Leather And Lace - A Junarose Review

*This Dress Was A Gifted Item

Sometimes you see an item of clothing that you just have to have! It's your ultimate style, great colour and detail and something you know you can style up or down. Recently I was given the opportunity to check out the latest collections from Junarose with Hanna and we were both given the chance to leaf through some samples and take a few bits. 

 I had previously bought into the lies about white being a colour big girls should avoid because it makes us look larger. I'm also the sort of person who would happen to eat something containing tomatoes and end up wearing half of it down my front lol. Over the years I have changed my mind set about white clothes and now I own tones of them! I chose this gorgeous white lace dress because I instantly liked it after seeing it. I'm wearing this in a size M and I absolutely love it! The fit is just perfect for me, moulding against my bust and behind to enhance my curves and stopping just above the knee. 

If anyone is considering purchasing this one I should note that the lace is a really soft stretch lace that is really comfortable to wear. Unlike some lace items I have worn in the past this one doesn't cling or pinch anywhere, especially the arms. As you all know my arms a little on the chunkier side and I have had issues with some tops and jackets in the past because of this and have had to up-size from time to time for more comfort. 

I chose to wear this one with leggings. As I have a fairly sizeable behind the dress hitches up just a little too much for me to wear this as a singular item but that of course would be different from woman to woman. One thing I love about this dress is the lining, a really soft material I believe to be Toulouse. I really like that you can wear this dress with pretty much any bra you like without having the straps on show. 

I have worn this dress a few times now and each time has been different. You can really dress this one up with some pearl jewellery, heels and a really sweet jacket. I thought it would be cool to put it with black leggings, leather boots and top it off with my biker jacket. You all know I love my beret hats as they are so comfortable and can also be added to really casual or dressy looks. This one is a really old one from Simply Be but the colour was just perfect to work alongside the dress and an easy option for me to just slip on. Hot pink lipstick and some silvery jewellery and I was ready and set to go!

I love how some items can be right up your street but have a little bit of a twist. If you like this lace dress you'll be pleased to know it's currently available on the Junarose website along with some other lace items that are amazing! I have seen some of the upcoming collection and I have to say you're in for a treat ladies, stay tuned to see what's coming!

Remember whatever you wear, feel fabulous in it and wear it with a smile!

Esmeralda In Blue - A GCGMe Review

*This Dress Is A Gifted Item

One thing I love is being able to channel the style of another woman, be it a friend, celebrity or even a fictional character. In this dress I feel a little bit like a Disney princess, not your overly glammed up Disney princess, in this case I was channelling Hunch Back Of Notre-Dame's Esmeralda!

 I was recently contacted by Australian fashion company GCGMe. I had never heard of the brand before but was thrilled to have been asked to review something for them once I had checked out their plus size maxi dress selection. What I really liked about the brand from browsing their website was the variety of options for women who like to embrace colour and something a little more glamorous. I really liked their maxi dress options and had my eye on several! I eventually opted for the Macy dress and I am really happy with my choice!

The first draw for me when it came to the shape and style of this dress was the off the shoulder detail. I think all women have those areas that look beautiful on everyone, one in particular is the decolletage. Showing a hint of skin is really sexy yet subtle and for dresses of this shape, extremely comfortable to wear. I haven't seen that many tops or dresses with an off the shoulder neckline that have really grabbed me and this dress ticked all the boxes for me. Firstly I love maxi dresses that just sweep the floor. There's something really elegant about a dress that sweeps over your heels. This dress had a really nice length against my 5'5 frame. I should note that in these pictures I was wearing flat ankle boots. 

Available in sizes S-4X this is one that works for pretty much every shape and size of woman and really flatters when worn. This dress comes in 8 colours so you have your choice of options. In my case I had to pick the cobalt blue version in size 3X. I really like the length of the sleeves as they cover the biceps really comfortably with an elasticated cuff to hold the shape. There is also a detached waist tie which can be worn to cinch you in at the waist. I chose to go without mine for these pictures because I liked the way the dress hung on me without the tie. The binding at the waist moulded my bust really nicely and was in a really good place for women of all bust sizes.

At the moment I am wearing my hair loose a lot of the time and as it's currently styled with slight waves. When I first tried this dress on in front of the mirror it gave me the feel of an exotic gypsy. I instantly thought about the Disney character Esmeralda and how she was dressed in the movie. Large hoop earrings, hair scarves and simple shoes. These are all features of my day to day style so it was easy for me to figure out how I was going to style this one. 

Play around with your style, sometimes when you take inspiration from someone or somewhere different to the norm the results can be interesting and fun. You may end up with a slightly different spring in your step and a new style you can rock from time to time!

Remember whatever you wear, feel fabulous in it and wear it with a smile!

Pineapple Express - A Collectif Clothing Review

When it comes to vintage fashion most people to tend to go all in! whether you're a pinup princess or rockabilly chick, the outfit selected tends to be only a small part of the the overall look. I see girls dressed to the nines with victory rolls in their hair, winged eye-liner and countless tattoos to achieve the look they want. In my case I take a different approach when I wear vintage items. 

Luckily for me many things that are typical of the style feature in my personal style. I don't remember the last time I went out without my eye liner winged or when red lipstick wasn't my preferred shade. When it comes to styling vintage outfits I, like many other women consider every element to my look. A few weeks ago I bought a new Doll dress from Collectif. When I first spotted the Fairy Pineapple Print Doll Dress on the website it simply had to be mine! Admittedly I don't tend to buy clothes that have food images or prints on them but something about this one caught my eye. I usually purchase the Dolores Doll in a size 20 but I thought I would opt for a size 22 in this style for a more relaxed fit around the bust and a little less cleavage. 

I really wanted buy a bright and fun dress for the summer and was thinking about what sort of dress I might take with me if I get the chance to reach a sunny destination on holiday. Not only were pineapples a really popular feature in summer fashions this year, they also happen to be one of my favourite fruits so I figured I should make this dress my first ever food print item lol. 

The spaghetti straps are a really nice feature and make this dress really comfortable to wear. If like me you enjoy that little bit of extra coverage then a cardigan or jacket would be a nice addition to the look. I'm wearing a jacket that I borrowed from Hanna. This one was available in a previous collection by Old Navy. In keeping with the white of the dress and the choice in jacket I wanted a pair of white shoes. This pair of white brogue style shoes from a previous collection by George were my choice as I wanted something breathable and flat. 

What I really enjoy is taking an item and putting my own stamp on the look. I love getting dolled up like a pinup princess but I wanted a more casual and easy look for this dress. I wanted to bring in elements of my usual style and keep things simple. I wore my fringed black hair scarf, signature hoop earrings, and my usual style of makeup. Hanna being the queen of lipsticks borrowed me a burnt orange shade from her collection to match the colours of the dress. 

If you like this dress and want to try it out for yourself I have some good news, it's currently on sale! This dress is now just £14 reduced from £55 and I have to say it's an amazing fit and such a nice one to wear! There are some other pineapple print items from Collectif too have a look and see what you might fancy!

Remember whatever you wear, feel fabulous in it and wear it with a smile!