help you find the perfect one, I’ve scoured the high street and some specialist online stores for the most flattering, unusual and comfortable styles. From sharp military styles to classic belted trenches, hopefully there’s something to suit (and to fit) everyone…

Shop by body shape at Joy of Clothes

In general, brands and shops tend to organise clothes based on occasion or style (unless we’re talking H&M, in which case there’s more of an irritating jumble sale approach) but I’m sure many of us would appreciate more attention to what suits certain shapes. Imagine walking into a shop and having a whole section devoted to pear-shapes, hourglass figures or apple shapes, alongside the tall and petite section.

Then rub your hands together with glee when you discover that it now exists – online at least! Some friends of Big Girls Browse have created the perfect solution for shopping by shape…