New Plus Size Clothing Collection: Missguided Plus

If you've been following the plus size blogging community this week, then I'm sure you've heard the good news: there's a new plus size collection in town by the name of Missguided Plus!

That's right; established fashion brand Missguided has finally launched it's own plus size collection! About time, right?

Missguided Plus caters to sizes 16-24 UK, and is made up of trend-led pieces that are similar to those in the straight size range. There's no shortage of colour, short hemlines, and fashionable prints in the current selection, and the prices are reasonable, too. 

Here are some of my favourites:

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My favourites are these stunning velvet dresses, which would make the perfect Christmas party frocks. I'm particularly taken with the blue and oxblood wrap dresses.

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For all of you nineties loving ladies, there are a couple of gorgeous burgundy bodysuits to be had.

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Oh how I love these cosy looking jumpers! One of each, please!

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These skater dresses tick all the right boxes.

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I love the selection of skirts with matching crop tops or jackets. If the co-ord trend isn't really your thing, there's no need to worry; each piece is sold separately so you can style them however you like.

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I love both of these jackets, but especially the checked jacket with the PVC sleeves. Come to mama!

These jackets are so different to each other, and I think it's a good example of how diverse the collection is; there's something for almost everybody... well, for those who wear sizes 16-24. 

It's a real shame that Missguided Plus have stopped at a size 24 instead of extending their sizes further to include the larger ladies. I don't know why so many plus size brands exclude sizes beyond a 24 or a 26; especially when the selection of brands available over these sizes is still so limited. They could be making a killing! Ladies over a size 24 deserve beautiful clothes, too, and there are plenty who want to spend their hard-earned cash on clothes like these! I hope Missguided Plus extends the sizing of their clothing, if the new range does well, (and I think it will)!

I'm already impressed with the selection available, and have fallen in love with most of the collection. It's fashionable, it's fun, and the pricing is great! I think we can expect good things to come from Misguided Plus!

What do you think of Missguided's new plus size collection? Do you have a favourite piece?

Make Way For Boohoo Plus!

Have you heard the good news? There's a new plus size collection taking the fashion world by storm and it's certainly got the plus size blogging community in an over-joyed frenzy- myself included!

Fashion retailer Boohoo.com has launched their own plus size range called Boohoo Plus, catering to sizes 16-24! 

When I first heard that Boohoo were bringing out a plus size range I was excited and intrigued. I've long admired their fashionable designs, but only from afar as the sizing didn't extend beyond a 14. Boo hoo! So the news of a Boohoo range that catered to my size filled me with hope, and I'm pleased to say I wasn't disappointed.

Boohoo Plus is quite simply, a breath of fresh air! It's made up of fashion-forward pieces just like the straight-size collections! It's made up of clothes that our slimmer friends have access to; of clothes we see fashionable girls wearing every day! Many pieces have even been adapted from the main range. The clothes are trendy, fun, flirty, colourful, and anything but frumpy; whilst still flattering the fuller figure! It's a world apart from the drab plus size collections made up of boring black shapeless sacks hidden in the deepest darkest corner of a shop, that's for sure. (I'm looking at you, Matalan!)

The collection is influenced by the current trends and must-have pieces, and the SS14 collection is focused around three main trends: Chalk Pastels, Brights, and Revival, which I'm going to give you a taster of below. I enjoyed putting these collages together because everything looks so lovely.

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Chalk Pastels is made up of sugary sweet pastel colours in mint, lilac, and pink, with a little hint of florals. The pieces are simple and stream-lined, but oh so pretty!

Pastels are going to be everywhere as we transition in to Spring and the trend is a great way to start easing some colour in to your wardrobe if you usually stick to black, navy and neutrals but want to give colour a try. I personally want to fill my wardrobe with everything mint-coloured, and I particularly love the quilted jackets, the floral sweatshirt and jeggings.

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If, like me, bold colours are more your style, then the Brights trend will probably appeal to you. The trend focuses on beautiful bold colours like tomato red, magenta, and my favourite- cobalt blue, and will also focus heavily on neon colours.

Colour is one of my main influences when it comes to style, and seeing so much colour in the Boohoo Plus collection has made me smile. It's refreshing to find a plus size brand (besides ASOS Curve) that isn't afraid to let us be seen in anything but black. Just look at all those gorgeous vibrant colours! I'm in love.

This is just a small selection of the range, but I think you can see how varied it is. Most pieces come in several colours, with many of them also available in black, cream, and / or grey. I'll take one of each, please!

