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The little black dress, a staple item for Audrey Hepburn, Victoria Beckham... and Wednesday Addams. I am an Audrey fan but I must say Wednesday would be my favourite out of the bunch and getting her spooky schoolgirl chic has long been something I've aspired to. Crochet collar shift dresses were big last year but naturally I was looking for something a little different and with a smidge more class. Well, yet again the fabulous Scarlett and Jo have helped me live out my fashion dreams by creating this utterly gorgeous crochet collar dress which satisfies all of my cutesy goth girl fantasies.

It's a really dreamy style with perfect three quarter length sleeves and it's just the perfect length on my 5'7'' frame sitting just on the knee. As is always the case with Scarlett and Jo the fabric is thick and stretchy and marvellous quality, something that will stand wash after wash and still look as good as new (although with the delicate beaded collar I would definitely recommend a delicate wash). Speaking of the collar, it really is lovely. Crochet like lace in ivory with pearl bead detailing to add that extra something special.

To keep with the creeptastic theme I decided to go for black biker boots and one of my favourite accessories, my petrol feather clutch bag with was an amazing Primark score last year when I went on a weekend trip to Edinburgh. I'm at work this Halloween, and I think this will be my outfit of choice.


Scarlett and Jo Crochet Collar Dress - Evans - £38.00* (currently only available in plum)
Catwalk Collection Biker Boots (EEE Fit) - Fashion World - £65.00*
Raven Feather Clutch - Primark - £8.00 (2013)


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*This post contains items that were gifted for review. For more information head to my disclaimer page.
It doesn't happen often, but sometimes I get distracted from clothes and get on to a homewares / cookery / furniture kick. This week I've been lusting after pretty decorative things for my home and also some key statement pieces that I'd love to bring into my house to mix it up a bit. There are a few designers that I always head straight for when I'm looking for beautiful but unusual pieces and one of them is the lovely Jonathan Adler. I think I first found out about Jonathan when I spotted some of his gorgeous stripey canisters somewhere on a Beetlejuice-esque photo shoot and had to hunt them down. Sadly I don't own any yet but perhaps one day... perhaps...

You can't beat a good pretty random object to brighten up a sideboard or a mantelpiece. Mine are covered mostly with old lovely things that I've found at vintage fairs but I do like to throw in the odd modern piece to add an extra spark - that's my thing after all, classic but quirky. A nice bowl to fill with jewellery or pop your keys in is always a good thing to add to your hall table and if you get one with an unusual design it adds intrigue as soon as you step into your home - this Muse Bowl will do just that. If you wanted to creep people out a bit why not also add this delightful Eyelashes Canister? Have a favourite hat or hair piece you'd like to display a little more elegantly? Then grab yourself this Madame Head Form and don't forget to pop this unbelievably beautiful Muse D'or Candle next to it to make your dressing table really special.

I mentioned statement pieces and to me the ultimate statement piece will always be a fabulous home bar. We've fancied a globe shaped one for some time but I keep seeing them in swanky bars and other people's homes now so I've been hunting for something a little more uncommon and I think I found the perfect thing in this Delphine Mirrored Bar. I adore the mirrored exterior, the gold detailing and frame base and the pale blue interior is just darling. If anyone has a spare 3k let me know, I promise I'll make you a cocktail.

So, being a little more realistic it's unlikely I'll have a three grand home bar in my living room within the next decade, but I might be able to swing a pretty cocktail tray table. I love the golden bamboo style legs of this Meurice Butlet Tray Table, it's so kitsch 1950's tiki bar brought up to date. Of course, I need a beautiful chair to sip my yummy cocktail in and a pale purple one like this Haines Chair in Canterbury Amethyst will go perfectly with my blonde locks and golden maxi dresses that I swan about in at home. Ahem, I wish.

Finally, an odd vase or candlestick will always be something I gravitate to and as I think the female form is so beautiful I just can't resist the Luciana Vase and the Edie Vase. Some of you may also know that I have a big thing for hand ornaments and jewellery. I have a lot of vintage pieces but have never found a modern rendition that I like, until I spotted these amazing Eve Candleholder which I am dying to put on my bedside table.

Do you have any favourite interior designers? Please do share I love to find new designers to add to my love list!

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Weekend!!!!! Aaah I'm ready for this, what a week! Well actually I still have a busy day tomorrow as I have a wedding to attend and bride and bridesmaid make up to do. Still, it's not a day in the office and I always love a good wedding so I'm quite excited!

