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I have loved fashion my entire life, since I was a very young girl. My parents and the ladies on my mum's side of the family especially are all very stylish and I think it was inevitable that my sister and I would also develop a great love for clothes and make up. My love for glamour and styles of past decades was also clear from a young age, fuelled by coffee table photography books that my parents had and the classic movies that I'd watch with my dad, but for a long time this seemed a style that would always be out of my grasp due to my size. Over the last few years however I have been lucky enough to acquire and sometimes even model beautiful pieces of clothing that hark back to bygone eras of elegance and femininity that make me feel wonderful and beautiful. Realising that you have accomplished the look you had wanted to have since you were a little girl really is a wonderful thing and my love goes out to all the designers and brands out there that are making fashion dreams come true for women all over the world.

This dress is one of these pieces, a 1920's-esque dream of a gown, like a dress from my dreams. The team at Simply Be were lovely enough to send me this dress as a wedding gift and I plan to wear it on the evening of our wedding day when we head for dinner at a jazz supper club in San Francisco. I can't think of a dress that would be more appropriate for the occasion! The pictures make it obvious that this is a stunning piece with a wonderful cut, layered lovely fabrics and incredible beading but my absolute favourite detail is the scalloping to the sleeves.

Thank you so much Simply Be for making another of my fashion dreams come true and for being so generous as to gift me with this delightful dress, I will forever be grateful!



Scalloped Sleeve Sequin Maxi Dress - Simply Be - £135.00*
Hollographic Pumps with Gem Heels - Marks and Spencer - Old
Diamante Hair Chain - Bought on the Belgrave Road in Leicester - £8.00


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*This post contains items that were gifted. For more information head to my disclaimer page.

I'm the first to admit that my inner teenage goth is alive and well and still draws me to the spooky, elegant and macabre. Although some of my teenage years were filled with Opeth shirts and New Rock boots my adult dark side prefers the more feminine, glamorous path. Unfortunately however, it can be tricky to find these kind of pieces in plus sizes probably because the steriotypical witch like lady is thin and waif like, but I think an easy way of accomplishing the look at a larger size is to layer simple pieces and bring them to life with beautifully creepy jewellery and accessories. Here are a few of my favourite pieces...








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It's not often that you come across a life changing piece of clothing, but I can safely say that I am head over heels in love with Chaffree's Knickerboxers. I love wearing skirts and dresses without tights cause I love flashing my lovely leg tattoos, but up until now I've been severely let down by every anti-chafing pair of shorts that I've tried. So many problems arise, either the legs roll up or the fabric stretches so they go baggy and don't protect your thighs or they just aren't long enough for my thighs. Well now I have found the perfect solution I can spend my honeymoon in the USA and Summer in the UK tightless - hooray!

I won't lie, I was a little sceptical when the lovely people at Chaffree asked me if I'd like to give their product a go because I've been let down so many times before, but believe me these are the real deal! Knickerboxers* are a wonderful seamless and stretchy pair of shorts made from a magical fabric that keeps you cool and sweat free thanks to its wicking properties, the same technology used in good quality sportswear to keep moisture away from your body which naturally also helps with the prevention of chafing and irritation caused by perspiration. The fabric is also latex free and anti-bacterial which is great news for any allergy sufferers and people with sensitive skin. My favourite thing about the Knickerboxers is that you can get them in two leg lengths and in two waist lengths so you know you'll be able to find the perfect fit!

These are hands down the comfiest shorts I've ever owned and they kept their shape all day with no rolling of the legs or the waist. They're super soft too and the seamless detail makes them the perfect thing to wear under fitted clothing so you don't get the dreaded VPL. Prices start at £19 for one pair but you get a discount the more pairs you order. I will definitely be stocking up for my honeymoon in the USA, they'll be perfect for hot days walking around Vegas and Florida and now the worry of chub rub is all gone!

I was also lucky enough to try the Chaffree Briefs* too which are made of the same fabulous fabric and come in either midi or full coverage for the tummy and most interestingly are available in standard and wide leg so if you have big thighs like me you're still all set! I found both standard and wide leg comfortable but the wide leg definitely did feel more natural. These are now definitely sharing my number one undies spot with my faithful Sloggi shaping briefs!

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One of the questions I get asked over and over is about my hair, how I get it so blonde and how I've kept it up for so long when bleaching can be so damaging to your hair. Well I did a whole post about the products that I use a while ago which you can read here but I have to say that a big part of having healthy hair and sometimes in getting the perfect colour that you want is going to a good hair salon. Now I actually had my hair bleached and toned at my usual salon in Loughborough just before the Scarlett and Jo photoshoot, it cost me £77 and this did not include a hair cut... so you can imagine how disappointed I was when the end result was no better than when I do it at home and when my silver tone had gone after just one wash. It's a bit of an old fashioned salon and I just don't think they got what I was going for. Thankfully however a few weeks ago I had an email asking if I'd like to visit a salon in Leicester called Danique for a salon tour and to meet somne of their new stylists and have a haircut. Naturally I was very excited and jumped at the chance and so headed into town on the Saturday morning.