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The third trend is called Revival which pays homage to the nineties with monochrome, grid prints and hints of colour. This nineties trend is huge at the moment, and Boohoo's Revival pieces have made me feel so nostalgic; I remember so many of these styles from the first time around! They've got this collection so right! I love the body-con midi dresses, the floor-sweeping maxi dresses, and the fabulous body suits.

The range is very affordable with prices starting from just £10. At present Boohoo Plus caters to UK sizes 16-24, but I hear they may extend the sizes further if it sells well! Given the reaction from the plus size blogging community alone, I have a feeling it's going to do really well. I can't wait to get my hands on a piece or two... the only hard part will be choosing what piece to buy first!

So there you have it; a directional plus size range that is bang on trend and not afraid to bring us the same fashionable styles that the straight sized ladies have access to! It may be a new collection, but Boohoo Plus is already miles ahead on the plus size scene, and it's fantastic to see how much plus size fashion is evolving. I think we can expect good things to come from Boohoo Plus!

If you'd like to check out Boohoo Plus' current selection, you can do so here.

What do you think of Boohoo Plus? Have you bought anything from the range yet?

Sunday Favourites #65

Morning guys,

Who's ready for a little Sunday inspiration?

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This bunny tattoo, which I imagine is inspired by a Beatrix Potter illustration, is absolutely adorable!

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Would you just look at this gorgeous little sealion pup! He was rejected by his mother and shunned from his colony for his unusual appearance. He has red fur caused by a build up of iron, and lopsided blue eyes which are almost entirely blind. Who couldn't love that face? Can I adopt him, please?

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Dior, can I have this in size fat, please?

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Perfect hair and funky make up!

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I'm in LOVE with this whale tattoo!

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I really couldn't love green eye make up more.

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Here's a great tutorial showing you how to make an elastic waist skirt and how to stencil on to fabric. A friend of mine has the Peter Pan silhouettes for a tattoo, and it made me think of her!

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Just a guinea pig riding a Capybara...  I have no idea what is going on here.

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I love these gradient nails, although not the Miley Cyrus face- (not a fan), which is who inspired this gorgeous nail art.

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I must give a rainbow cake a try some time. I've always wanted to make one.

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I'm really liking the pastel coloured furniture, and the wallpaper in this image.

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It really is! Embrace who you are!

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One perfect ensemble!

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This guy handed in his resignation on a cake...

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Have you heard about Bikers Against Child Abuse International, a group of male and female bikers who volunteer their time and money to help child abuse victims feel safe again? These guardians use their 'intimidating stature' to help the children feel protected. Anytime the child feels scared- at home, at school, in the court room- the bikers will be their standing guard in their leathers to keep them from harm until they feel safe. I bawled reading the story.

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This is a remnant of the Kepler's Supernova; and it's so beautiful!

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The bearded man who played Mama duck... Click the source to read the story!

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I agree!

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I watched The Sound of Music for the first time in ages last night, and once again, I want to go to Austria! It looks so beautiful.

♥ Sian of Forever Fabulous in Bows spoke up about the recent spate of online body bashing against plus size bloggers on the Facebook pages of fashion brands. Shockingly, the majority of the trolling is being caused by other plus size ladies. 

♥ Betty of Pamper and Curves was one of the ladies targeted by these trolls for 'daring' to wear disco leggings. She fought back against the negativity and the notion that fat ladies shouldn't wear certain things with a post called F*ck Flattering!

♥ Naomi of Diamonds 'n' Pearls very bravely and admirably opened up about the years of bullying she endured for simply being the 'bigger girl'. I read her words with tears streaming down my face. Make sure you grab the tissues before you read her inspirational post.

♥ Callie of From the Corners of the Curve wrote a great post about body confidence earlier this week, and shared her tips for improving confidence and self-image. I only wish I could go back and show this post to younger me, as I'm sure it would've helped me.

♥ Some of the fabulous outfits I've been enjoying this week: Idda Van Munster in a gorgeous vintage ensemble; Alissa at Stylish Curves rocking tweed and cobalt; Natalie of Extra Large As Life breaking the rules in style; and this unknown lady (?) mixing a gorgeous faux fur coat with polka dots.

♥  I was sickened to learn that a permit to hunt and kill an endangered African black rhino was auctioned earlier this month in Dallas- and sold for $350,000. The shocking twist is that the money shall go towards protecting the critically endangered black rhinos! I'm disgusted that anybody can justify this.

