Picture perfect in ASOS Curve

We appear to have sunshine! 
I am so glad because I bought the most beautiful ASOS Curve dress before getting ill and was scared I'd missed my chance to wear it.  I hated the thought of saving it for next summer cause it is one of the most beautifully fitted dresses I have bought all year!

Plus Size Occasion Dress from Marks & Spencer

Did you know that Marks & Spencer have a plus size clothing range?   I sure didn't and was pleasantly surprised when browsing the website to stumble across a beautiful little kimono dress that comes in sizes 18 - 32.

Enter Studio 8

I'm a little giddy about Phase 8 - I have long lusted after their Collection 8 ball gowns and their jersey dresses are favourite go-to for smart, luxurious dresses perfect for throwing in a suitcase (they don't need ironing!!!!)
But my giddiness have gone stellar since I heard whispers of the brand launching a brand new line of stylish clothes exclusively in sizes 16- 24. 
Enter Studio 8!

Sonia Dress

Closet Curves - Floral Print Skater Dress

If you haven't noticed, I'm obsessed with florals at the moment!  
I think it may have something to do with my new gardening obsession - those of you following my on Pinterest & Instagram have been bombarded with images of my latest, and rather muddy, hobby! 
With this new fancy of florals comes another really quite wonderful dress!

Bitter Lollipop - Freya*

As a girl with big boobs and a small waist, I frequently have problems finding dresses that fit beautifully on the waist and across my chest.   Most dresses get cinched in at the waist with a belt come in stretchy materials that allow for substantial give over the chest. 
Luckily for me, there is a wonderful new designer on the scenes who makes dresses that more accurately reflect a curvy girl's figure. 

Joe Browns - Brazilia

I'm in the midst of a floral obsession - my weekends and evening are spent planting primroses in my garden and this love seems to have seeped into my wardrobe too.  
I'm perfectly happy in my floral bliss of la-la-land and fairies and cute little honey bees.  Perhaps that is why I feel head over heels with the amazingly vibrant Joe Brown's Brazilia dress from Simply Be. 

Wedding Guest Edit

My brother-in-law is getting married in June.    They plan to wed in a truly English church before a whimsical reception at the beach front restaurant.  
This poses one problem - which one do I wear?

Clockwise from left:

Rose Vine Vintage Dress - BBW Couture 

Fairy Summer Bouquet Print Doll Dress - Collectif Clothing

Violet & Green Rose Print Hepburn - Lady Vintage

Floral Skater Dress - Simply Be

Bonmarche Blogger Swap Challenge*

I was recently contacted by the lovely Marie from Bonmarche about taking part in an exciting and unique challenge to compile an outfit for fellow blogger Sarah from Always a BlueSkyGirl. In return, Sarah would chose an outfit for me.  I have to say, I had some concerns.  I'm a funny onion and terribly fussy over what I like and few people get it right when making suggestions on my style.   I also had concerns that there would be little on Bonmarche that I like - I was steeped in the preconceptions of my Grandma shopping there and worried that the styles on offer would be a little too mature for a girl in her 20s.   I needn't have worried!

My year in pictures ...

This year has been a roller coaster - the exhilarating ride of my life!  
So I thought I'd share my year in pictures, to relive some amazing memories and look forward to forging some new! 

A High Fashion Gown for a Curvaceous Bride

This isn't a wedding blog ... but every girl loves a beautiful bride.

I got married myself in May having spent many an hour obsessing over what I would wear.  From the day my husband proposed I had a clear idea in my head.  I would wear a 1940's gown with lace detailing, pin curl my hair, and wear the most fantastic pair of heels imaginable.

Making my vision happen, wasn't so easy.  By my fourth attempt at dress shopping I was left in tears. Time after time I was told 'You're big, you must wear A-Line,' or 'You have boobs so you need a corset.'  One woman put me in a dress so large that I actually gained ten stone.  I saw dress after dress made for the plus size bride and, although beautiful, they simply weren't me!  When I did see a dress that I loved, I wasn't allowed to try it on because 'they don't make it in your size.'

Clockwise from top left: VW8661 by Venus Woman; Style 3156 Julietta by Mori Lee; Barcelona by Callista; WP240 by White Rose Bridal;   SON 91400 by Sonsie by Veromia.  

I'd all but given up on the idea of having something ethereal made from light fabric and even finer lace.   In fact, I was contemplating not wearing a wedding dress at all!

Eventually, my Maid-of-Honour convinced me to try a designer that had caught my eye from day one, Johanna Hehir.  I'd not even bothered contacting the London based designer as her website didn't mention anything about making dresses for the plus size bride - I was so wrong.  One email and a phone call later and I'd been reassured that they make the most beautiful dresses for all shapes and sizes whether they be long, short, wide, lumpy, or bumpy (my own words).