I've not done a workwear post in a while and so I thought I'd share with you the outfit I wore to a job interview last week - I got the job so I think it was a good choice! I don't think you can get more workwear appropriate than a shirt, but I just don't like plain cotton types and I find them kind of uncomfortable. Chiffony shirts are more my thing and I love one with a good print, and this one from the new Look Magazine collection at Simply Be is just wonderful! It fits true to size and is lovely and soft and looks fab with sleeves rolled or down and with the collar fully buttoned or open. My favourite feature is the covered button placket, a detail often left out but that gives an added luxe flourish to a staple piece like a shirt. I loved quite a few of the pieces from this Look range but this is the only one I've bought so far - have you bought anything from the range?

My trusty Claire Richards black velvet pencil skirt was my chosen partner this time, something I wear at least once a week and has served me very well - I wish I had bought two as it is now not available. Accessories were what added the spark to this outfit I think, my trusty gold baroque flourish necklace which was a £4 Primark bargain last year added the needed sparkle and the lovely Ted Baker bag that Pete gave me for my birthday made a perfect partner. With it's monochrome vinyl echoing the shirt and the rose gold detailing adding even more sparkle it was the perfect choice for outfit.

And finally my beautiful shoesies, Razzel Dazzels from Irregular Choice. Sadly this colour way is now sold out but there are lots of other gorgeous variations you can choose from. This is my favourite IG style as it features a smaller and much more wearable heel and also because the split to the front makes them perfectly suited to wider feet like mine as they allow a little more room. I do wish they'd bring out a wedding version of this style as I'd love to wear some silver crystally ones for my wedding next year! Hint hint!!!



Look Printed Long Sleeve Shirt - Simply Be - £35.00
Claire Richards Black Velvet Skirt - Fashion World - Sold Out
Dazzel Razzel Low Heels - Irregular Choice - £74.99
Gold Baroque Statement Necklace - Primark - Sold Out 2013
Sophia Quilted Tote Bag - Ted Baker - £149.00

Lipstick is MAC Russian Red



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Oh PUG, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways! I didn't think I could possibly love you anymore and then today this graphic appears in my inbox. I've been loving Pinup Girl Clothing for literally years now ever since I first accidentally stumbled upon them when looking for fancy dress costumes. It was when I still lived at home so that must be ten years ago now. The company has evolved so much over the years and the success it now experiences is oh so well deserved. From following head honcho Laura Byrnes and designer Micheline Pitt on social media for some time I've seen the real passion they have for the company and the incredible work they put in to make sure PUG is head and tails above their competitors.

It might seem like I'm waxing lyrical but PUG will always hold a special place in my heart as they are the first place that I found vintage inspired pieces in a size that will fit me that weren't your typical polka dot flared halter dress. The fact that they offered fitted styles in plus sizes blew my mind and I was so thankful that someone was offering sexy, well made, beautiful pieces that would fit my ample curves. This quote from today's email perfectly sums up all that is wonderful about PUG...

"Couture For Every Body - It isn't just our slogan; it's our ethos, belief, and our guiding mantra on how we design and produce our clothing. CEO, Founder, and Supreme Overlord Laura Byrnes began Pinup Girl Clothing in 1997, designing and constructing clothing up to size 5x with the aim to provide all women with the opportunity to wear well-made clothing that fits and flatters no matter what her shape or size. She and Pinup Girl continue to embrace this belief by offering garments from XS-4X and showcasing them on women of every size and ethnicity, because for us, it isn't enough to say that the clothes exist for women. We want to show the world that every woman is indeed gorgeous and should be celebrated!

We are all unique, and we all deserve to find and wear clothing that does more than just cover us. At Pinup Girl, everything we do is done with the intention of making all women feel beautiful and confident in their own skin and the clothing surrounding it. Empowerment comes in many forms, and we are honoured to be a pioneering, body-positive company that has already changed the lives of so many women and consider it a privilege to continue on this path with all of you."

I thought I'd share with you today some of the incredible designs that PUG offer up to a size 4X...

1    -    2    -    3
4    -    5    -    6

1    -    2    -    3
4    -    5    -    6

Do you own any PUG pieces? I'd love to see you in them if you do! I have a few PUG dresses in my wardrobe that I've not blogged about before so they'll be coming out for an outfit post or two soon!