♥ The recent storms have unearthed the wreck of a tug boat near St. Michael's Mount in Penzance, Cornwall. It's the second old wreck that was discovered in Cornwall in a week! Crazy.

♥ There's something oddly fascinating about Kaylah of The Dainty Squid's collection of animal skulls.

♥ I love this DIY post for DIY Movie Night Candy Bags. These would be so fun to make for a girl's night in!

♥ 10 Reasons No One Is Following You On Instagram. I don't agree with all ten, but this did make me laugh.

♥ And if you're a Cath Kidston fan like I am, you might enjoy ogling at some of the new season products, previewed by Heart Handmade UK. I already love the s/s14 prints, and can't wait to see them in the flesh!

Have a great day!

How to Wear Colour: When You're Plus Size

This is the fifth post in my How to Wear Colour series. Previous posts in this series include: Introduction, Where to Start, How to Build Up Your Colour Confidence, and Which Colours? which can all be read via the links.

Today's post is all about:

But...

Society would lead you to believe that plus size people should avoid wearing colour at any cost. 

For decades, society has circulated and spoon-fed style advice to the plus size, whether their opinions have been wanted or not. Don't wear stripes. Don't wear white. Don't wear prints. And don't, for the love of God, wear colour. You'll only make yourself look larger. Wear black. Black is your friend. Black will make you look slimmer... Wear that shapeless black top. It'll hide your lumps and bumps. Now you won't draw attention to yourself... perfect...

Sound familiar? My guess is most of us have been met with comments like those from society at some stage in our lives, whether it be from fashion magazines, family members, friends, peers, or complete strangers. I know I have.

However, we don't have to listen to a word that those narrow minded individuals say... in fact, I'd suggest ignoring such remarks all together. Rules were made for breaking! Break them all!

You can wear colour if you're plus size. You can wear colour what ever your size, shape, or weight might be, and look amazing. Colour will not make you look larger, and black will not make you look slimmer. Your size doesn't miraculously change like a mood ring when you wear certain colours. If you look fat in something, that's because you're fat, and not because you're wearing colour...  and that's perfectly okay!

You should never feel like you have to blend in to the background or hide your figure because of your size. If you dream of wearing colourful clothes, do it! Plus size people rock colour just as well as slimmer individuals do. It's all about confidence and finding the right pieces for you.

Why not start by focusing on a part of your body that you love?  If you love your legs, why not try a great pair of coloured jeans or a cute skirt? If your tiny little waist is your favourite asset, a fitted dress or waist belt will show it off perfectly. By wearing colour on your favourite body parts, you'll feel more comfortable, and the colour will draw the eye away from any areas you don't like and to the bits that you do!

I also recommend trying colourful prints. I don't know who first decided plus size people shouldn't wear prints, but they were incredibly wrong. Prints and patterns look fantastic on larger figures. You only have to see Rachel and Nita's outfit posts to see that. It's said larger prints are better for bigger bodies, but I think ditsy prints look amazing, too. Don't rule prints out. Try them, experiment with them. They're such a fun way to wear colour, and can look stylish, flattering, and quirky, too.

And if you just don't feel comfortable wearing colourful clothes or struggle finding colourful garments in your size, have fun with colourful accessories. There's so many different accessories to choose from; bags, shoes, jewellery, belts, hats, hair accessories... That gives you a lot of choice and a lot of outfit possibilities. They don't have to break the bank, and can easily be removed if your confidence falters... but more on Accessorising next week.

If you don't know where to find fashionable, colourful plus size clothes, I'd recommend checking out the following brands: ASOS Curve, AX Paris Curve, Domino Dollhouse, Dorothy Perkins, Eshakti, Evans,  Forever 21, H&M, George at Asda, Matalan, Lovedrobe, M&Co, Modcloth, New Look Inspire, Next, Primark, Sienna Couture, Simply Be, Tesco, Torrid, Very, These are just some of the brands which cater to plus sizes of various degrees. Some only go up to a UK 20, where as others may go up to a size 32 or beyond.. I'll do a full post in greater depth about plus size brands at a later date.

I'd also recommend checking out my blog roll for blogs by wonderful plus size bloggers who wear colour so well. There are far too many stylish ladies to list, as so many of them inspire me with their fabulous colourful style. 

So my advice is, wear colour no matter your size or shape, and wear it proudly! Experiment with every colour to learn which ones work for you, and don't ever deny yourself the right to wear certain colours and garments because of your size. 

My How to Wear Colour posts will be aimed at everybody, so for further ideas and tips, keep reading this series!