As I'm sure you have realised by now, one of my absolute favourite fashion eras of all time is the decadent, sparkly, over the top 1920's. Thanks to The Great Gatsby this style has permeated the catwalks and high street this year in the form of intricately beaded and sequined clothing in rich blacks, nudes and golds, ornate headpieces and bold dramatic make-up. Naturally it is a perfect look for parties, and especially for Christmas festivities where you can get away with a more extravagent look than at other times of the year.
Here are some of my picks from the array on offer in plus size stores at the moment, I will follow up with an accessories and make-up post another day as there is so much to cover! I'll start with my favourite piece so far...
This AMAZING bolero jacket by Collection hit the Evans website last week and instantly took my breath away. Everything about it is just perfect - the short style, beautiful sparkliness and fabulous Art Deco style pattern. It is at the very top of my wish list for Christmas and I'm keeping all my fingers and toes crossed that it will be under the tree for me!
Joanna Hope has some lovely pieces on offer through Simply Be this year, keeping very much in the flapper girl veign. The maxi dress is a great way to work the look in a more subtle way, and great if you don't like showing off your legs - just add some pretty shoes and a nice clutch, no jewellery needed! The middle dress is my favourite with its scallop shell like detail to the bottom hem and starbust like pattern to the bodice. It is absolutely gorgeous and also available in teal, although I much prefer the black. Lastly this fringe detailed dress is great if you're a fan of the shift style and want some sparkle without being over the top. It's also a lovely length sitting just below the knee.
Next up we have a lovely shift dress from wonderful Scarlett & Jo featuring a beautiful beaded bib design to the chest and pretty sheer sleeves which would look great with some skinny black trousers and heels. Next up is a great piece from Sorrento, a brand I don't have much knowledge of. This all over embroidered dress is just gorgeous however so I'll keep on the lookout for future pieces from them. Lastly we have a stunningly detailed sheer shell top which I think would look amazing over a plain form fitting black maxi or midi dress.
Here again we have three brands that I have never purchased from before but have some great offerings for this year's festive season. The first dress by Koko is a little unusual for the season as it is silver not gold, but I really think it works in an ice queen kind of way! This next dress by Ruby Rocks is a little more modern if you don't feel like doing the full Gatsby - the classic LBD features a nice key hole neckline and pretty metallic detailing. Finally we have a very gorgeous vest top from Rise - another great style if you don't fancy a dress but still want the show stopping sparkle.
Naturally you need some excellent shoes to go with your fab new dress and I've been told that these metallic t-bar beauties from Simply Be and really comfortable. I had to include this beaded cape in the round-up, although it is a pretty pale peachy pink rather than black or gold. It would be an easy and relatively cheap way to turn a plain dress into a new outfit adding this and a similarly coloured clutch, and a pearl hair ornament would be the icing on the cake.
These gorgeous mary jane style court shoes from Evans with subtle snake skin detail would be a great addition to any outfit, and the chunky heel means you're far less likely to take a tumble! If you're not a heel fan you could still follow the snake skin trend with these lovely ballerina pumps, or stick with the embellished look with these nice studded flats.
I just couldn't do a 1920's post without featuring some shoes from Miss L Fire. I have coveted so many of their styles over the years and they have done themselves proud with the Autumn/Winter 12 collection. These are some of my favourites.