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Autumn is here and the wind has come with it. It's chilly out there and the wind sure does nip at you, so girl you need to get yourself an awesome cold weather coat. I love the hunt for a good coat, for me that means something fitted at the waist and with a big and preferably fur collar. I like it to sit about knee length and for the bottom to flare like a skirt. Basically a big coaty dress. Yes. 

I've had a few email requests for help with winter coats from you lovely lot and I promised a collection post, so here it is and I hope you love it! I think a good winter coat is worth spending some money on - I usually spend between £60-100 on mine and I think for the amount you'll wear it and the amount you'll appreciate it keeping you warm it's definitely worth it! I've tried to show a good range of styles (naturally only ones that I like) and you will notice that there are no parkas involved because I just cannot allow myself to have anything to do with them - sorry parka lovers!

ASOS Curve
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

Littlewoods
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

Evans
1  -  2  -  3

Debenhams
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

Well I hope there were a few you liked in my picks, do let me know if you end up buying any of these!

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What an odd weekend eh lovelies? Lots of bright sun but a real chill in the air and crazy winds which seemed to make people crazy in turn. It is odd how the weather affects your mood, the blustery winds seemed to stop me being able to keep my mind on one thing before it was blown away and replaced by another. I managed to keep myself focused long enough to photograph what I wore on Saturday when I went shopping with my dad, it's a bit of a kooky mix but I like it and it was ever so comfy.

The sweater perfectly illustrates what I was talking about in my last post, that sometimes you can find lovely pieces in unexpected stores. I bought this from Monki in London which does not do a plus size line, but I spotted this oversized sweater and knew it would be a perfect fit. This is a size large and it's lovely and warm, plus I just can't resist a candy pink jumper. The fact that it was cropped and snake print just added to its charm and I like the relaxed fit and drop sleeves too.

Now this skirt. Where to start? It's my current favourite clothing item and I'm a bit obsessed with it. I adore the midi length, the fullness and the sheer leopard print band. It has no stretch but I would say fits true to size. I like it more without tights but hey, it was chilly this weekend! It's from Littlewood's / Very's plus size range So Fabulous! which to be honest I haven't had much success with in the past, but I must say their current range is great and there are lots of pieces I'd love to get my hands on including a rainbow sequin pencil skirt!!

As comfort was key this weekend I decided to wear my lilac Visions which went well with my purple make up look that day. To finish off I grabbed my lovely metallic blue Paul's Boutique bag and crystal 'lucky eye' tassle necklace both of which I bought on holiday, plus this crazy gold spine necklace that I picked up for £3 at a bric a brac market. It's four individual pieces cast from something's spine and finished in really shiny gold - weird but I love it! (outfit links below)


Pink Lexi Sweater - Monki - £20.00
Animal Flock Sheer Panel Midi Skirt - So Fabulous! at Very - £25.00
Natasha Patent Teal Hand Bag - Paul's Boutique - £65.00


Make up details - Seventeen Eye Shadow Solo in Rose Quartz all over lid, Rimmel Glam Eyes liner for cat eye, Kiko Smart Pencil in Iris Violet on waterline and under lower lashes, finished with Benefit BADgal Mascara. Lipstick is matte shade 422 by Inglot.

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Hello lovely ones! So today I'm sharing with you one of my biggest shopping tips... just because the store doesn't have a plus size range doesn't mean you can't fit in their stuff!

It's true! I have some great pieces that I've found in normal size stores and even in stores that you would associate with the very thin people among us. You just need to be brave and go and have a look. What's the worst that could happen? Something won't fit you which you are already expecting? Hardly a crushing blow and hey, you might find yourself a gem of a piece.

I have the most success with tops as I have a really exaggerated bottom half and I tend to look for oversized tops and if you have a smaller bust like me you can also get some great maternity tees and skater dresses. Here are some pieces I've found online - oversized is your key word when online shopping at straight sized stores! I currently wear a size 20-22 on top and in dresses a 22-24 and I've got lots of pieces in sizes 16 or 18 and in size L recently - go on girls exploit the oversized trend!

Monki
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

ASOS
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

River Island
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

ASOS Maternity
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

H and M
1  -  2  -  3  -  4

One thing I find that this really helps with is something that Bethany wrote about recently, the fact that it can be really hard to find staple items in plus sizes. Being able to buy oversized plain tees and shirts is really great for me and I really hope the oversized trend sticks around a little longer so I can add some more surprise items to my wardrobe.

