Tried & Tested: True Corset ‘Dita’ corset

With my passion for 40s and 50s fashion, it’s perhaps a surprise that I’ve never really tried a proper corset before. I’ve worn bustiers and cheap alternatives, I’ve sewn plastic bones into the top of a prom dress, and I’ve even given corset shapewear a go. But until True Corset got in touch, I’d never laced myself into a proper steel-boned number!

So I was excited to be offered the chance to try a really gorgeous burlesque-inspired corset that promised to create the ultimate hourglass figure. I was sent the ‘Dita’ corset in black with polka dot panels, a longer line corset that promised to shape without squishing my flesh too much…

Tried & Tested: Gok Wan ‘Curve Controller’

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of shapewear. I love the 1950s nipped-waist silhouette and wear a lot of wiggle dresses that benefit from a good foundation (and no VPL). That said, I see shapewear as a smoothing, shaping garment, not a miracle fix. I don’t really subscribe to the whole ‘magic pants will make you thin’ idea – this is about creating a shape with the curves you have, not making them disappear completely!

In the past I’ve tried – and been impressed with – pieces from the previous Gok Wan collection for Simply Yours. I was recently offered the chance to try something from the new range, and I jumped at the chance to see what they’d done to improve it.

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!

Product review: Designers at Debenhams swimwear

I know many women finding the perfect swimsuit or bikini a shopping nightmare. I love swimwear when I find the right piece, but hunting down something well-fitting is on a par with finding the perfect pair of jeans or the ideal winter coat. In short, it’s a nightmare!

Once you’ve narrowed down your basic choices (swimsuit or bikini, skimpy or full-coverage, plain or printed) there are so many other things to consider. Luckily, this season it’s pretty easy to find something for everyone. In last few years more brands have latched onto the fact that not all women are the same size all over, selling bikinis as separates (ideal if you’re big up top or pear-shaped) and increasing the cup sizes and choices of bottoms. The swimsuit is also back in fashion, so those who feel more confident in a one-piece can wear it with no fear of feeling frumpy.

A while ago, Debenhams very kindly offered to send me a piece from their swimwear collection to try. I decided to give the new modern one-piece a go, and opted for a black and white palm print halter swimsuit by queen of the beach Melissa Odabash…

Tried & Tested: Curvy Kate Lingerie

When it comes to bras that fit, I’ve resigned myself to the fact that only a handful of brands can really cater for the fuller figure. All of them charge upwards of £25 for a decent bra, so buying pretty new lingerie quickly ends up costing a fortune.

So I was happy to discover BraStop.com, who offer all the brands I’m familiar with (Panache, Kalyani, Freya etc) along with one I didn’t – Curvy Kate – with discounts all round. The money off ranges from a couple of quid to around 50% off, and with one Curvy Kate bra on special offer at £10 this week, I thought it rude not to give it a go…

Big Girl tries Very.co.uk wide fit shoes

Regular shoes usually fit me fine around the foot, but I often struggle to fasten ankle straps because of my chunky ankles and high arches. And boots? Forget it. They all seem to be cut for women with insanely tiny ankles and calves. So I’m always impressed to see more retailers branching out into wider fit shoes and boots.

Very.co.uk are the latest to take the plunge, and they carry a decent selection of wide fit shoes to compliment their size 16+ So Fabulous! range. I was lucky enough to be sent a pair to try recently…

Dress for confidence: top 10 ways to make the most of your curves

Being comfortable with your curves is the key to looking greast, and I have so much admiration for voluptuous women who wear what they want regardless of the fashion ‘rules’ (who wrote them anyway?). But the truth is many women have confidence issues and would kill to look a few pounds slimmer. Whether it’s your tum, bum, boobs or thighs that you struggle to dress, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with admitting you have bits you’re not so happy with. Until you have the confidence to say “to hell with it, I’m gorgeous!” dressing to flatter is key to feeling good about yourself, and I don’t think it’s anything to be frowned upon. That said, hiding it not an option! So throw away those shapeless sacks and work with what you’ve got instead…

Big Girl’s Ultimate Shapewear review – updated!

Forget the corsets and girdles of old. The new breed of hold-you-in foundation garments give you a sleeker silhouette without the pain of more old-fashioned alternatives. Since we’re bigger on average than we used to be, it’s no surprise that women are queueing up to buy products that’ll make them appear slimmer or more toned. But which do you go for? To help, I’ve tried everything from smoothing tights to powermesh slips in my search for the best shapewear. Here’s the first part of my review, with everything from Spanx slips to M&S ‘magic pants’ covered…

From Beth Ditto to Big Girl – trying the Evans range on for size!

At the blogger’s preview of Beth Ditto for Evans I got the chance to see the pieces from the collection up close and there were loads that caught my eye. However, I decided if I was going to give this collection a go, I may as well go for one of the stand-out, ‘famous’ pieces. The body-con domino print dress was the item Beth herself chose to wear to the launch party, and I loved that the super-fitted shape and bold print were so unusual for a plus size range. Beth’s known for sticking two fingers up to convention so I decided to do the same. Keeping away from the pieces that were more ‘me’ (like the strapless stained glass dress) I put in an order for the domino dress. And I must say, it was a novelty to be ordering the smallest size for once!

Fitflops tried & tested: The workout while you work

I am a sucker for a new gadget, gizmo or wonder product. When I heard about Fitflops, my first thought was ‘what a load of rubbish’, but as usual I eventually got sucked in by the marketing, the good press, the celeb fans and the great reviews. What interested me more than the supposed toning / cellulite busting qualities of these new-wave flipflops, was the fact they were lauded as being so comfortable…