The salon is located just behind the Highcross so it's super convenienty positioned right in the city centre near lots of shops and parking and restaurants -  yay! My first impressions when I walked in were how beautiful a salon it is, nice and modern but with glamorous touches and nice dark wood floors contrasting with the white walls. There are a few floors to the salon I believe with the colouring stations upstairs and the main stylist and washing stations on the ground floor. I was met by my stylist Sean who was just lovely, I could instantly tell that he would know what I was looking for and when he heard how disappointed I was with my toner a few weeks before he suggested we give it another go which was so nice of him! The colour he got my hair was perfect, just what I'd been wanting for so long but never been able to accomplish and he knew just what products to use to keep my hair nice and soft and healthy. I was really impressed with the cut and style that he gave me, adding volume just how I like it and styling it with a round brush while he blow dried it so we didn't need to use straighteners - heat styling tools like that mean bad news for bleach damaged hair so use them as rarely as you can.

I can say for sure that I'll be going to Danique for the foreseeable future, the whole team looked were lovely and friendly and the atmosphere in there was lively and fun but most importantly they listen to what you want and like to experiment and try new styles and colours - something my old salon wasn't great at. If you're looking for a salon in Leicester I really can't recommend them highly enough!


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A few years ago I would have thought that a dress like this being available in plus sizes was just a dream, but like they have so many times for me already Scarlett and Jo has made my dream come true!

Being plus size doesn't mean you can't be glamorous, feminine, classy and ultra sexy - you just need to find a dress that makes you feel like a million dollars and project that happiness outwards in your stance, attitude and movements. Glamour isn't just about clothes, it's about the person wearing them and that is what is so special about a dress like this - it makes you feel fabulous and so you project that pleasure and sassiness like a beacon letting people know that you're a woman (or man) in control and there's nothing sexier than that!

This dress is just a dream, a dual layered affair with an underdress that site just under the knee and a lace overlay which is so gorgeous it's untrue. Both fabrics are wonderfully stretchy and soft and the fishtail detail just screams vintage screen starlet. It uses a few of the wonderful Scarlett and Jo tricks that make all the difference with their pieces, such as built in straps so that don't have to worry about finding a strapless bra and the ruching to one side of the body with flatters your tummy and aids that all important hourglass silhouette.

Basically darlings, if you're looking for a drop dead gorgeous dress that will get you noticed but also be comfortable and turn you into a real glamour puss, then this dress is for you!


Happy Friday everyone!

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*This post contains items that were gifted for review. For more information head to my disclaimer page.


Betty Grable



Lana Turner



Diana Dors



Mae West



Clara Bow



Hedy Lamarr


Marilyn Monroe


Louise Brooks

No words needed.

Images collected from Tumblr.

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 It's Valentines Day tomorrow and I want you babes to do me a favour. As well as thinking and showing your significant other how much you adore them I want you to take some time to think about all the things that you love about yourself.

Thinking that you're a pretty awesome person isn't big headed or immodest (unless you scream it in the middle of a wedding perhaps...) and I think it's kind of sad that we're brought up to think so. Sure everyone has hang ups and wanting to improve yourself is no bad thing, but please don't get caught up only concentrating about what you dislike about yourself. Spend some time figuring out all the amazing things about you, be that a talent that you have, what makes you a great person to have as a friend, what parts of yourself you think are super cute, your dreams for the future... 

You're a wonderful unique individual and the things that make you different from everyone else are the things that make you amazing. Don't be ashamed of them, embrace them and realise how they make you something special.

I want to give a shout out to all the other bloggers out there who are helping men and women overcome and learn to embrace all manner of things they used to see as problems. Big love to all the parents and teachers who are educating children to be accepting of everyone including themselves. Much admiration to models and celebrities who are breaking the boundaries of what is acceptable to the media and showing that anyone of any size/shape/colour/sexuality/anything can be a rock star if they just believe in themselves and put in the hard work.

I'd really love for you to share with me what you think makes you wonderful - tweet me, email me, leave it in a comment - but once you've told me make sure you re-tell yourself every single day.

Happy Valentines you wonderful wonderful person!


 Venus Is Flawless Tee - Rad - £19.90
So Fabulous Mesh Grid Midi Skirt - Littlewoods - £32.00
Wide Fit Black Chunky Sandals - New Look - £24.99
Marilyn Scarf - Claireabella's Close - £4.95 (cream version)

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Well, very excitingly I have something a little different to share today - a room makeover! I was contacted by the very lovely people at George Home asking if I'd like to try out some of their homeware pieces and of course I jumped at the chance! It came at just the right time as I'd ordered us some new storage furniture for our bedroom the week before and so figured hey why not give the whole room a bit of a makeover while I was at it.