Primark are also really great at the moment for oversized cropped tees and oversized sweaters and coats. I tried a lovely dusty pink oversized coat on the other day that was only £20 and had to size down three times to get a size that I liked the look of so that just shows how great a range of sizes could be able to find something when taking of advantage of this trend.

Be brave, give it a go, grab a new gem for your wardrobe!

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Before I properly started to write this blog, back when it was a bit of a pipe dream that I didn't know how to move forward with, I had a baking business. It did quite well and I even started making cakes for a local department store's coffee shop. As wonderful as this was, it got a bit repetitive and dull making mostly the same things all the time and as it was on top of my full time day job I grew to resent it a bit and was actually rather pleased when it came to a bit of an unceremonious end. Unfortunately this left me with a bit of a lack of love for baking and for quite a while I didn't really do any, unless someone asked me for a birthday cake or something special they particularly wanted.

Thankfully now I've got my baking mojo back and can again enjoy baking as a relaxing way to pass the weekend. My latest try was making a crumb cake, something that I've done quite often before but put a little twist to this time. Crumb cake is fabulous, it's literally a lovely moist cake base piled high with crumbs made the same way that I make topping for a fruit crumble. Usually I either add nuts to the crumb topping or a later of jam or fruit on top of the sponge but this time I decided to amp up the vanilla flavour with some bean paste rather than extract and add a layer of chopped, salted cashew nuts on top of the cake batter base. It worked a treat and was just lovely with a cup of coffee, and best of all? It's really easy to do!

Vanilla and Cashew Nut Crumb Cake
Makes 9-16 pieces depending how generously you slice!

Crumb Ingredients
  • 65g golden caster sugar
  • 70g light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 115g unsalted butter, melted and warm
  • 150g plain flour
Cake Ingredients 
  • 150g plain flour
  • 100g granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon table salt
  • 85g softened unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1 large egg and 1 large egg yolk
  • 80g plain yoghurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 100g salted cashew nuts, chopped as finely as you like
Crumb Method
Put the sugars and cinnamon into a bowl and give it a whisk until they're well combined. Pour in the melted butter and give it a good whisk until mixed, then add the flour and stir again this time with a spoon or spatula until you have a thick almost dough like paste. Set aside to cool.

Cake Method
Preheat the oven to 170C and grease and line an 8" x 8" square tin leaving an overlap of baking parchment so it's easier to list the cake out when cooled.

Put the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into a bowl and mixed until combined, then add the softened butter at a little at a time mixing well after each addition. When all the butter is in keep mixing until you have a uniform texture and there are no big pieces of butter left. Now add the egg, egg yolk, yoghurt and vanilla and mix well for at least one minute until the mixture becomes lighter in colour and is a nice soft fluffy texture. Pour into the tin and smooth over the top, then sprinkle over the chopped cashews.

Now grab your cooled crumble topping and take pinches of it and drop them all over the cake in little chunks, just like a crumble topping. When all your mix is used pop it in the oven and bake it for 35-40 minutes, rotating the tin after 25 minutes. If your crumble topping is starting to brown too much before the cake batter is cooked then just pop a sheet of foil or baking parchment over the top and this will stop it scorching. The cake is ready when a cocktail stick pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean with just a few crumbs. If it comes out with liquid batter on, it needs another ten minutes!

Once cooled cut into pieces and serve - I like it best with a good cup of coffee!

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Sometimes I get so caught up in planning for stuff in the future or worrying about things that I'm not happy about in the present that I forget to take the time to enjoy the things that I do love. It's one of my worst traits and one that I thought I'd got myself out of, but yesterday I realised that I've been stuck in a busy funk for ages now without even knowing it. I also make the mistake sometimes when I'm too busy to go on adventures of thinking that buying stuff online will make me happy. It's true that shopping is one of my favourite pastimes and I love adding new things to my wardrobe or pretty vintage stuff collection but it doesn't always hit that cheerful inspiration nerve and is never good for my bank balance.

I (mostly) had a lovely Sunday - I headed out early into the misty Leicestershire countryside with my sister and her boyfriend to a car boot sale where I picked up some mega bargains and then we went for brunch in town and a walk through the park before I headed home and baked a tasty crumb cake. The reason I said mostly is because since about 3pm I felt wretched with head and neck ache and a really squirly painful tummy. The morning however was lovely, didn't cost the earth and reminded me that simple things like this really cheer me up, make me more optimistic and really inspire me and so I should do what makes me happy more often!