A fortnight later and I was in their London boutique being pinned into the most beautiful creations I've ever seen.  They may not have stocked samples over a size 12 but they pinned dresses to show me how they would sit on my body and let me prance about in dresses that other bridal stores hadn't even let me glance at.  

I left having fallen in love with a dress that ticked all the boxes and I couldn't have been happier. 

What's even better is that Johanna Hehir isn't the only designer offering high fashion gowns to the curvaceous bride.  

Left to right: Florence by Jenny Packham; Charlotte by Clair Pettibone; Edith by Johanna Hehir.

Claire Pettibone's elfin creations are for brides 'size 14, 16, 18, and up.'  The Los Angeles based designed believes that 'women of all sizes are beautiful, and feel our "real brides" look amazing.'  Pettibone dress can be customised 'to accommodate various body types, so whether you are petite, full busted, or pear shape, we can modify the pattern to your proportions.'   

Kathrine Middleton's favourite, Jenny Packham, also creates her heavily embellished gowns to fit the curvier bride.  In fact, Jenny even sent three plus-size models down the runway in her beautiful gowns earlier in the year. 

So, it looks like the designers are finally realising that hips and ass look just as good in their dresses as the long limbs of the traditional model.  Now, when will the stockists stop making beautiful women like me feel like they can't wear these stunning creations?

I fear we'll have a long wait, but in the meantime feel free to boost my ego and feast your eyes on beautiful Johanna Hehir wedding dress:

A not-so-Bridal Trousseaux

I'm going to Mauritius!  This new mantra drives my friends insane ... but it's my honeymoon so I'll gloat away!

My husband and I didn't have a steamy wedding night - we stayed at my Mum's house and pretty much passed out with exhaustion after dancing for hours on end - so I can't wait to surprise him with a suitcase full of the most wonderfully sexy lingerie a girl can find.  

My excitement at the prospective of barely-there lace and fine silk only grew when I discovered Dita Von Teese has a lingerie range being sold at ye old faithfuls, Figleaves and ASOS.    

Clockwise from left: Savoir fitted chemise; Madame X longline bra; Man Catcher Bra, Suspender and Briefs; Madame X underwired bra.   

Miss Von Teese, famous for having 'axed' skinny models, has always been a strong spokesperson for us 'curvaceous women and fuller-figured girls,' so I'd be right in thinking that her latest collections would make a welcome addition to my less-than-virginal trousseaux.  I was sorely disappointed!

The lingerie is beautiful but the sizing is as pint-sized as the burlesque star herself.  The cup size maxes out a measly DD and you'll be lucky to find matching bottoms in size 16 (they do go to a size 16 but they sold out within minutes and there are no plans to restock).   There is simply no chance my 36GGs would fit - let alone my size 18 hips. 

Slightly disheartened, I nevertheless persevered - what girl wouldn't go to a bit of effort to dress like a burlesque star for a fortnight? 

With Dita's own range of lingerie thrown cleanly out the window, I got searching for equally beautiful pieces that come more realistic sizes.  

Clockwise from top left: Ritzy Babydoll by Curvy Kate; Addicted half-cup bra by Pour Moi?; Lola Luxe basque by Bravissimo; Retrolution by Gossard; Sienna full support balconette by Beautiful by Boux; Tiffany bra, suspender, and brief by Maquerade.

Curvy Kate, the buxom-gal's favourite, is always top of the game when it comes to sexy lingerie built to support and flatter the larger chest.  They start at D cup and go to a K so you'd be hard not to find  something here.   Top of my wish list is their Ritzy Babydoll in a sultry red -  I can certainly see myself floating about our hotel room in this!

Rertolution by Gossard is also a must when it comes to channelling you're inner siren - I've always been drawn to red!  It will also double up as amazing control for under slinky pencil dresses.  Unfortunately, the ranges maxes out at an E cup but their other designs go to a 38G and their pants go to a roomy 18.  

Pour Moi? Say's it all.  A staple in my lingerie wardrobe - yes, I have a whole wardrobe devoted to my lingerie fetish - the oh-so affordable brand is a must when it comes to appropriately sized basques and lacy bras. The Addicted range evokes images of smokey jazz clubs with scantily clad ladies, scarlet lips, and pin curled hair.  Roll on pay-day .... 

Thanks to the lingerie designers who embrace curves my wardrobe is now brimming with beautiful pieces in my favourite colours of scarlet, black, and deep purple.  I may have even added an set of electric blue to the mix!   All I need now is November to come ... and maybe these wonderful designers to ditch the skinny models and fill their creations with us buxom beauties! 

C x