Leopard Accessories

We had a busy Saturday last weekend catching up with friends.  On Saturday during the day G and I went to celebrate our friends 30th Birthday.  We had a tea party, drank some wine and then headed out for a lovely Italian dinner at Aldo's in Brighton.

We love Aldo's and have been there a few times now.  It's really proper home cooked italian food, not that expensive, and the best bit is that you bring your own booze!  Love a bit of that!

I had to rush away from dinner and head up to my friends leaving party.  She is headed off to a new exciting start with her boyfriend in New Zealand.

I had to get ready for the whole day at about 12 so wanted an outfit that could take me from day to night.  I thought a minimal outfit would work best and opted to jazz it up a bit with a big hair style and some leopard print accessories; scarf and shoes (if only I could get leopard print nails to match!)

I often find that keeping things simple with an outfit is the most flattering.  Being bigger I think that sometimes patterns, extra accessories and lots of fuss can make me look bigger, so I kept to simple lines with the sharp white blazer, some dark coloured skinny jeans and a plain black silk top.

(Excuse the background! I still haven't managed to get too arty with the fashion pics!)

January Sales

Blazer £35.99 Zara, Scarf £12 Zara, Mittens similar £19 Jack Wills

I've been so good with my shopping recently and since I don't work in retail anymore I can most certainly say that I don't spend so much on clothes.  

However, writing the blog definitely makes me want to go and spend and buy some fab looking goodies so that I can share them with all you lovely people!

I went home over Christmas and there is nothing better than shopping with mum (especially when she likes to treat me!).

Watch similar £100 Fossil, Gel nails £15 per bottle SensatioNail-Boots,
Gel Nail Light 'Kiss' from Asda

Skinny Jeans £19 Dorothy Perkins

Boots £65 Evans

Outfit Inspiration: Autumn is coming

Second Hand Barbour Jacket, Dorothy Perkins - Super Skinny Jeans,
Next - Western Boots,  Essie 'Fiji' 

I want to be able to use my blog to share where I find my clothes and inspiration for outfits as I find that a lot of the blogs out there are great, if you're tiny!  I'm not.  In all of my adult life I've been bigger, having gone from a size 20 down to a size 16, where I am now.  People often say that I have good style, but I often don't believe it because I'm busy thinking how much better the outfit would look if I was slim.

I find it so hard a lot of the time to put outfits together because I see things on skinny people and think that I can pull them off!! I must remember to tell myself 'No'.  Not in a negative way, as I think it's positive to embrace how you look, but I think it is important to say No and be REALISTIC about your size.

It has taken me a long time to find what suits, and often I don't get it right.  But I hope that by sharing what can work on here, those of you out there who are bigger ladies and struggle will feel inspired.

I am loving the chilly weather meaning I can embrace coats, boots and layers.  Having just picked up the newest Simple Things, a mug of green tea and rain outside is most certainly making me embrace the autumnal layers.

Super purchase is my early Xmas prezzie from G - my good as new second hand Barbour from Dirty Harry's in Brighton for £100.00!!

Weekend Away....

New Favourite Drink - Whiskey and Ginger Ale

I finally made it to Scotland!  Being half Scottish I have always thought that I was missing out on a bit of my heritage have never ventured over the boarder into Scotland.

On the August Bank holiday weekend we had a very impromptu visit up to Edinburgh on the Virgin Atlantic Little Red from Heathrow.

What a fantastic weekend we had.  We just stayed in a Premier Inn out of the centre, as it was the last weekend of the Edinburgh Festival so the City was pretty busy, but it meant that we had to get the bus and explore the outskirts as well as the city centre.

We spent the whole weekend wandering, watching street performances, drinking whiskey, eating tasty food (including scrummy haggis) and doing a bit of shopping.  G experienced Joules for the first time and purchased a brand new Gillet and shirt and I fell in love with a Barbour Jacket.

Amazing weekend away and will most definitely be returning to Edinburgh as soon as possible. 

Compulsory "selfie"

Blazer -Aubin & Wills, Tee- H&M, Cardigan - Aubin & Wills, Necklace - Kew,
Jeans - Dorothy Perkins, Bag - Ted Baker, Brogues - Independent shop in Brighton

Whiski Rooms - Amazing drinks and Breakfast

Blazer - Aubin & Wills, Tee - H&M, Belt - Vintage Shop,
Sandals - Matalan Summer 2013

Cardigan Creativity

Jeans - Dorothy Perkins, T-shirt - Aubin & Wills, Cardigan - Noa Noa,
Necklace - Alex Monroe, Watch - Fossil

{6th August}

I have lost 3 stone in the last 3 or 4 years and I've gone from being a size 18-20 to 14-16.  I'm definitely not where I want to be yet and I am still not happy with how I look, but sometimes I find outfits that I'm happy in and I feel confident in.

As a bigger person I don't really every truly feel comfortable going out and I never feel like outfits really sit as well as they would if I was smaller, but sometimes an outfit comes together that makes me happy when I go out.  (I don't know about you but if an outfit is wrong it can make me feel so uncomfortable that it will pretty much ruin almost any occasion).

It tends to be the plain outfits that actually end up looking the best.  This was a new cardigan that I saw and loved in Noa Noa and as it was in the sale I had to snap it up.  I love the neutral colours and the plain front and the back is just so different with the silk polka dot panel at the back.

I have found that plain tees work really well in hiding a multitude of sins that lie underneath.  Pair this with the right jeans that are right for your body shape, and this can be a really flattering look.

I paired these with some classic shoes and some delicate jewellery and it was a good outfit day.

Spontaneous Sunday

{21st July 2013}

Did you all have lovely weekends?  

I hope you managed to get out an enjoy the sunshine as much as we did.  Since starting my new job I now work 9-5.30 Monday to Friday.  In my last job I works 9-5.30 and 11.00-7.30 the next, working every other Saturday.  It puts you in such a funny position working disjointed hours.  I never felt settled and rarely had time for going out and never wanted to see anyone because I never felt like I really had time to myself.  I now feel I can be a little more spontaneous and use up the time fully.

This weekend we had nothing planned, which is nice, but also a little disconcerting as you don't want it to get to Monday and look back and think you haven't done anything. 

Sunday morning we woke up with no plans and wanting to be spontaneous.  We drove over to East Preston to visit G's parents who were house sitting for a friend.  The house is right by the most secluded beach.  The beach runs at the back of a private estate, and as such has no parking for those not living on the estate, making it tricky to get to.  We were able to walk through the estate, down some private roads and paths and find this gorgeous pebbly beach.

There were other people about but you definitely wouldn't call it busy - nothing like Brighton Beach would have been today!  We set up our deck chairs, watched the tide go out, had some ice cream, and G's mum and I went for a swim (actually quite warm!!).

FACT: Magnum Caramel is super yummy!!!

We returned home about 5.30 just in time to order a chinese, have some wine, and watch some Hannibal (the Sky Living 2013 series).

Hope you all have a brilliant Monday.

{Hat - H&M, Glasses - Culter & Gross, Necklace - Dorothy Perkins}