dirty...

Love this cover... Mainly because that madam there is big and beautiful and full of attitude! She is a burlesque dancer and goes by the name of Dirty Martini. She's funny, she's outrageous and I want her swimsuit!

pretty underwear...

Kelly Brook Collection/New Look

s/s 2012 New Look

s/s 2012 New Look

I am all for having pretty underwear. Nothing makes a gal feel more awesome than when she has got some snazzy underpants on! Since I was 16 I have strived to keep myself always in good underwear and it was always something my mother instilled in me and my sisters. So when I saw New Look's Kelly Brook collection and then their upcoming spring/summer collection I was little excited. For one thing they are so pretty and for another there are some GORGEOUS high waisted knickers thrown in their (which I have already bought!)

Sadly I am too big for their bras but not by much. Their sizes range from a 32B to 36F which I think is a great range considering the prices which are between €14.99 and €17.99 for the bras alone. The Kelly Brook collection is on sale now (I should know I have bought some already!) and the spring/summer collection is available in early February, just in time for my birthday!

Feelin' Swish...

Haven't done an outfit post in awhile... I have been missing them.

I wore this outfit to college today. I strutted through the hallways (my skirt swishing behind me)and felt ever so stylish. I do love this skirt but I do need to take it in. I feel happy and annoyed that I have to take it in, happy that I am smaller than I thought I was and annoyed because I really don't feel like taking it in (just too lazy) but it seriously needs it.

This is one of my favourite tops, which is a bit odd because I don't wear it often. No reason why I don't, am going to correct that and show this top some love. I think it is a terribly cutsey top, something I'd expect Cassie (from Skins) to wear.

I wore heels to college, still determined to teach my feet to behave and like heels. By the end of my college day my feet decided to give up and die on me so I had to change to flats. But then I was left with a problem, that skirt doesn't suit flats with tights. Solution change into jeans, comfy dark straight legs.

Does anyone else ever change their outfit during the middle of the day? Or is it just me?

Top: Warehouse

Skirt: Next

Shoes/Tights: Penneys

Looking Well...

Last Sunday was my friends 21st birthday. Above is the birthday girl in question. Tracey is a dear friend and an avid follower of this blog (which is so sweet of her). She had a little house party and then we all scampered off into town for a good knees up!

Anyway, the reason she is on the blog is because of this wonder of a dress wrapped around her! Isn't it just stunning!? I am so jealous she has it and that it would never look as good on me as it does on this young lady... grrrr

And that bag! Well of course it was amazing because I bought it for her (he he). I was worried the knuckle duster clutch would be too mad an item but thankfully she loved it as did her mother and everyone else at the party! I kept spotting it being passed around.

Tracey's outfit

Dress: Warehouse

Heels: TK Maxx

Clutch: River Island

Now an outfit post would not be complete without me posing my bottom off! In the bathroom of the pub I'll have you know...

My aim was "New York effortless cool" and I think I pulled it off (hopefully)! I dared to wear leather leggings as trousers and I'm so glad I did. I know I have worn them loads but never with anything as short or tight! I read somewhere that "leather trousers were not for the faint hearted or thick thighed" and that made me more determined to wear them... 

My Oufit

Top: Wallis

Leather look leggings/ Bag: Penneys

Heels: Irregular Choice

Belt: River Island

Why can't we all just get along...

Ok I know these images were published in 2009 but I am slow and it really cannot be helped (sorry)... So moving along swiftly... How fab are these pictures?!?!? 

It was a shoot done by V magazine to show that any size can rock an outfit. I think it is safe to say both of these women look amazing! The models are Jacquelyn Jablonski and Crystal Renn. 

Short post I know and I wanted to post the pictures much bigger but they won't let me... Apologies!  

Modeling, now that would be a political matter...

Please note: I understand that these images are the extreme and not all models are like this. There is also the possibility that these photos are photoshopped. If they are offensive to anyone please let me know and I will remove them.

The Australian government have stepped in and brought in a new strategy which will award fashion professionals that choose not to hire thin models. The Youth Minister Kate Ellis has devised a "tick of approval" that she will reward magazines, model agencies and designer labels that adhere to the following rules...

*State when photos have been retouched and refrain from airbrushing (and what not).

*Only hire models who are of the age of 16 and over to model adult clothes for the catwalk and print.

*Refrain from using models who are too thin and male models who are too muscular.

*Stock clothing in a wide variety of sizes in shops to reflect consumer demand.

*Use a broad range of body sizes and shapes and ethnicities in editorials and advertising.

*Do not promote rapid weight loss, excessive exercise, cosmetic surgery or any editorial or advertisements that may promote a negative body image.

I am very pleased with this turn of events, even though I am not in or from Australia. I think it is a bold move by the Australian government to officially tackle the fashion industry that is a little set in their ways as a whole. I am in particular thrilled about the rule about clothing sizes in shops considering my rant a few days ago.

I do not believe that it will make a world altering difference because there are many people in the fashion industry that cannot change their minds over the weight issue(unfortunately). But I do believe it is such a positive turn and I really hope that it does make a difference (however small it may be).

The Irish Department of Health state that up 200,000 people are affected by an eating disorder in Ireland, roughly 400 new cases emerge each year and there are 80 deaths annually. I am not saying that the fashion industry/media are directly responsible for eating disorders and poor body confidence but I believe that they certainly are a part of the problem. I hope that other countries take a leaf out of Australia's book, because body confidence is a more serious issue than people think.

She won't suppress her curves to fit the brief...

This is Crystal Renn. Isn't she beautiful. She is a plus-size model. I came across her in another blog and being a curvy girl myself I felt I should do a post on her. She starved herself to be a model but she copped on and realised that her natural body size was not thin. Now she is a beautiful size 14 and looks stunning and is doing very well for herself I believe.

Now I'm not one of those girls who gets all huffy and mad because there are too many skinny models in magazines and such... They don't bother me in the slightest. What bothers me is that there are loads of interesting and stylish collections or shops (nastygal/urban outfitters/rvca/ forever 21) out there that don't cater to the bigger woman. I look at so many blogs and editorials and I might spot something and go "oooh yummy, I want" at some article of clothing. I'll then wander on to the online shop to see what the price and sizing is like and it will just be an inch or two (or three) too small for me. Tis a tad frustrating...

Now don't get me wrong I've loads of clothes and I wouldn't call myself fat (size 16: bust 42, waist 32, hips 41/2ish). I just can't understand why some shops can't add an extra two inches or so onto their clothes (for me, please!). Trust me, I'm sure they will be bought.

I do apologise for complaining so much in this post. I am very lucky that I have my curves and still fit into a hell of a lot of clothes. I've no real need to moan like I am but I'm gonna anyway...

UPDATE: I got a message off Wildfox saying that their sizes are bigger than I had expected and that they should fit my size (so other people my size too, yay!) because they go for that oversized look. I asked them for measurements because it isn't on the online shop, hopefully I'll get them soon (XS,S,M,L are always difficult to decipher). Sorry Wildfox for dragging your name in the fashion mud!