To remind myself to get to making myself a happier lady I thought I'd make a list of what cheers me up, not just things to do but other little details that make me smile...
  • Heading out on a Sunday for a drive through the countryside to find vintage and antique fairs.
  • Lunch dates with family and friends.
  • Painting while listening to audiobooks or dramatisations on BBC iPlayer.
  • Finally over a year after stopping cake making as a business I can enjoy baking for fun again!
  • Snuggling up in the living room with the wood burner going, reading a good book.
  • Walks in the woods - the Charnwood countryside is beautiful!
  • Picnics at Bradgate Park when the weather allows, hanging out amongst the ruins with the peacocks and the deer.
  • Trips to country houses - especially Chatsworth!
  • Watching a movie with a big bag of sweet popcorn, sat on the sofa with Pete and Cleo.
  • Buying flowers from the market, arranging them in a pretty vase and then making a display in the dining room with lots of my pretty vintage bits and bobs.




So what about you? Do you have anything that you just love to do that doesn't involve spending lots of moolah? I'd love to hear about them if you do!

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I'm ever so sorry I've not been posting more regularly my lovelies, the last few weeks since I got back from my holiday have been pretty crazy with my birthday and getting engaged and then going off to London for a few days! We've also decided to get married in Autumn next year and while that seems like a long way away when it comes to wedding planning it really isn't!!!

We had such a fabulous time in the big smoke that I thought I'd share some of the things we did and some of the cheeky purchases I made while we were there. Our first stop was to one of my favourite places in the world, the V&A to see the Wedding Dresses 1775-2014 exhibition. We'd actually decided to go to this before we got engaged and it was just wonderful. There were so many stunning dresses there including some celebrity dresses worn by the likes of Dita Von Teese, Gwen Stefani, Kate Moss and more. I really enjoyed learning about old fashioned wedding traditions such as the Victorian trend for adding orange blossoms to the bridal wreath or bouquet which actually originated in China. One of my favourite pieces on display was the embroidered silk satin dress above which you can see in more detail in the picture below which was worn by society beauty Margaret Whigham in 1933.



After our jaunt and lunch in the V&A we headed to our hotel and dropped off our bags before hopping back on the tube and heading to Carnaby Street. We dropped into Johnny Cupcakes and Pete treated himself to a new t shirt and then we headed to the Simply Be on Oxford Street where I tried on a few of the pieces from the new Look Magazine collection and got disappointed as I just cannot pull off a duster jacket, ah well. Selfridges was the next stop where we bought fancy chocolates and I swooned over the latest Vivienne Westwood bag designs before strolling back to Carnaby and heading to The Diner to have dinner with some of our lovely London based friends. We ate far too much and I had many a tasty cocktail and boozy milkshake which made the tube back to Holborn a much quicker experience!!!

Day two saw me heading to Black Garden Tattoo for my appointment with Cassandra Frances and Pete heading back to the V&A to do a bit more exploring. Getting tattooed sucked but Cassandra was a lovely lady and I'm more than pleased with the final tattoo, it's so beautiful and feminine! After grabbing a quick sushi lunch I met back up with Pete and we headed to the British Library to see it's latest exhibition Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination. This exhibition was so so good and surpassed both of our expectations, we were in there for a good hour and a half and were thrilled to see some of the pieces on show including the famous 'Dear Boss' letter sent by Jack the Ripper to the police, some beautiful first editions and some original artwork from the Batman: Arkham Asylum comic. It's only a tenner and I highly recommend that you go along if you're interested in gothic literature and film - there's even an Alexander McQueen outfit on show.

After this we headed back to Oxford Street and did a little more shopping and grabbed some dinner before we got our train back home. Here are a few of the things I bought while we were there...


There was so much in the Terror and Wonder gift shop that I wanted to buy but I restrained myself and just got a tote bag and some little vampire chick mirrors.


I didn't but much on our Oxford Street trips as I had spent a lot on my new tattoo but I treated myself to a choccy bar and a few little pieces from & Other Stories - this hand cream smells wonderful, I wish the body mist from the same range had smelled as nice. I also bought this sweater from Monki which is a lovely candy pink - I got a size large and it fits me perfectly!


My favourite purchase was this gorgeous nail polish from the V&A exhibition which I'm saving for our wedding day. It's called a silver veil top coat and is a clear base with lots of little flecks of sterling silver leaf. It's just stunning and was a lovely little memento of our trip - I'm trying to introduce lots of little memory stirring details into the wedding plans.

Well, that was my very busy few days - what have you been up to this week?

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