Now I live in a little terraced cottage that was built in the 1880's as housing for cotton mill workers and is Grade 2 listed. It's just gorgeous but it's a little on the snug side (especially for my ever expanding wardrobe) and so I have to be careful not to fill our rooms with too many dark pieces which can be a problem as Pete and I both naturally gravitate towards dark woods and black leather furniture as you can see from our bedstead. I also like to keep our rooms pretty gender neutral or combine pieces that both of us like into each room so we keep a happy medium - if it was up to me this room would be full on satiny boudoir but that just isn't Pete's style so I decided to go with a black, white and grey colour scheme that is stylish and keeps the room bright and airy. Aaaand because I really cannot live without a bit of shiny prettiness in my rooms I decided to use copper as the accent colour in some of the accessories - you can't take out all the glamour right?

I have to say I am so so so impressed with everything that I got from George Home and I had a surprisingly hard time choosing what to try out. There are so many gorgeous pieces on there to suit any taste, from super on trend pieces that you'd see for five times the price in Urban Outfitters to super glam and glitzy feminine styles to masculine clean lined pieces. The prices are just great and everything was such good quality. I think my favourite pieces were the bedding set printed with an old map of New York, the geometric wire pendant lampshade and Pete's new bedside tripod lamp which he picked out for himself. They're all really stylish and look so much more expensive than they were - the kind of pieces you'd expect to see on Apartment Therapy from some interior design house in NY but not at a price that makes your eyes water! 

Also, can we talk about how amazing it is that you can get large Yankee Candle jars for £13?! I adore this Bermuda Beach scent, it's all luscious and watermelony - yay!

So here are some photos of our made over bedroom and below I'll put links to all the lovely pieces!









So here are the links to all of the pieces I tried in case you'd like to snap some up for yourself!

NYC Map Duvet Set - George Home - £18.00*
Grey Blackout Curtains - George Home - £25.00*
Alphabet Cushions - George Home - £5.00 each*
Copper Origami Pendant Light Shade - George Home - £20.00*
Tripod Table Lamp - George Home - This style* sold out but alternative is here for £35.00
White Faux Fur Throw - George Home - £30.00*
Copper Effect Fan Ornament - George Home - £15.00*
Black and Copper Tumblers (as brush holders) - George Home - £5.00 each*
Large Yankee Candle Bermuda Beach Jar - George Home - £13.00*
Wire Storage Box - George Home - £7.00*
Wire Storage Tray - George Home - £7.00*

The black leather bedstead was from Littlewoods a few years ago but you can buy a similar one here.
The bunny lamp was from Next last year but you can buy a similar one here.
The hand ring stand was from Urban Outfitters last year but you can buy a similar one here.

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*This post contains items that were gifted for review. For more information head to my disclaimer page.

I'll be honest, Pete and I never really make a big deal of Valentines day. I always get him a card and a silly little something but it's not big on our agenda, probably in the main because it's also my little sister's birthday. As we all know though I will take any opportunity to dress in something sexy and sparkly and this gorgeous Miami dress from Gemma Collins definitely fits the bill! 

Curve skimming and sparkly, this baby wouldn't seem out of place in Jessica Rabbit's wardrobe. With flattering ruching to hide any unwanted lumps and bumps this is a very flattering dress despite being a bodycon style. The central glitter panels also adds that illusion dress style trick of elongating your body and emphasising the curves of your silhouette, as well as just being darn fabulous and sparkly! I was also really impressed by the quality of this style, it's lined and made from nice thick and stretchy fabric so you feel nice and secure and the adjustable straps also make it easier to avoid any accidental boob spillage!!! What I really can't get over is that this gorgeous style is currently on sale for just £24.99 which I think is a terrific deal for a dress that is so drop dead gorgeous and so well made.

I teamed the dress with another beautiful Gemma Collins piece, the Brazil kimono. Now when this arrived I must admit that I was a bit 'oh another kimono' but then I put it on and was so so impressed! I just adore the shape with the dipped front and the semi sheer fabric is soft and light and wonderful with a gorgeous bold print. Cleverly the fabric from the solid black collar to the bottom of the points at the front are doubled over and sewn to add some extra weight which means it will always keep it's lovely shape skimming over your tum in two points that again flatter a larger belly and elongate your body - such a simple but smart detail! Well done Gemma!

I must say as someone who has not tried any of Gemma's pieces before that I'm ever so impressed with both of these items and I'll definitely be trying more in the future - I've got my eye on this baby next!


Miami Dress in Red - Gemma Collins - £24.99* (on sale, usually £75.00!)
Brazil Kimono - Gemma Collins - £24.99* (on sale, usually £49.00!)
Gold Glitter Sandals Wide Fit - New Look - No longer available
Black and Gold Corner Clutch - Primark - £4.00 in store only

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*This post contains items that were gifted for review. For more information head to my disclaimer page.
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